Street Photography I feel is now the most challenging genre of photography.
Most photographers if sent to the Himalayas are likely to return with some spectacular images, but put photographers on a city street and the resulting images will most likely fail to inspire.
Capturing special moments in ordinary circumstances is not easy which is why we see an abundance of average street work online.
Technology and software are less important in a street photographers pursuit of the decisive moment.
Ten years from now new street photography styles may emerge but I hope there are as many photographers roaming the streets and documenting the evolution of life and society.
From an Interview with Kaushal Parikh from Indian Street Photography Collective-Thats Life (*) at Alex Coghe / Street Photography (*)
Smile (2 of 2) - Circle Line Ferry / Hudson River / New York (Sat 13 Aug 2011)
I have literally no idea who any of the people (*) in these pictures are, yet I am interested in each and every one of them. [..]
So then, let’s appreciate (*). To appreciate (*) can mean all kinds of things. In photography, it means to become aware of a moment that might signify something to be appreciated (*), to then capture it as a photograph so that it can be looked at later.
via Eva Vermandel’s Splinter (*) by Conscientious Photography Magazine (*).
Street Portrait #1 - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)
Street Portrait #2 - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)
Street Portrait #3 - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)
Street Portrait #4 - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)
Street Portrait #5 - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)
Street Portrait #6 - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)
Street Portrait #7 - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)
Street Portrait #8 - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)
Street Scene - Prince Street / SoHo / New York (Thu 18 Aug 2011)
The mid afternoon light on the northern side of the street was quite soft, much less contrasty than I'm used to back home in Sydney. The light was beautiful here and I took quite a few photographs, so there might be a few more to come.
Saw the following photo by Jan Meissner (*) last week from here (*) where the work was described by Nick Turpin (*) as:
graphic color scenes of the New York sidewalk often take parallel to the buildings which had a continuity of approach
When I saw the photo I felt I had seen something similar. If you look at both closely they are the same street. Small world.
Street Scene - Jan Meissner (*) - Prince Street / SoHo / New York (2009?)
The mid-20th century was when street photography became well known, thanks to photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson, Garry Winogrand and others. Armed with unobtrusive hand-held cameras, they rapidly snapped pictures of passersby, searching for unstudied compositions [..]
In the 21st century, for better or worse, there are fewer people at home during the day and we’ve offloaded a lot of that ‘eyes on the street’ to surveillance cameras,
What unites them is they’re incredibly attentive and able to reveal things that we might not otherwise see because the street is such a kinetic and dynamic place
via Street Photography in the 21st Century (*) by Steven Rosen (*).
Street Portrait (*) - Piccadilly Ciricus / London (Fri 12 Sep 2014)
Street Portrait - Atochia Street / Madrid (Fri 09 Aug 2013)
Reciprocity Failure (*) writes On Street Photography (*):
Street photography (*) has always been about capturing the fleeting nuances that somehow coincide and create a sum larger than its parts in public view, for those astute enough to notice. The magic lies in the subtleties, not the obvious; learn to do it right, or move on...
via In Your Face- Photo Complaints III (*) by Reciprocity Failure (*).
Street Portrait (Detail) - Atochia Street / Madrid (Fri 09 Aug 2013)
Icarus - Paste Up - Wilson Street / Newtown (Dec 2010)
This Paste-Up has been there for quite a while - it has virtually fallen apart. I have photographed it quite a few times over the last few months and there is another one in a small park off Little Eveleigh Street (see below). You can see the Green Bone Head I featured here recently (02 Dec 2010).
Each time I pass it, something has gone missing (i.e. various parts of her body) or there have been various additions via the caring use of coloured textas. She is now careful adorned with earrings and some more than necessary shoes.
I have had a lot fun watching and photographing this poster.
It has made me think about what may have inspired its creator to design this piece. For me, when I first saw it (it was the one in Little Eveleigh Street, which I pass it on the way to the gym), I instantly thought of Icarus of Greek Mythology fame. Icarus attempted to escape Crete using wings, made of feathers and wax, his craftsman father had made for him. Icarus did not heed his father's warnings to not fly too close to the sun or sea, and as a result of the wax melting from flying too close to the Sun, he plummetted to his death into the Icarian Sea.
For some reason the Poem and Painting have made me think a lot about what has happened over the last year and a half. Hard to explain but there is something there, particularly the painting where one can barely make out the legs of Icarus just after his impact with the water.
About suffering they were never wrong, The Old Masters; how well, they understood Its human position; how it takes place While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along; How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting For the miraculous birth, there always must be Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating On a pond at the edge of the wood: They never forgot That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer's horse Scratches its innocent behind on a tree. In Breughel's Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry, But for him it was not an important failure; the sun shone As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green Water; and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky, had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.
Auroras 2013 Team Captains Announcement - Adam Goodes Talk - Dragon Boat YouTube (*) Bank Street / Pyrmont (Sat 29 Jun 2013)
Adam Goodes (*) talks to the Sydney based Australian Dragon Boat Team Members, the 2013 Auroras.
It was a few weeks before we flew out to Hungary for our final training camp in Gyor (*) and then onto Szeged (*) a few days later, for the World Championships.
It was an amazing moment. To think that Adam would come down to say a few words to us.
You knew it was special at the time. But today, looking at this video, it made me realise how special it was. Thanks Adam. You are a Gentleman, a Champion and represent everything that which we aspire to as people and paddlers.
Following Adam's Talk, Kel announced the 2013 Aurora Divisional Team Leaders and overall Team Captains. As each was named, Adam presented the Sydney based Leaders and Captains with a Plaque which acknowledges each persons achievements in being selected to their position.
