let us talk street...

The photos that I most strongly connect with "street" are ones that one can relate to as part of the "human condition" - most often that's an emotional connection of some sort where you can relate to the emotion of what's happening in the picture; or you can relate to the situation and empathise. Or relate to the subject in some other meaningful (to you, the viewer) way. Humour also plays a significant role to me - think of many of Erwitt's photos. YMMV, of course.
 
B-9 said:
Whats wrong with using a Canon EOS-3 in the streets?

Possibly one of the best cameras of my time...short of a Nikon F6

Must I shoot a rangefinder camera to take photos on the street?
Is a rangefinder some sort of special decoder ring for street scenes?

I started with a Kiev80 and Jupiter lens.
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:rolleyes:

And I sold EOS-3 after few months, my FED-2 is about the same for the street.
 
Harry S. said:
10 years later, and this is still the gold standard for street photography:

https://www.flickr.com/groups/onthestreet/pool/

I find in almost all discussions about SP, the sample images are all very far from whats happening in HCSP. Many aim for the perceived look of the 'street' image before the content which is where they lack some of that intrinsic power of a good street photo.

When I started with photography in 2007, I used a Canon EOS-3, TriX and 50mm lens...and was heavily influenced by HCSP...I wanted nothing more than to have a photo accepted there. I never quite made it, and even though I had some nice gritty tones and noir-ish stuff going on, the images were pretty lifeless.

I no longer aim to take street photos. I get extremely inspired browsing the HCSP pool, but that fades the moment I get out there and realise a really exceptional street photo is almost impossible and the odds are stacked against me finding one.
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Sorry Harry but the gold standard is Bresson, Frank, Davidson, Meyerowitz, Winogrand, Erwitt. How many flicker guys will be in the conversation in 5 years let alone 25?

Watch Boogies segment
http://everybodystreet.com/
 
None of these men had any influence on me ^

You could not find their work at goodwill or even the local library.

I was much more of an adventure type, reading the tales of Erwin Bauer.

His book "Hunting with a camera" is possibly my most valued possesion in print.
If youve never experienced this publication, its worth the 1$.
 
airfrogusmc said:
I'm sorry....

Most of the ones I mentioned should be at the library.
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Not even as a reference.
Ive checked, multiple times.
I live a block away from our City library.

Of course the web allows you to read anything via a computer, so whats the point.

Edit: I did buy my copy of Bauers book at this same library 13 years ago. Maybe some of these other artists made the booksale table also, never to be seen again, except possibly the thrift shop.
 
kbg32 said:
The gold standard for whom? I wouldn't worry so much. Photograph what YOU know.
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I don't understand why so many people have commented on his post slagging his interests. Just because you like someone's work and want to live up to their working standards doesn't mean your creativity is indentured to them. Role models, competition, and contemporaries are tools not crutches.

I'm tired of reading on everything - blogs, forums, etc., all this HCB praise. He was great, sure, but there have been a lot of great photogs and the world is full of incredible photographers right now that are furthering the medium but are largely ignored. And if you are curmudgeonly enough to hate all contemporary photography then as Bertolt Brecht said, "Don't start with the good old things, start with the new bad ones."

In response to the OP, I'm also a sick of the umbrella of street photography. It seems to me a recent fad choked to the gills with psudo-sociological ego pumping, cliches, entitled hipsters, and - worst of all - incredibly vacuous photography. I hope the term street photography dies a fast death so everyone can move onto more specific, intelligent ways of categorising their creative intentions beyond the fact that they took the photo outside, but not in a forest.

Yes there are good "street photographers." No, it is not a meaningful term whatsoever.
 
B-9 said:
Not even as a reference.
Ive checked, multiple times.
I live a block away from our City library.

Of course the web allows you to read anything via a computer, so whats the point.

Edit: I did buy my copy of Bauers book at this same library 13 years ago. Maybe some of these other artists made the booksale table also, never to be seen again, except possibly the thrift shop.
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Here and I'm sure they can get it and the web doesn't do any of this justice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHtRZBDOgag
 
When I was a kid, my local library had very few books on photography - Ernst Haas, Harry Callahan, Alfred Eisenstadt, and H C-B. I took these books out pretty often. Rotated through them as the library would allow. It wasn't until I went to college and was able to go through a proper bookstore that I was able to get my hands on others. But we're talking of a long time ago!
 
"whats wrong with using an EOS-3 in the streets?"

Absolutely nothing. Never understood why a certain gear is deemed necessary for "street photography". It only matters that the equipment delivers the results your looking for. The notion that the camera must be discrete is overblown IMHO.
 
B-9 said:
Whats wrong with using a Canon EOS-3 in the streets?
Must I shoot a rangefinder camera to take photos on the street?
Is a rangefinder some sort of special decoder ring for street scenes?
Click to expand...

You can shoot on the streets with anything. I have shot with a 500 C/M on the streets but there are real reasons so many choose rangefinders.
 
i've used the mamiya 645 and a mamiya 6 on the street...worked ok...it's amazing what folks will ignore on the street...
 
back alley said:
i've used the mamiya 645 and a mamiya 6 on the street...worked ok...it's amazing what folks will ignore on the street...
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Maier worked with a Rolleiflex.


I think Keith said a while back just get out and work. Use whatever you feel comfortable with and use what will get you the desired results.
 
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