Future of Street Photography

xxxRebeccaxxx

xxxRebeccaxxx

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Rebecca
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hiya im currently writing an essay of street photography and how it has changed over the years, and im questioning why? perhaps the laws making people feel uneasy about taking photographs on the street, and the fact that people are becoming more aware of photography as a whole?

would love your opinions and also if you have read any books or articles that might help me with my theory then that would be great

Thank you for your time

Rebecca:)
 
I have only been doing this for about a year, but when I go and do street photography I always have two things in back of my mind:
- My safety. Do I get my camera and gear out with load of idiots near by?
- When photographing fantastic buildings, will I get harassed by security or police?

I do enjoy taking my camera and gear out and doing that sort of photography, but sadly, mainly the law issue is annoying and concerning.

However, when I go and do landscaping my only worry is what do I wear on that day in the hills. I am totally relaxed and enjoy my time.

Another thing with street photography is that certain pics of buildings are available all over the place. Flickr, Photobucket, Google Images and even on Google Street view. What matters, in my view, is how creative the shot it.
 
The overzealous security side of things has definitely had an impact, if only subconsciously for people. See the sticky in this forum for some examples of the sort of things that happen.

As Jon says, over saturation can be an issue for some people as well. Personally, I don't want to capture the same photograph that hundreds of others have done before, I always want something unique. That attitude coupled with the progression of time, and the way it is so easy to distribute photography through sites like this and flickr these days, means that there is more and more work available for me to compare my own to and think "meh, been done before". I'm not saying that's the right attitude to have, I'm just saying it's the way I feel and I'm sure I'm not alone.
 
I have a letter from the chair of chief police officers Andrew Trotter telling me my rights i have many as a tog great letter.

basically i can take pictures of almost anything anywhere legal, and as for police/security/bouncers/personal body gaurds they need a warrant/court order to get you to delete pictures or hand over equipment.

my mates a copper and he said he would be unwilling to go against the letter i have

never leave home without it. and i don't feel uneasy talking shots.

Merc the ever ready:thumbs:

just remembered it's from the Association of Chief Police Officers
 
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I may not know what I'm talking about ;) but here is some random thoughts:

The internet............has revealed p****'s and perverts that rely on pictures.
Digital cameras........Cameras have always been used, but not everyone had one in their pocket 24/7. Now anyone with a mobile phone has probably got a camera with them.
Paronia with terroism, seems any one with a camera, particulary if an slr, digital or film, is a possible terroist.
Tabloids, stirring paranoia?

I really don't know if I'm talking BS, but sure that the evoulution of technology coupled with world politics and outrageous press stories has something to do with why things are a little different then they were a decade or so ago.

Just my random thoughts mind...
 
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Has is really changed that much?

Certainly the technology and equipment has changed, but the art of street photography remains mostly unchanged; in my view. Though, perhaps, the definition has changed, from merely being about taking photographs in public places - to include candids, street portraits, and so on.

Street photography for me is about being out there, in the now, reacting to scenes, people, and situations. It's not about planning or visualising - it's just being there with your camera.
 
something on Anglia News this evening about a 78 year old retired lecturer being surrounded by police for having his compact camera out in a shopping mall in Norwich .. someone had complained and he was suspected of being a terrorist!!
does that make everyone that takes a picture in a shopping mall a terrorist as you see it going on all the time, even if it's on their mobile phone :cuckoo:
 
A big change is with digital everyone is a "street photographer", people just go out and shoot without composing the picture or thinking what it's going to say. In my opinion street photography should capture something about the time it is taken or the person in it.

The book "Street Photography Now" is good, here is a great article by Phil Coomes about it Link.

Some of excellent street photographers would be Joel Meyerowitz, Bruce Gilden, Nick Turpin, Otto Snoek and Martin Parr to an extent.
 
In my mind street photography should not be about composing, it should be about capturing.

Anyone can compose a great image. It's more difficult to capture a great moment.
 
gnom said:
In my mind street photography should not be about composing, it should be about capturing.

Anyone can compose a great image. It's more difficult to capture a great moment.
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Compose or capture, they are just words. :shrug: Either way you have to think about what your saying with your picture, either that or you are just snapping away hoping for good luck
 
Vic said:
Compose or capture, they are just words. :shrug: Either way you have to think about what your saying with your picture, either that or you are just snapping away hoping for good luck
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No, you anticipate.

There's a fine line between "street photography" and "photojournalism". The latter involves, as you say, thinking about what you want to convey, what emotions you want to trigger. You have a theme you're working with.

With street photography, you wander and anticipate. You look 20 feet ahead and see a situation unravel and you're there capturing it. And yes, a lot of pictures are pure luck. But as your level of awareness and anticipation increases, so does your good luck.
 
gnom said:
No, you anticipate.

