Here are my favorite street photography quotes from the masters of photography:
1. “If your photos aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough” – Robert Capa
If you want to make better photos, get closer both physically and emotionally. Use a wide angle lens like a 24mm, 28mm, or 35mm, and fill the frame with your subject matter. Also get close to your subjects emotionally; talk and engage and interact with your subjects, and embed your soul into your photos.
2. “Sometimes you need to milk the cow a lot to get a little bit of cheese.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson
If you want to make a good photo, you must shoot a lot! Even Henri Cartier-Bresson “worked the scene” to just get 1 good “decisive moment” in his photos.
Suggestion: study contact sheets, and understand that you often need to shoot a lot to even get one or two good photos.
3. “F8 and be there!” – Weegee
Putting yourself in interesting situations is more important than being the best technical or “talented” photographer. Honestly 90% of street photography is just being at the right place at the right time. Which means, the more often you go out to shoot street photography, the more likely you are to make a good photo!
Woody Allen once said, “80% of success is just showing up.” When it comes to street photography do the same: go out and show up, and shoot whatever you find interesting!
Some Weegee photos I love:
4. “Shoot yourself!” – Bruce Gilden
Every photograph you make is a self-portrait of yourself. Why? You will only photograph what you personally find interesting or meaningful. Therefore realize that your own personality is reflected through your photos.
In practical terms:
Only photograph what you personally find interesting; don’t make photos of what you think others will find interesting.
I don’t think there are “good” or “bad” photos; only authentic and inauthentic photos. And you’re the only judge: only you can judge your own photos as authentic or not.
Haiti photos by Bruce Gilden:
5. “Your first million photos are your worst”.
This is a spin off from Henri Cartier-Bresson’s saying, “Your first 10,000 photos are your worst.” Why a million? When HCB was talking about 10,000 photos, he was referring to shooting film. Now with digital and shooting with phones, it is probably closer to a million.
Now this is nice, because it means that there is no “inborn” talent in photography. It is a skill which must be cultivated through practice. The more you shoot, the more you practice, and of course the more you practice, the better you will get!
Takeaway point: Focus on the effort in your street photography. Shoot riskier photos, get closer, engage more with your subjects, and never stop shooting!
BE BOLD,
ERIC
Learn From the Masters of Photography

Dear friend, if you haven’t heard the exciting news already– MASTERS is now available as both a digital and print edition!
Timeless wisdom from the masters of street photography.
“He without a past has no future.”
Start here:
- Why Study the Masters of Photography?
- Great Female Master Photographers
- Cheat Sheet of the Masters of Photography
- 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
- Beginner’s Guide to the Masters of Street Photography
- Download All Articles >
The Masters of Photography

Classics never die:
- Akira Kurosawa
- Alexander Rodchenko
- Alfred Stieglitz
- Alec Soth
- Alex Webb
- Alexey Brodovitch
- Anders Petersen
- Andre Kertesz
- Ansel Adams
- Araki
- Blake Andrews
- Bruce Davidson
- Bruce Gilden
- Constantine Manos
- Daido Moriyama
- Dan Winters
- David Alan Harvey
- David Hurn
- Diane Arbus
- Dorothea Lange
- Edward Weston
- Elliott Erwitt
- Eugene Atget
- Eugene Smith
- Fan Ho
- Garry Winogrand
- Gordon Parks
- Helen Levitt
- Henri Cartier-Bresson
- Irving Penn
- Jacob Aue Sobol
- Jeff Mermelstein
- Joel Meyerowitz
- Joel Sternfeld
- Josef Koudelka / Part 2
- Josh White
- László Moholy-Nagy
- Lee Friedlander
- Lisette Model
- Magnum Contact Sheets
- Magnum Photographers
- Mark Cohen
- Martin Parr
- Martine Franck
- Mary Ellen Mark
- Nan Goldin
- Rene Burri
- Richard Avedon
- Richard Kalvar
- Robert Capa
- Robert Frank
- Saul Leiter
- Sergio Larrain
- Sebastião Salgado
- Shomei Tomatsu
- Stephen Shore
- The History of Street Photography
- Todd Hido
- Tony Ray-Jones
- Trent Parke
- Vivian Maier
- Walker Evans
- Weegee
- William Eggleston
- William Klein
- Zoe Strauss
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