What lens for street photography

Simon photo said:
im new here, dunno if im not looking hard enough but where is the street thread, or does it not exist?
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It doesn't exist, at least I never found it ...but lots of members did refer to one US members really long threads about his own personal street work ...and I think, after it was huge, it became muddled into 'the street thread'.
 
Fifth in on the top row I like as street Tim...It has some interest over just a random person being photographed prettily in a street.

tdodd said:
Doesn't care. :D


Thanks for that. As I'm none the wiser, which one do you think is the most "street", and what makes it more "street" than the rest, because I really haven't got a clue.
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This attitude is probably where your going wrong... :D;)
 
It's hard to define 'street' if we should define it at all. If you look at some of the works of the iconic photographers through the years you usually know that a photograph has been taken at the right moment, probably has pretty much the right composition and somehow has a feel about the whole thing. As a 'street (and urban)' practioner, I don't subscribe to the 'any picture in a street is a street picture' argument, any random street strangers portrait is 'street'. I could be out shooting folks in my city all day long but it wouldn't mean anything. There was someone in TP a few months ago who thought it was great to shove a camera inches from some random strangers face and that was 'street'. WTF. It is also clear from a recent street competition i observed that people consider 'street' can also be photographs taken at organised events in a street setting... i.e people doing living history reenactments and people particiapating in fun races. Whilst I think we should all be free thinking and not bound by strict rules, somehow there does have to be something that defines what we are looking for. If you go into some of the dedicated street forums, anything where the subject knows they are being photographed is considered you are 'busted' and therefore not strictly 'street' :)
 
A modern day take on "street photography".

It certainly sits more comfortably with me than ramming a camera up someone's nose and searing their eyeballs in the pursuit of poorly framed and blurry/soft images.
 
Simon photo said:
Ndgolf, number one is my winner but it can't win because the timing is a bit off.
Had the stall vendor been in frame or visible then it would have made it.
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Correct had his eye been in the frame it would have been perfect...........never mind better luck next time
 
ndwgolf said:
Well here is my first attempt, and I used the 24/70m on my D3s, I have picked the best ones here.
1/.
chinatown220120120005ed.jpg
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It would also have worked better if the guy's head had been completely obscured by a piece of meat. IMO.
 
tdodd said:
A modern day take on "street photography".

It certainly sits more comfortably with me than ramming a camera up someone's nose and searing their eyeballs in the pursuit of poorly framed and blurry/soft images.
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But why not? I feel that it is an avenue to be explored. Just like any form of photography, agreed some photographers cringe at the thought of it, but have they tried it to understand it a little more? How can Justin beiber *spits* sing of love, he hasn't lived to know it.
I really do appreciate the likes of bresson who's eye and art cannot be matched, but oranges are not the only fruit so why not jump the fence to the other orchard once in a while? The last thing photography needs is a stagnation of people clinging to the rule books in their heads! Sure, purists will be purists and the world needs them.
And the remark about soft blurred images? Let me quote here
"sharpness is a Bourgeoisie concept" Henri Cartier Bresson.
"there is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept" Ansell Adams.
 
Regardless of official 'street' status, those are some nice shots ndwgolf

I find that I really respect & enjoy shots where the 'awkwardness' (for want of a better word) of the situation is visible; where the photographer put himself/herself in a position I couldn't or wouldn't dare, and took the shot - and I suppose typically, those shots would lend themselves to a shorter focal length.

I've never once taken anything I'd consider 'street', I'd love to but am too reserved & nervous when pointing a camera at people, rather than inanimate objects & animals!
 
Simon photo said:
I see your maier and raise you a weegee
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Isn't that for cleaning windows? Do I need to take photo's of car windscreen cleaners at traffic lights - Street on different levels? ;):D


Joking aside - some nice links to other photographers work coming out - plus members photo's - really interesting stuff - thanks
 
Jimwah, Im the same, was so nervous the day i pushed myself to start shooting grabbed (posted earlier) but it was something i wanted to do so it was do or die. The first few were a bit daunting, keeping everything in mind such as remembering the focus zone, (manual lens and no free hand for focusing) making sure my flash and or camera had not gone into sleep mode, and the horror of what must be going through the subjects mind post shot.
But in the end i got over all that and now shoot without fear. Most people just think "oh, he just took my picture" and so long as you keep moving you won't have any confrontations
 
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Simon photo said:
But in the end i got over all that and now shoot without fear. Most people just think "oh, he just took my picture" and so long as you keep moving you won't have any confrontations
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I don't agree mate, you haven't been doing it long enough :lol:

I've been doing street photography for a few years, and whilst 99% of the time I get away with it I have had confrontations. I'm a big bloke but there are still folks who tell you to 'P*** off' or worse. Strangely most issues have come not from the subjects but from people just observing. I also notice earlier in this thread there are pics of kids, something I would never do unless it was some sort of organised or 'ok' situation otherwise you are asking for trouble. Even though I love street, I still think about the person on the other end of the camera. For example although many people think it's beggars and Big Issue sellers, why the hell do we feel we have a right to photograph them because they are on hard times and their face and demeanour reflects it. I'm always trying to find something that is a bit different and not stereo typical.

