David Gibson: A Life in Street Photography
“Taking street photographs is an optimistic thing.”
David Gibson is one of the most respected voices in street photography, with a career spanning over three decades. His work captures the quirks of everyday life often laced with humour, unexpected juxtapositions, and a deep sense of observation. His images have been exhibited globally and are part of the Museum of London’s permanent collection.
Beyond his own photography, David is a dedicated teacher, helping others sharpen their eye for the spontaneous moments that make street photography so compelling. His books, including The Street Photographer’s Manual and Talk on the Street, have inspired countless photographers to step into the streets with confidence and curiosity. In this interview, David shares insights into his creative process, the evolution of his work, and the lessons he’s learned along the way.
© David Gibson
JLH: What initially attracted you to street photography?
DG: I just became interested in photography early on, but only in the late 1980s, did I realise that it might be called street photography. I can’t explain what drew me exactly, just a curiosity to wander and look.
JLH: Your images often capture humour and unexpected juxtapositions. Do you actively seek out these moments, or do they reveal themselves through experience?
DG: Wandering with my camera is usually random/intuitive, where I might come across something interesting. I am drawn to humour and occasionally juxtapositions, but I never know what might happen and often it doesn’t. I go looking for my photographs.
JLH: How do you balance patience and spontaneity in street photography, do you wait for moments to unfold, or are you always on the move?
DG: It’s a combination of both, occasionally I wait, but never for long. 5 minutes, for instance, would be a long time. Sometimes it’s spontaneous, a grabbed shot.
© David Gibson
JLH: What is a memorable interaction you have had while photographing someone in public?
DG: Mostly I have no interaction with the people I photograph on the street, certainly no dialogue, but occasionally, I might smile or nod, as a form of acknowledgement. I have had only a handful of negative experiences - where someone has reacted badly. I rarely get ‘caught’ out.
The little girls in red waiting to enter a theatre are an example of a friendly acknowledgement on my part. I photographed them for a few minutes and they saw me, but it was a happy encounter, they enjoyed the attention. However, I did not overstay my welcome. I can sense when it’s time to move away.
© David Gibson
JLH: Your work is part of the Museum of London’s permanent collection. How does it feel to have your photographs archived as part of history?
DG: At the time it felt good, I can’t complain, but a couple of photos do not now seem such an achievement. I’m increasingly aware of my ‘archive’ and where it might go. Likely, it might not go anywhere.
© David Gibson
JLH: You have exhibited worldwide. Is there a particular exhibition that stands out as a defining moment in your career?
DG: I have not exhibited that much. Yes, there have been a few group shows, but hardly any exhibitions exclusively of my work. To be honest, I have never pursued exhibiting because I don’t enjoy it. However, if someone else organises it, including the printing, I don’t mind. I had a small exhibition in Seville in 2023 that looked good, but I don’t think many people saw it because it was in an art school.
I remember taking part in an exhibition in 1994 at Mall Galleries. There was an exhibition with a competition for others. The curator selected a few of my photographs to share space on the wall with Elliott Erwin, Don McCullin, and David Bailey. So my work stood alongside some iconic images, which were selling for thousands of pounds. One of my photos sold for around £120, but it was a strange moment to be on an equal footing with such names.
© David Gibson
© David Gibson
JLH: Who are some photographers or artists that have influenced your work the most?
DG: In the beginning Elliott Erwitt and Henri Cartier-Bresson and generally the Magnum photographers. Now my points of inspiration or influence are less clear. I’d mention Saul Leiter, but really influences can come from anywhere now.
© David Gibson
JLH: You have been teaching photography for years. What is the most common challenge students face in street photography, and how do you help them overcome it?
DG: Some people are natural, they’ve got that spark or whatever you want to call it. But for some students, it’s the fear or awkwardness of getting caught taking photographs of people on the street. If that is your mindset that could always be an obstacle. I genuinely believe that I’m half-invisible on the street and that’s not something that can be taught.
