What's the point?

[pale_blue_is]

Your question ultimately is a philosophical question of aesthetics, which has a lot to it. It's also a loaded question.

What's the point of landscapes? Wildlife? Pictures of friends? Hell, even wedding photos? Preservation of a moment, and aesthetic visual beauty.

 

[frank]

What's the point of landscapes? Wildlife? Pictures of friends? Hell, even wedding photos? Preservation of a moment, and aesthetic visual beauty.

At least with street photography there is a social documentary aspect, compared to the other genres mentioned above.

 

[pale_blue_is]

At least with street photography there is a social documentary aspect, compared to the other genres mentioned above.

Sometimes, if the picture is really good or the photographer is doing a series, but there's only so much social documentary that can be done with just one picture. I will agree though that there is more of a possibility for a "visual narrative" with street photography.

 

[frank]

Sometimes, if the picture is really good or the photographer is doing a series, but there's only so much social documentary that can be done with just one picture. I will agree though that there is more of a possibility for a "visual narrative" with street photography.

Agreed. I was talking about the genre generally, not a single picture. Street photography pictures become more valuable with age, as historical records, and as people who lived through that time expire.

 

[Harry Stevens]

A recent 4 part documentary series on BBC 2 about London and other UK slums and the lives of the poor ended with the reasons things where finally improved and on that list was amateur photography and their self funded street photography who's work allowed those in high society to see how appalling the lives and living conditions of the poor where.They showed some amazing photographs from 1909.

More bloody point then a mountain range me thinks.

 

[removed account4]

street photography can be broken up into a handful of different things.
what kind of "street photography" are people talking about ?

grab shots?
streetscape views?
people in their environment/social documentary images?
contextual photography?

it seems some are talking about one kind and others are talking about other kinds...

 

[frank]

street photography can be broken up into a handful of different things.
what kind of "street photography" are people talking about ?

grab shots?
streetscape views?
people in their environment/social documentary images?
contextual photography?

it seems some are talking about one kind and others are talking about other kinds...

John, putting labels on things is so limiting.

 

[removed account4]

it sure is !

 

[Colin Corneau]

What's the point of street photography? I mean, most of the street shots I see are of some gnarly old Asian dude missing a couple teeth, or a guy in an apron standing behind a counter full of smelly fish. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing many of these images but I don't know what it is that draws me to them. Why do we like this genre and what is it about this genre that makes it a credible art form?

Really? That's all you ever see?

I think that's a failure on the part of the viewer, then, not the genre.

There's all kinds of images around. Not hard to find, and I don't consider myself an auteur or detective...

 

[fiddle]

Its something to do while I go for a walk. Thats what Im sticking with..

 

[peteconsidine]

At least with street photography there is a social documentary aspect, compared to the other genres mentioned above.

I don't think "social documentary" is quite the right term. That says to me that there's a "point" to the photo. However, to me there is definitely a documentary component of good street photography. My wife is a historian and has introduced me to the term "history of the present." It's a different thing than anthropology or sociology, though I'm not quite sure how. It seems to me to be more relevant, though, to what good street photography is about.

It's interesting, though. Contemporary street photography seems to have gone far from the "decisive moment" school down one of two directions. There are the wide angle, many figures competing for attention, kind of like this: https://www.flickr.com/photos/38791739@N02/5762270159/

Then there are the clever juxtaposition, "aren't I witty for seeing this?" kind of photos like the cover of Street Photography Now.

Of course, there are still lots of photographers shooting in the classic HCB, Doisneau style, and those are the ones I'm partial to. For example, this one is fantastic documentary: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ximenaechague/30115195533/

 

[Daniela]

For me it's about documenting the moment, just like with any other photographs, but it's more difficult. It's about exercising being out of my comfort zone, since it forces me to do things faster. If you see something, you have a split second to take the picture or you lost it. While I don't shoot street photography very often, when I do it, it's about the "chase". And when I capture something exactly as I wanted to, the satisfaction has no comparison I guess street photography feels different to me because it's both about the process and the end product. It requires more energy and a lot more work to get one good image.

 

[Maris]

Maybe street photography is specimen collection. It's like than catching, killing, and pinning butterflies in a display box to demonstrate one's hunting skills. But instead of a net one uses a camera and the results of a successful hunt are displayed as photographs.
Forgive me, I'm a retired entomologist.

 

[benjiboy]

When people ask questions like this , I ask myself what's the point of living.

 

[Wayne]

When people ask questions like this , I ask myself what's the point of living.

Why, street photography!

 

[NB23]

No point.
It's just a reason to use a camera which, if not for street photography, would never get used at all.

Oh, although I like Asia, I deeply dislike all street photography of, or coming out of, Asia. Just pointless.

 

[Ron789]

There is good, awesome, brilliant street photography but there is also bad, boring street photography. Just like there is good, awesome, brilliant but also bad, boring landscape, architecture, portrait, nude, still life and whatever photography. It's not the subject that makes a photo good or bad, it's the photographer. And of course, on the side of the audience, there is taste..... some people like opera, others symphonies, others rock&roll, others country&western. Let's appreciate this!

 

[NB23]

There is good, awesome, brilliant street photography but there is also bad, boring street photography. Just like there is good, awesome, brilliant but also bad, boring landscape, architecture, portrait, nude, still life and whatever photography. It's not the subject that makes a photo good or bad, it's the photographer. And of course, on the side of the audience, there is taste..... some people like opera, others symphonies, others rock&roll, others country&western. Let's appreciate this!

Well, there is also the obvious: there are better subjects than others

 

[Ron789]

Good photographers can make great photo's of any kind of subject. Unfortunately, too many photographers think that they can make a good photo by just registering an interesting subject.... boring!

 

[Colin Corneau]

No point.
It's just a reason to use a camera which, if not for street photography, would never get used at all.

Oh, although I like Asia, I deeply dislike all street photography of, or coming out of, Asia. Just pointless.

All, heh? Every last example. Deeply.

MM-kay, then...

 

[Ron789]

Took a look at your website, Colin. Great work! I love it. Really good street photography, including the work you made in Asia.

 

[Colin Corneau]

Took a look at your website, Colin. Great work! I love it. Really good street photography, including the work you made in Asia.

You're too kind, Ron, thanks very much for the compliment.

 

[mynewcolour]

Here is a film for Vogue showing Daniel Arnold shooting in the NY streets. Shot on 16mm, it's a great promotion for Kodak.

Dead Link Removed

 

[mynewcolour]

... what is it about this genre that makes it a credible art form?

If you want to do it, do it, if you want to see it see it.

Don't waste a thought on credibility.

 

[ReyesV]

i think these information will change your idea of street photography https://www.slickpic.com/blog/street-photography-essentials-capturing-history/
have fun