What is Street Photography to you?

[greg]

...
i can't say that these excite me. maybe they do excite you.

you said it, it's your view, your taste, your like and dislike.

I was reading a thread in photo.net on how most of street work are c**p, are they really? who's to judge? even if they're, did the shooter at least get a gem shot? I would be happy if I got one amongst the c**p I took and if I'm happy with that shot and the loads of c**p I took along the way to achieve it, I like to give myself a pad on my back (pretty darn hard to do I guess). For that 'gem shot' of mine, my next target is to have it auctioned and sold for a $1m, as it might turn out, some 'collector' prefers to pay that amount for one of my c**p shots instead, value of different views/taste eh? A c**p shot in my eyes might be a 'gem shot' in others'. Possible?

 

[night86mare]

If u feel Singapore streets speak nothing. Why not you shoot some pictures
to show us how interesting is London compare to Singapore and Asia. What you think bro?


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i find myself less interested in the scenes on the street in singapore. i prefer the landscapes instead. it isn't that singapore has nothing interesting, it just speaks less to me in that aspect, more in another.

is there anything wrong with having a preference?

 

[night86mare]

A c**p shot in my eyes might be a 'gem shot' in others'. Possible?

of course, it is possible.

it is always said that art is simply what most people like at the moment. or what enough people like at that moment.

different people have different ideas as to what their works should attain. do you want to stir one person only? is that good enough for you? if that is good enough for you, why do you care what the other 8 million people who don't like it think?

it is a matter of answering to yourself. in this life, you only answer to yourself, even as a photographer. therefore, even if i think your work is crap, if all you wished to target was your mother (for example), and she likes the photo.. is there really any need to be defensive when i tell you that i don't think the photo is good? if you feel that need, then maybe you should rethink what you are shooting for. that is just as important as getting the shot, i think.

 

[greg]

hey, what's "Decisive Moments" and how you go about capturing that?

Is this applicable and important only to Street Photography?

http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0412/friend.html

One of the many good reads on this topic, with some sexual content make sure you're old enough to read it :bigeyes:

 

[rgy1993]

street photography section in clubsnap is mixed with candids.

that said, i'll be fair and blunt, i find the streets of singapore (and asia, in general), much less interesting than in places like london. london is just a lot more quirky, i don't know how to describe it.

yeh even the streets of sydney i reckon are more lively then here... seems to be the buskers and quirky characters you meet on the street... just doesnt seem to happen as much here where you hang out in the city all you see is those fashion divas or corporate slaves.. :dunno: haha

 

[bahibo]

Regarding a few issues :

1. One city is more interesting than other :
"You can't photograph if you're not in love." W. Eugene Smith -

There is no freaking wrong that u found one place, one culture is more interesting than the other, ain't nobody love the whole world all the time. Screw those "moment" thing, different doesn't mean interesting.

But then again :" Winogrand…..Photography is not about the thing photographed. It is about how that thing looks photographed"

Street Photography is about life, make what invisible visible , somewhere u find life is much more interesting than here. All up to u.



2. "Who am i to judge !!!" and the defensive nature of "my point of view"

Pro or non-pro,you are yourself first stage editor. Winnogrand said something about people mix their feeling when judging their own photo.
U gotta let the feeling,excitement when u took that photo die down before judge that photo, otherwise it's hard to accept that the photo u took while walking for 5 hours under the hot sun, rare moment..etc is crap

The best time to judge a photo is when you forget taken it


Nothing wrong to feel happy if u got it,just don't be happy because u think u got it and let that delude u into thinking u really got it.

And i must stress , photography is your point of view,yours.
It doesn't matter how much people pay u for it, how CSer comment "great", u have your standard ,below ur standard, screw it.

After all photography is your point of view, especially when you don't shoot for money, don't let those cyper space attention, people dictate you into shooting what Flickr give the highest views, nor accept the standard that some in outing give u thumb up .

Make people accept and respect your standard. If they don't ,may be what make u happy is too simple for those fussy people to understand, or u satisfied too easy.


My friend used to get a lot of "gem shot", his flickr look marvelous, but every months,when review, after all those excitement gone, he gonna realize the photo not that worth it and delete. What remain of his portfolio is one hell better , although only 1/5 the size it used to be,and still shrinking.


Sorry if i write too much.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

well, i don't know.

things like.. ang moh back views when they are holding hand.. a person sitting on a bench with cluttered background.. stolen shots of girls shopping..

i can't say that these excite me. maybe they do excite you.

oh, you have seen my test roll on my new rf body ah? Thank you for viewing.

Oh well, they are crap shots to me as well but than again, to someone else, might be something like what you & greg has agreed. I will take your opinions into good feedback.

Did see your shots in streets in candids as well.
Some were nice & good, some didnt make the cut as well for me, just people sleeping or walking, just same story but different city.:dunno:

We should meet & shoot sometime better to discuss about shooting in person than in a forum.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

After all photography is your point of view, especially when you don't shoot for money, don't let those cyper space attention, people dictate you into shooting what Flickr give the highest views,

well said :thumbsup:

 

[eamesboy]

i find myself less interested in the scenes on the street in singapore. i prefer the landscapes instead. it isn't that singapore has nothing interesting, it just speaks less to me in that aspect, more in another.

is there anything wrong with having a preference?

