If there are no people is it still street photography?

Yes. At least in my opinion it is.

Eugène Atget—one of my favorite photographers of the 19th century—took plenty of "street scenes" that did not depict people. His photos of storefronts come to mind. If you were to get argumentative on me you could say that those photos fall under the category of "architectural photography." But I'm in no mood to argue. I've got a paper to present at a pop culture conference in New Orleans tomorrow (on the representation of telephones and fear of nostalgia in horror films. odd. I know.) and I have yet to write it.

But I did manage to get outside for a couple of hours and take some photos. I will post some people photos tomorrow. Today, I wanted to do a share a few nostalgic images from my wanderings in the French Quarter. The photo at the head of this post was just begging me to give it some soft vignetting to complete its postcard look.

A straightforward toned shot of a café. This photo belongs in a kitchen somewhere.

I put in this last one for the amusement of my family (big fans of Little Debbie).

Even though I would rather see you venture out and take some photos of people for the monthly special, street photography without people might be the solution for the the super shy.

More street photography for the timid: Demonstrations

In 2004, when Bush paid a visit to the French, he was not greeted with the kind of fanfare he would have encountered in Texas or Utah.


Never one to miss a good public uprising, I ventured out to the anti-Bush demonstration with my camera. Now, before I offend anyone, let me say that this has nothing to do politics and everything to do with a good journalistic-style photo op. Back in the 2002 during the French presidential elections, I attended the right-wing rallies in the morning (although I have to admit that the giant image of Jean-Marie Le Pen on a big-brother-sized screen in front of L'Opéra gave me a sick feeling and I had to leave) and then the massive anti-Le Pen demonstrations in the afternoon. I took video that day rather than stills, but I am glad I have the first-hand footage.

The anti-Bush demonstrations of 2004 were relatively mild. My favorite photo is the one of two "Americans against Bush" looking around for like-minded protesters. To be fair, Bush's approval ratings had already taken a nose-dive (46%) in America. But the image makes me laugh, nonetheless.

I wish I had taken more photos of the anti-McDonald's/Americanization protest performance during which students fell to their knees in mock-praise the golden arches.

I treated the images in a sort of low-grade Holga manner in homage to William Klein's grainy May 1968 photos. The vignetting seemed especially effective in isolating the two Americans in the first photo.

Practical lessons for street photography

• Get journalistic. Whatever your political point of view, a demonstration makes a great opportunity to practice your street photography.
• Plenty of people will be taking photos at a public demonstration, so there is no need to feel timid.
• Your photos of political/social events have more personal value than a newspaper photo. I certainly would love to have photos of the events witnessed by my grandparents.

Have you ever had the opportunity to photograph a public event such as a demonstration? I realize that they may not happen as much in your city as they do in Paris, but when/if they do, you might want to get out your camera.

First steps toward street photography

Let's assume for a moment that you are a little hesitant to try street photography. Perhaps you are worried about photographing strangers. Where do you start?

One good way to get your feet wet is to take pictures of people who will appreciate the attention. One day in Paris by the Bastille metro stop I happened upon a group of skaters doing jumps off some stairs. Their sport is very much about spectacle and showmanship. Each jump is an attempt to impress fellow skate punks as well as the inevitable onlookers—Place de la Bastille is hardly a secluded area. You can tell by the angle of the photo that I wasn't trying to be subtle about my presence. In fact, I was crouched on the ground fairly close to the landing point. I was shy at first, taking a few photos from the side, but soon I realized that with only one exception they didn't mind at all. I caught the attention of the one wary skater (not pictured above). He happened to have the best style and most interesting board, so I approached him and volunteered to send him copies of the photos via email. That was all it took.


If there is a lesson to be learned here it is to start with people who don't mind the attention. Offer to share your photos with them. After all, unless your picture is horribly unflattering (and I highly recommend cultivating a sympathetic rather than a judgmental eye), most people would probably love a copy of your work. Suddenly, your intrusion will have become a free photo session. This kind of quid pro quo is not always practical, but it is a good strategy to keep in the back of your mind.

April Monthly Special: Street Photography

Marcel and Fritsch guessed it right: street photography is the theme of the month. I am thrilled to be focusing on street photography this month because it is one of my favorite ways to work.

Introduction
What is the definition of "street photography"? Wikipedia does a good job of demonstrating the difficulty of a one-sentence answer. According to the article overview, street photography is " a pure vision of something, like holding up a mirror to society." The article asserts that street photography "tends to be ironic and can be distanced from its subject matter and often concentrates on a single human moment, caught at a decisive or poignant moment." The latter part of that sentence is a not-so-oblique reference to Henri Cartier-Bresson's concept of "images à la sauvette," or "photos on the run," which was translated into English as "the decisive moment" for a 1952 book of the same name. The Wikipedia article points out that street photography is just as likely to display complete subjectivity as it is to be a mirror to society. I am not sure that I like the insistence that street photography "tends to be ironic and distanced," because that judgment depends as much on a person's reading of the photograph as on the original intention.

I much prefer the definition given by Nitsa. Her "no rules" approach fits perfectly with my own beliefs in photography as a means of personal expression first and foremost rather than a demonstration of technique and adherence to classical rules. Her blog is an excellent source of information and inspiration for street photography.

The challenge

Take your photographic eye to the streets this month. Look around. Capture what you see. There are no rules, only viewpoints. Share how you see the world. Document your own culture or one that is foreign to you. Search for glimpses of larger stories in the everyday.

As I said in my previous post, for some, this challenge may stretch your comfort zone to its limits. For you, I anticipate the following possible reactions:

I don't live in a big city. Nothing happens here. What will I photograph?

I do understand your concern. In fact, when I moved to Utah I shifted my focus to portraiture because I had no appreciation for my new environment (except the nature, but as a fan of big cities, I almost never do nature photography). It took me a long time to begin to appreciate my area on its own terms rather than wish it would be more like Paris. If you feel that you have nothing to photograph besides your family, maybe I can help change your mind.

I'm too shy to take pictures of strangers. Besides, won't I get in trouble for that? Isn't that a violation of privacy rights?

I admit that it does take guts to take pictures on the street—especially of people you don't know. A massive telephoto zoom lens certainly doesn't hurt, but your simple point-and-shoot can yield amazing results. As for violation of privacy, the law changes from country to country. In America—big surprise—there is virtually no such thing as privacy in public places. That doesn't mean that you should act like obnoxious paparazzi, but it does explain how they get away with it. I am no lawyer, but according to my understanding of the law in the U.S., you can photograph people and/or property in public for non-commercial purposes as long as you do not violate the expectation of privacy (e.g. perverts taking photos up skirts, in bathrooms, etc. are definitely violating the law). If you are shy, start with a public event such as a parade or a demonstration. You won't be the only one with a camera and you will soon see that most people will not mind at all. Don't focus on Ninja-like stealth; focus on your subject. It's OK to let them see you taking pictures. If they ask you to stop, respect their privacy, delete those photos, and move on. Avoid taking photos of government buildings or secure facilities as well as in places where photos are prohibited (as is the case in many—but not all—museums).

Why would I want to take pictures of people I don't even know? I'll just stick to my family, thanks. See you next month.

Wait. Don't go just yet. First of all, not all street photography focuses on people. Second, your photos of the world around you will document your own ideas, your own unique perspective. You will capture a moment in time and a moment of your own life as you engage in street photography. Try it.

I look forward to a lot of great work this month. Now take that camera and get outside.