There's a fine line between "street photography" and "photojournalism". The latter involves, as you say, thinking about what you want to convey, what emotions you want to trigger. You have a theme you're working with.

With street photography, you wander and anticipate. You look 20 feet ahead and see a situation unravel and you're there capturing it. And yes, a lot of pictures are pure luck. But as your level of awareness and anticipation increases, so does your good luck.
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Seems like semantics to me, either way you are saying something when you press that shutter no? Wether you compose, capture or anticipate there is something going on inside that it making you want to take that photo. Which is where my point lies, people just snap snap away hoping to land something. In my opinion people like Meyerowitz, who earned their rep as a street photographer because they could keep it constant, were always thinking before they clicked.
 
Vic said:
Seems like semantics to me, either way you are saying something when you press that shutter no? Wether you compose, capture or anticipate there is something going on inside that it making you want to take that photo. Which is where my point lies, people just snap snap away hoping to land something. In my opinion people like Meyerowitz, who earned their rep as a street photographer because they could keep it constant, were always thinking before they clicked.
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I don't think you understand the difference between the two. Sure, it's subtle, but substantial.

There's a documentary with/by Meyerowitz that amongst other things follow him around when he photographs on the street and he talks about his methods. Watch it, and perhaps you'll understand what I mean.

They are seen as "keeping it constant" because all you see are their "successes" from a time period of 20 years and more.
 
gnom said:
I don't think you understand the difference between the two. Sure, it's subtle, but substantial.

There's a documentary with/by Meyerowitz that amongst other things follow him around when he photographs on the street and he talks about his methods. Watch it, and perhaps you'll understand what I mean.

They are seen as "keeping it constant" because all you see are their "successes" from a time period of 20 years and more.
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Hmmm thanks that didnt seem patronising at all ;)

Having watched not just one of the documentaries that Meyerowitz has been in, I believe I am paraphrasing here but in his words "he is looking for that moment, that something special", wether he calls it anticipating or composing there is something there. In every photograph, regardless if it was a success or not, he was doing this, not relying on luck. If you sift through the multitude of people taking digital prints and photoshopping the life out of them, you can still find jewels like Meyerowitz.

To be honest our opinions seem exactly the same and I am not sure what I am not understanding but hey it might just be so subtle I just can't comprehend it. :thumbs:
 
The first time I did any street photography was fairly recent. I met Feek, Fabs and Visual in London. We took a few shots in a museum and then moved to Trafalgar Square. I took a couple of shots here, as did Fabs. Fabs posted some of his results. A couple of shots were similar to mine., We both usaed a 70-200 lens and pointed it to a few interesting looking people. While the results were good candid portraits, I couldn't help to think that perhaps a 50mm lens at an f8 aperture may have given a more enviromental view. i.e. no bokeh, but a deep DOF to bring in the enviroment? I must admit I'm not sure what street photography is supposed to be. I've seen some wonderful candid portraits on here captured by a member called STARRIDER, but often with a very shallow DOF. Should we show more of the enviroment for these type of pictures?
Will someone give the definitive of what is Street Photography?
 
Vic said:
Hmmm thanks that didnt seem patronising at all ;)

Having watched not just one of the documentaries that Meyerowitz has been in, I believe I am paraphrasing here but in his words "he is looking for that moment, that something special", wether he calls it anticipating or composing there is something there. In every photograph, regardless if it was a success or not, he was doing this, not relying on luck. If you sift through the multitude of people taking digital prints and photoshopping the life out of them, you can still find jewels like Meyerowitz.

To be honest our opinions seem exactly the same and I am not sure what I am not understanding but hey it might just be so subtle I just can't comprehend it. :thumbs:
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Yes, we're all looking for that special moment, trying to anticipate it. That's what street photography is about. Not thinking about it, because there's no time to think.

We're differing slightly on the definition - you seem to be leaning towards it being a thought out process of what you want to say with the image, and try to frame the picture accordingly. I call that photojournalism, or documentary.

My definition is that you search for that exciting moment, and capturing it. You don't think about it, or plan it, because you never know what will happen.

In the end they are just pictures. Some like them, others don't.
 
NigelPaul said:
Will someone give the definitive of what is Street Photography?
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As demonstrated by me and Vic here, it means different things to different people.

As for equipment; remember, there's no rules in photography, you can use what you want. However, traditionally street photography has been dominated by 35mm or 50mm lenses, and then walking up close to people / situations.
 
I don't think in reality that much has changed at all, it's just that any jobsworth security guard/plod that asks someone to stop taking photographs ends up as a big news story about 'abuse of police powers' and the like.

