It is impossible not to shoot, but it is equally futile to shoot without studying. Flipping through photo books isn’t about mining for answers – it’s about letting your mind tango with the streets. Quantity breeds quality; street photography thrives on the pendulum swing between relentless shooting and voracious viewing. As the volume swells, epiphanies drip like developer in a darkroom.
“Snapping” oversimplifies the craft, but its complexity dissolves when you carry a dog-eared notebook in your pocket. Flip it like a DJ scratches vinyl-not to imitate the masters, but to let each frame hum like a melody. Every photo is a song waiting to be remixed. Borrow the chorus, riff on the bridge, but always hum your own tune. After all, even cover bands stumble upon new grooves when the streetlights flicker to life.
About the Author
Matt Stuart never goes out without his trusty Leica and, in a career spanning twenty years, has taken some of the most accomplished, witty and well-known photographs of the streets.