New York c. 1942

Helen Levitt took this photograph, "New York," capturing a street scene with kids playing in what looks like a vacant lot. Levitt documented everyday life in New York, making the ordinary look extraordinary. There’s a building in the background that has seen better days, all tagged with graffiti – you can almost smell the city. The kids are in their own world, brandishing sticks like swords, totally absorbed in their game. I wonder what Levitt thought when she captured this moment. She probably walked around, looked, and then raised her camera. It's not a snapshot, it's like painting with light and shadow – each detail carefully chosen. Levitt's work reminds me of other photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson, who had an eye for the decisive moment. Street photography is all about catching life as it happens, unscripted and raw. But it's not easy. You need patience, a good eye, and a willingness to get close to the action. Street photographers transform the mundane into something poetic, showing us the beauty and complexity of urban life.