"If your picture does not tell enough..you aren't close enough.." - Robert Capa(Hungarian war photographer)

Street photography is not a contemporary phenomenon..Street photography was in fact a spin-off the much prevalent Street-painting which started in the late 19th century in prominent cities of the world. Pavement artists were found all over the United Kingdom and by 1890 it was estimated that more than 500 artists were making a full-time living from pavement art in London alone.

New York: An Illustrated History

The above photograph, according to New York: An Illustrated History, by Ric Burns and James Sanders, is the oldest available photograph of the New York city. Taken at Broadway between Franklin and Leonard Streets, it’s believed to date to May 1850.

There’s some debate over who the “father” of street photography was. Although Frenchman Eugene Atget is often granted this title, his work was mainly architectural, putting people second.

But there’s another, lesser-known name that enters the picture (pardon the pun) as early as if not earlier than Atget: a Scotsman by the name of John Thomson.

Unlike the often sneaky and sometimes downright invasive street photography we sometimes see today, the technology of the time meant that Thomson has to get to know his subjects. You couldn’t just snap a photo, you had to ask the subject to sit still while you set up your heavy equipment and took an exposure.

Here are some rare collection of John Thomson photographs..some of the first of its kind..