Photography has had the greatest positive impact on my life, not even including the opportunities it has given me. I shared this message on Instagram, given that it has to do with photos, but realized it deserves to live here, too.
If you’re unfamiliar with it, street photography is a candid, documentary-style of art that captures everyday life and humanity in public spaces.
It does not require a literal street. Scenes can be shot in parks, beaches, subways, cityscapes, farms, restaurants, or wherever, really.
Nothing is staged, and instead, you’re relying completely on chance, timing, and framing to capture fleeting, unscripted moments.
So to put it simply, street photography is just walking around, taking photos of interesting things as they happen.
But it’s had the greatest positive impact on my life.
To be honest, it’s weird.
There’s something unhinged about photographers getting excited about light on the sidewalk, an empty chair on the street, or a car in the garage.
But beauty is everywhere, and the world is full of interesting things that we blindly walk past.
Everyone loves a sunset. It’s the big, obvious thing, but imagine you can have that type of experience 24/7.
A camera in hand gives you a reason to look for and notice small moments and to find beauty in the mundane.
The art of noticing.
Over time, you develop a deep appreciation of the world around you. Even without a camera.
The way light reflects off different surfaces and the texture it creates.
The way the trees dance in the wind.
The way objects in the distance have less contrast.
Slowing down.
If you’re not noticing, it usually means you’re moving too fast. It’s a signal you’re stuck in doing mode instead of being mode.
Photography creates space for clarity and reflection, and to actually integrate what life’s teaching you.
Not everything has to be loud to matter.
Give it a try.
I don’t have a dog (yet), so I take my camera for walks instead, and it changed my life in ways that I could have never imagined.
At first, it’s difficult. You don’t know what to look for. But just like any skill, the better you get at it with practice. Perspective practice.
The more you do it, the better you get at it.
The better you get at it, the more you enjoy it.
The more you enjoy it, the more you do it.
So give it a try.
Thanks for reading. Now, just scroll and enjoy the mundane moments that I thought were interesting enough to click a button.
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Thanks for being here.
-Paul Rabic