What is street photography? Let’s define it by it’s intentions: to capture a sense of contemporary life, usually in cities. Within this broad context, “contemporary life” includes people and whatever they have created, from skyscrapers to smashed soda cans. It reflects how we live, how we feel, what we think. It’s not about the street itself or the tools used to create it. And its intent is “non-commercial,” meaning it is not intended to sell a product or generate profit from someone else’s endeavors.

One of my favorite street photographers is Joe Holmes whose site, joe’s nyc, I regularly visit. Joe is a walk-around photographer. His unique perspective allows him to capture wonderful images of people and things in and around New York City that most never “see.” But you don’t need a big city in order to capture great street shots. They’re everywhere; you just have to look for them. With practice, you can develop an “eye” for the things that work for you. The thumbnail images I’ve included in this article (click to enlarge) are from a collection on Flickr taken by various street photographers and represent excellent  examples of street photography.

So how does it differ, if at all, from documentary or journalistic photography? Well, the line is blurry but, in street photography, the photographer tries to combine subjects and situations in ways that capture elements we might not otherwise notice, often evoking humor or raw emotion in the process. In that respect, the street photograph is as much a portrait of the photographer as his subject.

For example, a telephoto image of a baseball player hitting a series-winning home run aims to document that moment in time. However, a fortuitous shot of the hotdog vendor dropping his tray, with hotdogs scattering in every direction just as the ball is hit and the fans leap to their feet, would constitute street photography.

However, an image taken “in the street” isn’t necessarily a street photograph. Advertising images are routinely taken in the street as are countless vacation snapshots. Generally, neither qualify as “street.” Rather, the street photographer is more a hunter utilizing an element of stealth in order to capture his “prey,” a unique vision of something only he sees. In addition, the street photographer doesn’t expect to get rich in the pursuit. If financial gain were his motive, he’d likely choose fashion or wildlife or landscape or any number of alternative avenues of photography.

Today’s street photographs will likely become more important in years to come, not because of the events or notable people in them but because the images will show “us” in the context of things we enjoyed, things that made us laugh and, perhaps more importantly, they will reflect the vision of the photographer who created them.

I admit that I don’t approach photography like a seasoned street photographer. I’ve concentrated on wildlife, landscape and, more recently, dabbled in portraiture. I’m afraid I’ve suffered both from laziness - I don’t want to pack a lot of gear as I walk around town - and a certain apprehension about photographing people I don’t know without their permission. But I suspect I’ll give it a try, perhaps after I get a more compact long lens, the better for hunting…

But by all means, if you have a camera and a little creative desire, give street photography a try. Be the hunter. Be alert and have your camera ready. Remember stealth. And above all, have fun! You might just discover a part of your creative self you didn’t realize was there.