Street Photography

Creative Vision Behind the Lens

Valérie Jardin

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781315296395
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Arte
• Subtopic: Técnicas fotográficas

With both training and preparation, a street photographer needs to make rapid decisions; there may only be a fraction of a second to immortalize a moment in time that has never happened before and will never happen again. This is where Street Photography: Creative Vision Behind the Lens comes in.

Follow Valérie Jardin on an inspiring photo walk around the world. After an overview of the practical and technical aspects of street photography, Valérie takes you along on a personal photographic journey as she hits the streets of her favorite urban haunts. She shows you the art of storytelling through her photographs, from envisioning the image to actually capturing it in the camera. Learn about the technical and compositional choices she makes and the thought process that spurred the click of the shutter.

Perfect for both the new photographer excited to capture the world around them and for the experienced street photographer wishing to improve their techniques and images, Street Photography requires no special equipment, just a passion for seeing and capturing the extraordinary in the ordinary.

Part I
The Fundamentals of Street Photography

Chapter 1
What Is Street Photography?

(facing page) Dancers. Fujifilm X100T 23mm ISO 1250 F/4.5 1/250 Sec.

The photographer will walk the streets mile after mile, day after day, chasing the light, looking for stories. Most frames will be uninteresting. The light is perfect at times, but the subject lacks interest. Other times, the story is there, but the gesture was missed by a fraction of a second. And then there are those rare moments when preparation and serendipity meet. There is nothing special about the light, but the moment moves you because it speaks to your heart. You just captured humanity in its pure form, and you are reminded that this is the reason why you picked up a camera in the first place.

What is the definition of ‘street photography’? Sometimes referred to as ‘candid’ or ‘social documentary photography’, this genre usually includes people, or the idea of people, generally in a public place. It is important to add that the photograph doesn’t have to be captured on the street. For example, the human element can be on the beach or inside a building. The notion of ‘people’ is more important than the notion of ‘street’. Street photography doesn’t require a street or even a city, but it requires people, or at least the idea of people. If the human element is not present in the frame, then there should still be an idea of humanity that shows through. The subject can be a still life photograph of a discarded shoe on the sidewalk, for example. It is often debated whether the street portrait, when the subject is aware that he or she is being photographed, is part of street photography. The purpose of this book is not to add to the controversy. Personally, I don’t pay attention to those discussions. Street photography is simply recording life. It doesn’t need a definition.

The first part of this book is aimed at giving you an introduction to the many different ways of approaching street photography. If you’ve been dabbling in it for a while and are ready to step up your game, then you will benefit from the sections on the many different elements that will make a stronger photograph.

The second, and more personal part, is a large series of street photographs from my own collection captured around the world. Each one is accompanied by a few words about the creative process and my personal experience, from seeing to capturing the story in a frame.

The Embrace. Union Square, New York City. Fuijfilm X100F 23mm 1/125 F/3.2 ISO 640.

Regarding street photography, there is no shortage of interesting subjects in New York City, and it usually pays off to stop and observe, as shown in the photo above. I spent a few minutes watching people coming and going at the busy Union Square subway station. I was just about to leave my spot behind the metal railing at the top of the stairs when the moment happened. A young woman rushing to the subway and a young man going in the opposite direction saw each other and hugged. She was wearing a cap, which she removed quickly before the embrace. There was so much joy in the moment that it touched my heart and soul.

Chapter 2
Getting Started

(facing page) In Amsterdam, NL. Fujiflm X100F 23mm ISO 3200 F/2.2 1/250 Sec.

What Drives Street Photographers?

Some are extroverts, while many are introverts. What drives us? Is it our passion for mankind or our curiosity to catch a glimpse into strangers’ lives? No matter what it is, we all have one thing in common: We see the extraordinary in the ordinary. We are light seekers and storytellers, and we have the need to freeze the moment in a frame.

