Uninhibited street photographer

[skibeerr]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dipTqJfiE4&feature=related

In this tutorial Joel Meyerowitzexplains his view on street photography.

The way he moves around on the street making his shots seems so agressive and altough he tells us he makes himself invissible he jumps into peoples faces. Makes me wonder if nobody disagrees.

Is this the way to do it?

Regards,
Wim

[Joao]

Hi
Too intrusive IMO, and definitely not invisible
I wonder how would he react if someone was photographing him the same way he does to others, while he was taking other people's photos...
Cheers
Joao

[Pitxu]

Too intrusive and definitely not invisible
Joao

I agree. You could only get away with this in NYC.
He's not doing a lot wrong, but all that jumping around is too crazy.

[sircarl]

Well, since Meyerowitz is regarded as a fine street photographer, maybe this isn't "too crazy." I don't think he's being aggressive at all. He doesn't shove the camera in people's faces, has a big smile, makes friendly remarks. I really liked this clip. But then, I'm originally from New York. ;)

[Pherdinand]

i wonder how much is the show for the camera (i mean the video camera recording him).

[nikonhswebmaster]

He seems pretty casual to me. The "invisible" photographer in NYC is going to get his head knocked off as a pervert. This kind of engagement just seems the way humans should react to one another, not unlike we would if we knew each other.

The reason such huge amounts of New Yorkers get along together on the street is because we don't treat each other in that kind of hostile, invisible way, that you feel in much of the rest of the US, but we admit we are all here, and interact.

You can walk down a street in NYC and no one bumps into you (unlike many big cities) because people "recognize" you.

[lubitel]

nothing against Joel Meyerowitz, but this video of his is really strange. wearing all black, and jumping around like ninja makes you more suspicious than invisible.

the video of gary winogrand is the one to watch,
his friendly and relaxed attitude, his moves, the way he jokes when someone asks "hey, what are you doing?" its inspiring
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl4f-QFCUek

p.s. I think new york is such a busy, active city with lots of artists and photographers, that you can get away with this "joel"-style, people are may be used to it, as in many other big cities in the world like Berlin or whatever. but when you are in a different setting: small town, village or just a smaller city, you will completely stand out.

[Avotius]

You can walk down a street in NYC and no one bumps into you (unlike many big cities) because people "recognize" you.


here here, in China you can stand next to a wall no more then 6-7 inches away from it and I guarantee you someone will try to walk between you and the wall even if there is 3 meters of empty sidewalk on the other side.

I am not exaggerating either, I actually mean this, my father was shocked how people actually do this here and comments about it all the time.


That said I also dont think there is anything weird about what this guy is doing, when I was photographing china town in Vancouver Canada my father thought I was nuts, I was literally bending around people and with camera very close and no one ever gave me the odd comment or look. Its all about just being aware of everything around you when you shoot, then you can easily go here and there and take good photos and if anyone says anything just let them, interact with them, you are part of the street environment even if you try to cloak yourself out there. Maybe you dont always have to take it to such a extreme but just find what works for you, there is no right way to be a street photographer, and no need to work within the limits someone else has come up with.

[Todd.Hanz]

Seen it, but this one is better: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuXcm35m50Y

Todd

[skibeerr]

Seen it, but this one is better: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuXcm35m50Y

Todd

You are right, I can relate to this man. Also here there is a feeling of respect towards his subject.

[skibeerr]

Winogrand, Meyerowitz and Mermelstein.

Regardles of my likes or dislikes I am flabergasted by the technical skil of all three of them. They are one with their machine.

Three times Leica, a coincidence? :rolleyes:

[williams473]

I imagine he was playing to the (video) camera a little bit. An essential part of most artists I know is a little bit (if not a lot) of narcissism.

That said, getting in front of people is all part of it, especially if you are making images in which the subject confronts the viewer. There's no real right way or wrong way - but depending on how much you want to stand out, there are measures you can take. It's true, in NYC there's so much stuff going on down in the streets that you could pretty much do anything and not seem out of place. But NYC is done to death - I am utra-tired of NYC street photography, and Paris for that matter, but that's beside the point.

I think an often overlooked component of street photography that falls victim to getting in people's faces is composition. My mentor showed me how to find a spot on the street, settle in to it and wait for a while to see what unfolds. To make an analogy to theater, you're looking for a "set" that is well composed and lit, in which the subjects are the players. Sometimes you just walk into it and it's just right there and you barely have time to grab it - other times you have to really struggle, keep the camera to your eye, and wait. I will concede that there is also value in spontaneous shots in which composition is subjegated to the "moment," but the composition must still work after the fact, even if it is accidental.

[nikonhswebmaster]

nothing against Joel Meyerowitz, but this video of his is really strange. wearing all black, and jumping around like ninja makes you more suspicious than invisible.

the video of gary winogrand is the one to watch,
his friendly and relaxed attitude, his moves, the way he jokes when someone asks "hey, what are you doing?" its inspiring
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl4f-QFCUek

p.s. I think new york is such a busy, active city with lots of artists and photographers, that you can get away with this "joel"-style, people are may be used to it, as in many other big cities in the world like Berlin or whatever. but when you are in a different setting: small town, village or just a smaller city, you will completely stand out.

I am not sure where this idea of the invisible photographer comes from, as being desirable.

The other day while riding my bike (I meditate a lot while putting on miles in the park) I was thinking how I really love HCB's composition, but how really lazy his work is. I use lazy in the sense of not bringing any personal energy to the photograph, being passive. I was looking at a most of my photo books recently and was surprised to find that while I loved HBC when I was young, I now find him irrelevant.

