Jens F. Kruse: Street Photography as an Emotional and Aesthetic Decision

Jens F. Kruse: Street Photography as an Emotional and Aesthetic Decision

Born in Germany but living in the beautiful island of Mallorca since 1999, Jens F. Kruse’s street photography journey began the same way as many of ours did. A family member’s camera opens the door to an adventure of self-discovery, creativity, and intuition. And the rest, as they say, is history.

“Photography has accompanied me for a long time: in the 1970s, I secretly borrowed my father’s SLR camera – an Edixa, whose sound and feel I still remember vividly. Those early moments, where I tried to capture the unspectacular in everyday life, awakened something in me that remains to this day.”

Later, through his studies in art and music with a focus on photography, he learned to think conceptually and work in series, and became the foundation that shapes his vision and work. This eventually led to starting a photo blog in 2009. What started out as “very deliberate and conceptual” became “freer, more emotional,” but it still wasn’t intentionally street photography.

Copyright ⓒ Jens F. Kruse

Copyright ⓒ Jens F. Kruse

The “aha” moment

Until his “aha” moment came in 2017 in Stockholm. A man suddenly walked into the frame but he pressed the shutter anyway. “My heart raced; I felt like I had just done something completely new. When I looked at the image later, I realized: I hadn’t captured what was there, but what I felt. From that point on, I dedicated every spare minute to street photography.”

Then, the “aha” moment culminated in something most likely unplanned and unexpected. When it comes to fresh starts, very few photographers take the plunge to do street photography full time the way Kruse did. “After the pandemic, I dared a fresh start in 2020: I sold my business and, at over 60 years-old, committed myself fully to photography. Since then, I’ve been working professionally in urban spaces – it’s become my home,” he shared.

The big jump turned out to be worth it. Since then, his work has won awards at street photography festivals and exhibited internationally. Recently, he has also been invited as a juror and speaker at street photography festivals. Apart from his own photography, Kruse also actively works as the founder of membership-based community SPuM (STREET PHOTOGRAPHY and MORE), a protected space for street photography in the German-speaking world. By intentionally avoiding the noise of social media, the group takes the focus — and pressure — away from chasing perfect images, recognition, or likes. Rather, they consciously develop their personal photographic vision, with Kruse at the helm of conversations, discussions, activities, and projects within the group.

Copyright ⓒ Jens F. Kruse

Copyright ⓒ Jens F. Kruse

Good photography is an emotional decision

Today, Kruse spends his days roaming the streets of Palma de Mallorca and other European cities with a camera in hand, and describes his days as “creative and fulfilling” even if he comes home with nothing remarkable.

“I know every corner, every shadow, every leaf, every trash bin – and yet, new images still emerge. It’s not about spectacular places, but about an open mind…What fascinates me most are the small, fleeting stories of everyday life. I observe what people do, where they go, what they look at – and imagine what they might be thinking or experiencing.”

In capturing these street scenes, his goal has been to tap into the mood and emotions of these everyday moments, with the firm belief that good photography is always an emotional decision. “For me, that means, photograph what attracts you! If a subject moves or intrigues you – go for it. Regardless of whether it’s currently ‘in style’ or fits a trend. Because in the end, you are telling your story – no one else can see or tell it like you can. That’s what makes it valuable.”

He also notes that while the technicalities of photography will help hone your craftsmanship, most truly great images don’t follow rules. Instead, they carry a kind of depth or magic that you can’t see but only feel.

“And that’s what I aim for: feeling. Atmosphere. A moment that doesn’t need to be explained – but felt. Maybe some will shake their heads at that – but for me, it’s the heart of photography.”

Copyright ⓒ Jens F. Kruse

Copyright ⓒ Jens F. Kruse

Making an aesthetic decision that abstracts reality

Speaking of atmosphere, mood, and feeling in the context of street photography, Kruze acknowledges the notion that black and white is the dominant preference, based on the belief that it shows “the soul unfiltered.” But he also reasons that choosing to shoot (or edit) in black and white is already a filter since we see the world in color; thus, for him, it’s more an “aesthetic decision that abstracts reality.”

