'Street Photography'

[sjgslack]

Ok - here goes...

Do we really need endless pictures of surprised people, or tramps, or funny looking people all taken at strange angles on the streets of our cities?

When I was a kid people did skateboarding. It was all about the cool, the kit and the cred. That was ok - we were 14. 'Street Photography' to me is the new skateboarding, but there seem to be a strange number of adults practising it.

Of course at its best there is lots of photography of a very high standard that is described as being in this genre, but these photographers usually do not confine themselves to scaring strangers and shooting from the hip.

Anyway, I don't mean to be (and am not normally) too negative. And far be it from me to insult anyone's work in particular (indeed I don't have a specific culprit in mind). Just wondering if anyone else feels the same way 🙂

 

[Roger Hicks]

First: do we need pictures of anything?

Second: Sturgeon's Law (strictly, "Sturgeon's Revelation"): “Sure, 90% of science fiction is crud. That's because 90% of everything is crud.”

Cheers,

R.

 

[daveleo]

Not again !

 

[pepeguitarra]

First: do we need pictures of anything?

R.

NO! Just of few things.

 

[sjgslack]

Not again !

Repeat post huh? 😉

 

[sjgslack]

Second: Sturgeon's Law (strictly, "Sturgeon's Revelation"): “Sure, 90% of science fiction is crud. That's because 90% of everything is crud.”

Cheers,

R.

That is certainly true... Though there are a disproportionate number of people defining themselves as 'street photographer'

 

[daveleo]

Repeat post huh? 😉

I didn't mean to be smarta$$ - just couldn't resist. 😀

 

[OurManInTangier]

I think there are plenty of people who would agree with you entirely Silas. Though I wonder if the 'problem' is more that this is the current fad/fashion/latest thing for many and there's always a tipping point with such fads regardless of the actual genre/art form.

HDR landscapes, or simply HDR (as a recent example,) could be thought of in the same manner. I think the fact is when anything is done well, a tough enough point for us all to agree on, it becomes far more acceptable or enjoyable. When its done poorly and/or the lack of thought or understanding is obvious then we quickly become tired and slightly annoyed by the fad-ish nature of its popularity.

I still have a dislike for syrupy, chocolate box landscapes (perhaps more so) as they seem to have out lasted the fad stage and become the norm - or perhaps this personal dislike is because I'm given a calendar of such images every year by my in-laws as they know I'm a photographer and think this is the kind of stuff I will automatically like 🙂

 

[sjgslack]

I didn't mean to be smarta$$ - just couldn't resist. 😀

I'm sure this thread will see worse! 🙂

 

[sjgslack]

I think there are plenty of people who would agree with you entirely Silas. Though I wonder if the 'problem' is more that this is the current fad/fashion/latest thing for many and there's always a tipping point with such fads regardless of the actual genre/art form.

HDR landscapes, or simply HDR (as a recent example,) could be thought of in the same manner. I think the fact is when anything is done well, a tough enough point for us all to agree on, it becomes far more acceptable or enjoyable. When its done poorly and/or the lack of thought or understanding is obvious then we quickly become tired and slightly annoyed by the fad-ish nature of its popularity.

I still have a dislike for syrupy, chocolate box landscapes (perhaps more so) as they seem to have out lasted the fad stage and become the norm - or perhaps this personal dislike is because I'm given a calendar of such images every year by my in-laws as they know I'm a photographer and think this is the kind of stuff I will automatically like 🙂

I certainly agree there (on all you've said). But people seem to define themselves at 'Street' photographer. Whereas they just end up being boring chocolate-box landscape photographers (perhaps by accident or lack of imagination!)

 

[Roger Hicks]

That is certainly true... Though there are a disproportionate number of people defining themselves as 'street photographer'

Are there? I can't say I'd particularly noticed. I'm not saying yiou're wrong: just that I've not really noticed.

And, of course, plenty of photographers just call themselves "photographers". Maybe you're right, that people who want to define their photography in words, rather than taking pictures, are disproportionately fond of calling themselves "street photographers". Or maybe it's an RFF thing...

Cheers,

R.

 

[jsrockit]

When I was a kid people did skateboarding. It was all about the cool, the kit and the cred. That was ok - we were 14. 'Street Photography' to me is the new skateboarding, but there seem to be a strange number of adults practising it.

There's posers in all activities. I skateboarded for many, many years (contests, etc.) and it was about progression... not about cool, kit, and cred... it was about moving the sport forward, trick wise, if you were really into it. Sounds to me that you think both of these, skateboarding and street photography, are fads? Maybe they were / are the wrong activities for you?

