Streetwise: Magnum’s definitive collection of street photography

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Magnum Streetwise brings together some of the greatest and most recognised images of the street photography genre, from Bruno Barbey’s 1968 documentation of the student uprisings in Paris, to Chris Steele-Perkins’ reportage during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, along with more recent work by Alec Soth, Bruce Gilden, Olivia Arthur, and many more.

Tracing the history of the genre from the earliest records made by Magnum’s founding members Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Capa, to present-day practitioners such as Christopher Anderson and Newsha Tavakolian, the book guides the reader through a blend of location, theme, and photographer-based chapters, written by editor Stephen McLaren.

“A streetwise photographer, like the ones you are about to meet, is adept at sensing that moment when reality quivers with photographic possibility,” writes McLaren in his introduction to the book. “When small changes in the atmospherics call for focused attention, quick feet and hair-trigger camera action.”

Magnum Streetwise was published by Thames & Hudson on 10 October

Marigold Warner

Deputy Editor

Marigold Warner worked as an editor at BJP between 2018 and 2023. She studied English Literature and History of Art at the University of Leeds, followed by an MA in Magazine Journalism from City, University of London. Her work has been published by titles including the Telegraph Magazine, Huck, Elephant, Gal-dem, The Face, Disegno, and the Architects Journal.