Spontaneity and Story with Street Photographer James Hazelwood

James Hazelwood is a Rhode Island-based photographer who recently embraced retirement as an opportunity to pursue photography full-time. Since retiring, he’s launched an ambitious publishing schedule on Substack, where he shares photo stories that blend his street photography aesthetic with personal narratives from his travels and everyday experiences. His work can be found at jameshazelwoodphoto.com, and he’s active on the new photography app Foto.

James has a refreshing approach to street photography—one that extends beyond traditional boundaries to embrace storytelling both in photographs and in written form. Rather than debating what qualifies as “street photography,” he applies the street photographer’s mindset to everything he photographs. As he explains, “The whole candidness, the spontaneousness, trying to find the different angles and ways of capturing moments wherever it happens is street photography.”

This philosophy has led James to create warm and personal photo essays documenting both his travels and intimate personal projects. His Southern Crescent series, published in the January 2026 issue of Street Photography Magazine,  captures life in the Mississippi Delta sparked by a Raw Society workshop during the Mighty Roots Music Festival in Stovall, MS.

For photographers looking to develop their storytelling practice, James offers a valuable lesson. Commit to showing up consistently. His photo-a-day project taught him that “if you commit yourself to a daily habit, you can get a lot done.”

Second, be willing to work slowly with sensitive subjects. James acknowledges “I got to really build trust with people. They’re not just going to say, sure, come in and photograph me the first time I meet them.”

Finally, overcome hesitation on the street through simple gestures. James learned from photographer Peter Turnley that a raised eyebrow and questioning look—”without saying a word”—can cross any language barrier and open doors to authentic moments.

James’s work is inspiring because he’s channeling retirement into full-time creative output, proving it’s never too late to commit yourself fully to photography.

Once you give the podcast a listen, I encourage you to spend some quiet time reading some articles in his Substack.