All In Stride – Chicago Street Photography by Chuck Jines

The one thing I love most about street photography is when those magic moments arise where everything seems to come into perfect alignment, for just a fleeting moment. And, if we’re lucky enough, we’ll be there to capture the moment. This is when all the hours of seemingly pointless searching pay off. 

This image, I call All In Stride, was one of those “decisive moments” Henri Cartier-Bresson famously coined. I walked past the old man sitting in his wheelchair several times. His leg stood like a statue. I was looking for an angle. I wanted to be ethical in my approach by not showing the identity of the man in the wheelchair.

I sensed something was going to happen here if I just waited. People walked past, but nothing was happening. Then, I saw it coming. I could forecast an alignment about to happen. I got down low to the ground, paid attention to the lines and shapes as I framed my composition (1.5 harmonic armature). Then I waited for the perfect moment and clicked the shutter. 

This is the excitement street photography can bring, making all the waiting and walking worth every minute. I like the layering in this Chicago street photo. We have foreground, midground, and background. Everything leads to the subject, then invites the viewer to explore the photograph further. I myself didn’t notice that this was the Reliance Building until I studied the photo more closely. The “Reliance” sign adds a bit of irony to the image. 

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