I find it fascinating the current revival of street photography courtesy of services like instagram. It’s a subject close to my heart as in the past I’ve been one of their number and probably will be again.
I note a couple of books are coming out featuring two old time street photographers who have been recently discovered – Vivian Maier and Fred Herzog.
Both were amateurs who spent years pounding the streets of their adopted cities; in Maier’s case Chicago, in Herzog’s case Vancouver.
They probably didn’t imagine anyone would consider their efforts worth looking at but there’s an incredible romance about an artist just laboring in obscurity that appeals to everyone. In the case of the street photographer they are literally getting nothing for doing it, so we know it comes from love. And love and obsession with a subject often lead to incredible beauty as their images show.