If this is New for you, then Reset your Expectations

Street photography is not like any other genre of photography; you have to approach it differently. The decisive moment calls for a different standard, one that is subtler than any other photographic expression. You have only one opportunity at capturing something special, a moment that never happened before and will never happen again. You cannot expect everything to come together perfectly in every frame. With street photography, it’s often about compromise. You have control only of your vision and your camera, nothing else. On some rare occasions, compositional elements will fall into place with the right light, a great background and the perfect subject, but it is often the ‘imperfections’ and surprises that make a great street image. Some of my favorite street photographs are technically imperfect but emotionally charged.

Is it Legal, and do I Need Permission?

In most countries, as long as you are in a public place, it is legal to photograph people for editorial or fine art purposes without their permission or knowledge. Some countries have stricter privacy laws than others. This doesn’t mean you won’t be able to photograph strangers on the streets, but you may run into more resistance in those places than in others. However, if you intend to use any images with identifiable people for commercial purposes (which is very unlikely if you are a street photographer), then you would need a signed model release form. Each country has its own regulations, so make sure you do your homework before you get started.

Respecting your subject is the number one rule in street photography. Personally, my goal on the streets is to immortalize a special moment that will never happen again. I make a point of never photographing people in vulnerable or embarrassing situations.

Be aware that security guards will regularly stop you. They are only doing their jobs but can often be a bit overzealous. Know your rights. If a security guard stops you, then explain what you are doing. Make him or her aware that you know your rights. If you are still asked to leave the premises for no justified reason, then decide if it’s worth pursuing further. For example, if you are within your rights and you drove a long way to the location in order to get a specific shot, then do not hesitate to ask to speak to a supervisor or a police officer to make things right. If the location is not worth it, then just drop it. It’s important to choose your battles. Is a long argument that means getting more people involved just to prove your point really worth your time and energy? Most of the time, I get my shot before a security guard asks me what I’m doing. Then I simply wish them a good day and leave.

Always remember this important caveat: If someone confronts you, even though you are within your rights, then never become confrontational. Some people don’t like to be photographed, period. They may even get angry if they catch you photographing them. Always try to appease people, and explain what you are doing. If things get heated, then just thank them and leave quietly.

Is it Ethical?

We all have a different definition of ethics. We are influenced by our education, culture and upbringing. But there are, in my opinion, certain ‘rules’ of ethics that derive from simple common sense, no matter who you are and where you live.

If I inadvertently photograph a subject in an embarrassing situation, for example, then I will most likely never post the image publicly. I always ask myself, “If I were the subject of this photograph, would I feel bad having it displayed for the world to see?” If the answer is yes, then the decision is quite simple. Humor can also be interpreted differently from one culture to another; more on that later in the book.

If, for example, I photograph lovers who are not ‘supposed’ to be together but are in a public place, then I see nothing wrong with it. It’s their choice to display affection publicly, knowing that security cameras at every street corner are filming them. I will certainly take the liberty to make a beautiful photograph of the moment if serendipity allows me to cross their path.

What Gear should I Use?

If there is one genre of photography where less is more, then it’s street photography. Could it be the most affordable type of photography you can get hooked on? Quite possibly! Unless, of course, you’re a ‘gear head’ and cannot resist the latest and greatest camera or lens. For my part, I can honestly say that I spend more money on good shoes than I spend on photo gear in any given year.

I shot street with a DSLR for years, and it was fine. I used a small prime lens to make my camera look less conspicuous. Now that much better and smaller cameras are available, it is unnecessary to buy a DSLR system to get started in the genre. Smaller is better, and quiet is gold!

I don’t care about pixels and dynamic range. I care about easily accessible dials that get the job done quickly. I currently shoot with a mirrorless range-finder type of camera, the Fuji X100F. It has a 23mm fixed lens that is equivalent to 35mm on a full-frame camera. It’s simple and gets the job done.

There are no bad cameras out there. You just have to find one that feels right for you. It should become an extension of your vision: You should forget that it is even there, and never let it get in the way. I often go on iPhone photo walks; it’s an exercise in limitations...