Vivek Verma
- Abhishek Deb
- Oct 13
- 7 min read
Vivek Kumar Verma | Street Photographer
SPG's interview series is back with its 16th installment, and we are thrilled to feature Vivek Verma from Mumbai, India. Have you ever wondered what happens when a street photographer sees the city not just as a place to document, but as a moving canvas? Vivek's work explores the poetic tension between a scene's chaos and the visual harmony he finds within it. His images aren’t just moments frozen in time; they're intentional compositions where light and geometry turn the ordinary into something truly timeless. Dive into this interview to discover his art.
Vivek, what is more important to you - the people or the surroundings?
Vivek Verma : That’s a tough one, because for me the people and the surroundings are inseparable. A person without their environment feels incomplete, and an environment without people feels like it’s waiting for a story to happen. What draws me in is how the two collide—the way someone leans into the geometry of a wall, or how a burst of colour from a sari changes the entire mood of a grey street. If I had to choose, I’d say the surroundings matter a little more to me, because they set the stage. They give me the shapes, the light, the textures that make a photograph visually compelling. But it’s the people who bring soul to that stage. I need both. My eye is first caught by the aesthetics of a place, but I wait for a person to walk into it and complete the picture.
How would you define your style of street photography?
Vivek Verma : If I had to define my style of street photography, I’d say it’s where raw life meets visual art. For me, it’s never just about pressing the shutter at the right time-it’s about how form, light, and colour breathe meaning into that moment. Without the aesthetics of a photograph, without the careful play of composition, geometry, or the poetry of light and shadow, street photography becomes mere documentation. That has never been enough for me. I see the street as a moving canvas, constantly rearranging itself. I am always chasing these balances and tensions, because they turn an ordinary scene into something that feels timeless and intentional. My style, then, is not about freezing life as it happens, but about distilling it—finding the aesthetic harmony in chaos, the visual rhythm in randomness, and framing it in a way that feels less like chance and more like art.
Vivek, why and when did street photography become your THE thing? What exactly inspired you?
Vivek Verma : Street photography became my thing almost without me realising it. I think it started the day I slowed down enough to really see the world around me. In Kolkata, where I spent a big part of my student life, I would walk through the lanes and feel this pull toward the chaos and beauty of everyday life-the flower vendors, the rickshaw pullers, children chasing kites, the way light spilled over an old building. None of it was staged, and yet it felt like theatre unfolding right in front of me. What inspired me wasn’t a single photograph or photographer-it was that raw honesty of the street itself. The unpredictability, the fleeting nature of it all, the way a moment appeared and vanished in a heartbeat. I found myself wanting to hold onto those fragments of time, to give them permanence through my camera. Somewhere along the way, I realised this wasn’t just photography for me—it was a way of connecting, of remembering, of finding meaning in the ordinary.
Vivek, pick your own Top-3 street shots for all of us!
Vivek Verma : I have shared 3 of them with the back stories, check them here...
When you look deep within, did street photography change you?
Vivek Verma : Yes. Street photography changed me by teaching me that chaos has its own rhythm, and beauty doesn’t always announce itself-it hides in geometry, in shadows, in fleeting alignments. It made me less interested in chasing moments and more in shaping them into something that feels like visual poetry. In the process, it changed how I see myself: not just as someone who documents, but as someone who creates meaning out of the ordinary.
Vivek, is there any top list of tricks to succeed as a street photographer? Share some tips for people who are starting out on this genre . . .
Vivek Verma : Definitely, I will love to. Here are my top 5...
1. Simplify, simplify, simplify. Strip clutter. Let one subject breathe in a clean frame. Negative space is as powerful as the subject itself.
2. Speak your truth - start the conversation. Let your photographs ask questions, surprise, provoke, and linger. Be funny, mysterious, emotionally raw. Don’t settle for one-note visuals. Stir something real-and don’t hold back.
3. Study the masters-but find your own voice. Look at greats (Cartier-Bresson, Alex Webb…) to see how they built rhythm and narrative, but follow your own pulse, not fame or trends.
4. Embrace the beginner in you. Shoot with curiosity. Question-don’t mindlessly follow rules. Let failures be your teachers.
5. Invite a little magic - leave room for serendipity. Yes, luck matters. But only when you're ready for it. Practice relentlessly. Be patient. Fail a lot. Because that rare, unrepeatable slice of the street-that perfect alignment of all your senses-that’s where icons are born.
Is there anything beyond that camera for a street photographer ?
Vivek Verma : Beyond the camera lies intuition, intent, and originality. The gear only records, but it’s the heart that decides what to frame, the vision that gives it purpose, and the courage to see differently that turns it into art. For me, it’s about filtering the chaos of the street into something meaningful—trusting my gut to choose one story over a hundred distractions. It’s about moving past easy cliches and finding those subtle contrasts, those overlooked details, that give a photograph its character.
What NOT TO DO in street photography?
Vivek Verma : Don’t expect every outing to give you masterpieces. The street humbles you. It demands patience, failures, and a lot of waiting. Sometimes the strongest shot comes after hours of nothing—sometimes not at all. Learn to accept that, and still show up.
Is street photography your primary source of bread & butter?
Vivek Verma : No. My primary source of bread & butter is legal profession as an investment banking lawyer in a German bank in India.
Any shot you missed and you must have taken?
Vivek Verma : I have missed many shots, to be honest, and the most notable among them are street vendors of India and their daily grind, hidden joys, and entrepreneurial spirit. Beyond commerce, they reveal human stories—offering viewers a fresh lens into the unsung pulse of India’s urban life.
Which camera(s) do you use? And what about your lenses and other accessories?
Vivek Verma : Panasonic Lumix S1 with 50mm F1.8 Lens.
Which other street photographers’ work inspires you the most?
Vivek Verma : Nina Papiorek, Ali Zolghadri.
What is your word of caution to amateur street photographers?
Vivek Verma : Don't chase clichés. It’s easy to fall into the trap of shooting the obvious—poverty, chaos, color—because it grabs attention quickly. But real growth comes when you look past what’s easy and find your own voice in the streets.
What's your perspective on the relation between Street Photography and Street documentary?
Vivek Verma : Don’t mistake pressing the shutter for making a photograph. Street photography isn’t about collecting random moments-it’s about shaping them into something with body, soul, and conversation. If you ignore aesthetics-composition, light, geometry, form-you’ll only end up documenting, not creating.
You are reading the SPG interview of Vivek Verma - the street photographer
What makes you say “Wow!” when you see some other street photographers’ work? (and the reverse)
Vivek Verma : What makes me say “Wow!” is when I see a photograph where aesthetics and emotion breathe together-when geometry, light, and form don’t just decorate the frame but actually carry the story. It’s that rare balance where the image feels intentional yet effortless, where nothing is extra, and everything belongs. The reverse is when it’s just clever timing or plain documentation without mood or originality. If it doesn’t make me pause and look twice, it’s just another picture.
That is Vivek Verma for all of you as he opens up his world of street photography for you!
You can connect with VIvek Verma on Instagram
If you are a street photographer and own a credible body of work, you can be featured in The Street Photography Gallery’s Feature section. You only have to hit the button below or email us on thestreetphotographygallery@gmail.com
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