Topic: My mixed feelings about street photography in words and pictures

[hookstrapped]

I was sitting at work yesterday clicking through yet another forgettable street photography series and it triggered all that I hate about street, aspects of doing it and a lot of the work out there that I see. But I also like doing street a lot. Anyway...

https://medium.com/@hookstrapped/brooklyn-by-night-bc86abde7704#.gu9zg44py

[jharr]

Good article. I'm too cowardly to shoot street. Do you warn people before unleashing a flash in the dark, or do you let fly and endure the wrath of splotchy-eyed strangers? 

[Indofunk]

Good thing about night flash is that it temporarily blinds the subject, allowing the photographer to make a quick escape 

[hookstrapped]

Good thing about night flash is that it temporarily blinds the subject, allowing the photographer to make a quick escape 

Well, I used to shoot a Leica M2, which is a brick so that was a handy defense. But now with the tiny Minolta, running is the backup plan.

[hookstrapped]

Good article. I'm too cowardly to shoot street. Do you warn people before unleashing a flash in the dark, or do you let fly and endure the wrath of splotchy-eyed strangers? 

People either don't notice or ignore it, thinking it's just another flash of light in the big city or that I wasn't taking a picture of them.

[02Pilot]

There are countless problems with street photography, beginning with the meaning of the term itself. A lot of the "street photography" I've seen doesn't really seem to fit my own definition, but then of course that's likely to be the case for anyone who's both looking at others' work and shooting street themselves. Reading about it on the internet only results in a ridiculous array of "rules" created by self-appointed gurus, rules which even the pioneers of the genre disagreed on and failed to follow with the religious fervor of forum "experts". I would argue that the whole idea of street photography as a rigidly-regulated practice is flawed.

I like shooting street, and happen to be close enough to NYC that there's essentially a limitless supply of material, but like you I'd feel very constrained if I could photograph nothing else. Sometimes the freedom of endless opportunity stifles creativity.

[hookstrapped]

Yeah, the rules and the guardians of those rules...    Rigid demarcations of genre are so contrary to the freedom of creating. I know discipline is also part of creating but these arbitrary rules seem to possibly serve only the experts that talk about them and enforce them, the editors and gallerists and others who profit from them, by creating the basis for their expertise and by defining a market they participate in.

[02Pilot]

I can understand the reasons why those with a financial stake might want to demarcate their territory, and hey, that's their prerogative. Most of the street photography I see, however, is not subject to their curation; it's on the internet, posted by individuals (myself included) who make their own rules. Trying to apply those rules universally, as many seem to want to do across this vast interweb of ours, seems an absurd enterprise.

Sometimes rules have uses. As I said, I think that too much freedom can be just as stifling of creativity as rules imposed from outside. Setting limits oneself, while difficult (for me, anyway), seems to help strike a balance. Whether it's using a particular piece of equipment, or shooting a specific subject under specific conditions, or whatever else might seem useful, I find I do better with some sort of restriction. I just don't like it when other people seek to impose their restrictions on me, especially arbitrarily.

[hookstrapped]

This is how their influence extends.  I submitted my street montages of Cuba to LensCulture's street photography contest last year and the rejection came with a juror's notes -- a nice touch. He had some nice things to say but called out the inclusion of "street portraits" in the series, making a point that street photography had to be candid.

I think the role of contests and editors, to whom people submit their work influences the field greatly. And I think these folks are inherently conservative.

[SLVR]

I see it the same. Here in the city there seems to be a "club" or a group of people who would consider themselves elite. They impose their rules, use similar looks and cameras and a lot of the time their images look the same.

Really I avoid the "street" scene as much as I can. While I shoot it I don't say that I shoot street. I don't want to lump my images in the same pool. I don't read up on street, I don't keep up to date, I occasionally look at images but from a select few people but that's it. I like to treat it as if it's my own thing in my bubble. Having been shooting and posting online now for a bit of time I'm realizing more and more that the images I create are more for myself than anyone. Things I get excited about might not garner the same reaction from others and vice versa. It's just something to do to have fun and this is how I can get past the BS.

My issue with the genre is that many people out there emulate just as you say but more I find people just don't understand the genre. I wouldn't call myself an expert by any means but many images that resonate with me and many famous images out there create a narrative and invoke emotion. I can't say I get this from the multitude of hip shot people walking on the sidewalk shots or images of homelessness or other various clichés. It can feel like the snowball effect, people emulating garbage shots.

But in the end I still have a "Do whatever makes you happy" mantra. If someone makes garbage and has fun doing it then good for them. I don't have to look at their garbage if I don't want to and maybe one day they will figure something out and not make garbage anymore.

[Indofunk]

the images I create are more for myself than anyone.

But in the end I still have a "Do whatever makes you happy" mantra.

I am pull-quoting the two lines from your post that I too live by

[Francois]

I find that street photography is a bit of a photographer's niche. I rarely see Uncle Bob in awe in front of a street photograph... unless it's from a faraway place or also contains a sunset, rainbow, unicorn or leprechaun.

I also find that there are some cities where it's more tolerated by the people than others.
In my suburb, if I took a shot of people like that, it's an automatic black eye or a call to the police.
In the big city, it's more tolerated but you have to be very discrete.
I find that flash is more discrete in the busy downtown district where there are already flashing lights and all sorts of activity. Daylight flash is also much more discrete.

But then again, I have yet to do it often enough to become good at it. Besides, a tall slim red head dressed properly that goes around with a camera is too easy a target for many.

[Indofunk]

Besides, a tall slim red head dressed properly that goes around with a camera is too easy a target for many.

Come and shoot in the village. You'll be the least odd-looking person for miles around

[hookstrapped]

If you don't act self-conscious, people ignore you. How do you not act self-conscious? Don't be self-conscious. How do you do that? For starter's, use a small camera so when you imagine how you appear to others it's not as some guy with a camera.

[Francois]

Besides, a tall slim red head dressed properly that goes around with a camera is too easy a target for many.

Come and shoot in the village. You'll be the least odd-looking person for miles around

I just hope your idea of the village is not the same as Montrealer's idea of the village

[Indofunk]

Besides, a tall slim red head dressed properly that goes around with a camera is too easy a target for many.

Come and shoot in the village. You'll be the least odd-looking person for miles around

I just hope your idea of the village is not the same as Montrealer's idea of the village

Oh sorry, I forgot my capitalization. The Village

[clagom]

Interesting article and point of view. I enjoyed your photos quite a lot, also on your website not only in the article.

[hookstrapped]

Thanks! I appreciate it