The 8 Best Street Photographers in Phoenix, AZ

Each one of these Phoenix street photographers offers a unique perspective for exploring the city. In fact, it may surprise you to learn that Phoenix is a hub for street photography. Arizona’s largest city is the natural place for creatives to explore the visual arts. And as the cultural epicenter of the state, there are an endless array of opportunities to tell the city’s story.

From gritty vignettes of dark shadows to radiant natural light and color…Each one of these Phoenix visual artists shares the truth of the city through their own subjective gaze!

1. Zee Peralta

Zee Peralta is a portrait, street, and commercial photographer in Phoenix who counts several local brands as partners of hers. Phoenix New Times, the Country Music Association, and Valley Metro have all been amazed by her work! In fact, Zee was also tapped by Arizona Foothills Magazine as one of their top nightlife photographers of 2019. We see her eye for the subtle qualities of illumination in not just the concert scene but also in Zee’s street photography.

Her work explores reflections, human interactions, and people’s place amidst the urban landscape. She also uses intentional vertical compositions, reminding us that landscape orientations aren’t the only way of seeing the world. Color has a subdued quality to it or is banished entirely using monochrome. This enables us to fully explore what lines, texture, shadow, and emotion have to say through Zee’s compositions.

2. Niba DelCastillo

Niba is a freelance photographer who shoots concerts, portraits, and of course, Phoenix street photography! Street portraits occasionally find their place in his collection of work, but urban shots are what Niba gravitates to most often. Neighborhoods with stylish architecture like Barrio Viejo, street spray paint artistry, abandoned roadside attractions…All of it is fair game for Niba!

We especially love how he preserves highlights in a shot, allowing you to better enjoy cloud textures, bright lights streaming through fog, and other qualities of a scene!

3. Zonie Street

Candid street portraiture and vignettes of the city are what Drew of Zonie Street does best! All work is in a muted color profile that reminds us of classic film stock. Zonie uses varying compositions, ranging from tightly cropped shots with a distinct portrait look. You’ll also see environmental shots that leave human subjects feeling minimal compared to soaring buildings and endless streets.

We get a sense of the heat of the Valley of the Sun as well, thanks to the bold sunlight and warm white balance. The neighborhoods feel diverse as well, which is a nice change from more downtown-focused street photographers. In short, Zonie Street is well worth following for an intimate look at Phoenix through a local’s gaze!

4. Sassan Arizona

The Instagram feed of Sassan Arizona is an excellent example of classic street photography. Highlights, shadows, and color have a natural quality without feeling overdone. There is a distinctively gritty quality to the shots, thanks to Sassan’s willingness to get closer to his subjects. We feel like we’re standing next to his subjects, which is surprising given how talented Sassan is at maintaining a documentary quality.

Everyone remains immersed in their own world rather than being distracted by the presence of a Phoenix street photographer. Sassan explores various themes with his work, including urban decay, the homeless, everyday passersby, and skyline photography.

5. Tony Frey

Tony Frey is the founder of Emerge Creative, a Phoenix branding, photography, and social media management company. His street photography is what caught our attention today, though!

Tony’s vision is a stark contrast to the dark and moody perspective favored by many other street artists. He sees a world of rich colors and bright Arizona sunshine. His images are framed tighter, resulting in more of a portrait style. Interesting architectural points also find their way into his street portfolio. Honeycomb textures, converging lines, and blocky forms are quite interesting when seen through Tony’s lens!

6. Juan C. Nava

Juan C. Nava offers a look at the streets of Phoenix from a candid, documentary perspective. His work helps him better appreciate the moments of fleeting beauty that always exist yet are possible to immortalize forever using a camera. In how own words: “Photography allows me to pause, be observant, and appreciate the evolving, unceasing complexity of life for a single moment, capturing its allure forever.”

Juan’s photography has a cinematic quality to it, thanks to his preference for subdued colors and visible grain. When shooting at night, he embraces deep shadow, letting subjects seem to sink into the night, surrounded by points of bright light. Long exposures make brilliant light streaks of car lights, and window reflections offer endless creative possibilities for an attentive photographer. In short, Juan’s street photography reminds us of how beautiful the world really is when we stop to look at it.

7. Kyle Shipley

Kyle Shipley is here to prove that Phoenix street photographers aren’t just about gritty monochrome images. His style is one where rich color and indistinct subjects invite us to look more deeply at his intentions as an artist. Kyle uses camera shake, motion blur, and vibrant exposure, making his images feel much like light paintings.

He also goes in the opposite direction in his Phoenix street photography, using deep shadows to obscure his subjects into mysterious silhouettes. The mysterious quality of Kyle’s vision is what makes his work so appealing!

8. Miguel De Jezús

Miguel De Jezús’s work is informed by the chiaroscuro style, where natural light forms a stunning contrast to deep shadow. He finds these conditions in his personal studio as well as on the streets of Phoenix when light levels grow dim. Emotion also plays a central role in his images, as transgressions and positive moments alike!

As a Phoenix street photographer, Miguel uses the urban backdrop in a number of creative ways. He not only captures spontaneous moments in a documentary fashion; but also takes his modeling and portrait subjects outdoors. Where Miguel can hold portrait sessions with distinct urban fashion influences!

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