The Real Street Photographer: Bold and Fearless

I was walking along the seafront when this little scene unfolded: two women, a dachshund, and a child armed with a compact camera. No hesitation, no awkwardness — he simply stepped into the moment and claimed it, directing his subjects with the quiet authority only the very young can get away with. It was pure, unfiltered street photography, stripped of the adult self-consciousness that so often blunts spontaneity.

Technically, the light was harsh, the midday sun cutting strong shadows across the paving and lending the image a slightly brittle feel. The Leica M9, with its CCD sensor, tends to emphasise contrast in such conditions, and here it works in my favour. The colours remain restrained yet vivid enough to give texture to the scene — the deep blues of the sky and sea, the muted tones of winter clothing, and the warm browns of the dog.

Compositionally, I framed the shot to keep the dialogue between the three figures as the focal point, with the boy’s stance acting as a visual anchor. The women’s positioning on the bench and the leash leading down to the dachshund provide gentle diagonals, while the horizontal line of the wall stabilises the scene. The beach sign in the background, slightly off-kilter, adds a faintly cinematic touch, reminding us that this is not staged but caught in passing.

Grain is present, more so than in many of my daylight images — a combination of underexposure correction in post and the M9’s limitations at higher ISOs. Yet it adds to the grit of the moment, underscoring the candid nature of the encounter.

This photograph works not because it’s technically perfect, but because it captures the audacity and directness that so many street photographers chase for years. The boy doesn’t know about framing, light, or exposure — but in that instant, he was the most fearless photographer on the promenade.