How can street photographers sell their work, legally and ethically?

[blockend]

I enjoy street photography as a genre. What I don't care for is the macho associations that have accrued to it, and the derivative nature of so many of the images. At its best it reveals something about reality and art that only photography can do. More commonly SP is environmental portraiture, or an excuse to corner someone more physically vulnerable than the photographer with a camera.

 

[awty]

I've never met a street photographer who has managed to sell a print, so I guess it's not a problem to some.

 

[tezzasmall]

What about my style of 'street photography', where I take pictures of people from behind, often showing just part of them? Or just photography closeup of something / someone 'on the street'?

And what about Don McCullin's use of a very tightly cropped face of a homeless man, that is used on at least one of his book covers. Could that be considered intruding into the mans life?

Just a few thoughts.

Terry S

 

[BradS]

.... What I don't care for is the macho associations that have accrued to it [street photography] , and the derivative nature of so many of the images....

interesting. Please elaborate.
What macho associations have accrued ?
...and derivative nature? examples please and how is that objectionable?
I am sincerely interested.

 

[blockend]

interesting. Please elaborate.
What macho associations have accrued ?
...and derivative nature? examples please and how is that objectionable?
I am sincerely interested.

If you look at any Street oriented forum or group - you'll have to find them for yourself I'm not flagging them up - discussion is peppered with snark and four letter words. The majority of street photographers are male and under 50. Stylistically and technically, a few choices predominate. There are exceptions, of course.

 

[BradS]

If you look at any Street oriented forum or group - you'll have to find them for yourself I'm not flagging them up - discussion is peppered with snark and four letter words. The majority of street photographers are male and under 50. Stylistically and technically, a few choices predominate. There are exceptions, of course.

Hmmm, thanks. I guess I've never noticed.

 

[blockend]

I've never met a street photographer who has managed to sell a print, so I guess it's not a problem to some.

Street photography does not lend itself to the market place, generally speaking. Photos that are hard to take and difficult to look at, are not the kind of thing most people hang on their walls. Even big names in the genre sell books in the hundreds, for the most part. SP is a niche market, if you want to make money from photography don't go anywhere near it.

 

[Vaughn]

If you look at any Street oriented forum or group - you'll have to find them for yourself I'm not flagging them up - discussion is peppered with snark and four letter words. The majority of street photographers are male and under 50. Stylistically and technically, a few choices predominate. There are exceptions, of course.

I am sure that there are many types of SPs -- and forums will attract the more aggressive personalities and chase away the less so. It happens here, too, so one must be careful generalizing about practitioners of a genre based on forums.

But for sure, many men approach street photography as hunting expeditions...with about the same amount of feeling towards their kills as a big-game hunter. But many do not.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

What about my style of 'street photography', where I take pictures of people from behind, often showing just part of them? Or just photography closeup of something / someone 'on the street'?

And what about Don McCullin's use of a very tightly cropped face of a homeless man, that is used on at least one of his book covers. Could that be considered intruding into the mans life?

Just a few thoughts.

Terry S

without knowing the context of Don McCullin's photo (when and where it was taken, what if any relationship he had to the subject) it's impossible to judge.

As to shots of people from behind, well, they're not intrusive, certainly, but they're rarely interesting unless you happen to catch the subject doing something unusual, or the clothes they're wearing are particularly eye-catching.

 

[pbromaghin]

I agree with BradS, but if you don’t know how you feel on this topic, Donald, it’s well worth thinking it through before pursuing publication or sale.

An entertaining way to get smart on this is to search for “first amendment audits” on YouTube!

I've been watching audits for a year or so. They have certainly affected my own view of photographing in public, now being much more aware of both my rights and the boundaries not to cross.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I've never met a street photographer who has managed to sell a print, so I guess it's not a problem to some.

LOL. Just before C-19 happened I met my ex-company, ex-customer, who is full time photog now. He is selling huge prints with street photography he takes in Europe. We both have to cancel our trips to Europe now.
And just recently I watched streetphoto youtube channel where photog was selling his street series.
I also have signed book from Chicago street photog I was happy to meet in 2019. He has several exhibitions already.

