What do you do when you photograph the streets?

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Why are you taking pictures? Why do 'street photography'?

Really know the answer to that, and everything else will fall into place.

Looking at the work of others, a big exception being the crop of aggressive fanboy DSLR posers, is also a great idea. Not just the classics such as Winogrand, Maier etc. but many others. There's no shortage of great pictures out there.
 
bmattock said:
What I tend not to care for as much are 'street' photographs of people walking away from the photographer or with their backs turned. If one is afraid to be 'caught' making a photograph, perhaps one ought to refrain from making the exposure at all. Being embarrassed or afraid or timid are simply not on.
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Sometimes that is a deliberate choice. Not a matter of fear or embarrassment. If the people are walking the same direction as the photographer, that's as much a part of the environment and moment as when people are coming the other way.
 
One does not have to look much further than RFF and "our" NYDan to understand that great street photography can be achieved with fixed lens camera with FOV approaching 50mm. Creating a good street image with a lens longer than 50 requires more skill than I possess. However, I use a 35 and a 21 as a crutch, not as a badge of honor. The self-imposed rules and questionable machismo imageof those who imply that shooting anything longer than 35 is cheating, or lacks courage, only reveal a failure of imagination and creativity not unlike that of those who fervently believe no good portrait can come from an ultrawide, good landscape from a telephoto, or worthwhile architectural images from lenses without prospective correction.
 
Search the Google for Lee Friedlander. Lots of "walking away". Beautiful work. Stellar work. Passion!!

I know, I know, not what was meant, Signor Mattock!

Ciao
Mme. O.
 
photomoof said:
....
I used to make first year students shoot photos of their immediate family...
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If you teach in Cal Art, your student Yurie Nagashima/ 長島有里枝 took a series of photos of her mom, dad, brother and herself...nude, and won Japan's Kimura Ihei/ 木村 伊兵衛 Award!!! She's only twenty then...
(one of the judge is...who else, Araki!!)

nsfw
http://www.google.com/search?q=長島有里...=pNobV_-vAoP1mAGupa-IDw#imgrc=oB3T_T7JrlDieM:

one word, Omoshiroiiiii
 
I’ve largely viewed “street photography” as photography that exhibits some trace of humanity, even if a human is absent, even if it is outside an urban setting. The term is ambiguous enough to accommodate a broad range of styles, and the boundaries of its definition are somewhat porous.

As for candids, this is photography of life as it is happening, and it is often fleeting, whereas the elements of composition, lighting, angle, lines, action, positioning, expression, and such allow for one exposure and only one.

The issue of rudeness and invasiveness is undoubtedly a sticky one, and I have imposed a number of restraints on my own style. This said, I would not demand others to follow such restrictions, and it is ultimately up to the photographer to decide.

The justification behind candids need only consider the converse scenario, where humanity’s photographic record consists of only posed or ultimately consensual (even if “candid”) shots. And again, many moments cannot wait for consent, assuming one is even linguistically capable of it, should the photographing be in a foreign country, for example.

Besides, how often does a person actually encounter a camera in his or her face; having lived in several cities, I can think of far more intrusive or annoying issues that occur far more frequently. This is not to say that two wrongs make a right, but when I think of the array of photography that would effectively vanish had candid street photography been proscribed from the start, then I question how much interests I would have in photography altogether.

And yes, while living in Tokyo, twice did I see guys with cameras at chest height (as opposed to the hip), pointing and clicking away at me. Camera geek that I am is probably the only reason I noticed…and a gaijin walking around with a rangefinder might be the only reason they pointed at me. In any event, I took no offense.

(And somewhere, someone has a candid photo of me getting my first-edition of Leave Home (w/Carbona Not Glue) signed by Joey Ramone in 1987...please contact me if reading this)

Also, as an introvert, photographing a stranger who is close enough to take notice can prompt a personal sense of accomplishment, at least in terms of overcoming congenital social inhibitions. Hopefully, though, I’m quick and discreet enough to avoid detection. But in any event, as others have pointed out, it’s not some machismo endeavor to see who can out-Gilden another.

