Street photography: With prior permission or candid?

[L Collins]

Asking permission isnt "street photography," its environmental portraiture.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Of course you have to believe that Moriyama Daido's work is any good. The more I see (including a huge exhibition at this year's Rencontres), the less convinced I am. Sure, that's just my opinion, but I wonder how much the internet inflates the reputations of some people. I'd be surprised if Moriyama Daido took himself quite as seriously as some of his fans.

Cheers,

R.

 

[airfrogusmc]

It is now for sale and the best hour and a half and $13.00 that I've spent in a very long time.
http://everybodystreet.com/

 

[MikeAUS]

everybodystreet

everybodystreet

It is now for sale and the best hour and a half and $13.00 that I've spent in a very long time.
http://everybodystreet.com/

Thanks for the heads up. Paid and Downloading now 😀

 

[noisycheese]

Asking permission isnt "street photography," its environmental portraiture.

I would have to agree.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Thanks for the heads up. Paid and Downloading now 😀

It's great.... So many different approaches and ways of working.

 

[taxi38]

If you need to ask permission to take a photo then it's essential that that is communicated to any potential viewers.What is possibly more interesting is that often permission is sought and given unconsciously,you're very presence with a camera could ,if noticed,allow an acceptance to be photographed..should this 'permission' also be admitted to?.......Well no,of course not and it is difficult to see any real value where direct permission has been sought,......that sunny image of Eric Kim 'constructing' his photographs still turns my stomach I'm afraid.

 

[Margu]

Of course you have to believe that Moriyama Daido's work is any good. The more I see (including a huge exhibition at this year's Rencontres), the less convinced I am. Sure, that's just my opinion, but I wonder how much the internet inflates the reputations of some people. I'd be surprised if Moriyama Daido took himself quite as seriously as some of his fans.

Cheers,

R.

Moriyama Daido became famous because of a documentary about him and lack of access to his books and photos in the west. once his books reached the west and the exhibitions of his work, people suddenly realized that his no good. in fact his work is even of lower quality than people who imitate him like Bruce Gilden and Trent Parke.

 

[THe_traveler]

perhaps it is appropriate that me first post here is here

perhaps it is appropriate that me first post here is here

I rarely 'ask' permission because I don't want to be part of the moment I'm trying to capture.

I switched to a small inconspicuous camera system exactly for that reason.

Lew

 

[parasko]

Asking permission isnt "street photography," its environmental portraiture.

Spot on.

Street photography = 'no permission' and 'no access'. If you ask permission, it is portraiture, if you have access (to a community, group etc) it is documentary/reportage.

 

[jsrockit]

and it is difficult to see any real value where direct permission has been sought...

In the whole history of photography you can't see any real value in posing a subject at times?

 

[JChrome]

I rarely 'ask' permission because I don't want to be part of the moment I'm trying to capture. I switched to a small inconspicuous camera system exactly for that reason. Lew

Unsure how a photographer cannot be a part of a moment he or she is trying to capture. We can strive to be as much of a "fly on the wall" as possible but we will always be a part of a moment.

I don't ask permission but when shooting street one of my favorite moments is the split second when someone recognizes I am photographing them. The reaction can be anger, disgust, flattering etc but if I capture this reaction (which is undoubtedly due to "me") is it no longer street photography?

 

[Colin Corneau]

Sometimes I do, sometimes not. Depends on the context and individual moment.

Honestly, it's not that important to me. Making an image I like -- that's important. So I concentrate on that as what's relevant.

 

[lawrence]

Moriyama Daido became famous because of a documentary about him and lack of access to his books and photos in the west. once his books reached the west and the exhibitions of his work, people suddenly realized that his no good. in fact his work is even of lower quality than people who imitate him like Bruce Gilden and Trent Parke.

For someone who's 'no good' he's done rather well; not everyone gets to share Tate Modern exhibition space with William Klein but clearly the Tate curators were behind the curve on this. Personally I like his photographs and the quality of the prints at that exhibition -- about a year ago now -- was superb.

 

[Colin Corneau]

Agreed, Lawrence. I don't 'get' all of Moriyama's work but even someone of my modest capabilities sees there's an artist there. Not for nothing was he paired with Klein in that show (rather envious you saw that, as it seemed like a real blockbuster to me).

There's some interesting work from a certain genre of Japanese photographers, and I love that community's adherence to film, too. On a side note, I really admire what this guy is doing:
http://arimotoshinya.com/

 

[pesphoto]

if ur asking permission ur not doing it right....

 

[Colin Corneau]

To explain a little more: I consider taking someone's picture akin to having a conversation with them; sometimes I talk to a person on the street, if it feels like the right thing to do and it's part of the photography that's to be made at that moment.

Sometimes not...depends on the specific situation.