Beginner Street photography. harder than I thought.

Oldbones said:
I haven't decided on a genre or niche for myself, almost a year into using a DSlR, the advice I have had from a relative who has done weddings for a decade has told me to not pigeonhole myself like that, he is a photographer who takes weddings for his bread and butter and to fund his passion to travel and explore his own path to personal freedoms, that he is now starting to enjoy, he is not working 9 to 5 for any one and has a nice life.
His introduction to cameras was at my wedding where he was a guest, just goes to show.
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The best kind of pigeon-holing is to find what pictures you enjoy taking and then work at developing in that area, but don't decide to be an X photographer so can't take pictures of Y. There are some areas I have zero interest at looking at pictures in, birds and insects for example, but I will still photograph both even though I don't like most pictures I see of them.
 
Took this yesterday while I have a visit to the small market town.
A pretty safe street pic, no people in it. Its so plain I think its one of my better ones.
I took it freehand, no tripod, I had to level it very slightly in post, but over all I am very happy with it.
I just love old everyday things
garage 2.jpg
 
Oldbones said:
Took this yesterday while I have a visit to the small market town.
A pretty safe street pic, no people in it. Its so plain I think its one of my better ones.
I took it freehand, no tripod, I had to level it very slightly in post, but over all I am very happy with it.
I just love old everyday things
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I guess the question still comes back to what is street photography defined as, and can photographs be within multiple genres ie would this be 'street' and ;urban architecture'.

if street photography is simply a genre based on the location in which the photograph is taken then the question is why isn't all photography categorised based simply on a locational basis.
 
jamesev said:
...then the question is why isn't all photography categorised based simply on a locational basis.
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Perhaps, for some people it is but most people, probably 99.9999% of people, wouldn't categorise pictures beyond "that's a nice picture" or "Uncle George is going to get such a smack when Auntie Mary see that".
 
Bur we are photographers, and as such can display much more discernment than the ordinary public.
 
I follow Andtrw Banner on you tube, his style and methods have really helped me to think, and slow down with what I do with my camera.
I don't think for a moment that I will ever get to any lofty hights with photography, but as long as I am active and progressing that will keep me happy.
Having realised that there is so much different things to look in to, has brought me to a place where the surface has not even been scratched.
A year ago, I could only get a blurry over exposed image now it's getting better.
 
Oldbones said:
Took this yesterday while I have a visit to the small market town.
A pretty safe street pic, no people in it. Its so plain I think its one of my better ones.
I took it freehand, no tripod, I had to level it very slightly in post, but over all I am very happy with it.
I just love old everyday things
View attachment 458430
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I like old stuff too.

Ummmmmm, I think I would have pointed the camera a bit lower or got lower, included a bit of road in case there were painted lines (?) and lost those distracting top corners. Also with things like this, seeing as you like older things too, take this shot, take a slightly closer crop, take a shot of the lock/clasp/handle, take a shot of the actual sign or textures in the wood... Then you could have a nice little 'set' of images that go together well :)

PS - I also think it isn't 'street' :) But certainly 'urban' :)

Well done. As long as you keep learning & keep trying.
 
ancient_mariner said:
No, photography is not a race to the bottom - for most of us anyway.
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I don't think of it as a race to the bottom, nor as a race to the top, or for that matter as a race of any kind.

To me, photography is just another form of communication. If a picture shows what I want it to show, in a way that catches the viewer's attention, then it's done its job. To me, doing its job is the big deal.
 
Its nice to be nice

Before

Before.jpg

After a bit of friendly chat

After.jpg

Another nice girl who had a positive reaction to a bit of friendly chit chat, she was a complete natural and posed nicely to instruction.

Another.jpg
 
Here's a picture of part of a castle in a street, so this is "street photography", in my opinion... (Castle Street, Exeter)

Castle Street Exeter 45-150 G5 P1070186.jpeg
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
Here's a picture of part of a castle in a street, so this is "street photography", in my opinion... (Castle Street, Exeter)

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I would describe that type of image as architectural, but its a free country and you can call it anything you like.

To be a street it must have yellow lines, no yellow lines and its a road.
 
Barney said:
To be a street it must have yellow lines, no yellow lines and its a road.
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You'll have to take that up with Exeter City Council.

They probably won't mind changing its name to "Castle Road", given that the signs have been there for a few hundred years and are probably due for renewal...
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
You'll have to take that up with Exeter City Council.