After all, the backstory of a photo can be important to the photographer, or it can make for good conversation, but ultimately, a good photo is a good photo irrespective of how it was taken or what was used to take it. With this in mind, there are numerous excellent photos of folks with their backs to the camera, because again, it’s often more than just about the human in the photo, but all of the visual components at work to create a compelling image.
 
newfilm said:
what do you guys do to harness a thick face to brace the general unhappy of your subject realised they are being photograph?
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From an article posted by another RFF member on this thread.........."Notwithstanding all of this you may find yourself forced to pass up a perfectly legitimate shot due to other factors such as safety and respect. Legality aside, only you can evaluate these conditions and make that call."


Your call :)
 
I already expressed my opinion on original topic, but just to add a line, based on my very humble experience. I would sometimes, in situations like st. Patrick's day parade and such, deliberately hang one large camera with long lens on my chest, while really shooting with small other one with 35mm lens in my hands. People accept me as working photographer based on large professionally looking camera and I have no problem approaching them. Not that I have problems anyway, but .. In fact the only issue I have is when they start posing for me.
 
This is an interesting read. I have been shooting street since the mid-60's and what I have found is that, as a street photographer, if you do not learn to adapt to the changes in society and if you do not learn to grow as a photographer, your work becomes static and lifeless. So many seem to have a set of rules or parameters when it comes to street photography. Loosen up a bit. It never hurts to try something new or to approach a subject in a different way.

I just purchased a medium-tele lens for street shooting- something I would have never done 30 years ago, as I mainly shoot with wide-angle lenses. I have no idea if this will work for me, but it is something new and different. No harm in that.

The joy of this kind of photography is of course, the surprise and wonder we find in everyday life. It is what keeps me young.
 
bmattock said:
I obey the law. I also try to be kind, polite, respectful and peaceful when I am out taking photos.

What I do not obey are strictures promulgated by various RFF posters about what a photographer can properly photograph, or what constitutes a so called real photographer, and so on. I do what I do. Anyone who dislikes that is cordially invited to wave goodbye to me, because we have nothing to discuss. I'm not interested in following made-up RFF rules for photography.
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Exactly. Try to stay within the law*, use your own moral compass/conscience to find your way and don't get too side tracked by what others tell you is the way you should be doing things.

Sounds like the kind of simple life advice many grandfathers and fathers pass along to their children and grandchildren. It appears to work too, in a simple kind of way.

*I say "try" simply because some laws are very localised, some arcane and generally unknown and because a lot of the time its worth spelling out every word and inference on RFF:) ( that is no slight at you or your quote Bill :) )
 
Rick Waldroup said:
This is an interesting read. I have been shooting street since the mid-60's and what I have found is that, as a street photographer, if you do not learn to adapt to the changes in society and if you do not learn to grow as a photographer, your work becomes static and lifeless. So many seem to have a set of rules or parameters when it comes to street photography. Loosen up a bit. It never hurts to try something new or to approach a subject in a different way.

I just purchased a medium-tele lens for street shooting- something I would have never done 30 years ago, as I mainly shoot with wide-angle lenses.

The joy of this kind of photography is of course, the surprise and wonder we find in everyday life. It is what keeps me young.
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Well said Rick.
 
bmattock said:
My advice is to be polite, smile, and do what you wish. The more you behave as if you have every right in the world to be where you are, doing what you are doing, the more others will leave you alone to do it.

That doesn't mean I don't employ common sense. If my gut tells me things are getting dangerous, I leave.
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I sometimes default to using my iPhone as everyone is always taking pictures with their phone. Other times I use a P&S like my LX3. The other day, in my local town, I walked into Mexican market and took a few photos with my phone. I was talking to a pretty young woman working in the bakery after I'd taken a couple of photos. I asked her if she minded if I took her picture and she asked why? I told her I was a photographer and got a great picture.

I had cards made up a few years ago that have my name, the kind of photography I do, and basic contact info. I think of them as challenge coins. Someone wonders what the hell you're doing, smile, tell them you're a photographer and hand them a card.

BTW, while I did some professional work (weddings and portraits) when I was very young, I do this for me. Most people will never see much of what I've done.
 
One more comment, on the telephoto/zoom not being valid. That's horsecrap IMO. I'm not a "street photographer" in the sense most define the term. I'm a people photographer and sometimes the best photo is when someone is aware and doesn't care, other times, a candid works best, and still other times, a portrait in a unique environment is the best picture. Sometimes, a fixed wide or normal focal length lens works best. Sometimes, a wide to portrait length zoom (like Fuji's 18-55mm is what's needed. The latter is my current choice on a recently acquired XP1.
 
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