This thread is so typically total amateur. LOL.

 

[awty]

LOL. Just before C-19 happened I met my ex-company, ex-customer, who is full time photog now. He is selling huge prints with street photography he takes in Europe. We both have to cancel our trips to Europe now.
And just recently I watched streetphoto youtube channel where photog was selling his street series.
I also have signed book from Chicago street photog I was happy to meet in 2019. He has several exhibitions already.

This thread is so typically total amateur. LOL.

As blockend mentioned it is a niche market and most of the buyers will be other street photographers who appreciate the style, chances of any subjects ever even coming across a picture of themselves is very unlikely and then they may not even be bothered. Costs a lot of money to sew someone, so you want to be sure its worth it.
I was taking a photo once and a guy walked into my shot and put up his hand and shouted don't shoot! Shot anyway as you would and he come up to me threatening to call the police if I didnt delete the photo, tried to explain that it was a film camera and I couldn't delete an individual picture, didn't understand, kept on arguing, so I looked at the back of my 1957 range finder, pretended to push some buttons, said its gone and he walked away.....all part of the excitement.
Happy to do street photography as an amateur, have a job don't need another, but am always surprised at how many seem to want to sell pictures or are waitingto be discovered. Think they should probably work on their marketing and worry less about getting sewed.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

As blockend mentioned it is a niche market and most of the buyers will be other street photographers who appreciate the style, chances of any subjects ever even coming across a picture of themselves is very unlikely and then they may not even be bothered. Costs a lot of money to sew someone, so you want to be sure its worth it.
I was taking a photo once and a guy walked into my shot and put up his hand and shouted don't shoot! Shot anyway as you would and he come up to me threatening to call the police if I didnt delete the photo, tried to explain that it was a film camera and I couldn't delete an individual picture, didn't understand, kept on arguing, so I looked at the back of my 1957 range finder, pretended to push some buttons, said its gone and he walked away.....all part of the excitement.
Happy to do street photography as an amateur, have a job don't need another, but am always surprised at how many seem to want to sell pictures or are waitingto be discovered. Think they should probably work on their marketing and worry less about getting sewed.

Just as niche as any photography.
My ex-client sell it via interior designer. YouTuber sells it on his tens of thousands subscribers channel.
More than many who called themselves as artist.

Personally, I do it for my own interest. It just lives inside me.
Mentally challenged people are acting as you described. Do what those less fortunate are asking. Or it could be those who are in this particular place and particular time then they supposed to be somewhere else. Cheating, sneaking out from work and such.
Or they could be refuges, witness relocation and so on. KGB and else. No problem really.
I wish I have started it early. Before USSR dispersed and before Russia became Eastasia of 1984. And before Europe became EUSSR. Even without politics involved it is so fascinating to look at street photos from 20, 30 and so on years ago. Even empty streets...
Better than mostly giftless dross which is for sale by so called artists. IMO.
If you do something you like and share, not for just profit, people will know you. I know it by myself. It takes years and decades.

 

[removed account4]

for all the street photographers out there, maybe one of the best I have ever had the privilege of seeing his work it is Colin Corneau, a contributor here on photrio.com/ apug.org. seasoned photojournalist, absolutely .. just beautiful work. always with intent, and kindness, empathy and a good heart.
yah there are some obnoxious, macho jerks who do it, they do just like anything, sharp elbow lots of "bro's" who subscribe and yap .. bad apples.. but the good apples, the good ones are really really good.

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

Costs a lot of money to sew someone, so you want to be sure its worth it.

Sir, don't even think about it.

@Donald Qualls: Some street photographers have innovative ways of selling their work. Eric Kim, for instance, sells a street photography starter kit that contains his own portfolio.

