Street Photography

No, but I watched the documentary on Vivian Maier last night and would advise anyone thinking of street photography to take a look.

She took thousand of pictures, so some had to be good, no matter what.

Chuck Staley Concept Art

Yes! In fact, this past year I decided to create new art from my street photography. Here are some examples:

John your photos make my heart race!! EXCELLENT captures my friend! I am just curious, how close/far away from the subjects were you? Did they ever know you took their picture? It appears there are two approaches to street photography: The Vivian Maier one, where it is (seemingly) random shots of total strangers, or the Brandon Stanton one, where he introduces himself to the subject, and asks a few leading questions, then shares their story on social media. Both have their artistic merits.

Good street photography is finding the special moment that is gone in a fraction of a second. It about setting out without any preconceived ideas.

Thank you, Gregory. Most of my photos are surreptitious. I use a full frame Canon 5D Mark III camera and an f/2.8 L Series AF 70-200mm lens. I also carry a Canon 7D and 24-70 lens for shots where I do seek permission and "invade their space." Like this one where I laid between the legs of the juggler:



...and the one where I laid on the sidewalk very close to the performer:



I do not interview the people because so many times, the viewer of the art creates a story in his/her mind that makes it personal for them.

Thank you Edward! Is this just me, or does street photography really seem more timeless with b&w photos, especially film photos, John Haldanes beautiful renderings not-withstanding.

There is absolutely a timelessness with B&W street shots! I will be playing more with that this year along with silhouettes (a project I have been developing in my mind over the winter months).

Some of my street photography, which was taken over 60 years ago, is in color and I think it is more timeless. B&W seems to put a time frame on it, or makes it seems more dated, even when taken decades later.




Chuck Staley Concept Art

General rule is black and white focuses on the subject, where as color is about the color. Also street photographer Joel Meyerowitz talks about contrast working with black and white and against color.

Depth of field is typically deeper in street photography in order to capture the entire scene. Often smaller camera as used. But of course there are no rules.

I normally have no people in my shots, except for maybe one or two images.

It's so easy today to shoot street photography considering most cameras have zooms.

I had a Rolleiflex like Vivian Maier's, and you had to get pretty close to the subject to get a good picture, and if you got too close, it fish-eyed.

Also, it took square pictures and I didn't like that.

Couldn't wait to get a different camera.

I love street photography, I take these kind of photos whenever I have the chance. Actually, one of my galleries here is about it. I would post many of my pictures here. I've chosen quite a few, hope not to get anyone bored :)

These are the 4 pieces selected by the Asheville Regional Airport for their Spring 2015 exhibition. All street art.

The great thing about the twin reflex camera like the Rolli was you looked down instead of pointing at the subject. Also the operator is still has peripheral vision.

SLRs make poor street photography cameras. A big SLR with a huge lens stands out. Also the camera covers your entire face. A small rangefinder camera allows one to be discrete and to cover only one eye.

Traditionally street photos work with prime lens usually a 35mm which allows one to include enough background for storytelling. With a zoom the photographer tends to zoom in on a small part of the scene and loses the over all story.

How does one take a good quality street photo, since you can't really use a tripod?

Patricia, you have to be fast and have your camera configured to your needs/ambient light beforehand, so that in the right moment you have a fast shutter speed.

Pablo, thank you!! I may try this. I've always thought that higher shutter speed necessitates high ISO, which can result in grainier quality. Guess I need to get out and practice.

Edward, that was one thing about the Rolli, as they mentioned in the documentary, is that you were looking down instead of pointing a camera in their face.

With my Canon I can have it hanging around my neck and see what I'm shooting by flipping the monitor to face up.

I do different kinds of street photography, not all are on the street though.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Shoot lots and hone it down...

Patricia, what I use for street photography are usually prime lenses, I have a 35mm, several 50mm and a 85mm, all of them F1.8. By having the camera set between F1.8 and 2.8, you capture a lot of light and the need to use a high ISO is not that mandatory. Anyway, in broad daylight that should not be a problem anyway, but in the night a prime helps a lot.
That's what I do, but I'm sure other people have their own working techniques as well.

