Walking the tightrope

Street photography is akin to tightrope walking. We carefully traverse the streets precariously balanced between success and failure. Our senses in overdrive, we seek something unnoticed by non-photographers.  Seeing is everything; equipment unimportant.

Seeing: that gesture/gait/expression/shadow, their kiss, that juxtaposition or the shaft of light across those faces. So many possibilities unknown until they reveal themselves to alert eyes.

If the above doesn’t have you nodding knowingly, maybe street photography is not for you.

For the rest of us, the excitement of the process and the promise of a good image – just one – sustains us through failure. Failure is common, but for dedicated street photographers nothing beats the rush of a few hope filled hours on busy streets.

March 26th 2017. We were in Hanoi and my wife had an early hair appointment in the Old Quarter. Having walked the few miles with her to find the salon, I had a few hours to myself.

Below is what I saw that morning.

Best,
John

08.42 Another humbling encounter.

09.31 The guys at Classic Motor Cafe moving bikes for the cops.

09.47 Proud Veterans in uniform are a common site.

09.59 There are no wrong turns in SP but, this was a dead end.

10.13 Waiting for her equally glamorous mum.

10.30 Chai with the taxi drivers. I declined the pipe 😉

10.34 I’m waiting to shoot the traffic; he stopped to watch me.

10.43 An old timer outside his garden.

11.28 Typical warmth of Vietnamese people.

11.34 Where would Asia be without the moped?

12.30 Action Man wasn’t for smiling but paused momentarily.

12.23 Must be an early start for the porters at Dong Xuan Market.