Street Photography talk - 2014

1. street photography

2. 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

3. street photography ain’t new!

4. Henri
Cartier-Bresson

6. another decisive moment

7. ....and another?

8. ...and another?

9. poignant?

10. ironic?

11. of its time?

12. or on a specific day

13. but it’s not all images of people…

16. 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?

18. method 2
use 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)

20. 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

26. try not to look like a photographer!
maybe use a compact camera or a phone?

27. try to
blend in

28. you can never be too close
and try to avoid making eye contact…..

29. .....or not!

30. try shooting
from the hip

31. maybe
look
behind
you?

32. maybe
look
up?

34. try a high vantage point?

36. we all love reflections...

38. ...and shadows

41. maybe mirror the
surroundings?

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

45. 50 yards from where I work

46. convert to
black and white?

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

48. is this 'street' photography?

49. 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)

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

65. 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

66. 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.

67. 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.

69. HOMEWORK
one i mage:
‘ ON THE TOWN’
send t o: homewor k@wdps. or g
by 10t h
August
I gni t e I mages Phot ogr aphy