From the Hip: My First Attempt at Street Photography

[rexbobcat]

The county fair is in town, and I go every year to eat grease, butter, and whatever kinds of carcinogens they put in the fair food. And I also like to take some pictures of the rides and the livestock and stuff (yay for generic long exposure ferris wheel photos.)

However, this year I decided to try something different. Feel free to roll your eyes and say "these are garbage" (presumably in a New Jersey accent), because it was mostly an experiment. I don't shoot street photography, and I find a lot of it to be self-serving, pretentious, and a little too exploitative/voyeuristic for my taste, however, when I actually tried doing it I found that it was kind of exciting.

I'm not sure if the excitement came from the actual type of photography I was doing though, because instead of being all up in peoples' faces, or trying to get the composition just perfectly perfect, I shot everything from the hip. Yes, I had SOOOOO many misses - especially as the sun went down - but it was kind of exhilarating. It was always a pleasant surprise when I got a photo that wasn't blurry or of the sky, or of the back of someone's shirt/head. It was also kind of relieving as well in some odd way. I'm someone who thinks too much when photographing, so I miss a lot of shots because I'm hesitant to press the shutter, because...what if the composition is a little off...what if there's a better expression here in a minute.

It was so nice to just see a potential moment, and point my lens in the general direction in a moment of serendipity.

Yes, I know that these photos are not very Cartier-Bressonian. They don't employ any use of "the decisive moment," which is the kind of street photography I mostly enjoy. They're more spontaneous and photojournalistic than anything.

So, that was my experience lol. I don't consider these "art" in any sense, and they might just seem like snapshots, but it was fun.

1.


2.


3.


4.


5.


6. I think her eyes are half-closed. I just saw that...but I just really liked everything else about the photo.


7.

 

[Gavjenks]

I think #3,4, and 5 definitely have at least somewhat decisive moments, or at least clear interesting subjects that are isolated etc. I really like those ones.

The ride one theoretically should be good. Dunno why it doesn't strike me really. The last two I think have too many distracting people in them without well enough defined focal subjects.

 

[thebasedsloth]

Could use more contrast, They're all a bit bleak and grey.
Funny that you posted this though, I made a thread just the other day about this exact same 'Style' of photography.
Number 3 is my favorite though, Looks like you got caught hahh
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/black-white-gallery/339943-blind-photography.html
Weird coincidence..

 

[Ilovemycam]

OP, good work. Yes it is exciting. Kinda like hunting without killing anything.

Now go do some more. And try some color ones.

 

[DanOstergren30 5]

Personally I like #2 the most. I like the movement and isolation of the subject in the middle of everything else going on around her.

Also, your description of street photography tickles me. I have the exact same feelings in regard to it, hence why I don't do it often. So many times do I see people post street photography only to have members of this forum respond by telling them that it isn't and then telling them exactly what street photography should be. I hate that word, "should".

 

[rexbobcat]

Could use more contrast, They're all a bit bleak and grey.
Funny that you posted this though, I made a thread just the other day about this exact same 'Style' of photography.
Number 3 is my favorite though, Looks like you got caught hahh
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/black-white-gallery/339943-blind-photography.html
Weird coincidence..

Ah, you've got some nice photos on your thread.

Yeah, I went back and brought the white point up a bit. I didn't want to make them too contrasty, because it was a pretty gloomy day and I wanted that to come through in the images. But I agree, they are a little grey.

 

[limr32 1]

I think it's a pretty strong set. Loved #3. Couldn't see #1 at all. I don't mean I didn't get it; I mean it says the image is unavailable.

I am a fan of street photography, but not the stuff that is very in-your-face, like (...shoot, have to go Google his name...) Bruce Gilden, or the stuff that is 'shocking' simply for its own sake. I can totally understand why it would seem voyeuristic, but I don't feel that way when I'm taking pictures. I just feel like an observer who might be lucky enough to record a special moment on film. I like to be as unobtrusive as possible to avoid changing the moment just by virtue of my presence. Well, avoid changing it more than I might have already (just by me crossing the street at that moment, a person might have chosen to cross on a different side or in a different direction, for example). I know that sometimes people become aware that I'm about to take or have just taken a picture and I always try to at least smile and be respectful.

