For me, as the adrenaline of the event kicks in, an irrational sense of invincibility inevitably follows. Regardless of how invincible I feel, I try to make sure that my photography doesn’t become a secondary problem for the police. And when the yellow tape is put up, I move back. However, by becoming acquainted with the officers on the scene, I’m usually the last person they ask to move behind the yellow tape. During recent wildfires in Eastern Washington, the safest shooting position was behind police barracades. Several photographers, myself included, were lined up with telephoto lenses to catch helicopters as they came back for more water to fight the fires. Telling The Whole Story Between the first and the last moments of an unfolding event are the moments that tell the whole story. Images of these events give the story the context of emotion, challenge, and tension. These pictures are the sidebars or subplots to the unfolding main event. During these moments, anything can happen; perhaps a store owner falls ill, a vagrant threatens to foil police action, or the mother of the suspect steps forward from the crowd. Weaving the subplots into the final picture story is what street shooting is all about for me. I find lulls in the action to photograph concerned shop owners, wandering street people, and police securing the scene. In non-dramatic street scenes, subplots are equally important in providing context to the story. How do characters in the pictures interact? What is their relationship to the environment, to the city? In this boat rescue scene, passengers of the boat and their belongings were being transferred as quickly as possible to the dock. This man made a jump for it after being pulled from the sinking boat. After almost an hour of work, the Sheriff’s team saved the boat from sinking. Only then did the team leader acknowledge my presence. It was a happy ending for the boat owner. The Decisive Moment When I’m shooting on the street, particularly in a dramatic scene, I believe that the decisive moment is the time of peak tension after which the situation is safely resolved. Getting the picture of critical tension is like adding a period to the last sentence of a novel: Without it, the story isn’t complete. The only secret to getting this shot is to be there and be ready. I hold the camera to my eye, and I’m prepared to shoot with abandon when the action unfolds. And even if the area is cordoned off, you can often get the shot you want with a long lens and a tele-extender. Certainly not all street photography involves dramatic events; in fact, most street photography tells the story of our collective life and times. But the principles are the same: Finding a compelling scene, and then waiting for the one person to stride into the scene to complete it, explain it, and to add mystery or intrigue to it. Or, as Cartier-Bresson wrote, “The photographer must make sure while he is still in the presence of the unfolding scene, that he hasn’t left any gaps, that he has really given expression to the meaning of the scene in its entirety.” An ill-fated attempt to kidnap a palm reader/psychic ended this guy in jail. As he surrendered, he held a cell phone to his shoulder as armed officers approached. It was serendipitous that his upheld hands were echoed in the nearby psychic’s sign. Street Photo Tips • Be aware • Shoot at a wide aperture • Try to blend into the crowd • Be on the lookout for “better” vantage points • Document the details • Be there and be ready!