If you don't shoot street photography why not?

[The_Traveler]

The simplest and shortest and most accurate definition of Street Photography is that the subject of the photograph is the relationship between people and their environment. And when the significance of that definition becomes clear, then any given person's style will be easier to encompass and more productive in practice.

I imagine you realize that when you say something is 'the simplest and shortest and most accurate definition of' anything, that is only your opinion.

Without disagreeing with you but only as explanation, my feeling is that defining a subject as amorphous as street photography is never satisfactory.
In order to fit everything in, the definition becomes a statement that exists on so many levels of abstraction from the actual execution that it doesn't add anything to any discussion.
A definition of street photography is to the real thing like a textbook definition of sex is to making love.

Whether my beliefs are my 'style' or 'my definition', I give them only to explain what I value, how I take pictures and how I see others' work.

I'm not trying to define or sell or convince, at least not now on this thread; I only started it to get some ideas about how others react to the thought of doing street photography in preparation for a presentation I have to give this coming week.
I got to those firmly held beliefs by an unknowable path that is probably different from anyone else's just because no two people share exactly the same set of experiences and other developed ideas.
If you (the generic 'you') believes that sitting down with your subject and getting to know them is the right way or jumping up in their face with a short focus lens and a flash is the thing to do, I can only react to that from what I see and what I get out of it with a perspective viewed from my own position.

 

[MGRPhoto]

I voted for not experienced enough. I've been shooting for about 10 years now and I consider myself a very good technical photographer. As in... I'm good at getting a great image but not a great photograph... if that makes sense. I lack in the artsy part of the brain so framing an interesting composition is difficult for me to visualize. In wildlife and sports I feel I have a pretty wide "margin of error" that I can deal with in terms of composition. The subject is typically an animal or something specific happening in an event and I can focus on that. Even if I just center the focus point and hit what I'm aiming it will still be an interesting shot due to the subject alone as long as the technical aspects are spot on. In street photography it's all about creative composition and less about getting it technically correct. Not only is it all about creative composition but it's about creative composition on the fly and being able to capture a specific moment that will never happen again. I admire those who are good at street photography and I want to do more of it since it focuses on my biggest weakness.

Does anyone watch DigitalRev on YouTube? I'm not sure what you guys think of them but the main host is Kai, who I think is a fantastic street photographer.

For a personal project I wish I could shoot street every day. For my own personal projects and pleasure. The people that you encounter could be so entertaining to chat with. However, Pittsburgh is about a 30 min-40min drive from me. I live a little bit outside of Pittsburgh making the drive not worthwhile.

I live in Green Tree so I'm about 2 minutes from the city and I still don't make it down there as often as I'd like. I worked right downtown on 7th for about 5 years and just felt awkward trying to take pictures on my lunch break. Especially with so many co-workers out and about as well....

 

[JustJazzie]

Why was there not an option for
"If I pay attention to my camera out and about , my children will probably run away without me noticing"

 

[The_Traveler]

Why was there not an option for
"If I pay attention to my camera out and about , my children will probably run away without me noticing"

Just an added little bonus for concentrating on photography.

 

[Stevepwns]

I take my camera with me when I am walking about town. Ive tried it a few times, didnt really trip my trigger. I enjoy shooting buildings and things of that nature, protests when they take place but I personally I find it rude to just take pictures of people without consent. Mainly because I dont want people taking random pictures of me. Just my opinion. I do however enjoy looking at the street photos others take.

 

[apaflo]

The simplest and shortest and most accurate definition of Street Photography is that the subject of the photograph is the relationship between people and their environment. And when the significance of that definition becomes clear, then any given person's style will be easier to encompass and more productive in practice.

I imagine you realize that when you say something is 'the simplest and shortest and most accurate definition of' anything, that is only your opinion.

No it is not only my opinion. I quoted it, with a cite, from the web page of the London Festival of Photography. And I also indicated how their definition is in agreement with what is said by Colin Westerbeck and Joel Meyerowitz in "Bystander: A History of Street Photography". Those authoritative sources are the premises on which I then based my opinion...