Also, more people have cameras and more people are out on the streets taking pictures, so these incidents happen more often.
 
mercmanuk said:
I have a letter from the chair of chief police officers Andrew Trotter telling me my rights i have many as a tog great letter.

basically i can take pictures of almost anything anywhere legal, and as for police/security/bouncers/personal body gaurds they need a warrant/court order to get you to delete pictures or hand over equipment.

my mates a copper and he said he would be unwilling to go against the letter i have

never leave home without it. and i don't feel uneasy talking shots.

Merc the ever ready:thumbs:

just remembered it's from the Association of Chief Police Officers
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Would that be this letter?
http://www.newspapersoc.org.uk/Docs/Taking-of-Photographs-All-Forces-Guidance-26-08-2010.doc

Which says:

26 August 2010


Dear Colleagues

Guidance for Photographers

I am writing to you in my capacity as Chair of the ACPO Communications Advisory Group which sits in the Presidential Business Area.

There have been a number of recent instances highlighted in the press where officers have detained photographers and deleted images from their cameras. I seek your support in reminding your officers and staff that they should not prevent anyone from taking photographs in public. This applies equally to members of the media and public seeking to record images, who do not need a permit to photograph or film in public places. ACPO guidance is as follows:

• There are no powers prohibiting the taking of photographs, film or digital images in a public place. Therefore members of the public and press should not be prevented from doing so.
• We need to cooperate with the media and amateur photographers. They play a vital role as their images help us identify criminals.
• We must acknowledge that citizen journalism is a feature of modern life and police officers are now photographed and filmed more than ever.
• Unnecessarily restricting photography, whether for the casual tourist or professional is unacceptable and it undermines public confidence in the police service.
• Once an image has been recorded, the police have no power to delete or confiscate it without a court order.

If you require further guidance please refer to the ACPO website or contact my Staff Officer Robin Edwards at robin.edwards@btp.pnn.police.uk.


Yours sincerely



Andrew Trotter
Chief Constable
Chair of ACPO Communication Advisory Group
 
Hi yes it was addressed to our camera club so it has our heading at the top very useful,

i deduce from that you are a member of seven oaks camera club.

Merc
 
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I was detained and questioned and 'Checked out' by a local Bobby when looking for suitable photographic locations in my local village (Where I have lived for 50 years - So I am no youngster).

I didn't have my camera with me and I was on the public highway but I admit, I was looking down a side alley.
 
"When I'm photographing often enough somebody will come up to me and ask 'Say, are you getting good pictures?'. And I don't know. I know that when I photograph it it's interesting; but I haven't seen the pictures yet." - Gary Winogrand

I think that pretty much sums it up.

:)
 
Winogrand, when he kicked the bucket left 300,000 processed but unedited frames and 2500 unprocessed rolls of film.
The guy was prolific but still it kinda backs up the thought that street, even if you do have the skill to give yourself the best opportunities, has its own hit and hope flavour.
 
RIZLA01 - do you mean to say that you were stopped by a Po Lice for "looking down a lane"?

What a total waste of space that Po Lice must be. I would be writing to my local councillor, and the local police authority about it, with his/her collar number. That is a disgrace. No wonder the Po Lice don't get very far when they seek help....."sorry, I was looking the other way. I didn't see anything."
 
Well it was a side alley and the thought was that I was sizing the place up for a later robbery - or something like that.

The shops on either side of said alley were a Ladies Hairdressers and a Pizza shop, so I can fullly understand his concerns.:(
 
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Lensflare said:
RIZLA01 - do you mean to say that you were stopped by a Po Lice for "looking down a lane"?

What a total waste of space that Po Lice must be. I would be writing to my local councillor, and the local police authority about it, with his/her collar number. That is a disgrace. No wonder the Po Lice don't get very far when they seek help....."sorry, I was looking the other way. I didn't see anything."
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Hear hear! What kind of country are we living in?
 
There is a big difference in what you are legally allowed to do and what you/we feel you're allowed to do.
As said the real restrictions on public photography are pretty small, but the feelings of doing wrong and paranoia can be very real, and seemingly more apparent these days.
 
By the end winogrand kind of became obsessed with the doing, rather than the results. Which kind of sums up street photography in a way, you're almost compelled to go out and shoot. If you come back with nothing so be it, but getting out there, forever in the search of the little idiosyncracies of human beings that are funnier and/or stranger than you could make up, but happen in a spilt second and then are gone, and trying to anticipate and capture them are what makes people do it.
In my personal opinion you can't capture the goings on of life in this way with a telephoto. Especially no bokeh, because that way your taking your subject out of the world he/ she is in, there's no context, no details, just a person on a street.
As to how it's changed, I don't think it has. No one really notices you unless you have said telephoto lens which is two foot long, and if they did they'd probably just think you're awith a newspaper or something, then carry on with their day.
 
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