I almost got killed because of street photography – it’s not worth it

I’ve always said that I love street photography so much that I would die for it. However, I didn’t expect the Universe to call me out on it.

Getting that one shot almost got me killed once…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZqVnq1RY3Y

HOW IT ALL HAPPENED…

A few years ago, I was producing a street photography album in Seoul. The South-Korean capital looked amazing after dark. I spent night after night wandering the streets to discover more golden moments.

Well…Okay by Vijce | Seoul, 2013

One night, I stumbled upon a nice scenery in Gangnam (the area from the famous song). Traffic was heavy in that area. I loved how the flashy cars always lit up the subjects from the back. It looked like this:

Farewell, My Soulmate by Vijce | Seoul, 2013

In order to get more exciting perspectives, I moved from the side walk to the street. With my eyes on the traffic lights and cars, I quickly took a photo and went back.

For one shot, I followed a gorgeous lady down the street. She was perfectly lit up by some headlights in the distance. I thought it was some sort of living street since some people walked in the middle. Unfortunately, I couldn’t read any of the signs.

THE MOMENT I “SAW THE LIGHT”

While I was composing the shot, a car suddenly made a right turn and entered our street at high speed. All of a sudden, I was blinded by the headlights that were only a few feet away from us. My subject quickly jumped to the side…

….but my problem was that I had crouched down behind her.

Rush Hour by Vijce | Seoul, 2013

I immediately hit the panic button. Literally. As dumb as it sounds, but my camera took a photo when I tried to pull myself up on it to escape. Through a weird duck walk combined with an awkward hop to the side, I dodged the car only by a few inches…

Although I still love to take risks for my street photography, I got a bit more careful after this incident. Did you ever put yourself in danger for that one shot or know someone that did?

I’d love to hear your stories:

IS THERE A MORAL TO THIS STORY?

1) I was a moron for being so reckless and blindly trusting some locals.

2) Don’t take “street photography” too literally.

3) Just in case: Small hops are definitely faster than duck walking!

About the Author

Vijce is an award-winning fine-art street photographer and coach based in Amsterdam. His label Eye, Heart & Soul empowers fine art street photographers worldwide. Make sure to check out his street photography workshops and connect with EHS on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to level up your street photography game! This article was also published here and shared with permission.