Dressing to Kill

R

ruben

Guest
Since Peshphoto linked us to those 28 photos showing HCB at work, I couldn't think but about the elegancy with which he dressed himself.

Is it of help for a street photographer, or rather an obstacle to "blend with people" ? I doubt HCB was unware of this question, but this isn't necessarily the reason for which he dressed the way he did. Personality, or individualism could be the reason too. BTW, other photos of HCB also show him elegantly dressed with costly clothes.

Now today, an hour ago, I witnessed at the street something very unusual: another street photographer. He seemed to be a student at the last year, holding an M8 with its broad strap wristed around his hand. His dressing was like an average university student.

I was walking at job time, in order to buy something for my job-place. So I had no camera at hand and was a simple bystander.

The precise moment I saw him was at very close distance, when he was "disengaging" from a couple of fellows seating at the border of the street. Making a photo of them, due to the surroundings, could only be done at extreme close up - 1 meter.

The photographer disengaged rather sharply, and at that precise moment I saw him. One of the two fellows was saying something to him in Russian laguage, which I don't understand, but according to the voice tone and manners it was either a very mild protest, or no protest at all but something else like "what is there of interest in us"

Now I ask myself several questions:

Would I dared to make the image at such close range? I doubt it.

Would I disengage in a sharp way (abruptly walking away)? No. It is not my character, although it had been smart. I am of the rather socializing type and this may put me at risk in other situation.

And finally would an elegant dressing allow me a bit for obtaining a more respectable attitude from the two fellows ? I think so. A score for HCB.

Would an elegant dressing allow me get close, or blend without notice? Hmmm
A score against HCB.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
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A photography student with an M8 ? Xmmm...times changed, being a student today doesn't necessirely mean saving on one's pennies to pay an upcoming tuition...:) (or probably a law student protecetd by well-to-do family..LOL)
 
ruben said:
And finally would an elegant dressing allow me a bit for obtaining a more respectable attitude from the two fellows ? I think so. A score for HCB.

Would an elegant dressing allow me get close, or blend without notice? Hmmm
A score against HCB.
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I think that you might be on to something, Ruben. If your goal is not to be noticed, it's probably best to dress as anonymously as possible. However, if you're going to be engaging with your subjects on the street, dressing well (which conveys confidence) might be a good idea.
 
In my small city everybody knows me anyway, and know that I always carry a 'Kodak'.

Today they were all dressed in their usual drab and I had an orange jumper on. It does not matter what to wear for me.
 
Ruben,
You shouldn't be surprised by HCB's elegancy. At the moment, most people used to be "well" dressed compared to how we daily dress nowadays. I mean, workers were wearing suits when leaving their office or their factory, even students used to wear ties ... Django Reinhardt, Joe Pass, Frank Sinatra, BB King etc. wouldn't have performed on stage in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.
Another time, another century ...
Best,
Marc
 
Something completely different: a week or so ago, there was a big discussion on Photo.net about which was the best photo vest. I mean, come on. Photo vests!
 
Jeroen said:
Something completely different: a week or so ago, there was a big discussion on Photo.net about which was the best photo vest. I mean, come on. Photo vests!
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A safari vest on the other hand....

About dressing up or down. IMO you don't need to dress up as long as you dress in a way that people grand you some slack. In an average street environment that could be slacks and a polo, or a suit and tie. In a club something more casual will do. On a wedding, slacks + polo, or a suit and tie. Your local motor cycle gang... leather and studs? :)
 
I have to say that although on my day to day life I dress like the last homeless on earth, when I work, I pay more attention to my wearing. When I teach, it's a simple question of respect to my students. When I shoot (film, mind you) I think looking like a student is the last look I want. Even if I get denials from people (I'm curently shooting at a hospital in Jerusalem) I am sure that being fairly well dressed means to people "I'm doing some serious work here, I'm not an amateur" and I feel I helps.

That is untill they see my Leica or my Konica Hexar AF and ask why am I shooting with obsolete toys and where are my real cameras... :bang:

That being said, Ruben, it is not very hard to be well dressed around here compared to the average...:D
 
Marc-A. said:
Ruben,
You shouldn't be surprised by HCB's elegancy. At the moment, most people used to be "well" dressed compared to how we daily dress nowadays. I mean, workers were wearing suits when leaving their office or their factory, even students used to wear ties ...
Best,
Marc
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Hi Marc,
I think I have been mistaken in using the term "elegant" to describe HCB clothing and general aspect. If I refine my intention a bit, I should say he dressed in rather above the average cost of clothes. I am trying to point to something like social status above the average working man at the street.

