In an interview published by the London Guardian on January 28, 2018, the street photographer John Free discussed the differences between social documentary, photojournalism and street photography.

“I think that the difference between them is rather simple to understand. In photojournalism, six photographs with captions might be required. Social documentary photography requires 25-50 photos, which are each supported by a caption or short story. In street photography, it all must be done with one photograph and with no caption to help explain what cannot be seen. No caption and no posing, make street photography the most difficult form of photography that I have ever been involved with.”

Free is right about telling a complete story with each street photograph and I certainly try to do that in my own work. But I think all great photographs should tell a story that draws in the viewer to closely inspect the image and seek what is being displayed … and said.

Perhaps my favorite photographer is Paul Strand. He really could do it all. Every photograph he made told a story, be they landscapes, street, architecture or portraits. I own almost every Strand book and have seen his work exhibited many times.  There’s a reason — every image makes me think about the subject matter and transports me to a different place … a different time. They cause me to imagine.

We need to make every picture count, make every one stand on its own two feet, whether it is a part of a larger story/project or not. What are we trying to say and why are we saying it?

The great ones do this as a matter of course.  Their pictures contain irony, they cause us to dream, to laugh or be sad. So what can we do to make ours try to do the same? Concentrate and see more intensely with greater focus. Make only those photograph that speaks to us.  Think of why we are actually making the photograph in the first place.  And study Strand … it can’t hurt.