Get up close and personal with the world's best street photographers as they capture the drama of everyday life at 1/125 of a second.

Rub shoulders with high-rollers, street vendors and dog walkers. Prowl sidewalks and back alleys, encountering comic absurdities, small acts of kindness and senes of unexpected beauty. Let your eye be caught by a witty billboard, a woman dressed as an angel, a businessman sprinting through the crowd. The human carnival is in town and the streets are alive.

Street Photography Now presents 46 contemporary image-makers noted for their candid depictions of everyday life in our streets, subways, shopping malls, beaches and parks. Included are Magnum masters such as Bruce Gilden, Martin Parr and Alex Webb, along with an international cast of emerging photographers whose individual biographies illuminate the stories behind their pictures of New York, Tokyo, Delhi or Dakar. Four thought-provoking essays and a global conversation between leading street photographers explore the compelling and often controversial issues in the genre. A select bibliography and a resource section for aspiring street photographers complete the book.

Whether you're a follower of contemporary photography or simply a lover of the theatre of everyday life, this is your passport to the world of the street photographer, a world where ordinary public spaces offer up endless surprise.