whether you do street, or you just like to look at street photography, how do you define it? what does it mean to you?
from looking at the many wonderful street photos on this site, it occurs to me that different photographers have very different takes on the concept... i thought it might be interesting to share them here... and maybe generate some more interest in the genre :)
Basically, I'd say "street photography" to me is taking pictures on the street, whether it's people, buildings, art, vehicles, etc. The street is where I see/meet "other" people (ie not family, friends or colleagues) so that interests me. Bit busy right now so may come back to this later.
To me street photography means sweaty palms & nervous knots in my stomach! I am trying to do better and I love the challenge of it. I love to look at other people's street shots and admire their talent. When a photo really tugs at my heart or makes me say wow or just makes me wonder more about the subject/subjects, that's when I am truly amazed!!
to me, street photography is really anything that isn't nature or portrait photography. If you live in a small town and you go downtown... its buildings and streets... there may not be any people, but if you photograph what you encounter while there, that is street photography. My "Back in Time" I posted the other day falls under street photography as far as I'm concerned. Because that movie house is on a street in a downtown of a small town. It would have been great to capture someone going in or out or walking by, but everyone was at the festival or one of the concerts going on at the time (except me, who felt the need to explore the little town). I think most people seem to define it as gritty b&w photos of interesting strangers that generally aren't aware of their photo being taken and the photos tend to be slightly out of focus, based on what I see on Flickr anyway with the tag "street photography"
Street photography to me - for some reason - refers to the life inside a street. I don't know why I don't think of it as buildings, I might call that architectural or city photography. Street photography conjures up performers, office workers with their umbrellas blown inside out, school visit groups with hi vis vests and workmen. The life of the city.
@tryeveryday Ha! Me too! I'm still a big ol' weenie when it comes to actually taking street photographs, even though I love the genre. Although technically I'd say anything taken out on the street counts, I tend to agree with Dave @chewyteeth that ideally they are "stories" about the people and the life of the city, usually quick candids taken in the moment rather than composed formal shots.
My understanding is street photography always includes people. It's generally people outside in public places. The pictures can be candid shots or not. It all depends on the perspective like maybe you want to take a picture of a shopkeeper standing in front of their shop. That would most likely be a posed shot but still considered a street shot.
To me, street photography must include people. Otherwise, it's scenery/landscape. My take on it is people in their natural environment. If they don't know I'm there, even better. Everyday people going about their lives.
"Street photography is a type of documentary photography that features subjects in candid situations within public places such as streets, parks, beaches, malls, political conventions and other settings."
That matches my view of the genre. For me, Street Photography must include candid shots of people.
All of the above and regardless if a mobile phone was used to take the shot, seeing as there has been various disagreements with use of phones determining whether it is street photography or not. A photo is photo at the end of the day.
i have to say that i really like the varying takes on the genre... even tho' i tend to focus on trying to balance people and context, i really appreciate the other approaches a lot!
i like the slice of life aspect of street photography, and while i generally think there should be people in them, i dont think that's always necessary... but i do think there's a difference between "street" and "architecture" altho' i'm not sure i could articulate it...
i don't have anything against street photos taken with cell phone cameras (and really, there are some p&s cameras that are almost the same size!) or telephoto lenses, but they are not really within my comfort zone for photography... i generally suck at composing a shot using those little screens and i tend to feel more like a voyeur than i am comfortable with when using a telephoto...
generally i find that people don't really notice me with the camera, or just don't care...
@northy I wish I could not be noticed with my camera. But at 6'7" & 260 lbs, I tend to stand out a bit. I hide behind my zoom lens. But I always make it obvious to people that aren't in my shot that I am a photographer, and not a stalker. I preview images, play with settings, etc. I'm not just on 'n gone, as it were.
I would like to see some examples of people-free street photos. Not challenging your claim, just curious to learn. :-)
Also, most of my street photos feature homeless people. My girlfriend asked why I take so many photos of people down on their luck. I responded "They keep getting in front of my lens". ;-)
I typically think of street photography as stolen moments of every day life...for me it isn't "street photography" if it doesn't have people. While taking a photo of a stranger while they pose can still be street, I like my street down and dirty and a little sneaky. (which is why I am a street photography voyeur for now and have only gotten a few random shots of my own)
@jsw0109 Laughing at the slightly out of focus comment! :D I think that is because they rush the shot to get away before they are seen? I much prefer a shot to be in focus
@jsw0109 have to say, i prefer my street photos to be well-composed and in focus... otherwise it just feels like who can get the best "gotcha" moment and not, well, art :p
@hopess13 yes - "stolen moments" is a nice description...
@pschtyckque - ok - just checked thru my favs and thru some of the postings for the challenges and can't find the two that i am thinking about that i recall seeing on 365... i agree it's iffy... in my mind, the main thing is that there needs to be a story and preferably life, and the architecture alone prolly won't convey it...
@hopess13 although some people break rules just for the sake of breaking them and know how to not break the rule.... pointless rule breakers are hard to connect to imho.
@jsw0109 I assume hipstamatic users just Think they are hipsters. :)
Actually I have no idea, I just read a funny blog post about the fall of photography because hipsters are all taking street shots with old cameras and think they are artists.
I think a blurry shot when it fits the situation is great, but breaking the rules Just to be Artsy gets tired, real quick
That being said, I am sure it is art in someone's mind...I guess that is the joy of art
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"Street photography is a type of documentary photography that features subjects in candid situations within public places such as streets, parks, beaches, malls, political conventions and other settings."
That matches my view of the genre. For me, Street Photography must include candid shots of people.
i have to say that i really like the varying takes on the genre... even tho' i tend to focus on trying to balance people and context, i really appreciate the other approaches a lot!
i like the slice of life aspect of street photography, and while i generally think there should be people in them, i dont think that's always necessary... but i do think there's a difference between "street" and "architecture" altho' i'm not sure i could articulate it...
i don't have anything against street photos taken with cell phone cameras (and really, there are some p&s cameras that are almost the same size!) or telephoto lenses, but they are not really within my comfort zone for photography... i generally suck at composing a shot using those little screens and i tend to feel more like a voyeur than i am comfortable with when using a telephoto...
generally i find that people don't really notice me with the camera, or just don't care...
:)
I would like to see some examples of people-free street photos. Not challenging your claim, just curious to learn. :-)
@hopess13 yes - "stolen moments" is a nice description...
@pschtyckque - ok - just checked thru my favs and thru some of the postings for the challenges and can't find the two that i am thinking about that i recall seeing on 365... i agree it's iffy... in my mind, the main thing is that there needs to be a story and preferably life, and the architecture alone prolly won't convey it...
Actually I have no idea, I just read a funny blog post about the fall of photography because hipsters are all taking street shots with old cameras and think they are artists.
I think a blurry shot when it fits the situation is great, but breaking the rules Just to be Artsy gets tired, real quick
That being said, I am sure it is art in someone's mind...I guess that is the joy of art