The fact is that you don't have to be good to enjoy yourself and that is why you will always see what you deem to be garbage. Additionally, the internet has allowed us to see everyone's unedited photos. In the past, you would have had to go to the photographers house to see that. If you don't like it, ignore it. If you don't go to flickr, instagram, or tumblr, you won't encounter this type of photography.

What I don't seem to understand is how people can think photography (street or otherwise), which is simply one of the mediums used to document our times, can be dead? It's just another moment in time and it'll be documented just like the 1970s, 1950s, and 1930s were. I think the problem starts when people yearn to make 1950s style photos in 2013. Too bad, but cellphones are a part of our times and will be in the photos from this time period.

If you look at the history of photography, many themes are repeated...many great photographers have photographed the same things.

 

[jsrockit]

I certainly agree there (on all you've said). But people seem to define themselves at 'Street' photographer. Whereas they just end up being boring chocolate-box landscape photographers (perhaps by accident or lack of imagination!)

If you stay off the internet forums, you probably won't hear anyone say this...

 

[sjgslack]

There's posers in all activities. I skateboarded for many, many years (contests, etc.) and it was about progression... not about cool, kit, and cred... it was about moving the sport forward, trick wise, if you were really into it. Sounds to me that you think both of these, skateboarding and street photography, are fads? Maybe they were / are the wrong activities for you?

Fair point there 🙂

What I don't seem to understand is how people can think photography (street or otherwise), which is simply one of the mediums used to document our times, can be dead? It's just another moment in time and it'll be documented just like the 1970s, 1950s, and 1930s were. I think the problem starts when people yearn to make 1950s style photos in 2013. Too bad, but cellphones are a part of our times and will be in the photos from this time period.

If you look at the history of photography, many themes are repeated...many great photographers have photographed the same things.

True indeed. But of course we mostly just see the good stuff from the past

 

[sjgslack]

If you stay off the internet forums, you probably won't hear anyone say this...

Ah, but then where would I make provocative points for interesting discussion 🙂

 

[sjgslack]

Are there? I can't say I'd particularly noticed. I'm not saying yiou're wrong: just that I've not really noticed.

And, of course, plenty of photographers just call themselves "photographers". Maybe you're right, that people who want to define their photography in words, rather than taking pictures, are disproportionately fond of calling themselves "street photographers". Or maybe it's an RFF thing...

Cheers,

R.

I think perhaps I spend too much time trawling the web when I should be working!

But let me make it clear - this was NOT a dig at people on RFF 🙂

 

[OurManInTangier]

If you stay off the internet forums, you probably won't hear anyone say this...

I'd certainly agree with this.

Internet forums seem to demand a definition of yourself as a certain type of photographer, I've fallen prey to it myself on this forum in the past to my embarrassment.

I also don't understand this desire to demand a rigid set of rules for certain areas of photography. In many discussions, certainly around street photography, it seems people will only accept it as such if the images are taken with, say, a 28mm or wider. Or you mustn't photograph from more than 10 feet away. Only certain subjects are worthy of being included as a part of the genre etc etc. Perhaps I'm being unbelievably naive but surely things only progress by investigating and exploring rather than repeating (even though I understand that repetition is a natural occurrence as jsrockit rightly points out.)

Apologies if I've deviated too far from the original posts query.

 

[sjgslack]

I also don't understand this desire to demand a rigid set of rules for certain areas of photography. In many discussions, certainly around street photography, it seems people will only accept it as such if the images are taken with, say, a 28mm or wider. Or you mustn't photograph from more than 10 feet away. Only certain subjects are worthy of being included as a part of the genre etc etc. Perhaps I'm being unbelievably naive but surely things only progress by investigating and exploring rather than repeating (even though I understand that repetition is a natural occurrence as jsrockit rightly points out.)

This has surprised me in the past too -- people seem to have very arbitrarily strict definitions based on these things.

Of course jsrockit is quite right as you say. And maybe the problem only comes up these days due to big memory cards and a lack of good editing.

Simon - having glanced at the link in your signature, your 'street' section is full of fantastically strong compositions. I particularly like the two umbrellas!

 

[Sparrow]

..... :sigh:

 

[daveleo]

. . . .

Of course jsrockit is quite right as you say. And maybe the problem only comes up these days due to * big memory cards and a lack of good editing *.
. . . .

IMO this is the critical item. . . . . shoot shoot shoot shoot upload upload upload upload . . . repeat until someone stops you !

Not so much lack of GOOD editing, but lack of ANY editing.

(yikes, am I back in the dogfight?)