“In earlier times, of course, it was a technical necessity. But the black and white ‘dogma’ persisted in street photography until the 1960s, when photographers like Joel Meyerowitz, and later William Eggleston or Stephen Shore, began using color consistently as a narrative tool – and opened entirely new visual languages,” he elaborates. But he has also decided on a clear stance when it comes to his own work.

“I want to show the world as it is – and for me, that means showing it in color. Maybe the Mediterranean light on Mallorca also plays a role. The colors here – the blue sky, the warm earth tones of the architecture, the shifting light – shape my perception and naturally flow into my work.

“That doesn’t mean I reject black and white altogether. Sometimes, a monochrome image does work better, especially when contrast or form takes center stage. But for me, that’s the exception.

“Color is more than just visual information. It creates mood and atmosphere. It can be loud or quiet, warm or distant, direct or subtle. In street photography, I use color intentionally to include these layers in my images.”

Copyright ⓒ Jens F. Kruse

Visual clarity over “Decisive Moment”

Every street photographer knows Henri Cartier-Bresson’s “Decisive Moment” by heart, but Kruse offers an alternative view. “What exactly is the decisive moment in public space – amidst all the fleeting, chaotic, unstructured scenes around us?” he asks.

His answer anchors on creating an inner order, or what he interestingly describes as a “visual clarity in the urban mess.” But this, he adds, has an elusive quality that you feel rather than see — a frenetic energy instead of plain visual information.

“That search for energy drives my creativity. I try to create images that go beyond mere documentation. Ideally, they unite my personal presence, photographic know-how, visual language, and storytelling instinct. When all that comes together in a single frame – perhaps that’s my own decisive moment.”

All these perspectives — pursuit for visual clarity, emotional decision-making, and aesthetic choices — eventually became encapsulated in what he considers to be a good street photo: it has to touch his soul.

“It has to strike a chord within me – trigger something beyond just seeing. It doesn’t matter whether the image is minimalist or visually complex. It’s not about formal categories. It may not be “beautiful” in the classical sense, but bold, raw, or flawed. In fact, perfection is often the biggest enemy of a strong image. It feels sterile, neutral – a collection of average criteria: pleasing, but quickly forgotten. Perfection is the opposite of life – and the opposite of art.”

One of his favorite photos out of all he has taken so far is a perfect example. It ticks all the boxes: idea, moment, technique, and intuition. While he admits it doesn’t always happen, chance often plays a role, and sometimes he discovers that everything works later on.

Copyright ⓒ Jens F. Kruse

“This particular photo is one of my personal favorites. It was taken on an August morning in Palma de Mallorca, at the harbor promenade. From across the street, I saw a cruise ship with a smoking chimney – almost like a toy version in the vastness. Joggers and cyclists were using the cool early hours on the shared path. While crossing the street, two-thirds into the motion, I noticed a very specific perspective: the ship appeared to be floating in a giant bathtub, framed by the concrete balustrade. I knew instantly: this is my shot.

“But I had that view from just one spot – right in the middle of a busy main road. I waited through several traffic light phases, let scenes pass, but nothing felt right. Then I saw her: a jogger with a ponytail, coming from the right. I was at the red light. I calculated the shadow she would cast, and knew that if I don’t go now, the moment is gone. So I stepped into traffic – amid honking horns – and had one single shot: click.”

As a final note, Kruse asserts with certainty: “I don’t shoot from the head – I photograph with my entire body, with my story, with my intuition. That’s what makes my work personal and perhaps even distinct. Past and future only exist in the now. I prefer to live in the present, without forgetting yesterday and without fear of what’s to come. That attitude shapes not only my photography, but my entire way of being.”

Visit Jens F. Kruse’s website and follow him on Instagram to see more and stay updated with his street photography.