#19: Street Photography
A man trying to get his message across caught in a sea of busy shoppers during the Christmas season.
I’ve recently gained an interest in street photography. Street photography, to sum it up roughly, is essentially a type of social documentary in which the photographer captures subjects (usually people) candidly in public places. The photos can be of a political or socially aware nature or, really, just beautiful photos of everyday life.
I was first introduced to photography through studying journalism. As a journalist in Canada you are not legally allowed to alter your photos in any way other than for brightness or levels or other reasons of that nature. You cannot remove or add elements to a photo and they are expected, in most cases, to look real to life. As a result, journalists are trained to go out into the street or to an event and capture their images at just the right moment. Timing and a keen eye are essential, as well as being able to anticipate when/where/how the shot you need will take place.
Photography is a beautiful art and I love it in all forms but my favourite images are usually the raw, uninhibited, natural images of everyday life. Real people. Real situations. Real emotions. In my opinion sometimes people aren’t needed. Scenery, landscapes (both rural and urban) and even simple elements like intriguing shadow-play make for great photos, often without any other subjects in the shot.
The point is, for me, street photography seems to be the perfect fit as far as my favourite methods/subjects for taking pictures. Sure, my photos don’t follow all the standard “rules” of street photography (camera settings, black and white, etc.), but it’s the raw and uninhibited nature of the style I love. As well, one of the most rewarding things about it is that sometimes unsuspecting subjects give you better shots than anything you could have ever staged.
The photo at the top of this post belongs to Candids and Colours, by Mike Crisolago, which can be viewed here.
This post appears as part of the FOCUS 365 photo blog component of Bastard Type.
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