Street, children, is a state of mind

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Street, children, is a state of mind: what defines street photography is not the subject, but the 'forma mentis' of the photographer.

Street photography is a way to look at the ordinary and see the unusual in it, to look at everyday situations and find a decisive moment in them, to look at candid happenings and see iconic interactions between people and surroundings in them.

The iN-PUBLiC | Manifesto, one of the most representative sites about street photography in the world, states that "all the photographers featured there have been invited to show their work because they have the ability to see the unusual in the everyday life and to capture the moment".

The subject of a street photo is not necessarily interesting, unusual, unseen in itself, but its strenght comes from the NARRATIVE CONSTRUCTION that the photographer is able to create around the subject. The way the photographer presents it, his original point of view, his capacity to take subjects out of context and juxtapose unrelated objects.

How can we 'see the unusual'?  Well, the ABILITY to SEE good subjects is a natural ability, which lies in the capacity to select, organize, connect and reconnect elements, in the capacity to re-interpretate reality, construct a narration, convey impact and emotion within a frame. Even if it is in part a natural ability,  it grows, refines, and improves with time, experience, cultural and human growth of the photographer himself.


"A good street photograph should tease, puzzle, reveal, stun, provoke and thrill in equal measure. They should be light in mood but dense in emotion, hard to read but easy to enjoy. Above all they should have the WTF factor. Life isn't easily interpreted and neither should photographs which are derived from it". (Stephen McLaren)

Not easy, huh? But well, who said that street photography was easy?