Talking the talk, or walking the walk?
I might never feel ready, so I might as well start now.
With less than a week until my very first street photography workshop (it’s happening!), I was just waiting for the imposter syndrome to kick in. And without skipping a beat, it did.
Like an old friend, it checked up on me right between preparing the route and selecting examples to print. ‘So you think you can teach others what you’ve just barely mastered yourself?!’, it whispered. My inner critic wasn’t being malicious, just matter-of-fact, and I realised that’s possibly the worst thing about it: it feels so familiar that it doesn’t even take me by surprise anymore.
Maybe the reason I doubted my own preparedness was the fact that I’d never attended a street photography workshop myself. I’ve learned all the tricks by doing, by trial and error (ok, mostly error), and by learning to follow the heartbeat of the street, rather than following in someone else’s footsteps.
And yet, despite the self-doubt inevitably kicking in, I realised that what I’ve been doing for the past four years was talking about street photography with anyone who’d listen - from fellow enthousiasts to online communities. I participated in group walks, races and competitions, and eventually started publishing mini-essays here on Substack, with one goal in mind: to share with others what I love doing the most.
While the question ‘how on earth can I help others see the way I see??’ circled through my head all week, my daughter and I decided to go on a day trip to Ghent, which turned out to be one of the most beautiful and underrated cities in Belgium.
As we strolled through the charming streets, enjoying the sun and the famous Belgian waffles, I was able to exercise my vision in a brand new place - and I was amazed by how many little things I noticed when I wasn’t rushing from A to B. Making our way through the crooked alleys, small patches of light kept catching my eye, and I ended up lifting my camera intuitively again - not with a particular result in mind, but simply noticing the delightful details.
It reminded me that street photography cannot be learned from books about composition or assignment cards; it needs to be experienced, through quiet observation and following the natural rhythm of street life.
Learning to react in real time is a skill that can be learnt, though; a combination of anticipation, knowing your camera well and - in order to capture the candid moments - learning how to remain as invisible as possible.
During our trip, I found myself drawn to humans doing human things more than anything else. Whether it was a group of friends soaking up sunshine in the park, a couple exploring the town hand in hand, or a lonely figure canoeing down the river, one day in Ghent gave me a plenty of opportunities to practise what I preach: to capture the moments that matter, while remaining respectful at all times and not disturbing anyone in the process.
At the end of the day, this is what I hope to pass on to others: the fact that you don’t need any special superpowers to capture something meaningful. It takes a bit of a skill to remain unnoticed, for sure. But more important than technical mastery is to be mindful of the unwritten rules; to not become a hindrance to others - after all, they’re out there just enjoying their lives, and your only ‘job’ is to become their witness.
Getting out in the streets of an unknown city provided me with the necessary distance from my own practice, giving me the fresh perspective I needed. I feel a little more prepared now to guide other photography enthousiasts in their exciting discoveries, to answer any questions they might have, and hopefully let them experience the thrill of getting a shot they’ll be proud of.
Now it’s just a matter of luck, good weather and actually walking the walk.
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I understand the imposter syndrome but if you just tell about your experiences and how you see things, it will be great. Real stories stick.
Good luck! It’ll be great!!!