The Camera as a Powerful Tool

I believe there is power in photography. When I document ordinary people doing ordinary things for the Roy Stryker photo project, I do it because I believe it has the power to change the world. Its goal is to "Introduce America to Americans" and show people in different parts of the country what we all...

Project: Kids & Teens, Unsupervised

I'm working on a street documentary set of photographs about kids and teens and the way they behave primarily when they're unsupervised by adults. I am interested in documenting youngsters and their body language as they grow up. I am always working on a project (or six). This one, honestly, I wasn't starting, it found...

My Eternal Quest to Motivate Showing Up

I talk about this a lot. The idea that we can capture magic with our cameras, but we have to show up. Have to go out and find the photographs by getting out of our easy chair and out into the world, camera at the ready. I was lying awake a couple nights ago thinking...

Taking It To The Streets

On my YouTube channel, I recently talked about how I want to get as fast with the Leica as I am with my trusty Nikons, having used them for the past 35 years. You do something for 35 years, you get pretty good at it. So, this weekend, I went out with the Leica M9...

I Love Street Photography, I Hate Street Photography Now

I do. I love street photography. I make street photographs and portraits all the time. But I hate street photography now, or at least what it's become. It feels like it's stuck at the moment. Seriously, street photography today, what I see online, wears me out. It's tiring. If I see one more figure in...

Valentines Day Street Photography: The Look of Lovers

The look of love is all around us when we go out looking for it. Love is a many splendored thing and comes in all shapes and sizes. Happy Valentines Day to lovers and singles everywhere. Even if you're not in a relationship, love may be the next great thing that's coming your way if...

So, You Want To Be a Famous Photographer, Do You? Do You?

I have a lot of respect for all kinds of photographers. Anyone who is making a living creating photographs is beating the odds--it's quite difficult to do these days. I was recently thinking about what kinds of photographers are the best known? Who can you name that is a famous photographers? I'd bet if asked,...

Ages Like a Fine Wine…

I found this the most interesting and inspiring line I've heard in a long time. In that talk by Richard Sandler I wrote about where he discusses and shows his street photography, he said he used to regularly bump into Lee Friedlander, Garry Winogrand and Bruce Gilden all pounding the same pavement throughout New York....

What Has Happened to Street Photography?

I was thinking about influencers and how that's a word that never used to exist. In a world with social media, the goal of attracting large numbers of followers and becoming popular to become "Insta-famous," what have we done to art? Wasn't there always influence from major players like John Szarkowski at MoMA, and plenty...

Street Photography Awards Are Only For Weirdo Photographs

I've noticed what wins street photography contests: Weirdo photos. Oddball pictures. Have you seen this? The photos at the right are the 2018 winners in StreetFoto. To my eye, none of them look like the classics by Garry Winogrand or Henri Cartier-Bresson, who I'm betting are masters that these street photographers look up to. The...