Peanuts In My Pocket

I’ve been a fan of street photography for decades. There’s something about the art form that speaks to my soul. But like music, while I deeply appreciate it, I struggle to create something truly good. Deliberate practice has improved my results, but it’s not uncommon for me to take hundreds of photos during an outing, only to reject them all. I just don’t feel a connection to my street photos the way I do to the work of photographers like Alex Webb or Matt Stuart.

Diane Arbus first captured my interest when her photographs appeared in a 1984 issue of Aperture. I found a copy in a used bookstore in the late ’80s and, within weeks, began experimenting with street photography myself. Almost immediately, I stumbled over my own ethical boundaries, what felt intrusive or just plain wrong. Though I photographed the homeless early on, it never sat well with me. Over time, my efforts shifted from trying to capture fleeting moments to something closer to editorial photography, with a focus on finding ways to help. I still wrestle with this moral dilemma.

When it comes to intrusiveness, I find the “in-your-face” style of modern street photography repulsive. I imagine how I’d feel having a camera suddenly shoved in my face, and I self-edit. I just can’t bring myself to do it. If I wouldn’t like it done to me, how could I justify doing it to someone else? I’ve tried this approach, but it makes me uncomfortable and strips the joy from the experience.

I also struggle with talking to strangers. Asking someone for permission to take their photo still feels awkward, although I’m gradually improving. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, it all comes down to practicing the things I find difficult, like approaching people and refining the techniques unique to street photography.

This morning, I had a few free hours. I arrived at the beach hoping for bird photography, but the area was far too crowded, unless I wanted to shoot pigeons. So I shifted my focus to a street photography technique known as fishing:

In street photography, fishing is when you find a compelling background or setting, compose your shot, and then wait for the right subject to enter the frame.

It sounds simple, but it’s surprisingly challenging. I took over a hundred photos today and only liked two. I used my Fuji X-Pro3 and framed the entrance to sand from the boardwalk, waiting for people to pass through. It was a bit tricky, especially with so many kids around, so I chose my subjects carefully. In the end, it felt like a bust. Still, I took notes and identified areas for improvement. Most notably, the lighting was terrible, and the location I picked lacked visual interest. Next time, I need to be much more selective with my scene.

I do love one photo from today, but I cheated. It’s of my grandson returning from a morning of surfing. He’s not a stranger, and I intended it more for my photography journal. Still, he walked into my frame, so I’ll count it as a fishing example.