Why now is the perfect time to start photography

Right now might actually be the best time to start street photography Not 10 years ago. Not in the 'golden age' of street photography.

But now.

Infact, now is the best time to start any photography.

Obviously: the world is pretty mental

But specifically, cities are busier than they’ve ever been. In 1990, just over 2 billion people lived in cities. Today? It’s over4.4 billion.

That’s more than half the planet, in close spaces, doing life together.

More people. More stories. More unpredictable moments.

One of the best things about photography, especially street photography - is that it’s unrepeatable.

A second later, and the moment’s gone. And that, to me, is why it’s magic.

A weird shadow, a fleeting expression or two strangers crossing paths for a split second.

Moments that are irreplaceable.

Photography is witchcraft.

I genuinely think the process of photography stopping time is something we just accept and gloss over as if it’s nothing special.

Like flying in a plane. If you actually consider what is going on fundamentally, you’re in a tin box in the sky travelling 300mph.

But we just sit there in our little seats looking out the window like it’s normal. How our brains rationalise and normalise complex situations in crazy.

Image if you showed anyone in history the process of photography they would think it’s witchcraft… because it basically is!

All the best photos have already been taken?

I get it… for the street photographers watching this it might feel like all the great street photographs have already been taken.

But we only think that way because we’ve had decades to reflect on the likes of Garry Winogrand, Saul Leiter and Joel Meyerowitz.

They weren’t shooting with the knowledge that their work would be iconic.

They were just out there, walking and watching, doing the thing.

We don’t know the value of what we’re capturing now. Not yet.

But give it 10, 20, 30 years… what feels ordinary today will be different…

“You photograph a lot of things, and sometimes, years later, you realize they were important.” – Saul Leiter

That’s why photography matters now, because it always mattered, Why would things be different today?

This is powerful. A photo you took today might feel like a throwaway, but time gives it context and potentially value.

We're not just taking pictures – we're storing evidence of how people dressed. How they moved and how places felt.

Something real.

In a world that’s getting more digital, more filtered, more... designed. Photography gives us a way to see something real.

Street photography especially. It’s messy, it’s random, but the best bit… it’s honest.

People are tired of curated feeds and overly perfect content.

A good photograph, for whatever reason that might be, cuts through the noise and says, this actually happened.

That’s also part of why I’ve fallen in love with film photography.

It’s tactile. It’s real. and it’s in contrast to a world that’s glued to screens and dopamine loops.

Holding a camera – especially a film one – just feels different.

It’s not even about the nostalgia. It’s about being present.

Photography isn’t just about taking pictures.

In a time that feels like we’re all rushing around, photography forces you to stop and really look, really pay attention.

it’s a purposeful practice of finding interest in the ordinary – a puddle, a reflection, a face in a crowd.

Photography isn’t just about noticing life, it’s about appreciating it.

We live in this culture of constant productivity – ticking boxes, crushing goals, squeezing every drop out of every day.

But photography… it gives you permission to just be.

It’s not about doing something useful. It’s about being present.

Walking without a destination. Noticing things that don’t shout for attention.

Enjoying the process for its own sake – not the outcome.

You’re out there doing 20, 30, 40 thousand steps in a day, just following your curiosity.

It’s good for your mental health. Good for your physical health. And keeps you active, creatively.

You’re not scrolling. You’re not comparing. You’re not performing.

You’re just looking. Responding. Living.

And in a world wired for speed and optimisation… that’s rare.

When was the last time you walked without a destination.

Sounds like a waste of time, right?

That’s the point.

The most important part…

Now I’m not saying this is philosophical gold, but these ideas keep me thinking positively in my pursuit of photography.

Instead of feeling like the good old days are behind us,

I genuinely think some of the best photos are still waiting to be taken.

The world’s changing fast. And that’s exactly why photography matters more than ever.

So if you’re on the fence about starting photography,

or if you’ve been feeling uninspired…

just remember this:

What feels mundane today will one day be a record of how it used to be.

And one last thing I’ll say…

Some of the most meaningful photos you’ll ever take won’t be your most artistic or clever ones.

They won’t be the perfectly timed street moments or the ones with beautiful light and composition.

They’ll be the off-the-cuff, ordinary photos of people you love.

Your friends. Your family. The people around you right now.

A blurry shot from a birthday. A casual frame from a road trip. A quiet moment at home.

Those are the ones that grow in meaning over time.

They might feel throwaway today – but trust me, future you will thank you for capturing them.

So take more photos of your life. Don’t wait for it to feel significant.

Just shoot.

Because years from now, when things have changed – and they will – those everyday moments will feel priceless.