Old San Juan Streets, Puerto Rico

I took these photos on the streets of Old San Juan in April 2011, while attending a conference in Puerto Rico. The colourful façades caught my eye, but the moments of daily life unfolding around them kept me taking pictures.

Photographing the Streets of Old San Juan

Candy-colored pastel buildings in shades of pink, blue, yellow and green line the streets of Old San Juan. Ornate balconies and Spanish colonial architecture give the old town its character, while potted palm trees add a tropical touch.

But I was just as interested in the people. I noticed teenagers playing in a water fountain, a fruit vendor delivering bananas, a man resting in the shade, and an accordionist playing outside an old building. Elsewhere, people bought ice cream from a street vendor or leaned out of windows, gazing at life below. Nothing particularly remarkable was happening, but I liked the unhurried feel of these street scenes. They’re a world away from the usual bustle of a tourist destination.

The colourful architecture gave the photos a sense of place, but the people going about their daily routines made them real. I wanted to capture what it felt like to walk the streets of Old San Juan, rather than document its famous buildings.

A street vendor selling ice cream in Old San Juan

An accordionist playing outside an old building in Old San Juan

The Characters of Old San Juan

The moments I remember most came from chance encounters. One place I wish I’d explored further was El Batey, a dive bar on Cristo Street famous for its “lived-in” aesthetic.

Outside, I spotted a young girl with a camera on a tripod, photographing a tattooed man wearing a bandana. He posed behind a window grille, seemingly enjoying the attention. The vertical bars framed him against the tavern’s salmon-pink exterior, making him look as though he’d been locked up for some mischief.

We chatted for a while, and afterwards they both happily posed for more photos. I liked their expressions and the impromptu encounter. I still wonder what I could have captured inside El Batey. But sometimes a brief moment on the street is enough.

Couple ouside El Batey on Cristo Street, Old San Juan

Looking Back at My Street Photos of Old San Juan

Revisiting these photos of everyday moments after so many years has made me reflect on what I enjoy about street photography. I rarely set out looking for particular subjects. I’m more interested in what happens along the way: someone caught in an ordinary moment, an unexpected encounter, or a detail that might otherwise go unnoticed.

These street photos aren’t meant to document Puerto Rico or even Old San Juan completely. They’re my personal impression of a place I visited briefly, shaped by the people, details and encounters that caught my attention as I walked the cobblestone streets.

What stays with me is the mix of colour, architecture and people going about their day. Looking back, I realise that much of what made Old San Juan memorable wasn’t its iconic landmarks, but the ordinary moments unfolding in the streets around them.