The Essence of Street Photography

[bvy]

This is true!!

Yeah my photo wouldn't hold the average viewer. But it means something to me because of all the fine details, and the moment and memory that it evokes.

Really, this is all that matters. My passing critique was holding up to the impossible standards of what qualifies as street photography in this day and age of rapidfire shooting and limitless storage. We're flooded with images by everyone proclaiming to be next Winogrand, and instantly dismissed by jaded self-proclaimed critics of the genre. I know a good street image when I see it, and it's usually taken by someone very bold, very persistent or very lucky. When I was really into it (I used a Ricoh digital compact) my keeper ratio was maybe 1 in 100.

 

[John Bragg]

It is a street by Mevagissey Harbour in Cornwall.

Lunchtime at Mevagissey. by E.J. Bragg, on Flickr

 

[cliveh]

On the strict definition of street photography, probably something like this:-

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Really, this is all that matters. My passing critique was holding up to the impossible standards of what qualifies as street photography in this day and age of rapidfire shooting and limitless storage. We're flooded with images by everyone proclaiming to be next Winogrand, and instantly dismissed by jaded self-proclaimed critics of the genre. I know a good street image when I see it, and it's usually taken by someone very bold, very persistent or very lucky. When I was really into it (I used a Ricoh digital compact) my keeper ratio was maybe 1 in 100.

I never feel comfortable and getting where with digital. Lately, I was trying M-E and then M8, it just didn't work for me for street. I'm getting some keepers even with 5$ P&S on film..

 

[bvy]

He looks gruff, but as I walked by and took this shot, I said "Looking sharp handsome"! (It was a Sunday AM) He replied back in a gruff weather voice..."Thanks young fella"!

That's pretty good.

 

[NB23]

I do not pretend to be nobody in the street photography world, and my knowledge of the ones before me is extremely low, and on purpose.
I don't give a dam about it. I do my thing, by my strict rules and to my own standard. And I print it all.

 

[Craig75]

On the strict definition of street photography, probably something like this:-

View attachment 181446

Thats a very nice shot. I think a crop after the birds would take it to next level as then you have a tight symbolic juxtaposition of hitler, woman in white, and birds in flight.

 

[removed account4]

On the strict definition of street photography, probably something like this:-

View attachment 181446

having seen other images defined as "street" photography it makes me wonder
if the genre can mean just about anything as long as someone is
wandering around the street and "finds" something. i mean i have seen
photographs down alleys, views with no people, graffiti and architectural photography
taken while on a walking safari. what, in words, is the "original" definition of "street photography " ?

 

[jeffreyg]

When the opportunity is there I take it. My version of "street/decisive moment" photography. I followed behind these four gentlemen until the composition was right. I only got one exposure since they split apart right after. It was not posed and was taken with medium format similar to the one I posted on the first page of this thread

. Santa Margherita , Italy

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

 

[cliveh]

Thats a very nice shot. I think a crop after the birds would take it to next level as then you have a tight symbolic juxtaposition of hitler, woman in white, and birds in flight.

Well my take on this shot is mainly about the dove making the A in IRA and the reason it isn’t cropped is to show the peripheral elements to enhance the moment in time. We don’t see moments as pre-conceived neatness, but life as it is. For me the crop you suggest would produce a neat arrangement and destroy the integrity of the image.

 

[slackercrurster]

I'm trying to be not so simple.

Yes, I like GW straight and close street photos, he has balls for it, it is true time snapshots taken nicely, but I also like his urban landscapes, they are surreal. I admire HCB because he is surrealist and it is often in his street photos. Surrealism in street photography to me then photo is not just with easy to get story. I'm person who likes to think. To me good story is not simple story.

I'm not anywhere near to GW and HCB. This is, probably closer of mine, where I'm trying to achieve to be not just simple:

Nice shots in this thread!