A street photography manifesto

Our task is to capture extraordinary moments. We have to compose within a frame and find connections between objects which may be simple or complicated but always easily understood. Our task as a street photographer is to draw the viewer to the heartbeat of a place through the interaction of people, good light, memorable compositions and decisive moments that can draw a reaction of laughter, anger, sorrow, or simply “wow.”  

Street photographers are required to have an observant eye and a mind that can see subtleties quickly. It requires patience to wait for the right moment and the right light in the right place at the right time. It requires agility to be in the right position in a split second while being a fly on the wall and almost invisible.  

To achieve these qualities in street photographs, we have to commune with the elements of the street without disrupting the scene because of our presence, be prepared to handle the consequences of our subjects’ reactions, and most importantly, be alert to those nuggets of the extraordinary.  

Street photography is unpredictable and unscripted. -- Rick Rocamora All images in this collection were taken with an iPhone 4 with Hipstamatic apps.