Invisible Interview: Alex Webb & Rebecca Norris Webb

How much of a role does luck play in street photography?

Luck – or perhaps serendipity – plays a big role. Sometimes I liken street photography to a kind of gambling. You try to get the odds in your favor: you wander into potentially interesting situations, you work when the light is good (whatever that means for you as a photographer), and you remain alert. But you never know what is going to happen. And what is most exciting is when the utterly unexpected happens, and you manage to be there at the right place at the right time – and push the shutter at the right moment. Most of the time it doesn’t work out that way. This kind of photography is 99.9% about failure.

Am I really home already?














I've struggled with editing and writing about this adventure and I think it's because my mind cannot wrap around the idea that it's already done... and i'm home. One week is never enough time to travel. It takes that first week to get relaxed, to truly enjoy travel. But here I am, back at a computer, at at desk, struggling to believe I was just in Guatemala. Here's a first tidbit - a snap from the La Catedral, a street filled with beautiful color, and a "sweet" man in his house. We were walking down the street early one morning on our way to breakfast at Fernando's - I spotted him in a cluttered room, his door open just inviting my camera in. So of course I smiled, he invited me in and I was quickly drawn to the many still life's around the room. HE was drawn to two woman walking in his house and very excited to take a picture with us! "woah, watch the hand old man!" hahha.

Cat Fish / Grits & Eggs





I came around the corner and he smiled like it was just yesterday since we last said hello. It's probably been a lot longer as I don't even know Maurice but how could I not stop and say hello...

Good Friday, 2001


Williamsburg, Brooklyn

I used to spend a lot of time on foot with camera, I still do but certainly not like before. I would seek out life in the city like I couldn't get enough of it. Over time, the life of this city has changed and the new city seems to have eaten at my patience. That needs to change. On the New York Times Lens Blog today is the story In the Spirit and on the Street - photographs by Larry Racioppo which got me thinking about this photograph I have from 2001. I was wandering with my eyes wide open - in and around North Brooklyn just looking when I happened upon this procession. Just the idea excites me, I need to make a point to spend more time wandering, away from this computer.

Sonya, Queen of the Cats.







I've seen the bags and the carts on the street outside the office many nights, yet never a person, never the conductor of this train. What looks like Homeless Hoarding I now know better. Her name is Sonya and she's on the move. She has her valuables as well as 3 cats that she tends to. Almost all the other carts are bottles and cans that she collects throughout the day, moving 8 carts 20 feet at a time, up to 52nd Street where she gets her money, then off into the night to feed all of the other cats. I asked if I could take photos and she said no, but as I talked with her I photographed and she didn't seem to mind. I think she liked having someone to talk to. She wasn't crazy, I'd say more eccentric, and she wasn't homeless but often didn't go home. Explaining to me how cats are descendants of the Royal Tiger, that drought is brought on by the killing of the Tiger. She explained it all and I listened intently - it was hard to get her to stop talking but I had to go before the hurricane that never happened. As I turned to go away there was a tourist from one of the cruise ships standing behind me photographing me talking to her, he snickered and asked, "What did she say?!"... as he snapped away without offering her any courtesy. I only had a $1.50 on me but she didn't want my money. Refused it. I told her to put it towards the cat food and she finally agreed to take it.

today.