They probably won't mind changing its name to "Castle Road", given that the signs have been there for a few hundred years and are probably due for renewal...
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You have created an entirely new Genre, Road Photography, ;)
 
whats this then?

Urban.jpg
 
Gav. said:
Advertising ;) :p :exit:
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Thats art Gav,

The shadow of the board light from the word mind, leads to the huge black negative space which is symbolic of the emotion portrayed in the graffiti.

And there is a yellow squiggle of a line so it could be road photography. :)
 
Barney said:
Thats art Gav,

The shadow of the board light from the word mind, leads to the huge black negative space which is symbolic of the emotion portrayed in the graffiti.

And there is a yellow squiggle of a line so it could be road photography. :)
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Urban. Just like Andrew's :)

It is an interesting image though. The black area, the art in the background, the words on the advertising board all link together well.

Out of interest, what did you 'title' the image?

urban-jpg.458840
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:)
 
LeeRatters said:
Urban. Just like Andrew's :)

It is an interesting image though. The black area, the art in the background, the words on the advertising board all link together well.

Out of interest, what did you 'title' the image?



:)
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Chance

I had to wait ages until that advert reappeared so that I could snap it.
 
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Oldbones said:
Wish I was clever enough to talk the talk like you must have done
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Its not just talk, actions can be incredibly helpful.

These two beautiful young ladies were being attacked by seagulls trying to steal their supper as they relaxed on the steps. they had run off and left their food. Like a knight in shining armour I scared off the seagulls and retrieved their food - in exchange for a snap of course!

Nikon F90
28-200
Kodak Gold 200

Seagull Attack

Seagull Attack.jpg
 
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If you need to practice stand by a busy throughfare and communicate with people who look at you, start with a smile and if they smile back immediately chat.

I could have stood by those steps all day and taken dozens of photo's, I missed the best photo as I forgot to take it through chatting. Ha Ha.

Its exactly the same as imaging a beautiful sunrise, flower or tree. Just a different approach.
 
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Of course not everyone is amenable!

Angry Biker

Angry Biker 1.jpg
 
The lad on the left had an incredible bicycle, he was a garden shed electronics guy who had converted hi bike into a multiple battery set up. It had a range of 80 miles at an average speed of 40 mph. He was enjoying a can of pils after a ride, I don't know how his mate kept up. LOL

I asked for snap and requested they ignore me and carry on chatting that it looked a bit less staged and more "candid".

F90
28-200
Kodak 200

Happy Bikers

Happy Biker.jpg
 
Barney said:
Its exactly the same as imaging a beautiful sunrise, flower or tree. Just a different approach.
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One editor I worked for, called that sort of thing a "rith picture". It took me ages to find out that "rith" stood for "rabbit in the headlights"!

At least I got these two car salesmen to put on a smile...

Praktica Nova 1 1976_05_12.jpg
 
A bit late here, hopefully not too late to be worth a comment :)

I rarely do 'Street' with people as the subject, though I like to shoot in Streets which sometimes have people in them

When I do 'people Street' I tend to find my spot and wait for someone to walk into place worthy of a shot, but I don't mind just wandering around looking too, like the woman in the Japanese shop or the young man sat down who I shot through a dustbin to frame him

These were all taken in around 15 mins of trying for a bit of 'Street' at the end of a stroll around Manchester recently; they are all on a 50mm and shot at f2

Manchester Landscape Photography Workshop - 071.jpgManchester Landscape Photography Workshop - 072 - BW.jpgManchester Landscape Photography Workshop - 073 - BW.jpgManchester Landscape Photography Workshop - 077 - BW.jpgManchester Landscape Photography Workshop - 079 - BW.jpgManchester Landscape Photography Workshop - 080 - BW.jpgManchester Landscape Photography Workshop - 085 - BW.jpgManchester Landscape Photography Workshop - 087 - BW.jpgManchester Landscape Photography Workshop - 090 - BW.jpg
 
Oldbones,

I have never claimed to be the best at either street or road photography, or any kind of photography come to that, so take my comments with a pinch of salt. I am just a fat, four eyed, furry faced f........old bloke who walks around with a camera taking pictures of what I like and take the time to experiment a bit.

I don't know what categories these pictures fall into experts please revert. :)

Crosby Beach People 2.jpg

Crosby Beach People 3.jpg

Crosby Beach People.jpg
 
Bodian said:
As we're discussing nomenclature - is this 'Field Photography'?
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As 'identity' seems to be being stretched, if the field identifies as a street then, to some, it can be street photography, in their opinion.
 
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