Please make up your mind and check the thread title again bro.

It's a free forum you can speak anything freely. Nothing wrong to have your own preference.
Btw, we are still talking about street photography right? or are we talking about landscapes?
I respect everyone's comment in CS. But, I do not respect people who comment
about my country or compare other people country that is less interesting and
less colorful than others! Even it is I will keep it to myself. Are you Singaporean bro?


Why not you show us what is SO interesting about street in London
than Singapore and Asia! I am sure people in CS would love to see it. How?


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[night86mare]

i don't think you get my point. you are more engrossed in forcing your opinion down my throat, that you have not bothered to consider mine.

on the other hand, i am sure i have not tried to force any opinion down anyone's throats.

but it's ok, this is my last post here.

royale - i generally.. do not like meeting people. it's not personal.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

royale - i generally.. do not like meeting people. it's not personal.

Alamak... ok, thought it would be better to meet up than discuss & shoot around to help me improve than discuss behind a monitor.

 

[FriedKimchi]

I don't like taking street photography in Singapore as much i would than in other countries. Maybe its because, i grew up in Singapore and don't really feel that ''something special'' that one feels when he/she goes travelling to other countries, that makes them so absorbed in their new surroundings.

 

[LomoPhotographer]

this varies from photog to photog, subjects to subjects, I recall Steve McCurry's comments on CNA recently he had a better time photographing people in SG and in Asia, perhaps it's due to his skin? Many factors contribute to such reactions from your intended subjects, and they're many ways photog overcome them. One of which is interacting with your subject, of course 2 questions immediately come to my mind, should you interact with your subject? and interacting with your subject result in more negative reactions? I don't know, yes and no? right or wrong? you be the judge to your style and your work.

Yea I do interact with my subjects, but not often. I will eventually master it.

 

[LomoPhotographer]

sorry but have to disagree. it depends on how u go about doing it. its abt being discreet and assimilating yourself into the culture where u are shooting.

Haha yea I agree. But what I said is the truth too. :bsmilie:

 

[LomoPhotographer]

What point does he give you? :dunno:
Please read the thread title bro.

There is no place in this world that is less or more interesting.
If you feel Singapore or Asia is much less interesting places like london.
I have nothing to say. I am sure in Asia has better and interesting Than London.

Street photography is all about the moment! The moment at the right time
when is happen. Totally different with landscape photography.
No one can duplicate the same street photo the next day!

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The point is for me to know and for you to find out. Of cos you dont know la! :bsmilie:
You last sentence supports your 2nd last one too.
No one can duplicate the same landscape phtoo the next day!
The world is changing constantly! :sweat:

 

[LomoPhotographer]

It's a free forum you can speak anything freely. Nothing wrong to have your own preference.
Btw, we are still talking about street photography right? or are we talking about landscapes?
I respect everyone's comment in CS. But, I do not respect people who comment
about my country or compare other people country that is less interesting and
less colorful than others! Even it is I will keep it to myself. Are you Singaporean bro?


Why not you show us what is SO interesting about street in London
than Singapore and Asia! I am sure people in CS would love to see it. How?


///

I think he answered in the earlier part.
I am laughing at the bold parts man.
This is a free forum everybody can speak anything freely, you said that.
People whom comment about what country/bullshit country is more interesting/whatever, bro, can they speak these freely?
:bsmilie:

One sentence: I :heart: street photography.

 

[Baracus]

Why the hostilities? I thought the TS already said there is no right or wrong... :dunno::sweat:

I do like capturing "streets" once in a while, be they in Singapore or overseas. Thing is, I feel more comfortable overseas due to the tourist factor (subjects are more forgiving) and the weather. (you'll be drenched at the end of the day from either the sun or the rain over here)

One tends to pay more attention overseas due to novelty or security factor. But one also pays more attention locally to filter out the normality. So, it can mean that one photographs "street" to capture both the mundane and the unusual. It's all a matter of perspective, as the cliche goes.

 

[eamesboy]

You will never find the best light and best everything in landscape photography.
Tomorrow is better than yesterday and yesterday is better than today. It's endless!
U cant duplicate but you can repeat the scape everyday till you get your perfect landscape.
I am sure you repeat the same scape more than 5 or even 10,000 if you need too to get
your perfect landscape. Street photography is about life. Thing that happen in everyday life
without change and modify screen at that moment. That's what I call Street Photography.

and as a note, landscape photography isn't something you can duplicate the next moment if you just keep at it. some light, you get once in a lifetime. maybe similarities will be there, but there are subtle differences.

street photography in singapore as a whole (at least here) has become something very warped from the days of HCB. he pushed the concept of the "decisive moment", a moment that was different. i think he meant that it had to stand out, something that made it different from other moments..

here in singapore, it has been warped into anything that is different.. in that case, anything goes. it is a matter of stating the obvious, "oh, this guy will never be at this spot at the EXACT same position at the SAME TIME again..".. you'll have to forgive me if i disagree with that.

 

[eamesboy]

The point is for me to know and for you to find out. Of cos you dont know la! :bsmilie:
You last sentence supports your 2nd last one too.
No one can duplicate the same landscape phtoo the next day!
The world is changing constantly! :sweat:

Childish. Go play with your lomo camera!


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[LomoPhotographer]

Hahaha chillax. lol.