Street: a theory and practice of curiosity

[Harry S.]

Love the umbrellas Lynn

 

[lynnb]

I was just reading an article on the NPPA site about what people perceive as "quality" in photojournalism photos. Given the crossover between street and PJ, I though it might be interesting to share the survey responses here.

Now, let’s look at the attributes of the highest quality and characteristics that people said made a photograph worth publishing:

— context, like a sense of place

— they had good access

— tells me a story vs. just capturing a scene

— the right place at the right time
— kismet, in terms of the moment

— subject matter that has some currency or relevance

— capturing the exact moment that’s crucial to the action
— a perspective I might never see
— subject matter is clearly important
— can stand alone, without a caption
— told a good story

— dramatic, human moments
— grabbed my attention

— makes you say “wow”

— something I don’t see very often
— I can identify with the subject
— people genuinely reacting
— I can see what the subject is feeling
— natural, un-posed

— clear expressions

— people interacting
— you can see the reactions of people

— emotion between people connecting

— bright, crisp, clear

— perfect framing, artfully composed
— good lighting, well exposed

— vivid colors 
— I can see everything, really sharp
— clarity of the picture, sharpness


from "A QUESTION OF QUALITY: HOW RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS DESCRIBED PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE NPPA STUDY", NPPA study, February 2015

 

[craygc]

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Gabriel, that last one struck me as very Sander-like, meaning that as high praise of course.

Why, merci bien.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

... and what about colour? (...)
... is colour allowed?

Soitenly, most def'n'tly.
















It makes ordering a tad bit more difficult, though (which is why I didn't put much thought in the sequence here). There's also the highly-distractable crowd, who find it more difficult to see when it's not in B&W, which is why it's "safer" to go with B&W.

 

[julio1fer]

Two that I like.

 

[gb hill]

As discussed in the other thread the term street photography is quite a generic term. Can it also include photos taken around a lake?

 

[BLKRCAT]

What is street to me?

I like something that tells a story.







Take risks, get close



Even with characters who may be unpredictable.





Perfect legs







And not being afraid to try new things



Something like that anyways...

 

[kxl]

I am working on a long-term, multi-year 'street photography' project called "Hope and Resiliency in the Face of Poverty in the Philippines." The project will be segmented into several series of images -- each series with its own unique theme.

I'm going back to the Philippines next month to capture more images. Unfortunately, I will only get to stay a few days.

These images are part of the theme: 'Mothers and Daughters of Alaminos, Pangasinan.'

 

[sreed2006]

What makes a Street Photograph good to you? (theory)

Will you post to this thread a Street Photograph you've taken? (practice)

Let's find the definitions "in the doing" (practice)

cheers
Frank

When I see what I consider a good street photograph, I find that the composition is pleasant and complete within the frame (usually), and that there is a bit of mystery as to what is happening. There's enough mystery to bring curiosity, so that I hope by examining the picture more the mystery will be solved. I'm not too good at producing those kinds of pictures, but here's one I took that comes close.


Uptown Dallas Crosswalk by sreed2006, on Flickr

 

[OurManInTangier]

I've been trying to think of what makes a good street photograph in my eyes and I've utterly failed to pinpoint it down to one, or even two or three things. Form, Light, Composition, Emotion, Questions, Recognition...or lack of. It seems, to me, like a good street photograph can (and perhaps should) have any of so many attributes.

At the moment it would seem the only answer I honestly have is that a good street photograph makes me either (or more honestly still, both) wish that I had had the opportunity to take it or simply make me want to put the book down/turn off the computer/leave the gallery and pick up my camera.

Apologies for the same old same old, just whats handily linkable from my photobucket

[URL=http://s288.photobucket.com/user/OurManInTangiers/media/Hhhmm_zps00c6c926.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s288.photobucket.com/user/OurManInTangiers/media/Preparing%20for%20Graduation%20Day_zpsqyqv8827.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s288.photobucket.com/user/OurManInTangiers/media/TheQuestion-2_zpsde831c92.jpg.html][/URL]

 

[OurManInTangier]

Oh, and welcome to RFF Frank, looking forward to your input here.

 

[rhl-oregon]

I prefer inclusive to exclusive definitions, though the wag in me thinks that all things being equal, street photography probably ought to involve something concrete, whether it's up close and personal...

...as here with Mr Dinkelkamp pulling on his shoe in the midst of his life story

or a bit more distanced in social witness...

...as with Conrad on the 6th day of his hunger strike for shelter with the Occupy organizers in the background of the federal building. Still personal in its narrative...

...yet if it's a public, civic space, room to witness factions impersonally at work

...or representatives of a cohort or demographic group

Despite the wag in me associating "street" photography with concrete, sidewalk, plaza, architected/urbanized space, the work I like best exemplifies 1/candor (on the part of the photographer at least) and 2/subjective gesture, by which I do not mean "a pose," but an action or a repose that reveals character.

