Is Street Photography Dead?

Is Street Photography Dead?

  • Yes

    Votes: 82 20.6%

  • No

    Votes: 317 79.4%
  • Total voters
    399
Yes, Dead. Street photographers all eventually mature artistically and gravitate towards more meaningful photographs such as pictures of cats and creamy bokeh.
 
Tom Diaz said:
No, but I would not go so far as to say it'll never die. For one thing, it could go out of style, like any genre. That's a special hazard in modern times since the world is awash in everyone's images. For another thing, people in 2013 are very fearful of strangers taking pictures of people. Sometimes they report you to the nearest police officer, and sometimes the cop agrees with the complaint. That is a big deterrent to street shooting. Tom
Click to expand...

That doesn't stop me from shooting. I get yelled at and I get awkward looks and whatnot... But I am an addict so I just don't care...

And the one run in I've had with the police they were firmly on my side and knew the law.
 
Yesterday, I had someone stop me. She had followed me across the New Kent Road, and along to the supermarket where I'd put my camera away to go in and buy a chocolate bar.

But I'd not been photographing people, so I was puzzled.

In fact, she was from a housing co-op, and was concerned. They had had a break in about a week ago, and she thought I might be casing the joint.

I checked out my photos, as I couldn't think of anything controversial I'd taken, and found I'd photographed their old coal shed, which was an interesting design, and a laminated A4 newsletter about local regeneration controversies which had been attached to the door, but which I hadn't had time to read there and then.

The woman apologised for challenging me, but was reassured. I didn't mind: I had nothing to worry about particularly.

She told me I'd taken some beautiful photographs, which was nice.
 
Rodchenko said:
Yesterday, I had someone stop me. She had followed me across the New Kent Road, and along to the supermarket where I'd put my camera away to go in and buy a chocolate bar. But I'd not been photographing people, so I was puzzled. In fact, she was from a housing co-op, and was concerned. They had had a break in about a week ago, and she thought I might be casing the joint. I checked out my photos, as I couldn't think of anything controversial I'd taken, and found I'd photographed their old coal shed, which was an interesting design, and a laminated A4 newsletter about local regeneration controversies which had been attached to the door, but which I hadn't had time to read there and then. The woman apologised for challenging me, but was reassured. I didn't mind: I had nothing to worry about particularly. She told me I'd taken some beautiful photographs, which was nice.
Click to expand...

Oh joy, the People Police. "I am satisfied you are not doing anything untoward. You may go about your business." How kind.
 
this guy is eye opening:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/n_ipper/with/8935068839/

also:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nayeem_kalam/with/10400516743/

they are posting lots of shots, so it's not like looking at some finished book. The excellent is nestled between the good and the lackluster.

this guy...well don't even click if you are not ready for some serious ugly reality:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoriah/

He's got some incredible technique going in very nasty situations and the aftermath.

Obviously lots of these guys shots might not fall into the "street" category at all, but some really do--to me any way.

at any rate powerful photography is not dead. And no, I don't think you can do this with an iphone.
 
The last 2 posts had links to very good resources. Thanks.

It's been said here and elsewhere, street photography is not easily defined, but I have my definition and I know it when I see it. I also know it when I'm attempting it myself. My guess is we all have a tremendous amount of overlap in our personal definitions.

Anyway, really liked the "Everybody Street" material. And, Zoriah has an amazing, if not disturbing, body of work (thanks uhoh7).
 
rfaspen said:
The last 2 posts had links to very good resources. Thanks.

It's been said here and elsewhere, street photography is not easily defined, but I have my definition and I know it when I see it. I also know it when I'm attempting it myself. My guess is we all have a tremendous amount of overlap in our personal definitions.

Anyway, really liked the "Everybody Street" material. And, Zoriah has an amazing, if not disturbing, body of work (thanks uhoh7).
Click to expand...

Lately I ramble around flickr, and see a shot I like, then I hit the authors photostream---if it's real good I follow, but most interesting are each shooters "favorites".

I hit the good shots and repeat the process.

That's how I discovered Zoriah, who is IMHO as good as any of the old icons.

It's like skiing: there are literally thousands of kids who are better right now than Killy ever was. And they would be on the old equipment also.

But we'll never know their names.
 
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