Street Photography = INTERACTION

[StreetShooter]

Just a philosophical note for would-be streetshooters out there.

I've come to realize slowly that street photography is about INTERACTION - people (or animals) interacting with each other or with their environment.

This really came home to me yesterday while walking around at Stadium Cove. As I walked around, there were many beautiful subjects (human and animal) I could have taken pictures of, but I realized that taking them in isolation would be merely taking portraits, which is nice in itself, but does not have the added "zing" of a good street photograph (at least, to me).

What would add interest to the picture would be interaction. So I walked around with this one word repeating in my mind. INTERACTION. Look for situations where there is interaction going on. Or anticipate interaction, like the picture of the big dog and little dog. I followed the big dog around until it interacted with some little dogs, then started shooting. It was very easy yesterday, because when two or more dogs meet, they will surely interact (first thing they do is smell each others' backsides - wish people would do the same thing).

Comments?

 

[tomshen]

Agreed, doc. It's a kind of interaction, say for me they are the low angles (as if inside dog's world) and the eye contact from dogs.

 

[dehuis]

duly noted...
me trying to shoot street scenes too. shall learn from the wiser ones whose steps i trend...

 

[clive]

i prefer MOMENT

regardless of what is happenning at that time that u were at the scene, when u can feel that the MOMENT is right, then shoot straightaway

 

[Adam Goi]

Thanks for sharing SS! Will bear that in mind!

 

[GreenEggs_n_Ham]

i have yet to learn street photography,

but,

smelling people's backsides is a no-no...

lol

 

[yanfengl]

but more than subject to subject interaction. create subject photographer interaction, that is whats going to give you your zing.

just my 2 cents.

feng

 

[lennon]

I hardly do streetphotography, but I believe that Anticipation will help you capture that decisive moment By anticipating responses, you are able to wait for the best moment to occur, and capture it when it finally happens.

 

[wormz777]

Originally posted by yanfengl
but more than subject to subject interaction. create subject photographer interaction, that is whats going to give you your zing.

just my 2 cents.

feng

I agree with feng.

To me, capturing great street photos requires one to interact with his subjects, getting to know them as part of the shoot. That, I think its the true joy of street photography.

 

[StreetShooter]

Originally posted by wormz777
I agree with feng.

To me, capturing great street photos requires one to interact with his subjects, getting to know them as part of the shoot. That, I think its the true joy of street photography.

Absolutely, except that in these SAR-sy days, having strangers touch you all over and smear you with powder gets a little scary.

 

[Damien]

Just wondering whether you people here ask for permission first before taking photos of ppl's interaction or such on the streets (I dun refer to the bengs and lians)... Or how about indoor shots like inside restaurant or shopping centre...
Cos got the feeling not everyone like the feeling of having a camera len pointing at them...

 

[clive]

just shoot and run.

you own the negative

 

[lOOkingEyes]

Hi..I’m new to CS. Here’s my idea of a good street photo- it’s about the moment, natural and un-pose subject(s), it should convey a message to my audience .

I would rather take the shot first, else I may missed the spontaneity, then worry about the background later. A second or more shots can be taken to improve the composition, if the situations permit. Bottom line it’s still the moment….and I’m still trying to get it right. confused:

Feel free to view my collections and give me some comments….tks. :

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?topic_id=1481&msg_id=0051mt&photo_id=1464446&photo_sel_index=0

http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=688492

 

[UStime]

Yup, agree. For many years, to me, good street photography has always been about interaction. I'm not surprised about that. You don't shoot and run. And like others say "the moment" is important.

I've stopped doing street photography cos generally it's very time consuming (hey, there are other wonderful things in my life too besides photography!) and I find generally (not all but many) lay people in Singapore are not as friendly as those overseas, eg Thailand or Europe and their apprecation for photography is more shallow. They tend to view street photographers as "camera pests" and intruding on their privacy.

 

[yanfengl]

hi damien,

thats a very good question. in actualy fact, any grounds that are not owned by you and not public property-- you will have to get a location release--thats a fashionable term for paperwork and formalities.

Same goes for talents. Now this line gets grey when its non commercial. That means anything that you're not making money from. So lessaay you're shooting outside for personal works. You're going to keep it to yourself and never let it see the light of day. Shooting anything and anyone on the street is fine.

Now the other thing you might be refering to is asking for permission as most people would either #1 appreciate it, #2 not like it if you stuck a lens in their face, #3 like the fact that you asked and be able to tell you no.

For proffesional, it goes without saying. DO the paperwork, you dont wanna get your ass sued. Personal work wise, i like squatting down, pretending to adjust some camera technicalities, and i'm usually looking at them through the corner of my eye. They'll usually take notice, people are very camera aware, a siren goes off when you're close. I'll look up, make eye contact, do a friendly wave, smile and then raise the camera. Snap. And you've got your picture.

just my bit of advice there.

feng

 

[newuser]

Now the other thing you might be refering to is asking for permission as most people would either #1 appreciate it, #2 not like it if you stuck a lens in their face, #3 like the fact that you asked and be able to tell you no.

Make that,

#4 Come up to you and ask you why are you shooting at them and harm you and your equipment? (Yucks)