Glenn, I love that shot!

Grain and noise don't matter as much -- its the subject and moment that's important. If you can capture a bit of irony, surprise or humor it elevates the shot.

I think I heard one of the street photos mention 1/1000 of a second as the ideal so all motion is stopped. Like a moment in time.

Sometimes, though, color is the right way to go.

Same old arguments heard elsewhere - photoshop or no photoshop... Well, my art is unique and combines street photography and digital tools. No one agrees what to call it. Some think it isn't street photography if effects are used. Others say it isn't photography at all because it has been treated heavily. Still others say it isn't art, it is photography, albeit doctored. Still others say digital art isn't real art (like painting on canvas).

My opinion is that a) my art is street photography, b) any tools used are artistic tools including various cameras and lenses as well as digital tools to develop and enhance, and c) opinions will always vary, but my art sells and makes me happy and I don't care what anyone calls it. :)

Some inspiration:

http://www.mattstuart.com/

Amazing stuff. Study the way he adds elements together in clever ways. The work is less about a portrait of a person and more the composition of the people in the environment.

This was sticking out of Louie's shopping cart. He was a homeless man from Hungary harassed by the Chicago police, and made to put his shopping cart in front of a street meter, and pay it.

Elliot Erwitt is another classic street or candid or casual photographer for inspiration:

http://erickimphotography.com/blog/2013/09/23/14-lessons-elliott-erwitt-has-taught-me-about-street-photography/

I literally take photographs of the streets in every city I go to. I look down and find the most amazing and powerful abstracts..they are everywhere. I know this isn't the classification of street photography you are talking about, but it is just that!

Edward, thanks for the links. Those are most interesting photographers, I love how Matt Stuart shoots.

John,

Of course, everyone makes art as they see fit. I would guess that, if you are selling them, it's art to you and many other people.

I do the same sometimes, Marlene! The most interesting things appear when we look! ... and sometimes street photography happens when we lay on the street and shoot up!

I have found this to be a useful site regarding permissions and law on taking photos of people. I did not need permission to photograph or use someone's photo when I was in Mexico recently. I am planning a trip to New Zealand in a year and its a whole different scenario.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Photographs_of_identifiable_people

Great point, Cathy! Laws vary widely from country to country!

Gregory - I think the take away from this discussion is don't let anyone's rules or definition limit your art. There are purest in every sub-genre - landscape, wildlife, street photography - yet the artists we remember broke all the rules.

It is interesting for me to see here the different viewpoints people photograph as street photography. Thank you, Gregory, for starting this thread.



Yes, I sell quite a bit of street photography mostly as greeting cards or posters.

John, that's how I got started...I tripped in front of the MoMA in NYC as I was exiting a cab....did a face plant on a man hole cover....Instead of getting out of harm's way, I pulled out my phone and took a pic of the most beautiful sewer I had ever taken the time to see! lol.

I don't think I'd file this one under "street photography". More of a candid. But I was standing on the sidewalk when I shot it through an open door with a point-and-shoot camera. So I gues it might be somewhere on the very fringe of the street genre ...

I love street photography. Here are some examples of my work:









This last one I love, but I'm not sure it's really street photography. It's a picture of a street and people on it, and together, creates an atmosphere, mood, and sense of place and perhaps time. It may or may not capture a "decisive moment," which I believe is a fleeting, "just-right" thing that happens in a split second. Perhaps the bicycle, which adds to the shot, is part of a decisive moment for this pic. Without it, it might not be as interesting a scene. This picture also made NY1 television's Picture of the Day on Jan. 27, during the blizzard here in NY.

This may or may not be considered street photography, I suppose. I like taking pictures in galleries because the lighting is striking.

In my years of taking pictures, I have only once or twice asked permission.



Chuck Staley Concept Art

My impression of "street photography" is not good, I am afraid.

I consider it an invasion of personal space, where people are involved. I would NEVER do it, therefore.

Just uploaded a new one

I did "street" photography at Dragon*Con by setting up w/tripod at the bottom of an escalator in some of the convention hotels.




And of course, in a pinch, any road will do: