Street Photography

I’m trying to find out what the term ‘Street Photography’ comprises.

Some of my attempts (click on image to enlarge):

What happens here??

I haven’t the faintest idea. Did the girl in the yellow raincoat fall down from the sky? Did she stumbel (if so – in what) reading her magazine?
The proof that it happened is in my files  – a colour slide telling it occurred in Oslo 29. april 1986. Me and my camera was there. 😉

 

The ultimate answer?

A brief excerpt of a conversation that Radcliffe “Ruddy” Roye had with Colin Westerbeck, co-author of Bystander, the definitive book on the history of street photography.
The interview was conducted as part of a promotion for another book, Street Photography 2015. Publisert 21. apr. 2017

Interview With Colin Westerbeck

Great reading

Street Photography Now by Sophie Howarth and Stephen Mc Laren Thames & Hudson 2010

The Street Photographer’s Manual by David Gibson
Thames & Hudson 2014

Recommended links to tutorials etc.:

Magnum learn

#1 MASTERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: STEVE MCCURRY MASTERCLASS – TRAILER [HD]:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3b2PTR25WE&feature=youtu.be

#2 MASTERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JOEL MEYEROWITZ MASTERCLASS – TRAILER [HD]
https://youtu.be/9o-2ef2bfvQ

7 TIPS for Street Photography EduardoPavezGoye
https://youtu.be/g6MaDSG_ibE

A Guide to Street Photography: Matt Stuart, manners and human autofocus | Engadget
https://youtu.be/MhSaR5ckKZI

Celebration of Photography 2017: Matt Stuart about working with the Leica M10:
https://youtu.be/a6ZYJh4eiE0

My Street Photography

The term
I consider myself a Street Photographer – in a somewhat extended understanding of the term. If you include “people” and “candid” you come closer to where to file me.

My approach
A lot of of the pictures I take, when I am “on my own”, is captured without looking in the viewfinder. When something catch my eye, maybe a colour, a shape, person(s), light – I’m transformed from a middle aged (some would call it old) pedestrian, to a top focused  hunter.

The soundboard in my brain tells me that something might happen here and that “you have better be sure your index finger is ready for action.”

I know I should not admit it, but (after almost 40 years as a ‘shooter’) all my shots are not technically perfect, I often have to rely on Lightroom to make them ‘shareable’.

Ethics
The main reason I do not address my fellowmen before I press the button, is that I wish to capture, stop and freeze “life”. So simple and so huge. This approach requires and presuppose a respect and love to all humans.

It is a matter of course that you never print or show a photo of this kind, if you doubt that one or more of the people in your picture would be offended if they knew.

Be a kind photographer! 🙂