Rooted in early film days and refined through travel, Peter Tast’s work explores the emotional core of his subjects — carrying the weight of empathy, storytelling, and an unflinching commitment to capturing humanity as it is, transforming anonymous faces into unforgettable stories.
An Exclusive Interview with Pure Street Photography
Tast opens up about his inspirations, creative process, and how the interplay of light, shadow, travel, and human connection continues to shape his vision — from childhood days in a homemade darkroom to capturing the raw poignancy of refugee journeys and fleeting urban moments.
Interview by Dimpy Bhalotia and Kamal Kumaar Rao
6/08/2025
(c) Peter Tast
(c) Peter Tast
We would love to know more about you! Who you are and where you're from? When did you start street photography?
Hello, my name is Peter Tast. I am from Long Island NY where I live close to the sea and a nature preserve which keeps me grounded and in touch with the natural world yet just a simple train ride to NYC.
What inspired you to become a street photographer?
My interest in photography goes back to when I was a child and was given my father’s old Argus 35mm camera. It had a split image focusing system and required an external light meter to get accurate exposures. A short while later, I found a cheap enlarger and other equipment at a garage sale and set up a small darkroom in my parent’s boiler room. This was well before the age of digital cameras and so it seemed like magic to be able to capture an image on this old mechanical device and suddenly rematerialize it before your eyes on a blank sheet of paper in a chemical bath.
The bug was there but with the passage of time, my interest and attention to photography often took a backseat to other happenings in my life out of financial and practical necessity. However, I always had a camera with me when I traveled and at these times was able to forget the other distractions. I learned to be present and experience the world with my camera and capture moments that I found captivating through its lens. It is through travel that I got re-engaged with the creative nature of photography and, still to this day, it is when I am most able to focus and apply myself fully to the craft.
How would you describe your work in terms of style and/or approach?
I know that many people have rules about what is and is not ‘street photography’. These strict rules and definitions do not interest me. My style involves traveling with my camera, observing the world around me, and capturing scenes that I think are beautiful, illuminating, interesting, or poignant. I am always looking for an emotional connection. Sometimes I capture moments as a passive observer (the proverbial fly on the wall) and other times I am interacting with the subjects in an image. Either way, I generally know right away if I ‘caught’ something that feels worthwhile which is really my primary objective.
(c) Peter Tast
(c) Peter Tast
What is your photography routine like? Do you photograph every day?
I take the occasional photo on a daily basis with my Iphone but my best work is done when I can block out extensive time to travel with my camera and explore the world around me.
What camera or mobile device do you use for photography? Do you shoot digitally, on film, or a mix of both?
I started using the Fuji XT cameras about eight years ago and that is now what I exclusively shoot with (apart from the aforementioned Iphone shots). It is a digital mirrorless camera, and I love the functionality and the ergonomics of it. I want to always know and be very comfortable with my camera which I am with the XT (currently on the 4 model) so unless they give me a reason to change, I have no intention of doing so.
What challenges do you face when photographing on the street?
The biggest challenge I find in shooting on the street is letting my inhibitions go and trying to identify the line where something does not seem appropriate. I want to be bold but do not want to feel like I am being distasteful or assaulting someone with my camera.
Do you ever wonder what happens to the people in your photos?
It is interesting to wonder about the current situation of subjects in street photography. I have many photographs of children who now must be adults and possibly even parents. I also have many of older people who are likely no longer living. Several years ago, I had an interesting interaction when I learned about some subjects in one of my photos. I was in a train station in Bucharest Romania at the start of the Ukraine war. It was late at night and the train station was almost empty. In the middle of the station were a couple of young girls sitting amongst a pile of luggage. They were obviously Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war. They looked so lost and confused about what they were doing there that I found it a really poignant moment to capture. I felt sorry for them and wondered where they would end up amidst the tragedy.
Several weeks later I received a DM on Instagram. It was from the older sister of the two young girls in the photograph. She had just arrived in Bucharest herself and ran across the photo on social media. She explained to me that she was their sister and asked me if I could send her the full-res image. It was very early in the war so there was not a lot of public information about what was happening on the ground in Ukraine. But she shared with me her experiences and the violence that she witnessed. She also let me know that her sisters were doing alright. They were with their mother and heading to Italy where they had planned to stay until the end of the war. Of course, at that time she did not know that the war would be continuing on for years. It was an impactful experience where these kids suddenly went from anonymous subjects caught in a fleeting moment to actual people with a family and personal history. It is a further reminder that all the human subjects in our photos are actual people with real stories and hardships. In fact, I feel that to be able to convey that idea in a still shot is one of the pinnacles of good photography.
(c) Peter Tast
(c) Peter Tast
(c) Peter Tast
In your opinion, what is the biggest misconception people have about street photography?
I suppose some may feel that there are privacy issues or that people are getting exploited. I think that these concerns are valid and should be addressed by each photographer in accordance with their own style and principles. If one presents their work with honesty and integrity, I think these issues mostly resolve themselves.
What are your favourite elements to capture in a street photograph? (light, colour, composition, human interaction, etc.)
I am looking for something that I find interesting and that I can try to capture and convey to the viewer in a way that they will also find interesting. I am always looking for an emotional component and context.
What is your take on social media influence on street photography?
Social media is a great way to get exposure where it would otherwise be difficult. It can also be good for inspiration. On the other hand, it can also cheapen the experience. Unfortunately, too few people spend the time required to actually appreciate an image and simply scroll through their feed in a mindless manner. It can be frustrating when you find that people are not discerning the difference between a carefully crafted image and an uninspired photo of something as banal as their friend’s dinner. Fortunately, there are still plenty of people that appreciate the difference as well as the effort and the art that goes into producing an impactful image.
Are your prints available for purchase? If so, where can art buyers and collectors contact you to purchase them?
Yes, I love to receive requests for prints. They are typically signed and printed on archival cotton paper. I can be reached by email via ptast@independentimages.net and of course a DM to @petertast on Instagram is always a simple and convenient way to go.
(c) Peter Tast
What advice would you give to aspiring photographers?
It’s the same advice that I still give to myself- try to internally identify what you are seeking to capture in an image. Within that awareness is what you are actually trying to say.
A huge thank you to Peter Tast for sharing his incredible journey.
In Frame : Peter Tast