What is Street Photography?

As street photography grows in popularity each year, more and more people hear the term and ask – What is street photography? As with any art form, it’s impossible to set concrete laws about what it is and what it isn’t but the essence of street photography is this:

Unposed photography of unfamiliar subjects in public places. To put it simply, candid shots of strangers on the street or in other public locations. 

There’s a lot of debate about whether street photography must be candid, must be taken on the street, must be in black and white, etc. While street photography usually contains those elements, it certainly isn’t a requirement. What if you live in a rural area? What if you prefer to shoot in color? What if you interact with your subjects? Then do whatever floats your boat. Instead of coming up with hundreds of laws and technicalities that must apply to street photography, why not simply work on creating meaningful, skillfully captured images of the style of your choosing of people being people? Of people in their natural habitat? Or even just the natural habitat of people?

Street Photography Magazine strives to display the work of street photographers from around the world, each with their own unique style. Take a look around the site to get to know some of these talented street shooters. Some shoot B&W some shoot color. Some shoot candid, some interact with their subjects. Some shoot in urban settings, others in rural places. Some tell stories, some leave their work open for interpretation. All can inspire you and help you discover your own personal style.

What is the goal of street photography? Maybe it is to tell “the story of the street”, maybe it is to document what life is like right now, wherever you live, maybe it is simply to create images that speak to what we are as humans, raw and unscripted, maybe it is all of these things or none of them. That’s the beauty in it – you get to decide.