Is street shooting easy?

[bluknght]

I remember in an interview HCB said something like I didn't do any of my best photographs: they all were made by the good luck that came those times...

Well, the guy was lucky quite a few times!

Cheers,

Juan

He sure was. I couldn't believe it when I heard HCB talking about a well known shot of the guy leaping over water from the a ladder in the train station. He said it was a little blurry because he said he squeezed his lens through two planks looking into the yard and couldn't see what he was shooting through the viewfinder. Wish I had that kind of luck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfwNrPX2pvw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[gavinlg]

Street photography is easy, and anyone of any skill level can do it.

Good street photography is hard, and you need a certain understanding of light, a certain pre-emptive sense of what's about to unfold, and a certain fearlessness to boldly get close and personal with your subjects.

I will say, however, that it's no harder than any other type of photography in their upper levels. Some people have quoted the fact that it is more random/less organized as something that makes it harder. I find the opposite - it's relaxing and almost meditative to not have a process/plan. I find other types of photography were one must follow a creative brief significantly more challenging. The rules and parameters make you dig deep within yourself to get something worthwhile out of it.

 

[benlees]

Street photography is tough. Lots of time and very few results. Strong editing is needed because you always want something to be there but it usually isn't.🙁

 

[Chris101]

Folks who routinely abbreviate Cartier-Bresson's name usually lack the patience to do street photography.

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

No. It is about pretty pictures and not everyone can do it.

Steve

Not at all about pretty pictures... And those are easier to do IMO... I have seen interesting images from a beauty point of view, and even in street shooting, but the ones I've liked the most, the ones yet I remember, were not related to beauty or composition, but to content and feelings. That's when an image hits me... From that point of view street shooting is very interesting because its beauty isn't related -in the traditionalist, academic way- to the visual beauty of forms... Most other photographic fields are...

Cheers,

Juan

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Folks who routinely abbreviate Cartier-Bresson's name usually lack the patience to do street photography.

😛

I can spend days walking without even hitting the shutter, but I don't have 5 seconds for that... My priorities are clear! 😀

Cheers,

Juan

 

[damien.murphy]

As noted, it is probably no harder than other fields of photography to produce really good work. The photographers at the top of their game in any field, will ruthlessly edit their work, and most will tell you their is only a handful of images each year they are happy with.

My suspicion is that with street photography, it is not so much hard/ harder, but that there are no easy cliched images to fall back on, as with other genres of photography. Think of all the nice, endlessly copied landscapes you see, for example. No such crutches in street photography, as I see it.

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Good points, Damien!

Maybe your words imply certain inherent difficulties...

Cheers,

Juan

 

[gekopaca]

it's 3% talent, 17% technique, 40% time/effort/routine and 40% luck. 🙂

- 1

it's 33% talent, 33% anticipation of people's behavior and 33% guts.

No technique or luck here!

You must to be very close to your subject, very quick, and able to affront difficult situations.
For me it's a political act because you're showing some people in the real life and dynamic action.
No esthetic here, only meanings.

 

[alistair.o]

As noted, it is probably no harder than other fields of photography to produce really good work. The photographers at the top of their game in any field, will ruthlessly edit their work, and most will tell you their is only a handful of images each year they are happy with.

My suspicion is that with street photography, it is not so much hard/ harder, but that there are no easy cliched images to fall back on, as with other genres of photography. Think of all the nice, endlessly copied landscapes you see, for example. No such crutches in street photography, as I see it.

That is what I referred to as hard. Helen Hill mentioned exactly the same in that, one can be out all day and not take a picture - I have done that myself many times and am happy (though very frustrated) to be at that place. When I used a digital (only digital) for street work, it was 170 approx shots because you could and then home and see what pp and your best friend Mr Crop could conjure up!

Al

 

[back alley]

one needs to be comfortable with oneself to work the streets and photograph other people. buildings and things are easy enough.
technique is important in that you must know your gear well.
luck and an open mind and the ability to see what may be right in front of you is also key.
having lots of time TO BE ON THE STREET and shoot is incredibly important...i would love to have more time available for just shooting. i have no idea how family folks could do it, i live alone and am relatively free of weekend responsibility and have a hard enough time carving out some quality shooting time.

 

[Damaso]

The myth is that you have no time to act. the reality is that you have to e aware and patient and predict what will happen...

 

[robert blu]

Street shooting can be easy. Sometimes. But to get good results in street photography for sure is not easy and requires capacity, experience, dedication and ...
robert

 

[jky]

No - not easy. Simple to do, but it's definitely not easy to get good street photos.

 

[FrankS]

Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy. (I've always wanted to type that.🙂)

Just like making other forms of art, it's easy. Anyone can do it. The trick is doing it well.

 

[WalterM]

Also requires some boldness 🙂

 

[thomasw_]

Assuming basic technical knowledge of exposures / framing shots, etc., I think the three main virtues of shooting people are these: being observant (noticing things -- I think this applies to any branch of the art), having courage (to put yourself in shooting position -- often very close, like the ex. below) and making the effort to keep trying (through all the lame/missed shots).


Bruce, Babe and Coca Cola by thomasw_, on Flickr

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

I totally agree with thomasw... Very good description.

Cheers,

Juan

 

[daninjc]

I agree... although you can buy yourself a good chunk of luck by putting in more time and dedication... Also I would add another 100% of editing (uhmmm then it ends up being 200%... and I thought I was good at math)

it's 3% talent, 17% technique, 40% time/effort/routine and 40% luck. 🙂

 

[silverbullet]

it's like learning an instrument. You try hard to get the right tone out of this da*** thing and frustration is big. Suddenly you get 'that' feeling after the shot....
and you know you nailed it......