Love the Process
Love for the Game
When it comes to street photography, loving the process is essential. While it’s accessible to everyone, the process can sometimes feel grueling, especially on days when you return home without any satisfying images. Street photography requires patience and resilience; it’s a continuous journey, a stream of becoming. Each photograph is not a final result but part of a flow, an ongoing question asked of the world around you.
“Photography can be an endless adventure when you embrace each image as a new question you ask the world.”
The Stream of Becoming
Photography is about always moving forward. Each shot is unique, and you’ll never take the same photo twice, no matter how many times you return to the same place. This approach keeps the process alive and fresh. Treat each photograph you create as a question, a curiosity you explore through the lens. Moving away from traditional ideas of “good” or “bad” frees you to photograph with joy. Instead, focus on whether the image resonates with you—does it capture a feeling, spark curiosity, or reflect your own experience? That’s where the value lies.
Be a Tourist in Your Own Hometown
To keep the process exciting, approach familiar places with fresh eyes. Even if you’re walking down the same streets you’ve always known, treat them like new territory. Be a tourist in your own hometown, digging into the details of buildings, statues, and history that you might have overlooked before. Channel that childlike curiosity, discovering hidden corners and exploring with the mindset of a flâneur. Photography is then not just about capturing images but about the adventure of discovery.
“Forget everything you think you know, and treat yourself like a tourist in your hometown.”
Finding Joy in Discovery
Photography offers an excuse to get outside, explore, and see the world with an open mind. Treat the camera like a passport and go out with no preconceived expectations. When you allow yourself to walk, observe, and engage with the world, photography becomes an act of exploration rather than a goal-oriented task. The streets offer infinite potential, with new moments waiting to be discovered each day.
Embrace Being an Amateur
In photography, remaining an amateur—always open to learning—can be liberating. By staying in this beginner’s mindset, you’ll find endless inspiration in the everyday, even in things that might seem mundane. Personally, I’ve found freedom in returning to black-and-white photography, using high-contrast settings and small JPEG files. This approach strips away color, making each image an abstraction of reality that emphasizes texture, light, and form. Embrace imperfection, as it allows for more creativity and pushes the boundaries of what a photograph can be.
“Photographing loosely, with less purpose, lets life flow toward you. Through each snapshot, the mundane becomes extraordinary.”
A Balance Between Creation and Observation
When you step outside with your camera, it’s about more than just capturing scenes; it’s about balancing observation with creation. Each photograph is an opportunity to connect with your surroundings, to explore light, texture, and fleeting moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. Treat the imperfections in your images as part of their charm, where even the smallest details—a rusty bike lock, a fallen leaf on the sidewalk—can become subjects of beauty and fascination.
Loving the process in street photography means embracing curiosity, walking with openness, and treating each shot as part of a continuous journey. The photographs you capture are byproducts of the adventure, reflections of your inner curiosity, and expressions of how you see the world. Remember, it’s the joy of the process itself that makes photography fulfilling. Don’t worry about perfect results. Instead, allow yourself to explore, to ask questions, and to find beauty in every corner. The world is waiting, so go out there and sketch it with your camera.