 

[back alley]

late to the party...i missed this thread yesterday!
this is what it looks like in my neighbourhood right now...

this is where i work...

this is my heritage...italian ladies sitting and chatting...the only thing missing is the hands flying in the air...

to me, street is pretty much anything outside my front door...i grew up in nyc and loved walking throughout the neighbourhood alone or with friends...started to carry a camera when i was about 19...now at 64 i still do.

 

[froyd]

Frank- welcome to RFF. Glad to have the benefit of your insights.

The brackets I put around street photography fall very much along the lines of what RichardG wrote in the fourth post: "I see street as lots of things. Shapes and Theatre are the two categories I often think of." To that I would add a feeling of spontaneity or feeling of a moment that's candid.

Several on this thread have written that they know street photography when they see it. I would like to ask the group if the following image qualifies as street photography.

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I recently made a print of this image for a show at a local gallery and it was interesting hearing how many people classified as street, whereas I'm not sure exactly what it is. The image started as a pin-up"ish" environmental portrait. Something staged. Very much anti-street. But then, after a few frames, the busboy started walking in and out of the nearby restaurant and in the frame above he stopped to look toward the curious scene on the sidewalk, and in doing so, he made the picture come together. His reaction is genuine and spontaneous. a bit of street theater as Richard wrote...but it's only half the story.

Curious to hear everyone's thoughts about the street/not street question, though I'll admit I'm not overly concerned about how to classify the image, which I like regardless.

 

[DNG]

1) What makes a Street Photograph good to you? (theory)

2) Will you post to this thread a Street Photograph you've taken? (practice)

3) Let's find the definitions "in the doing" (practice)

cheers
Frank

1) For me, the subject must be interesting to look at, it can be an out of place expression, or jester, or something that makes you think what they may be thinking of. Sometimes it can be an inopportune or embarrassing moment for a little Photo Comedy (#3)

2) Images for #1

2014 Classic Street Photography by Peter Arbib STREET, on Flickr


2015 Classic Street Photography by Peter Arbib STREET, on Flickr


2013 Classic Street Photography by Peter Arbib STREET, on Flickr

 

[Michael Da Re]

From what I've noticed so far you can ask 20 people their definition of "Street Photography" and receive 20 different answers. This leaves me believing that there are no absolute rules governing the genre. Whatever you feel the genre should be is what it should be for you...run with it. There are a lot of wonderful photos here, but I notice quite a few people apologize for what they post. If your photos are what you consider to be "Street" then be proud of that. Here are a few of mine (no apologies)

 

[KarlG]

For me, what makes a good street photograph is a balance between composition, interesting layers, the capture of a moment or moments within the frame & something which tells a story at the same time.

Here are a few of my street shots:

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1024) {this.width=1024;this.alt='Click here to see a large version';}" onmouseover="if(this.alt) this.style.cursor='pointer';" onclick="if(this.alt) window.open('https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7557/15251738144_cf74dababf_o.jpg');" border="0"> 1024) {this.width=1024;this.alt='Click here to see a large version';}" onmouseover="if(this.alt) this.style.cursor='pointer';" onclick="if(this.alt) window.open('https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7557/15251738144_cf74dababf_o.jpg');" border="0">

Camera
LEICA M (Typ 240)

Focal Length
28mm

Aperture
f/4.8

Exposure
1/125s

ISO
250​

​

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Camera
LEICA M (Typ 240)

Focal Length
28mm

Aperture
f/8

Exposure
1/750s

ISO
1600​

​

1024) {this.width=1024;this.alt='Click here to see a large version';}" onmouseover="if(this.alt) this.style.cursor='pointer';" onclick="if(this.alt) window.open('https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7488/15307650663_29a12ee095_b.jpg');" border="0"> 1024) {this.width=1024;this.alt='Click here to see a large version';}" onmouseover="if(this.alt) this.style.cursor='pointer';" onclick="if(this.alt) window.open('https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7488/15307650663_29a12ee095_b.jpg');" border="0">

 

[Sparrow]

^ ... those are refreshingly different to my old-world eyes, lovely stuff Karl

 

[shiro_kuro]

When I watch old black and white movies and can pause the film at any point .. and see perfectly composed slices of life ... Akira Kurosawa for example ... For me the great street photographers do this with real life .... stopping the flow of life , capturing within a frame that very thing that cannot be described, gripping its viewer ... wether it's humor or sadness ,stillness or chaos ,anyway this is the best I can do describing it for myself .

I don't feel these two images are up to that level which I consider a great street photo ,non the less they are examples of situations that caught my eye while walking around with a camera .......