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Re: [OM] Street Photography

Subject: Re: [OM] Street Photography
From: Moose <olymoose@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 22:20:31 -0800
On 10/29/2013 2:35 PM, Tina Manley wrote:
> PESO:
>
> This all seems to be very good advice, especially 3 & 4.
>
> http://petapixel.com/2013/10/26/5-painless-steps-getting-rid-fear-street-photography/

That was interesting. 3 & 4 seem useful. Personally, I skipped the ask 
permission step at first. Now I sometimes ask 
parents who will notice me shooting pix of their kids.

There was a nice video about an old photographer who wander his NY neighborhood 
with his new digi P&S, asking people if 
he could take their picture. He got good responses, at least that they showed. 
Hey, he was ancient - and engaging.

All very well, and some nice portraits. But - that results in different images 
than if you don't ask. I was only 
interested in the candid shots.

Point 5 I really like.

One of the things that bugs me about photography is when an early practitioner 
of a method makes choices of equipment 
and technique based largely on technical limitations - then the sheep following 
decide that's the only way to do _______ 
photography.

When Henri C-B started out, he developed the only way to do street shots of 
people with the lenses and film then 
available. Forever after, for many people, it's not 'street photography' if 
it's not taken with short FL lenses, 
physically close to the subjects, preferably B&W, best with blocked up shadows 
and highlights, and grainy or noisy.

That's one way today, but it seems to me there are others that merit approval. 
It's good of this guy to re-contextualize 
Capa's famous statement. "Close" as about being fully engaged in the process of 
making pictures, whatever equipment and 
technique you use.

It seems I've referred to this old project of mine a lot lately. I think this 
is true "street shootin'", but at various 
distances, often long, with a (sacrilege!!!) 28-300 zoom. Street shooting 
seldom interests me, so I seldom do it, but I 
believe what I've done is good quality. 
<http://galleries.moosemystic.net/Brooklyn/People/index.html>

OTOH, the only one of the illustrative images in the blog that I like is not a 
true street shot, as there are no people 
directly in it. Two are sort of OK to my eye, the rest ... well I won't say 
that.

So I guess I agree with him in principle, but not detail practice? :-)

Quick Draw Moose

-- 
What if the Hokey Pokey *IS* what it's all about?
-- 
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