Street Photograpy 2014

street photography

street photography – what is it?

• It’s a type of documentary photography that features subjects in candid situations in public places. (wikipedia)

• It can hold up a mirror to society.

• It can often be ironic.

• It often concentrates on a single decisive or poignant moment.

• It can also provide an extremely personal view of a walk of life the audience may know little about

…..when done well

street photography ain’t new!

Henri Cartier-Bresson

another decisive moment

....and another?

...and another?

poignant?

ironic?

of its time?

or on a specific day

but it’s not all images of people…

method 1

use a long lens and hide. . . but

• it can make you look like a stalker

• you’re more likely to be stopped by security/police

• it feels a bit sleazy!

• maybe shoot over a friend’s shoulder?

method 2use a short lens and get close:

• switch off flash, switch off shutter sounds if you can, switch off or cover up pre-focus lights etc.

• choose an interesting street corner, check what the light’s doing, check where people are walking from, keep moving around.

• Maybe shoot through a bus/car window (more about that later)

why not go to a popular

tourist spot where there are lots of

people with cameras and take pictures

of them?

your first ‘street’ outing

try not to look like a photographer!

maybe use a compact camera or a phone?

try to

blend in

you can never be too close

and try to avoid making eye contact…..

.....or not!

try shooting

from the hip

maybe look

behind you?

maybe look up?

try a high vantage point?

we all love reflections...

...and shadows

maybe mirror the surroundings?

the subject doesn't always have to be in the middle

50 yards from where I work

convert to black and white?

but it doesn’t always have to be on the street

is this 'street' photography?

some words of wisdom….

“Buy a good pair of comfortable shoes, have a camera

around your neck at all times, keep your elbows in, be

patient, optimistic and don’t forget to smile.” (Matt Stuart)

“Sharpness is a bourgeois concept” – Henri Cartier-Bresson

MATT’S TECHNICAL CORNER

On a bright day and if your camera can, try this:-

•set your camera to aperture priority

•go wide (focal length 28mm or 35mm?)

•leave the aperture small (f8 or even f16?)

•switch off autofocus and set focus to about 10 feet

• let the ISO go higher if needed to keep shutter speed fast

•at 28mm and f16 everything from 4 feet to infinity should be sharp

•play around with the settings…and have fun!

http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Freedom to photograph and film (taken from the Met Police website)

“Members of the public and the media do not need a permit to film or photograph in public places and police have no power to stop them filming or photographing incidents or police personnel.”

“Officers do not have the power to delete digital images or destroy film at any point during a search.”

“Officers have the power to stop and search a person who they reasonably suspect to be a terrorist. The purpose of the stop and search is to discover whether that person has in their possession anything which may constitute evidence that they are a terrorist.Officers have the power to view digital images contained in mobile telephones or cameras carried by a person searched under S43 of the Terrorism Act 2000 to discover whether the images constitute evidence that the person is involved in terrorism.”

Officialdom

The biggest problem photographers face is the ignorance on behalf of public officials (mainly private security guards), the owners of property and subjects of your photography. Very few officials understand the law and often photographers are told that they are not allowed to take pictures, when in fact they are perfectly within their rights.

Public vs Private

Many of the incidents in which photographers come into difficulty is that many places which you instinctively think are public property are in fact privately owned. This includes shopping centres, 'public' parks (depending on the attitude of the local council), the South Bank, even the concourse at Liverpool Street Station.

However, non-commercial photography on tube stations is allowed – the current advice given to staff through the ‘Traffic Circular’ (LU’s rule book which is updated weekly) is:

"Tourists or train enthusiasts 'passing through' stations are permitted to take ad-hoc photographs or film at the Station Supervisor's discretion. However, tripods are not permitted and flash must not be used on platforms."

Children

Many parents, teachers and even local authorities are of the opinion that a photographer requires their permission to take photographs of their children. You do not. However………

Remember to respect your subjects

They are not just a part of your picture, they are also people that must be respected. Would you like a stranger’s camera shoved in your face? No, nor would I.

HOMEWORK

one image:

‘ON THE TOWN’

send to: homework@wdps.org by 10th August

Ignite Images Photography