Situational awareness is something I think about a lot when I’m doing street photography.

Living and photographing in Santa Monica, I can walk a few blocks and the environment can completely change. Some areas are quiet and beautiful. Other areas can be unpredictable. When you spend hours walking around with a camera, eventually you’re going to encounter people who are angry, intoxicated, unstable, or just looking for a confrontation.

When I first started street photography, I didn’t always handle those situations very well.

If somebody said something to me, I’d take it personally. I might stop, respond, or talk shit back. Looking back, I think that’s probably one of the worst things you can do.

PUT SPACE BETWEEN YOURSELF AND THE PROBLEM

Recently I was walking through an alley taking photographs when a guy started messing with me for absolutely no reason.

Years ago, maybe I would have stopped.

Now I just keep walking.

My first reaction is simple: create distance.

If somebody I’m uncomfortable with moves toward me, I move farther away. If they keep coming, I keep creating more distance.

I don’t need to win the interaction.

I don’t need the last word.

I don’t need to prove anything.

I just need to get away from the situation.

DROP THE EGO

I think ego is what makes a lot of these situations worse.

Somebody says something disrespectful and there’s this immediate feeling that you need to respond. You don’t want to feel like you’re backing down.

But what exactly are you winning?

You have no idea who that person is, what state of mind they’re in, or what they’re carrying.

I have too much to live for to let some meaningless interaction with a stranger turn into something serious.

That’s something I’ve learned with age.

Walking away might bruise your ego for a few seconds. That’s fine. Your ego will survive.

KEEP PAYING ATTENTION

The strange part about the encounter in the alley was that I thought it was over.

We were walking in opposite directions, and I went back to taking photographs. Eventually I turned around and noticed the guy had stopped farther down the alley and was staring at me.

He was basically waiting for me to acknowledge him again.

That was a reminder that situational awareness doesn’t end the second you walk past someone.

Pay attention to what’s happening around you.

Know who’s behind you.

Notice when someone’s behavior changes.

And if something doesn’t feel right, give yourself space.

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE PRIORITY

Ultimately, I’m outside because I want to make photographs.

That’s the mission.

I want to walk. I want to explore. I want to notice things. I want to take as many photographs as possible and hopefully come home with something interesting.

Getting into an argument with some random person doesn’t help me accomplish any of that.

So my approach now is incredibly simple:

Pay attention. Create distance. Drop the ego. Keep walking.

There will always be another street.

There will always be another photograph.

And that’s far more important than proving something to a stranger.