 

[blockend]

The marketing of photography is a whole other subject. Some people can sell trifles as great art, others pursue their own groove neither wanting nor receiving attention (Vivian Maier) Commercial success is a poor barometer of aesthetic brilliance or originality. For my tuppence worth, I prefer street photography with heart (Tony Ray-Jones, Bertien Van Manen, Trent Parke) to shots where humans are mere tools in the composition, or colour and light are compositional ends in themselves. Each to their own, however.

 

[guangong]

I've never met a street photographer who has managed to sell a print, so I guess it's not a problem to some.

My late dear friend Louie Stettner sold many pictures taken on the street. Even some of his most memorable portraits were taken as street photography. His talent and skill were the ability to assess subject, see composition and immediately raise camera to eye...all within a split second. I don’t remember him ever having a model release form with him. He also tried to show a subject’s dignity.

 

[Donald Qualls]

This thread is so typically total amateur. LOL.

If that bothers you, why are you bothering to reply?

Yes, I'm an amateur -- from "amatore", someone who does something for love, not for money. Even if I ever manage to make a living from photography (vanishingly unlikely, and more so every year as I get older and the time left for it shortens), I hope to still be an "amateur." Were you never an amateur yourself? Or were you somehow forced into photography by an accident of fate, to get the bills paid, and never actually enjoyed it?

Some street photographers have innovative ways of selling their work. Eric Kim, for instance, sells a street photography starter kit that contains his own portfolio.

Well, clearly that won't work unless your name and work are already fairly well known. "Should I buy this starter kit from Eric Kim?" "Who's Eric Kim?" isn't an exchange that will pry a lot of money out of people's wallets."

 

[blockend]

Eric Kim is a strange case. He caught an early internet wave and seemed to have a genuine interest in street photography, interviewing some very good photographers. Then his output descended into a mix of fortune cookie stoicism and rampant materialism. It was impossible to know which Eric you were getting from one month to the next. I haven't looked at his website for ages, but will check it out and see if he has moved on.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

If that bothers you, why are you bothering to reply?

Yes, I'm an amateur -- from "amatore", someone who does something for love, not for money. Even if I ever manage to make a living from photography (vanishingly unlikely, and more so every year as I get older and the time left for it shortens), I hope to still be an "amateur." Were you never an amateur yourself? Or were you somehow forced into photography by an accident of fate, to get the bills paid, and never actually enjoyed it?



Well, clearly that won't work unless your name and work are already fairly well known. "Should I buy this starter kit from Eric Kim?" "Who's Eric Kim?" isn't an exchange that will pry a lot of money out of people's wallets."

Amateur in terms of been totally clueless about street photography regulations. You are amateur in this regard by posting speculations and spreading fear in OP. I replied, because I knew more about street photography regulations than you. It just a matter been not so lazy and google about it before posting . This is difference between total amateur and been smart.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Amateur in terms of been totally clueless about street photography regulations. You are amateur in this regard by posting speculations and spreading fear in OP. I replied, because I knew more about street photography regulations than you. It just a matter been not so lazy and google about it before posting . This is difference between total amateur and been smart.

Please pardon me for asking questions. I'll be sure to ignore any answers from you in the future.

 

[BrianShaw]

Be careful to not bite off your nose to spite your face!

 

[MattKing]

I took Donald's query to be a reasonable question, based on an incorrect assumption.
While it would have been preferable to also ask about that assumption - "is my understanding correct that except for photojournalism one needs a model release to sell recognizable images of people photographed on the street"? - he didn't ask it that way.

 

[pbromaghin]

for all the street photographers out there, maybe one of the best I have ever had the privilege of seeing his work it is Colin Corneau, a contributor here on photrio.com/ apug.org. seasoned photojournalist, absolutely .. just beautiful work. always with intent, and kindness, empathy and a good heart.

Right. Street photography has never appealed to me, but Mr. Corneau's work is outstanding, a pleasure to look at.

 

[BobD]

Isn't this a photo of a homeless person?
https://tinyurl.com/yd7nymqy

Yes, I know. It was taken to draw attention to the plight of certain persons. A completely honorable purpose.

That'll be 500 Euros, please. Plus premium, taxes and shipping.