LEARNING TO SEE, AGAIN
While I’ve been a passionate hobbyist photographer for decades, my love for street photography has really taken hold over the past several years.
I started as a kid with a cheap Kodak point-and-shoot, snapping pictures of whatever caught my eye. Eventually, I began to realize the power and importance of photography. I upgraded to a Chinon 35mm film camera and started documenting the blues and jazz music scene in Detroit. I was completely drawn in - taking thousands of shots on TMax 100 of musicians I had formed friendships with, many of whom are now sadly gone. Those photos have become more meaningful with time.
As the years passed and I was able to travel more, I did what most people do - I photographed landmarks: the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Golden Gate Bridge… you get the idea. But at some point, I found myself turning the camera more often toward candid moments happening around those landmarks rather than the structures themselves.
That shift was a turning point. A photograph of the London Eye can be beautiful, but for me, a photograph of children staring up at it in wonder is far more compelling. The Colosseum in Rome is breathtaking, but I found more joy in capturing the street vendors in front of it, going about their day with history as their backdrop.
For a long time, I thought the photograph itself was the ultimate prize. And yes, it still is in many ways. But street photography has given me something more.
It’s not just about the photos - it’s about how it’s changed me. On days when I can devote myself fully to shooting, I walk 15,000 to 20,000 steps, which is a reward in itself. But what I’ve come to value even more is how street photography has changed the way I see the world.
Now, whether I’m walking down the street or riding in a car, I’m constantly scanning for moments - framing scenes in my head, noticing light, wondering how something would translate into a photo. Everything - almost everything - has the potential to become a photograph.
And maybe that’s the real gift of street photography: nothing is ordinary anymore. Every moment, every gesture, every sliver of light is an opportunity. I feel like I’m finally learning how to see.
Until next time - keep capturing the world as only you see it!
– Jonathan
Sightlines
Madrid, Spain. July, 2024