What is Street Photography?

[RobN185]

I struggle with this question, as my views are constantly changing.
Street photography; is it a candid shot of day-to-day life? does it have to tell an obvious story? Can a street shot be purely artistic or abstract? Is it the capture of an unrepeatable moment in time or is it OK to be contrived to form a visual pun? When does post processing prevent a shot being street?

And why are most street photos B&W, does this create a link to the old newspaper journalists, and in turn give them more credibility?

I tend to do all the above whilst doing it, but am I doing street photography?

Sorry if you read this looking for answers and just got a list of questions.

 

[Derrel]

Yes,no,yes. Yes,yes,never. Yes.

It's a BROAD genre...it defies easy, facile definitions. It's a lot like "Life" and "making a living". What do those two things entail?

Don't worry about trying to pigeonhole what kind of photos you shoot. Do not even bother trying to fit a definition onto the word "street". None of the definitions really matter. As I always say, "If it feels good, do it (unless doing "it" would get you arrested, or kicked out of your apartment complex!)"

 

[Rick50]

I agree with Derrel about the yes,no,yes part.

I myself see two parts to photography (so far). The 1st is a preplanned shot. A scene or building or whatever you want to photograph. Then you wait for the right lighting and time of day, etc and go out and get the shot. This photo you fully create (short of making the scene).

Street photography is much like tourist photography. Grab a camera and see something you like and go click. Never mind what someone else thinks. At first glance you might think anyone can do well at it but once you try it, study it, look at others photo's etc. you begin to see the demands it puts on you both technically and artistically. You have to know your stuff well enough to think on your feet. You do not create the photo so much as you grab it when it's there. Very fun stuff I'm learning with it.

 

[KenC]

To paraphrase what the others have said, what do you want it to be? That's the only thing that should concern you.

 

[amolitor]

There's actually a pretty clear definition of "street" out there. Russ covers it pretty well here:

On Street Photography

That said, people are using the phrase to mean practically anything, but mostly pictures of homeless people. I would say that the definition is on the move. Nobody much likes it when that happens, but what ya gonna do.

 

[The_Traveler]

There's actually a pretty clear definition of "street" out there. Russ covers it pretty well here:

On Street Photography

That said, people are using the phrase to mean practically anything, but mostly pictures of homeless people. I would say that the definition is on the move. Nobody much likes it when that happens, but what ya gonna do.

IMO, taking pictures of the homeless strictly to add some meaning to otherwise meaningless snaps is exploitation.

Rather than defining what a street shooter takes pictures of, this quote defines why the picture is being taken and what it should be about.



"Street shooting is maybe the hardest niche of all in photography. The photographer stalks his chosen environment where, essentially, nothing is happening - people are quietly going about their business - and yet has to select tiny moments when an image can be snatched which is more than the sum of its parts - where some fleeting coincidence of expression, gesture, positioning, and movement come together to create an instant which holds some undefinable meaning."

 

[RobN185]

There's actually a pretty clear definition of "street" out there. Russ covers it pretty well here:

On Street Photography

That said, people are using the phrase to mean practically anything, but mostly pictures of homeless people. I would say that the definition is on the move. Nobody much likes it when that happens, but what ya gonna do.

Thanks for the link, a good read, more or less what The_Traveler states...

"Street shooting is maybe the hardest niche of all in photography. The photographer stalks his chosen environment where, essentially, nothing is happening - people are quietly going about their business - and yet has to select tiny moments when an image can be snatched which is more than the sum of its parts - where some fleeting coincidence of expression, gesture, positioning, and movement come together to create an instant which holds some undefinable meaning."

And Yes I think the definition is changing (...progress or fascination?)

 

[Village Idiot]

Taking pictures of a street. It must only be a street and can't be an avenue, road, boulevard, lane, alley, causeway, hi-way, bi-way, tri-way, quadra-way, interstate, outerstate, beltway, spandexway, walkway, bunny rabbit with a waffle on it's head, pompous ass blogger, or any other thing that is not a street.

 

[gsgary]

Look at Garry Winnogrand, Joel Meyerowicz, HCB, Robert Frank, Elliot Erwitt, just to name a few, nearly forgot everyones favourite on here (well one of my favourites] Bruce Gilden

 

[The_Traveler]

Look at Garry Winnogrand, Joel Meyerowicz, HCB, Robert Frank, Elliot Erwitt, just to name a few, nearly forgot everyones favourite on here (well one of my favourites] Bruce Gilden

I'm a tiny bit hurt that my name wasn't included in that list. (that's a joke )

 

[RobN185]

Taking pictures of a street. It must only be a street and can't be an avenue, road, boulevard, lane, alley, causeway, hi-way, bi-way, tri-way, quadra-way, interstate, outerstate, beltway, spandexway, walkway, bunny rabbit with a waffle on it's head, pompous ass blogger, or any other thing that is not a street.

You are literally 100% correct ... Village Idiot.

 

[gw2424]

Look at Garry Winnogrand, Joel Meyerowicz, HCB, Robert Frank, Elliot Erwitt, just to name a few, nearly forgot everyones favourite on here (well one of my favourites] Bruce Gilden

Bruce Gilden is hilarious to watch, he is such a jerk. I love it!

My favorite is absolutely Steve McCurry (For street portraiture Ian Pettigrew). I really am not a fan of Afghan Girl (it had more meaning in the past) but I love the way that Steve incorporates color into his images (shooting in India helps). A couple of my favorites are "Man Beneath Stairs," "Running at Sunset," "Smoking Coal Miner," "Baby in a Bicycle Sling," "Train Platform at Old Delhi," "Mother and Child at Car Window," "Widow, Vrindavan," "Dust Storm," "Man with Damaged Eye," and "Fishermen at Weligama." Just to name...........10.

 

[gsgary]

Look at Garry Winnogrand, Joel Meyerowicz, HCB, Robert Frank, Elliot Erwitt, just to name a few, nearly forgot everyones favourite on here (well one of my favourites] Bruce Gilden

I'm a tiny bit hurt that my name wasn't included in that list. (that's a joke )

And don't forget LEW

 

[gsgary]

Look at Garry Winnogrand, Joel Meyerowicz, HCB, Robert Frank, Elliot Erwitt, just to name a few, nearly forgot everyones favourite on here (well one of my favourites] Bruce Gilden

Bruce Gilden is hilarious to watch, he is such a jerk. I love it!

My favorite is absolutely Steve McCurry (For street portraiture Ian Pettigrew). I really am not a fan of Afghan Girl (it had more meaning in the past) but I love the way that Steve incorporates color into his images (shooting in India helps). A couple of my favorites are "Man Beneath Stairs," "Running at Sunset," "Smoking Coal Miner," "Baby in a Bicycle Sling," "Train Platform at Old Delhi," "Mother and Child at Car Window," "Widow, Vrindavan," "Dust Storm," "Man with Damaged Eye," and "Fishermen at Weligama." Just to name...........10.

He is actually a nice bloke to talk to he was a bit shocked when i said he was in my top 20

 

[The_Traveler]

Look at Garry Winnogrand, Joel Meyerowicz, HCB, Robert Frank, Elliot Erwitt, just to name a few, nearly forgot everyones favourite on here (well one of my favourites] Bruce Gilden

I'm a tiny bit hurt that my name wasn't included in that list. (that's a joke )

And don't forget LEW

I have nothing to say; I just wanted to quote that sentence.