Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/05/20

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Subject: Re: [Leica] street photography
From: Bmceowen@aol.com
Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 09:14:34 EDT

In a message dated 5/19/00 8:50:53 PM, MicroGrid@aol.com writes:

<< Bob & Johnny,
I hope this hasn't been to painful for you, because it has been a quite a 
revealing thread for me. . . . much snipped . . . I feel like a voyeur when I 
look at most "street" photos today.
Having said that, I Was in Asia last month and shot tons of "street" photos 
of the "natives" in the markets, restaurants, everywhere. Why is that 
acceptable and interesting to me? >>

It has not been painful to me. I just worry about crossing the line and 
offending someone or, alternatively, boring the hell out of the rest of you . 
. .

It has also made me think about a few things. I believe I'm coming to a place 
were I have no problem with "street photography" per se -- assuming that 
means candid photos of people captured unawares in their natural environment 
- -- Photojournalists do that all the time, travel photographers do that all 
the time. