In a world increasingly shaped by digital manipulation and artificial enhancements, I find myself needing to hold on to the simplicity of photography — not as a technical exercise, but as a way of seeing. 

One of the reasons I chose Leica as my main tool for street photography and many other styles of photography is the simplicity and closeness to what matters. No overdone menu structures. No AI built in shortcuts. As simple as it gets. Capturing light and creating honest images. 

For me, photography is not about creating an alternate reality; it’s about preserving the essence of a moment as it was experienced.

My approach is rooted in a deep respect for the original image. With a photojournalistic background, it’s easy to carry with me into street photography. It’s just about capturing and showing as simply as possible. 

I strive to stay as close to what was seen through the lens as possible.

The camera is not a tool for invention, but for interpretation — a way to translate light, shadow, and emotion into a visual story.
This means that post-editing is never about transformation, but about refinement.

Leica M9, Summilux 50mm f1.4 ASPH. Train station at Wittenbergplatz train station in Germany.

Keep it simple

When I edit, I limit myself to subtle adjustments: balancing shadows and highlights to present the image in its best light, quite literally.

Cropping and straightening are only applied when they serve the composition — never to remove or disguise elements. I use non-AI tools when editing in Lightroom Classic or Capture One, such as brushes, to gently lighten or darken specific areas, always with the intention of guiding the viewer’s eye, rather than altering the truth of the scene.

Importantly, I never erase anything. I never push elements into shadow unless the exposure at the time of capture naturally obscured them. What was present in the scene remains present in the image. This is a matter of integrity — of honouring the moment as it unfolded and nothing else.

Leica M9, Summilux 50mm f1.4 ASPH. Berlin.

Photography, at its core, is simple. It’s about seeing, feeling, and sharing. And in that simplicity lies its power. By resisting the urge to over-process, I aim to let the image speak for itself — quietly, as honestly as possible, and with clarity.

This was my approach in Berlin last time I visited, as it is now. If you want to discover the streets of Berlin with me in this spirit, you have an outstanding opportunity, as I have a workshop scheduled for May 1-2. Read more.

Henri Cartier-Bresson

I feel that connection shared by and echoes the spirit of Henri Cartier-Bresson, who famously spoke of the “decisive moment” — that fleeting instant when all elements in a scene align perfectly. 

Cartier-Bresson believed in composing within the frame and most of the time rejected cropping and never did any manipulation. His Leica camera was an extension of his eye, and his images were printed full-frame, with the black edge of the negative often visible as a mark of authenticity. He didn’t retouch or rearrange; he captured.

Other photographers, like Dorothea Lange, Garry Winogrand, and Saul Leiter, also embraced this honest approach. Their work was grounded in observation, not orchestration. They trusted the scene, the light, and their instinct — and their images resonate because of that trust.

I will follow up in the next blog post with an overview of the tools in Lightroom and Capture One that are not AI-driven, keeping you closer to the original, unspoiled image. 

Leica M9, Summilux 50mm f1.4 ASPH. Berlin.