 

[DiskoJoe]

Next time dont hide what youre doing. YOu seem like a nice guy so I dont think you would run into any issues walking around shooting pictures. Plus you tend to meet lots of cool people this way.

 

[rexbobcat]

Next time dont hide what youre doing. YOu seem like a nice guy so I dont think you would run into any issues walking around shooting pictures. Plus you tend to meet lots of cool people this way.

It's not necessarily that I wasn't wanting to approach people. I'm pretty desensitized to stranger interaction party because of my time at the college paper.

I was just curious to see what kind of stuff I could get when I take down that mental "hesitation" barrier.

It may sound weird, but while I was just trying to shoot the moments from the hip I was much less likely to be so hesitant to get everything in frame "just right." I have a knack for pressing the shutter after peak action because I'm afraid of the photograph being less than what it could have been because of a mistake on my part.

I just wanted to see if I could capture moments that were purely candid as opposed to getting ready to take the photo and in the split second that I compose it the moment is gone.

This probably isn't the most effective way to take street photos, but I was pretty surprised when I got home and viewed the photos (mostly because of how many I got in focus haha).

I know it sounds kind of dumb, but I wanted to see how heavily my bad habit might affect my ability to capture moments.

 

[jenko]

#4 is my favorite. Her expression is so telling about how she feels in that tiny space. That has to be a tough job ... dealing with hyper-excited kids and exhausted parents, the general public ... poor girl.

 

[amolitor]

I like #4 and #6. There's a sense of personality and a sense of a bigger narrative in both, I find.

#4 in particular does in fact have some of the HCB decisive moment, a phrase that is largely misunderstood. It's the moment when most of what there is to say is compressed into the frame, AND the frame is suddenly present as a graphic design, as if it were a planned painting. Looking at #4 you'll notice a very strong design that is nonetheless very natural looking.

HCB's talent was pretty specific, it was to pull paintings out of the world.

 

[The_Traveler]

I think the key about good street photography is that the photographer sees something interesting that most other people aren't aware of and captures that and shows it to people.
If you are just showing stuff that anyone would see, without your insight of POV, angle, treatment, crop, something, than it may be an attempt at street shooting but, in my estimation, it ain't (sic).

In most of these pictures, that is what's happening. There's nothing specific that you are showing people to look at that is unique or enlightening. There may be mystery but there isn't enough to suggest it.

The PPing needs to support your insight so that when people look, there aren't unimportant things in the frame that attract the eye either by position or tone.

It seems that you might be recognizing something but not able to frame it in a way that makes any point.

Take picture #2 - person - no hair, seemingly alone - no real expression. What are you saying or showin? Why is there a person on the right with back turned, why is the happy 'couple' on the left cut off.

Imagine a different image.
What if, instead of having the person, exactly as she is now, right in the center, that person is on one side and the happy person/couple is on the other. Then you are making a comparison, you are showing the difference, we can see and compare the happiness and the blankness and there is a mystery. Right now, you haven't created a mystery, by cropping the stuff that would create tension, you've completely dissipated it.

Street photography is totally not the ability to create a picture, it's seeing something and capturing that.

 

[DanOstergren30 5]

I'm going to disagree with the_traveler here. I like each of the moments captured here the way they are captured. You did see something, and as you explained this was an experiment to eliminate your hesitation in capturing a moment that you see. In my opinion street photography isn't defined by one thing or as if there is one right way and wrong way to do it. I like the fact that you captured these moments from the hip, and I think you did it well. The fact that you weren't looking through the viewfinder adds a beauty to these to me as well, as I am of the opinion that spontaneity is a beautiful art in itself. Anyone can say that I'm completely wrong in my opinion here, but whatever. I do see narrative in each of these photos, these photos ARE from your point of view, and you are sharing moments that others likely missed. I think they're unique and well done.

 

[The_Traveler]

I didn't say these weren't street shots; I said they weren't good street shots.

 

[sashbar]

No 4 stands out here in my opinion. It is a great shot. It tells a story. I love the fist - is she just holding her dress or is she going to hit me in the face?