By defining things this way, I can differentiate between two persons wearing tyies and suits, by the quality of each. This difference continues to apply for today's informal wear style. And it maintains the relevance of my observations both about HCB and about what is better.

Friendly,
Ruben
 
Ruben, at the time the photos were taken even students were
dressing like HCB in the photos.

Not clear what you mean by "average working men".

Roland.
 
Andrew Sowerby said:
I think that you might be on to something, Ruben. If your goal is not to be noticed, it's probably best to dress as anonymously as possible. However, if you're going to be engaging with your subjects on the street, dressing well (which conveys confidence) might be a good idea.
Click to expand...


Well I have to say several things, perhaps related only in my mind.

Since I work long hours in a printshop, and I don't change in my way to it or back home, I usually wear second class clothes, my pants usually dirty, and some holes at their lower end due to the times I ride my bicycle.

Most of my street shooting takes place either in my way to work or back home, at those days I do it by bus. But the clothing doesn't change. Up to day, in my naive mind, "wearing" a camera was the killing detail giving me elegancy. But all these happened within my mind only.

I think I will try HCB upper class status appearance, as good clothes are sleeping in my closet. I would like to see people's attitude in such event. There is a possibility that people feel attracted to other people well dressed and may respond more confidently towards such guy shooting them.

Hmmmm, it deserves a tryial.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
It's worth to browse through historic photos: Even the founding fathers of communism and anrachism and professional revolutionaries used to wear suits and ties.....
Well don't judge a book by it's cover....but always a photographer by his camera (Ok nat always....)
 
One thing in favor of elegance - I wear a fedora much of the time - and coupled with nice work clothes, and being over 6 foot tall - I do stand out. Especially here in a mid-western US city, where baggy jeans and a backwards ballcap seem to be the uniform.

So - most of the time, I'm not blending in.

But - I also feel like, most of the time, people have already seen me and the camera, and dismissed me as a tourist (I don't fit in) or a kook/eccentric (I don't fit in) or otherwise harmless (I can't exactly sneak up to do harm, since I don't fit in).

This has not affected my ability as a street shooter that I can tell - I suppose the images will let me know. More often I just get curiosity, and compliments if I'm caught close up taking shots.

In the meantime - I like looking good while I work. ;)

Granted this is fun for me - my work stuff is all in studio or of architecture, and that doesn't react to what I'm wearing. If I thought this would have a bearing on how I earned a living - it might concern me more, or at least enough to evaluate closer.
 
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The best way to blend in is to act like your are supposed to be there and doing what you are doing. Walking up to someone and holding a camera up to your face is going to stand out more than your fashion.

Having said that. I wear subdued colors and I dress appropriately. Dress for the occasion. Dress for the culture and people.
 
True, but HCB was also not your average man as he came from a wealthy family (textiles, IIRC) & dressed accordingly.

Marc-A. said:
Ruben,
You shouldn't be surprised by HCB's elegancy. At the moment, most people used to be "well" dressed compared to how we daily dress nowadays. I mean, workers were wearing suits when leaving their office or their factory, even students used to wear ties ... Django Reinhardt, Joe Pass, Frank Sinatra, BB King etc. wouldn't have performed on stage in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.
Another time, another century ...
Best,
Marc
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Agreed, same goes w/equipment size/type. However, sometimes dressing differently from the crowd &/or other photographers, i.e., not blending in, can actually help in certain situations.

Finder said:
The best way to blend in is to act like your are supposed to be there and doing what you are doing. Walking up to someone and holding a camera up to your face is going to stand out more than your fashion.

Having said that. I wear subdued colors and I dress appropriately. Dress for the occasion. Dress for the culture and people.
Click to expand...
 
Boys, I find it oportune to remind that the bottom line in this thread, at least for me, is the possibility that one thing is passing through our minds as photographers, regarding how are we viewed by our subjects, and a totally different one is passing through the minds of them.

I am not sure, but for me it is worth to try.

Now, let me give a few examples, unfortunately personal only. When I go to a new doctor, or dentist, or whatever - does the dressing plays a role in my general impression about him or her. Definitely yes.

True, this impression is only the FIRST impression, after which I will look for deeper issues. But at the streets our time is for that FIRST impression only.

No need to say that many of us may have socializing attitudes like smiles, capacity to talk with our body and tonge, etc. These means are of great help. But what about the dressing ?

Cheers,
Ruben
 
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