| In the zone | | | | accepted by the other participants without |
| | | | influencing the proceedings. There are no |
| In the zone is a term used by street | | | | photo faces; it's almost as if the |
| photographers when they are tuned into their | | | | photographer is invisible. |
| surroundings and the pictures are coming | | | | |
| easily. | | | | Canadian street photographer John Brownlow |
| | | | talks about going blank, he surveys the scene |
| It isn't unique to street photography, it can | | | | through his camera until he goes blank and |
| happen in any field of endeavour. You are in | | | | that is when he presses the shutter. |
| the zone when you are so engrossed in an | | | | |
| activity that space and time seem to stand | | | | With painting, writing or gaming it can last |
| still. What seems like minutes to you can be | | | | for considerable amounts of time, with street |
| hours in the real world. It is that place | | | | photography it tends to be fleeting but can |
| where you are doing rather than thinking | | | | happen several times in a shoot. It is the |
| about doing, there is no thought about the | | | | dynamic of the street, the ever changing |
| how, it is just happening. | | | | kaleidoscope of activity, and the nature of |
| | | | photography, the captured moment in time, |
| Intuition is in the driver's seat, training, | | | | that make it so. |
| knowledge, experience and rational thought | | | | |
| are at the back of the bus. More than likely | | | | But it is in those moments that the |
| playing strip poker or engaged in some other | | | | inspirational pics happen. Although this is |
| childish pursuit. | | | | not apparent until later, when looking |
| | | | through the results of your walk, because |
| It is the street photographer's nirvana. They | | | | rational thought is losing their shirt at the |
| are one with the street. They are part of and | | | | back of the bus. |
| at the same time removed from the activity | | | | |
| that is happening. They are the objective | | | | When a street photographer takes their camera |
| viewer of the dance they are dancing. Their | | | | for a walk, this is their destination. |
| presence is integral to the action and | | | | |