Phil Penman Interview
“My cameras have seen it all—pain, misery, and incredible joy. It’s been a very interesting life.”
Q: You’ve spent 25 years capturing the pulse of New York City—how would you describe the city’s “character” through your lens?
The city’s pulse has always remained the same, though the characters themselves come and go. It’s been fascinating to watch the skyline change—though not always for the better, in my opinion. Then again, people probably said the same about the buildings that came before their time. I do think we’ve lost some creativity in the architecture being built today.
But on the streets below, the character of the city endures. The people who come and go keep it alive and moving forward. My role has been to simply document those changes—whether I like them or not. It’s all part of creating a historical record of life here and now. I’m certain that in 50 years, people will look back and wonder why we were all staring down at those “stupid things” in our hands—cellphones. Who knows what communication will look like by then?
Q: Street photography is about observing the unnoticed. How do you train your eye to spot the extraordinary in the ordinary?
I think much of it comes from your upbringing and life experiences. Someone who’s had a hard childhood may see the world differently than someone who’s lived a more fortunate life. It’s really about who you are as a person—are you empathetic, or do you struggle with that? Sometimes we’re simply too busy in our own lives to see clearly what’s right in front of us.
One practice that helps me—and something I always recommend—is to just sit in one spot and watch. Pay attention to every little detail, to people’s mannerisms as they pass by. So much of it is in plain sight, but we’re often in too much of a rush to notice.
Q: Black-and-white photography has become a signature of yours. What does stripping away color allow you to express more powerfully?
For me, it was about reconnecting with the joy I first felt when I discovered photography at 15. Back then, it was all about developing and printing black-and-white photos in my father’s darkroom—that’s what got me hooked in the first place.
For most of my professional career, working with clients and publications meant shooting in color. After 20 years, you can start to feel jaded and fall out of love with your passion. Shooting and editing in black and white brought me back to that happy place.
I’ve always found I create my best work when I’m genuinely enjoying the process. Black and white also has a timeless quality that suits my style of storytelling.
Q: With Street Scenes, you move beyond New York to Basel, Paris, and Tokyo. How does each city shape the way you shoot, and what cultural contrasts stand out most?
My first two books—Street and New York Street Diaries—were both dedicated to New York City. But over the years, I’ve been fortunate to travel and teach photography around the world. Street Scenes was an opportunity to showcase a broader body of work.
What fascinates me is that while our cultures and practices can be very different, our core humanity is the same. If you’re lost, someone will help you. If you fall, someone will run to your aid. We’re all different, but also very much alike.
At the same time, I believe it’s important for nations to preserve their differences and take pride in their cultural identities—that’s what makes us who we are. Personally, I love traveling and discovering new places. Lately, Tokyo has captured my imagination. I try to visit once a year—it’s a city that really complements my black-and-white work, and I love the fashion scene there.
Q: Technology—from smartphones to AI—has democratized photography. What do you think remains timeless in the art of capturing a moment?
No matter what advances, AI can never replace real human emotion.
Q: You recently collaborated with Porsche USA. How does working with a brand differ from wandering freely with your camera, and what did you take away from that experience?
I was truly honored to be featured by Porsche. Shooting for a campaign is very different from being featured in one. Producing campaigns can be extremely stressful, and I came away with a deep appreciation for the amount of work involved. The Race Team video crew who produced my piece was outstanding—I couldn’t believe they pulled it off in just two days.
The end result was a beautifully produced black-and-white video that told the story of how I came to New York. They captured me in my natural environment—photographing the city and its people—the only difference being I had four videographers trailing me. I’m sure it looked amusing to the passersby.
Q: Street photography often brushes against questions of privacy and ethics. How do you balance documenting reality with respecting the subject?
It’s important to acknowledge that we have virtually no privacy anymore—we gave much of it away to corporations years ago. People often overlook this. Your devices at home listen and sell what you say to advertisers. Your phone tracks everything you search and sells that data. CCTV records you constantly, and this information is also sold. The worst part is that we’ve agreed to it—either by not reading the fine print or by accepting it for the sake of “convenience.”
Yet, the moment another person takes your picture in public, it becomes an issue. In most countries, if you’re in a public space, you don’t have a right to privacy. However, you do have rights regarding how your image is used. I remember a friend who was photographed years ago—only to later discover his image used in a campaign with the words “The Rapist” placed beside it. That was devastating.
If your image is used for cultural purposes, it’s generally acceptable. Likewise, if it’s part of a news event, it’s permitted. If everyone refused to allow their images to be used, there would be no news at all—and that would be censorship, which thankfully isn’t allowed.
That said, ethics matter deeply to me. I would never want someone to feel hurt by a photograph I’ve taken of them. And I believe you can tell a lot about a photographer by the way they choose to portray someone.
Q: If your camera could talk after all these years, what do you think it would say about the life you’ve shown it?
It would probably say, “Boy, you like air miles.”
It’s funny—when I was about 14, someone read my palm and told me, “You’re going to be doing a lot of traveling.” They couldn’t have been more accurate.
My cameras have seen it all—pain, misery, and also great joy. It’s been a very interesting life.
Bio:
Phil Penman’s lens reveals the poetry in the everyday, inviting viewers to pause and look closer. Widely regarded as one of today’s most celebrated street photographers, he has spent over 25 years documenting the vibrancy of New York City. Recently named among the “52 Most Influential Street Photographers”—alongside legends like Henri Cartier-Bresson, Sebastião Salgado, Diane Arbus, and Garry Winogrand—Penman continues to shape the visual language of contemporary street photography.
His recent collaboration with Porsche USA highlights the global recognition of his work, while his new monograph, Street Scenes (teNeues Publishing), serves as both a love letter to the world’s great cities and a masterclass in finding the extraordinary within the ordinary. Expanding beyond New York, Penman captures the cultural crossroads of Basel, the timeless charm of Paris, and the dazzling nights of Tokyo, weaving together a cinematic portrait of urban life in all its moods.
Interviewed by: Shantanu Singh
Edited by: Shantanu Singh
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