(Above image by Simon Johnson)
People ask me all the time whether street photography needs to include people or not. I don’t believe it has to, as you can study the work of Lee Friedlander who did a fantastic series on letters and signs in America, as well of the work of Blake Andrews who has embarked on similar projects. However to take an effective street photograph without people is incredibly difficult, as the image should remind you of humanity. This can be done through precision in lighting, symbolism, colors, objects, and framing.
When I look at the work of Simon Johnson, I feel that his still street photographs employ this extremely well. His images truly capture the beauty of the mundane and everyday life. I know many of you live in the suburbs or outside of dense urban populations, which may not have a lot of people. There are always street photography opportunities everywhere you go– in which people aren’t always necessary.
You can also see Simon’s additional traditional street photography work with people here.
Keep reading, and I hope you find inspiration through his images!