In respect of confrontation clearly some people in some cities are more relaxed about it. Maybe the tourist trails but people should also recognise that there are some dodgy folks about and not everyone wants to be photographed. Some may think people working on the market are fair game, but who knows, maybe they are working cash in hand and you could be a social security investigator. I am always very concious of who is about and how the situation may change.
 
tdodd said:
A modern day take on "street photography".

It certainly sits more comfortably with me than ramming a camera up someone's nose and searing their eyeballs in the pursuit of poorly framed and blurry/soft images.
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Enjoyable vid, and some nice points. "A random series of events not under your control" as he puts it. Sort of sums it up, but then that's a good definition of pretty much any sort of photography unless you are doing still life in a studio.

I like doing candid shots, and enjoy shooting from a 17-40 or similar, with the camera on my hip, not looking through it or even at the subject. It's interesting to see what you got when you chimp it later.

The only genre this sort of shooting accurately fits into is: "stuff I like doing photography". Anything else is opinion.
 
jon ryan said:
"A random series of events not under your control" as he puts it. Sort of sums it up, but then that's a good definition of pretty much any sort of photography unless you are doing still life in a studio.
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I tend to call it documentary photography when asked what I mostly shoot, as in documenting a moment. I see this as different to product/studio/wedding photography where you are arranging/directing/controlling.
 
Byker28i said:
I tend to call it documentary photography when asked what I mostly shoot, as in documenting a moment. I see this as different to product/studio/wedding photography where you are arranging/directing/controlling.
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Yup, I can live with that. A lot of what I do is press photography, and often I have no control over the shoot, but am required to get a shot that illustrates the story. Perhaps what `Street` does is offer a small vignette extracted from a wide picture. There is a definite skill in spotting, rather than arranging, *that* expression or *that* juxtaposition of people/objects/colours/whatever.

I enjoy the challenge of shooting from the hip, and the low angle can result in a pleasingly unusual point of view. Often such shots are made more dramatic if rendered into mono (of course this is opinion, though quite a widely shared one it seems).

But to say there are `rules` - no. Absolutely not. Photography in general has no rules.
 
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BlackCloud said:
I don't agree mate, you haven't been doing it long enough :lol:
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Maybe im doing it somewhere a little more relaxed so to say, granted i should have said most confrontation or said nothing at all.
I don't think my time shooting street has much to do with things though, i will be shooting my chosen style as long as i keep shooting, its the subject matter, people are people the world over, yes some parts of cites are rougher than others but we all know the dangers of these places and to rock up banging flashguns in peoples faces will get you in trouble no question, you would be a fool to think otherwise.
But, if i get shanked for taking someone's photo then it is what it is, i know the risks it would be my own doing. But i am more likely to be hit by a car.
 
the perfect street photography weapon is an iPhone. Absolutely discreet, completely unnoticeable, 28mm lens, much depth of field...

But in your case I might suggest a 35/2 or 28/2.8. I think street is more about behaviour observation and anticipation rather than gear! Whatever you use, study the greats first IMHO; if you want that tri-x look it's the 1/125 or 1/60 speeds and the tonality of the blacks that make it.
 
I wouldn't go bigger than a 50!!!!:thumbs:
 
farrance said:
APS-C sensors in cameras. Basically a cropped sensor that is 1.6x smaller than a 35mm full frame.
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Thanks...................Now looking at the Fuji X100 or if they had a XPro1 in silver then that one but they dont and the X100 gets some great reviews
 
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X100 is a crackin' unit. You won't be dissapointed :)
 
ndwgolf said:
Guys,
Plan to spend the next month taking pictures and was wanting to try my hand at street photography. What would you recommend as a lens to get started with, as if I am walking about I don’t want to lug around a bag of lens's all day.
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17-55 2.8. Fast, Super sharp with a good range. If you like me it will end up staying on your camera a lot.
 
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