[ 2025 Manhattan, NY ]
I decided to try some street photography while in New York, during breaks from video work I was doing with friends. Mind you, I’ve had a camera in my hand since before I was a teenager. I’ve photographed just about everything over the years, and I have to say, street photography is by far the hardest genre I’ve ever encountered.
I carried a camera everywhere I went, always ready to capture something meaningful. But trying to create something that feels worthwhile on a daily basis is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. People often look at you strangely, wondering why anyone would choose such an intrusive form of photography. And to that, I say, fifty years after you’re gone, 99.9% of people will be forgotten. I want to be someone who captures images that help a person, or even a community live on forever.
It’s incredibly hard to build a body of work that stands out in a sea of other photographers. But strangely, that doesn’t stop me. Even when every half hour feels like you have nothing meaningful to contribute, I keep pushing. The real challenge is battling the inner doubt. The voice that asks why you’re doing this at all, and climbing that mountain of purpose. Hoping your work might someday resonate.
It’s not about competition. It’s about capturing timeless moments of photojournalism. Images only you can see. The hardest part isn’t the work itself, it’s believing that your vision is unique, that it’s worth the time and emotional investment. Most people won’t notice unless an image gives them something deeply personal in return.
And I promise you, with all the experience I have behind a camera, and it’s a lot. Street photography is the most demanding form, physically, mentally, and emotionally. If you want to pursue it, make sure 90% of it is for your own fulfillment, and the other 10% is striving to be as original as possible. If you want to be a street photographer, good luck. It’s an incredibly lonely, emotional journey.