Street Photography around the World
Moments that Belong to the World
"Before a story is told, before a place is understood, there is a moment — often brief, often unspectacular — where paths cross."
I never set out to be a street photographer.
My path into photography began with my ethnology studies, aiming to document life and culture during my travels and field studies. While street photography thrives on spontaneous moments and distant observation, I work as a participant observer, within the scene.
These days, on my trips, I try to take my time to capture everyday life – moments that reflect the pulse of a place.
For me, the street, the trail, the river the public place is not a stage but more a living conversation.
I listen with my eyes — to gestures, to silences, to the way light and shadow weave through a day.
Each image is my way of capturing a moment with my lens, so its story can travel beyond the place and time in which it was made.
Crossroads - With consent, Without posing, Stillness
Many people associate street photography with candid moments in busy urban settings, but for me it’s any fleeting encounter ‘on the go.’ That’s why I want to open my thoughts and reflections on this portfolio with images captured far from the hustle and bustle of the big cities. A second aspect is, that I begin with photographs where the subjects, fully aware of my presence, offered their consent despite language barriers. The moments, however, remain genuine — untouched by any pose.
The uncertain path to future
A quiet moment suspended in time.
I met this two boys inside a natural reserve.
Their expressions calm, thoughtful, melancholic.
The wooden planks lead into the dense green of the forest — a path uncertain, much like the future that awaits
them.
What are their hopes, their chances, their dreams?
Both agreed to be photographed.
There are moments when you feel lost in the vastness of the African continent, far from any settlement, alone in the open. Then, as if drawn from the horizon itself, people appear out of nowhere. I wonder if this is only my own perception, or if every traveller in Africa comes to know this quiet, sudden magic. The header picture in the top and the photo to the right represent such moments.
Crossroads in the Dust (Header-Photo)
Far north Cameroon, 1990. A woman carries firewood along a sandy
road — a traditional act of movement, of necessity, of continuity.
Our paths crossed only for a moment. Hers stretched on toward home, mine further into the to continue my
trip.
Crossroads in the Impenetrable Forest (Photo to the right)
In the highlands of Kabale in Uganda, near the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, I met this woman with her newborn — a moment of quiet strength and resilience in a remote place where
paths cross unexpectedly.
Though we shared no language, her presence conveyed dignity and calm. With gentle agreement, she allowed this portrait — a fleeting but human encounter, grounded in mutual respect.
Morning Silence on Lake Mboro, Uganda
In the stillness of dawn, the local Fisherman glides across the calm water—each stroke of the paddle a quiet conversation with the lake. The world is unhurried here, where time bends to the rhythm of oars and the soft call of distant shores.
Encounters in Motion
Captured on diapositives in 1986 and weathered by the “teeth of time,” these images have lost some sharpness but not their truth. Along the roads of Kumasi, Ghana and at a village water pump in Ghana’s Ashanti region, children paused in their daily work—selling bread and drinks, carrying water—to greet passing strangers. Their spontaneous smiles and waves bridged the brief moment between us, holding both the warmth of the encounter and the unaltered reality of their world.
Windows, Doorways, and the Stories Within
In my street photography, the built environment becomes part of the story — I use doorways and windows as natural frames to place people within the social and architectural context of their lives. It becomes even more compelling when the frame itself — the door, the window, the background — is a unique work of craft and art.
San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife.
A young traveler absorbed in his phone — unaware that he stood perfectly framed by a weathered door, his trousers echoing
its muted tones, his stillness contrasted by the warmth of the wall.
Sometimes the world composes the scene, even when we don’t notice it.
Through the Window of Art
In the Algarve, even the walls tell stories. The patterned tiles, the carved frame, and the open window form their own work of art — revealing another within. Brush in hand, the painter adds his
voice to a centuries-old conversation of color and craft.
Street Musicians
The street is a stage without boundaries
Music drifts between footsteps, colours rise from the pavement and walls, and gestures become stories. Street artists and musicians remind us that art doesn’t wait for galleries and concert halls
— it lives where life happens, unplanned yet unforgettable.
Balconies in harmony, where Lisbon’s streets breathe music.
(Lisbon Alfame, 2019)
Between stone walls and painted doors in Taormina, Sicily, a melody finds its way.
Public places and parks
In public places and parks, one can often find a rare blend of openness and intimacy. These shared green spaces invite people to move with a certain freedom—reading in the shade, feeding birds, practicing music, or simply drifting into their own thoughts. Here, I witness individuality finding room to breathe, and moments of private life quietly unfolding in public view.
The Unicordion of Central Park, New York City.
Anonymous, whimsical, unforgettable. A unicorn in heels, playing accordion in the heart of Manhattan — reminding passersby that not everything in life needs to make sense to be meaningful.
Curiosity and a Second of Doubt
In London’s Hyde Park, the resident parakeets are fearless—swooping in for a snack before you can even decide if you’re ready. The moment dissolves into motion, leaving only a rush of green wings and an uncertain smile. Native to Africa, these birds have grown remarkably tame. Myths surround their presence in London’s parks: some say they escaped during the 1951 filming of The African Queen, others credit (or blame) Jimi Hendrix.
Flavors, Food and Faces
Food stores, delis, bakeries, and market stalls are more than places to eat—they’re stages where everyday life unfolds. Behind counters and display cases, stories are served alongside the bread, pastries, and sandwiches. These spaces hum with routine, ritual, and the quiet drama of choice, offering a feast for both the palate and the lens.
Temptation
In a London shopping mall bakery, two women lean in to decide on a treat, their focus as intense as the aromas around them. I framed the scene so that most of the image belongs to the backdrop—the clock, the ovens, and the golden rows of pastries—leaving the subjects almost cropped, part of the larger rhythm of the place.
"Blue Hour" in Chefchaouen
In Chefchaouen, Morocco’s famed blue town, evening brings a slower pace. Neighbors linger in the narrow streets, sharing food, drinks, and conversation, as the painted walls reflect the glow of shop lights and the warmth of familiar company.
Tradition
At Katz’s Delicatessen in New York, even the uniforms tell a story. The playful yet
historic slogan, “Send a salami to your boy in the army” harks back to the deli’s World War II tradition of shipping comfort food to soldiers overseas—served today with the same bustling
energy and towering sandwiches that made the place legendary.