When you’re on the street, don’t shy away from interaction. I’ve learned over the years that this is a really critical part of my process that I’ve adopted very early on.
Closeness is not just physical
When you think about closeness and street photography, don’t just think physical proximity. I consider closeness to also be the emotional closeness. I have to my subject on the street. When I first began photographing seriously in Baltimore, I recognized that interaction was critical. I was naturally inclined to approach the streets with a documentary photographer’s process of making my presence known and chatting with people on the street in order to gain trust with my subject.
You don’t have to always be a fly on the wall
In street photography, we get caught up with being a fly on the wall, and not being perceived by others. We try to be as stealthy as possible, and typically don’t seek interaction on the street. I get this mindset, as you simply want to make photographs and move on. However, remember that interaction is a tool that you can add to your tool kit to increase the probability of you making a successful photograph. Have fun on the streets, make jokes with people, talk with others, and make photographs that get you closer to life itself. By interacting with strangers on the streets, you’ll increase your chances of making something interesting.