Street Photography clichés, no no's and taboos.

Street Photography clichés, no no's and taboos.
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Clichés:
1: "This is my hometown, the people here are visually boring."
2: "Nothing worth photographing ever happens here."
3: "I can't wait till I go on vacation - then I'll do some street photography!"


No no's:
1: Failing to get out and shoot street, even when you "don't feel like it."
2: Thinking/saying "My street photography always sucks - why even try?"
3: Comparing your street photography to Jay Maisel/Vivian Maier/Alex Webb/Joel Meyerowitz/Garry Winogrand/Bruce Gilden/Cartier-Bresson/whoever.


Taboos:
1: Photographing children
2: Photographing The Police
3: Candid shots



Therefore:
If you are serious about succeeding in street photography -
* Disregard the clichés
* DON'T do the no no's
* DO do the taboos
* Most of all, Know/obey all laws regarding photography that are in effect for the location where you are doing street photography (you can't do street photography when you're in jail, they'll take your camera for evidence). ;)





 
I've gone with just shooting anything that catches my eye, trying not to be judgemental. I then make a decision when I see the shots on the big screen. Boy do I toss a lot of pixels.
 
Ned Bojic said:
As I understand it, you are talking about your photography and comparing it to Bresson, yes?
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No way I'm I comparing. If you look at my work there is a big difference. I am saying he was an influence as were many others. I do believe that great work has the things he does talk and write about in it.
 
Ned Bojic said:
I won't engage in this conversation because I'll quickly make a lot of enemies.

I'll simply say that I'm amazed at the high count of blind photographers out there. Photographers that don't understand what they're seeing ... It's scary.

I agree completely with Mikhail. No, an interesting poster or a weird punk does not make a good photo just because the poster is appealing (another person's work of art) or the punk is a punk.
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... that wasn't a punk ... this is a punk, or was at the time anyway ... and it's a really good photo too



Watty, Craven Heifer, Bankfoot par Sparrow ... Stewart Mcbride, on ipernity
 
jsrockit said:
I agree. I just go out and have fun. You don't get better at photography by sitting at home.
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I don't know if this falls under "excuses" but it's f**** cold right now, been like that since January. Every winter I say I'm going to find something to do, photographically, every year winter wins :(
 
I think it's a bit funny that we should set the rules of street photography. Rangefinderforum.com is a site with 90% amatures that don't know how to take good pictures, but we are learning! So why set up rules for what we can't do instead of just encourage each other to shoot more!
 
Landberg said:
I think it's a bit funny that we should set the rules of street photography. Rangefinderforum.com is a site with 90% amatures that don't know how to take good pictures, but we are learning! So why set up rules for what we can't do instead of just encourage each other to shoot more!
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what is this 'encourage' of which you speak?
 
back alley said:
what is this 'encourage' of which you speak?
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Maybe I got the word wrong?

I guess that this thread is not that serious but it's fun to see people discuss what not to do when almost all off us really can't call ourselves photographers. When one start with photography we need to go trough a few steps. Often it starts with family photos, macros, landscapes, portraits of friends and so on. Then you find your style and then you start to copy photos you like. All this is normal to get better! Along the way a lot of people needs to show their photos to get som critics to get better!

That's how I see it, right or wrong.

Sorry for my English, I'm really tired.
 
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