What was "only" my opinion was the effect of using an appropriate definition as opposed to an inappropriate definition. It is very misleading to define something incorrectly, and that is clearly what happens when people define Street Photography in a way that says the very founders of the genre did it wrong. As noted, Cartier-Bresson, Meyerowitz, WeeGee, Klein, Gilden, and Winogrand all did exactly the things that some definitions exclude! Clearly their work defined what Street Photography is, and a definition today that specifically excludes what they did cannot be correct. That is my opinion. You are free to disagree, but I'd like to see the logic that shows otherwise.

 

[The_Traveler]

Sorry, you said this at the very end of your post, after what seemed like a lot of your own words and without any quotes, so it wasn't clear that it was a quote.

To be honest, arguing about what street photography is or isn't doesn't seem very useful or interesting to me.
I shoot the way I want, like or don't like what I want and my opinions are unswayed by anyone else's.
I try to be really clear that everything I say is my own opinion and how I feel is not derived from any logical progression from any authorities but from my own preferences.

 

[manaheim]

Manaheim's corollary: Any time a thread slips into "definitions", or "what people believe", it will turn into a slug fest.

Please everyone... prove me wrong.

 

[apaflo]

I take my camera with me when I am walking about town. Ive tried it a few times, didnt really trip my trigger. I enjoy shooting buildings and things of that nature, protests when they take place but I personally I find it rude to just take pictures of people without consent. Mainly because I dont want people taking random pictures of me. Just my opinion. I do however enjoy looking at the street photos others take.

That is a very reasonable view of a certain style of Street Photography. Go to YouTube.com and watch videos of Joel Meyerowitz or Garry Winogrand (never mind Bruce Gilden), and unless you are seriously extroverted the whole idea of duplicating their style is unnerving! Meyerowitz used to simply glow with energy when he could interact with other people and photograph the effect.

But not all Street is done that way. Look at Dorothea Lange, or Andre Kertesz, Diane Arbus, or Walker Evens. Their work was done with a great deal more sensitivity to the privacy and the person of their subjects. They tried (not always successfully) to protect the feelings of people. And there is Cartier-Bresson, who sort of lands in between.

In almost any discussion of and by Street Photographers there eventually is a dichotomy, often with significant controversy, over getting very close with a wide angle lens and being a cause of what is photographed, and the opposite methodology of using a long lens and thus invading the privacy of those who are photographed.

 

[The_Traveler]

There is a middle ground between startling people and talking them into posing.

If you look at my pictures, I try not to either intrude and cajole.
If one's technique is unobtrusive, most of the time the picture can be taken without disturbing or alering the subject(s).

 

[Josh66]

Not interested in shooting it, but enjoy viewing it.

Same for me.

It seems weird - but I do like SEEING street photography, it just doesn't really seem like something I'd want to DO. Maybe if I lived somewhere with more interesting street life.

 

[The_Traveler]

Maybe if I lived somewhere with more interesting street life.

or any.

 

[Josh66]

Maybe if I lived somewhere with more interesting street life.

or any.

Well, there is a "downtown" area, if you can call it that - a few cafes, bistros, and shopping - but it's a pretty small town compared to what I'm used to. Not much activity down there, lol.

The tallest building here is the hospital - 4 or 5 floors, I think.

 

[minicoop1985]

I tried some with my Blad 1600 this past week. Film's out for development since I don't do my own yet, so we'll see what came out of it. I voted that I've tried it with no results, but let's hope that changes.

 

[apaflo]

Maybe if I lived somewhere with more interesting street life.

or any.

Well, there is a "downtown" area, if you can call it that - a few cafes, bistros, and shopping - but it's a pretty small town compared to what I'm used to. Not much activity down there, lol.

The tallest building here is the hospital - 4 or 5 floors, I think.

But since the subject matter for Street Photography is not "street life", nor is it tall buidings and does not require a "down town" much less a large one, what's the point of all that?

If there is "not much activity", then that is what determines the relationship between people and their surroundings, and the advantage you have is a less often seen and therefore more interesting view of what Street Photography is all about!