Mastering Street Photography

An interesting read on Street Photography.
Enjoy.
http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=32825
Bob

Thanks Bob. I'll look forward to reading it when I have a chance.

Ok, I've read those posts and looked at the photos. I'm afraid that I find the photographer and author of that thread a bit pretentious.

I looked thru as well, did a bit of reading. Mainly to confirm the stink of obvious Lightroom present in 75% of these images. I'm not saying it's a bad program, but it's tell tale signs of over manipulation should be obvious to anyone who thinks enough of themselves and their work to post such a massive tutorial.

There are some nice shots, but I didn't think they were enough to want to read how this gentleman does what he does.

I agree that there were some nice shots. Frankly, I wouldn't consider many shots to be street photographs - portraiture is not street photography. I also didn't see the point of many of his photographs. Some weren't more compelling than what comes out of a surveillance camera attached to a lamp-post, IM(H)O. The author did state that he took 1000's of "captivating" photos and these were the ones he chose to display?

It really seems to me that this person is not very experienced at all and may not even have a good understanding of what street photography is all about. He wrote about the hostility he encountered from a person on a horse. Well, who would want a 300mm lens pointed at them? When writing about communication, he gave an example how he was able to get two people to move around and look at each other so that he could get a better photo. To me, that is so unbelievably flakey and the antithesis of real street photography. Imagine wild-life photographer telling a tiger to move three paces to the right and not to look at him but at the elephant to the left. "Perfect, Mr. Tiger" Snap! "Now, lick your lips" Snap! "Now, show your teeth - grrrr!" Snap!

I wouldn't mind it at all if this gentleman was merely sharing his experience but it is clear that he is acting as an authority.

Yeah, titling your piece "mastering street photography" suggests that he considers himself a master. He is not. It's nice to share information and there is some good tips there but I found it hard to read after a while without rolling my eyes.

Good link, though. I think it has spurred some good discussion.

I am glad that Bob posted the link too. So let's talk street photography.

Perhaps we can start by trying to define it. For me, street photography is not properly named. Honestly, I'm not sure what it is called in countries where English is not the primary language. For me, it is more or less the documentation of the human animal and how it interacts with the world. Generally but not necessarily in public places. Some feel that a street photo must have people in the frame. Personally, I don't feel that way. Street photography is certainly not confined to the streets.

So then what makes a good street photo different than something out of a surveillance camera? Historically-speaking there's been all sorts of traits attached to the street-photo - composition/geometry, a 'decisive' moment, the use of irony, the use of humour, the use of extreme contrasts (rich vs poor, sickness vs health, playfulness vs seriousness), an intimacy with the photographer, a revelation of truth... too many things.

Garry Winogrand said if you can smell the streets, its a good street photo. To me that's a very important thing. A good street photograph makes me feel as though I am really there, looking at what the photographer framed. Moreover, a good street photograph, in my opinion, cannot be contrived. The 'moment' is a gift from God (if there is one). Our job is to be receptive to her, ready to start shooting.

Anyway, what do you guys think?

I think street photographers, more than than members of any other photographic discipline, constantly feel the need to justify their own existence.

YES!!!! You are right. The existentialist street photographer. I'll now change my definition to 'the documentation of the human animal and how it interacts with the chaotic, meaningless and absurd world.'

Many street photographers do talk about experiencing a withdrawal from world when shooting. HCB was heavily influenced by the concept of Zen after reading "Zen in the Art of Archery" by the German philosopher Eugen Herrigel. I wonder if HCB knew the French Existentialist philosophers very well? Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus and Simone de Beauvoir... He did take a nice photo of Sartre.


Henri Cartier-Bresson
FRANCE. Paris. Pont des Arts. French writer and philosopher, Jean-Paul SARTRE. 1946.