A lot of street photographers are really lazy, and in the end, just have a body of unrelated, and rather boring work, content wise.

I personally like the work of photographers like Diane Arbus, or Eugene Smith, because they are not invisible, and certainly not passive.

[kbg32]

This has been posted here before. I find it hilarious that he is demonstrating street photography on 57th and 5th, one of the safest areas in NYC to do this. While early in his career, Meyerowitz was noted as a color street photographer. He became much more well known for his work with large format in his books, "Cape Light" and "Red Heads", much more visually and commercially accessible work.

[Lord Fluff]

Rather O/T, but if you were just thinking about stuff, you weren't meditating...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation

Winogrand seems like a nice guy - though his approach seems very 'spray and pray' - check out the filing cabinet stuffed with undeveloped film....

[nikonhswebmaster]

Rather O/T, but if you were just thinking about stuff, you weren't meditating...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation

Winogrand seems like a nice guy - though his approach seems very 'spray and pray' - check out the filing cabinet stuffed with undeveloped film....


You are being way too new age, even the link contains the true meaning:

"The word meditation comes from the Latin meditatio, which originally indicated every type of physical or intellectual exercise, then later evolved into the more specific meaning "contemplation."

contemplation, thought, thinking, musing, pondering, consideration, reflection, deliberation, rumination, brooding, reverie, brown study, concentration; prayer; formal cogitation.

The concept of meditation as "turning attention to a single point of reference" is a hijacking of the word, one I do not ascribe to.

[Nh3]

That's the only way to do street. sneaking around and being passive is not going to cut it.

pictures are out there in the street and you have to have the energy, technical skills, and courage to' take them'... true street photography is very hard and it can easily burn you out (check my thread bellow, when i was talking of street photography, this is what i meant).

[BillP]

Interesting.

I read the comments above before watching the clip, and I expected to be irritated by it. About halfway through, I restarted it and walked away - I only listened to the words. What he says makes far more sense than the way he behaves. I agree with many other posters - you may be able to get away with that in New York, or many another big city, but try that anywhere smaller or more parochial and you will find that a smack in the mouth often offends.

Regards,

Bill

[pesphoto]

That's the only way to do street. sneaking around and being passive is not going to cut it.
.

Not necessarily true. All depends on what you are trying to capture.

[RSphoto]

too intrusive i think.
no wonder people acts like they dont recognize him, because of a huge video camera.

sorry for bad english lang. :(

[Lord Fluff]

You are being way too new age, even the link contains the true meaning:

"The word meditation comes from the Latin meditatio, which originally indicated every type of physical or intellectual exercise, then later evolved into the more specific meaning "contemplation."

contemplation, thought, thinking, musing, pondering, consideration, reflection, deliberation, rumination, brooding, reverie, brown study, concentration; prayer; formal cogitation.

The concept of meditation as "turning attention to a single point of reference" is a hijacking of the word, one I do not ascribe to.

Hmmm, not new age actually - Buddhist meditation has been around for over 2,500 years (since Buddha himself meditated). If you want to use the word to mean 'having a little think', it's up to you of course - forgive me for in turn thinking you are hijacking the word yourself.

[jonmanjiro]

here here, in China you can stand next to a wall no more then 6-7 inches away from it and I guarantee you someone will try to walk between you and the wall even if there is 3 meters of empty sidewalk on the other side.

I am not exaggerating either, I actually mean this, my father was shocked how people actually do this here and comments about it all the time.


hehe my Chinese girlfriend complains about Tokyo all the time, because in Tokyo an old lady would probably cut off the guy trying to walk through the 6-7 inch gap before he can. The concept of personal space just does not seem to exist ...

[jbf]

I have to play devils advocate today it seems...


I have a feeling most of you have never tried shooting like Mermelstein(sp?) or winogrand before.

If so you'll find that its far less intrusive than you imagine from those videos.

I've shot like that in small towns such as Savannah, GA and even in my current residence in the small town of Lacoste, France which only has a few hundred residents. I have yet to have a single person be upset or angry or feel intruded upon. It's all about how you carry yourself, your personal feelings and expressions to others as well. I always have a huge smil eon my frace and say Merci, thank you, nodding, etc.

I have come to be friends with quite a few of the people i've shot as well. They see me regularly and will often ask me how my photographs are coming along, etc.


The thing is most people feel too afraid to try this style of shooting. And when they do actually try it, they are their own undoing. If you feel uneasy when you are shooting or feel as if you are doing something wrong, it will show and people will pick up on it. If you dont have the confidence to take the photograph then people will know and their sixth sense will bite into it.

Be confident, friendly and happy.


Personally, regardless of the shooting style. My mantra has always been, if someone is going to get mad, they are just going to anyway. There is no way to stop that.


If i think it is 'the shot' I am going to take it regardless of if the person will get mad or not. There comes a time when it doesnt matter if that person gets mad or not. Will you ever see them again? Chances are it will not matter. Even so, in my experience most who do get upset would have been upset no matter how you photographed them.

Granted, keep in mind there are obviously exceptions to this. If it's an extremely sensitive natre (the photograph or 'moment') and it could do greater harm than good, obviously caution and care should be taken.

[yanidel]

Any idea on what focal length he is using ? 28, 35?

[jbf]

Winogrand used a 28mm lens for the most part.

[nightfly]

That Mermelstein video was really good.

Thanks for posting. I hadn't seen it before and I really enjoy his work.