cz23
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I've always been partial to Frank for his poetic quality. But the more I've looked at Winogrand over the years, the more I've grown to appreciate him.
In a way I feel that street photography has nowhere to go after them. In the music world I'm constantly amazed at how artists keep inventing new music and musical permutations using the same relatively small universe of notes. Not so with street photography.
Should that stop us? I don't think so. As long as we're pushing ourselves to create work that WE'VE never created before, that seems good enough to me.
John
airfrogusmc
Veteran
Good post John. I shoot there (on the streets) because I am addicted to the free form, jazz like quality, of working on the street. Making some kind of visual sense out of chaos. Like say a jazz musician you take what your influences are and a dash of this a little of that mix it all up and try to make it yours in some way and do it spontaneously. I feel that if you are to a point where people start recognizing work as yours before they see who took the photograph you are starting to get there.
I think that a lot of folks that rip on the genre are usually ones that don't like or understand it. Many that are photographers that don't like it are photographers that want to plan a shoot and they want to direct it like it's a movie. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that and I do some of that during the week. It's my job to work with others to get what the client wants. Maybe it's the total freeform aspect of the streets that I find interesting.
But when you hit the streets it takes a very different sensitivity to be able to see it in the moment and then have the skill to capture what you have just seen. It's not perfect and in reality the perfect photograph has not been taken, though I would argue that Frank, Winogrand, Weston, Adams and a few others came pretty close. And in really it becomes more about bodies of work and how that work relates, in some way, to the creator.
I agree that as long as we are pushing our vision and trying not to repeat ourselves and still retain a bit of something that makes it ours it is definitely good. We take all that we have learned and all those that have influenced us and in some way and try and make it our own.
I think that a lot of folks that rip on the genre are usually ones that don't like or understand it. Many that are photographers that don't like it are photographers that want to plan a shoot and they want to direct it like it's a movie. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that and I do some of that during the week. It's my job to work with others to get what the client wants. Maybe it's the total freeform aspect of the streets that I find interesting.
But when you hit the streets it takes a very different sensitivity to be able to see it in the moment and then have the skill to capture what you have just seen. It's not perfect and in reality the perfect photograph has not been taken, though I would argue that Frank, Winogrand, Weston, Adams and a few others came pretty close. And in really it becomes more about bodies of work and how that work relates, in some way, to the creator.
I agree that as long as we are pushing our vision and trying not to repeat ourselves and still retain a bit of something that makes it ours it is definitely good. We take all that we have learned and all those that have influenced us and in some way and try and make it our own.
kuuan
loves old lenses
Inciting photographic interest beyond the "private" to the near "public", there you need a cool looking camera.
Jamie Pillers
Skeptic
I'm with you on this. Well said. Thanks.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Perfecto! I like what John is saying. I like "Americans" by Evans and my biggest photobook is by GW.
I like to photograph in interesting cities due to the infinite possibilities for content and the way the sun will make the same scene totally different throughout the day, week, or year. However, photographing in the country is fun as well. As long as a place is interesting in, at least, providing for interesting composition possibilities, I'm ok. I've always wondered why I like to continuously put a frame around something and I don't know the answer. It's such a simple exercise, but always fun to do. Walking the streets is a great way to get to really know the surface of a place.
PKR
Veteran
Photography vs. Camera gear Camps?
I know several people who have (had) built really expensive hot rods. They are never driven.
PKR
Veteran
It's kinda funny. I've seen some "drivers" (cars that get constant use for the non motor heads) that look like they are on the way to the Junker, until you look closely. Expensive tires, body sits a bit lower than normal.. and when the rusty hood is popped, there is a $75,000 Keith Black engine sitting there, smiling back at you.
Kind of like some photographers. You don't know, till you get a look under the hood.