By Ewelina Lepionko
Street photography is a genre of photography that records everyday life in public places. A great street photograph is one that makes a person think or one that brings up a specific feeling or story.
The idea is to visually document people in public began in the 19th Century. Painters Edgar Degas, Édouard Manet worked side-by-side with photographers attempting to capture the essence of urban life. Artists often manipulated their medium as best they could to evoke spontaneity and movement in a static image.
During my photographic journey, I have shot mostly landscapes as well as images of myself. However, street photography is the most satisfying genre. Why? Because street photography requires patience and luck.
Documenting people in their everyday environment is not easy. It requires bravery to be able to approach a subject and photograph complete strangers. Usually, it's a form of candid photography, when the person isn't aware they're being photographed, which creates more realistic and powerful images.
In my photography, I don't have a social purpose in mind, but I prefer to isolate and capture moments that might otherwise go unnoticed.
