There are photographs I still think about that don’t actually exist.
Moments I saw while walking down the street that, for one reason or another, I never photographed.
Sometimes I wasn’t quick enough.
Sometimes I hesitated.
And sometimes I just didn’t feel right pointing my camera at someone.
That’s always been an interesting part of street photography to me.
You’re photographing real people, living real lives, who probably have no idea you’re seeing something worth remembering.
And that’s part of what makes it beautiful.
These little moments that would’ve happened whether I was there with my camera or not.
But I’ve also wondered where the line is.
Because just because something would make an interesting photograph doesn’t necessarily mean I should take it.
That’s something I’ve been thinking about more, at least.
Sometimes I wonder how many photographs I’ve missed because I hesitated.
And how many I was right to leave alone.
And it’s not always obvious.
Sometimes the hesitation comes from worrying about how someone might react.
Other times, there’s something about the moment itself that makes me question whether I should interfere with it, even if all I’m doing is pressing a shutter.
I love street photography because it makes me pay attention to the world.
It helps me remember things I probably would’ve forgotten otherwise.
And I’ve always liked the idea of preserving these little pieces of time that we’ll never get back.
But not every moment I experience needs to become a photograph.
Or does it?
I don’t know.