The Lonely Street Photographer
- Published
- in Photography, Street Photography
Most of my photography began with taking street photos. I had just moved to NYC and had a small point and shoot camera, this was long before smart phones.
![](https://mattlara.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/F69C2ED7-904A-4DC8-BBC7-5A8C7A0F8268-1024x683.jpeg)
My stepdad, also a photographer, saw some snapshots I’d emailed him and insisted I keep shooting, and eventually gave me a hand-me-down DSLR.
The pandemic hit right as several years of my photography work with clients was starting to pay off. I’d spent a long time building a decent portfolio of work doing corporate events and portraits, and wasn’t doing much street photo work.
![](https://mattlara.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/A3E44FFA-A66D-47CB-BD08-2EDB296A6B64-683x1024.jpeg)
Like many freelance artists, I struggled with what to do as I faced an entire half of my year of canceled shoots and plans down the drain.
I have a few cameras I shoot with now, some that I’ve inherited. One being a Leica Q, which I’ve been taking out as often as I can during an intense summer of heat and California wildfires.
![](https://mattlara.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/7C0EFF89-2BB3-4900-8C89-F7F849E91BF2-1024x683.jpeg)
![](https://mattlara.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/0E751B5E-5040-41C4-ADA0-C8606FD52967-1024x683.jpeg)
Safety is, of course, my priority. And while pandemic fatigue sets in and people on social media are posting group events forgoing masks or social distancing, I think people are still home and lonely. Loneliness isn’t exactly a bad thing to me. I hope I can convey that in these shots.
![](https://mattlara.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/93174A76-C90E-4DD3-9E4C-95661B1F1F37-1024x683.jpeg)
![](https://mattlara.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/1B86402E-F726-4518-9B61-037A70FA348C-683x1024.jpeg)
All images Copyright Matt Lara Photography 2020