Of course, you do not have to photograph only people and accepting that can be a way forward.
© David Gibson
JLH: You have written instructional books like The Street Photographer’s Manual. How does teaching influence your own photography?
DG: That’s a good question. Almost certainly a great deal because The Street Photographer’s Manual which was first published in 2013 has become very popular and has in some ways placed a responsibility on me. It drives my workshops, but I’ve had to ‘up my game’ - the book is not enough - and this is something I feel acutely. I am very sensitive about providing value in my workshops and they throw a challenge back at me - I need to improve - in other words, practice what you preach.
One aspect of the workshops is that they reignite my enthusiasm for street photography. I meet people who are at a stage I was once at, they are on a steep learning curve or about to go through it. It reminds me of how I first started.
© David Gibson
JLH: Talk On The Street, your latest book, reflects over 30 years of your photography. How has your approach to street photography evolved over time, and what influences have shaped that evolution?
DG: Talk on the Street is just my colour work, and covers about 20 years. I shot black and white photography for roughly 15 years before switching to colour. But in that period from the late 1980s, my photography has indeed evolved. It’s hard to explain, time changes everyone in all regards. My beginnings with photography were very innocent, I knew very little, it was just an instinct to do it. I’ve smoked up so much since, but it still comes back to that innocence that you could describe as childlike. I hope I’ve not lost that. When Cartier-Bresson was young he visited a fortune teller who told him that he would die young. He lived to be 95 or so, but he remained young in a way. My point is that I’m still learning and evolving.
JLH: Your book includes insightful commentary alongside your photographs. What do you hope readers take away from these reflections, and how do they enhance the experience of viewing your images?
DG: Well, I hope the commentary on the photos adds something. It’s debatable because the photos should speak for themselves, but I feel an urge to attempt some sort of insight. The idea is based on the numerous talks I have given at camera clubs and street photography festivals. So it’s an attempt to put those experiences into something more permanent. I’ve taken the photographs and then taken them on the road - to truly test them. I’m familiar with writing about other people’s photographs, especially the greats, so it feels quite a natural thing to me. The book is slightly auto-biographical or diary-like, but it’s still about offering an interpretation. In theory, I should know more about my own photographs and maybe that’s the real impetus.
© David Gibson
JLH: You describe photography as a form of utopia. Could you elaborate on what that means to you and how it manifests in your images?
DG: This is a hard question and yes, I did say that when I was thinking of one photograph taken in Los Angeles a few years ago. It was on the edge of Skid Row where on a wall someone had scrawled the words UTOPIA. The words are ironic, it’s not utopia, it’s an area where the homeless and discarded gather. But I’m taking the word in another direction because the street generally is a place of delight. What are the right words? Taking street photographs is an optimistic thing.
© David Gibson
JLH: While your work is rooted in street photography, Talk On The Street also incorporates abstraction and images that defy easy categorisation. Do you think genre boundaries are important in photography, or should they be more fluid?
DG: Yes, I’m rooted in street photography, but I have often felt the need to escape, to something more experimental, which for me is abstraction. Street photography should never be set up, which is a boundary, but generally, boundaries/rules can be restrictive. Some people get agitated about what is and isn’t street photography, I prefer something more fluid.
JLH: Looking back, is there a single photograph that defines your journey as a photographer?
DG: I’ll side-step that question. I think there might be a photo in the future that will be more defining. That’s the hope, at least.
JLH: If you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of photography advice, what would it be?
DG: I could be harsh and say, “Wake up and understand the important time that you live in and record it”. I mean the 1980s, or even the 1970s, but I was too young and did not understand the possibilities of photography. For example, in the mid-1970s, I worked in Aldgate as a shipping clerk that was close to Spitalfields I used to wander around that area during my lunchtime and maybe I was half aware that it was a unique part of London. Years later, I understood how photographers had documented the area before it was changed/gentrified. How could I possibly know of such things?
Follow David Gibson on Instagram ,his website, and check out David’s latest book Talk on the Street.