Finally, Kel thanked Adam for making time to see us, following which he was presented a plaque to remember his time with us. Needless to say, Adam was more than happy to spend a bit of time speaking to us individually and to make a few photos. See below.
Here is my humble efforts to transcribe what Adam said..
Kel suggested I come down here to see you guys who are going off to represent your country which I think is fantastic.
I do like to give back to community as much as possible and thought this was great opportunity.
You know this is not a sport that I am involved with. A sport which I have never tried before, but
[.. from the crowd .. we have got a spare seat. ]
I would hate to kick somebody out of their spot.
It is a fantastic thing, whether, you know, it's your first time representing Australia or whether you have been doing it for so many years as a Master. It is always the same. You have got that Green and Gold.
I have played for Australia four times, I have captained Australia in 2011 over in Ireland at the International Series there.
I didn't really feel what it was like to be a patriot to my Country until I represnted Australia. To see the Americans and how patriotic they are about the flag and everything.
It's not until you represent Australia and you are going away from Australian shores to do it that you actually feel how proud I am about the Country I come from, the Country I am representing and the people that we are.
Look at how diverse we all are just looking at us right now.
It is fantastic that we can go away and represent Australia and give our best. I think that is what being Australian is all about is giving our best.
You are also doing it for ..
The main reason I wanted to come down here today for you guys is to give you a pat on the back. Wish you good luck.
You know it is a fantastic opportunity to ..
You know I have never been to Hungary before. It is a great opportunity to see a different Country. Embrace their culture. Learn somehting new. But also, let them embrace our culture as well. Let them see what Australian people are like.
Have fun. You know, win, lose or draw, you are over there to enjoy yourself.
Get to know people on a different level. Travel together. I know the boys don't like travelling with me because I am a bit of a snorer.
[.. from the crowd - much laughter ..]
I dont have a problem with it, ..
but enjoy, have fun and go and do us proud.
That is the great thing about representing your Country.
It is what it is all about. Good luck.
[.. from the crowd - applause.]
Here are a few photos from the day. Thanks Adam and of course, Kel, for asking Adam.
Adam - Bank Street / Pyrmont (Sat 29 Jun 2013)
Adam - Bank Street / Pyrmont (Sat 29 Jun 2013)
Adam and Sydney-based Auroras 2013 Leadership Team - Bank Street / Pyrmont (Sat 29 Jun 2013)
Adam and Jo - Bank Street / Pyrmont (Sat 29 Jun 2013)
Adam, Jo and Geoff - Bank Street / Pyrmont (Sat 29 Jun 2013)
Joel Meyerowitz (*) - Street Photography - YouTube (*)
A fantastic video of Joel standing on a street corner, probably somewhere up on 5th Ave (*), where he shows us how to work the street with a camera.
There are so many great insights into Street Photography here, I have transcribed his words and will put them here, in segments, over the next week or so.
Love his Peter Garret (of Midnight Oil Fame) like moves in the crowd as he moves around to find and capture the great street photos he always produces, even for this small demonstration video.
Red and Yellow (1 of 2) (*) - 5th Ave - New York (Mon 15 Aug 2011)
A bit of a preamble to this but it is worth the wait in order to see his working method on the street and the ensuing interview of which there are many great quotes On Photography (*). I have scribbled a few down here:
[..] They are snapshots and they are made in a very simple way. But the thing they see when they continue to look at the pictures, they start to see the closeness is one of the things they see. Some one is making pictures that are really close on the street and its that kind of taking the camera so close to the subject and making pictures and not in a studio way. in a flow of life on the street or field kind of way. And they see that closeness and that is the thing that gives the pictures there uniqueness and their agressive sort of character.
When you make an exhibit of this work, you walk around in a room filled with it and you see all these strange pictures. You know there is a certain excitement to it, There is a certain quality in that room about an artists mind, and an artists work that comes from the pictures and touches the viewer in some way. That's why it works. I don't know why exactly it works. A lot of physcological reasons, sexual reasons. A lot of things are going on in those pictures.
It is not some kind of exact analytical science going on here, its right on the edge of meaninglessness, but its in there and that is what makes it so fascinating.
It feels awkward for me to try to talk about my work, frequently. Once in a while I do it. I do a slide show and I describe how I take the pictures. Describe how I think they fit into things socially and formally, in the context of photography in America. Different kind of things.
You usually don't think about that kind of stuff. You dont think about that. You think about when you are taking pictures the most important thing is to get new pictures.
The pictures you already took, you already took those pictures. My main drive is to do something new. To make some new kind of picture. [..]
Standing on a Corner - Street Portrait (Hands) - George Street (*) / Sydney (Mon 21 Oct 2013)
Joel Meyerowitz (*) talks about Street Photography (*):
when people gather on the corner, you never know if something is going to happen.
via Joel Meyerowitz - Street Photography (YouTube) (*) by Joel Meyerowitz (*).
He is right. Every time I stand at a corner, there is always something going on. This is my favourite corner not far from my workplace.The camera is in my pocket so it always comes out around here.
The above quote from the video by Joel Meyerowitz has been quite formative and has helped inspire me to take a lot of photos at this intersection (*) and elsewhere.
Standing on a Corner - George Street (*) / Sydney (Mon 21 Oct 2013)
Red Haze, Red Daze - Corner Palmer and William Street / Kings Cross (Mon 29 Oct 2012)
Taken during a post-HCC 2012 walk, that took me up Oxford Street, Victoria Street and finally William Street, back to where I started. This scene was just standing out in front me and I could not help but take a few shots with my iPhone, the only camera I had with me at the time.
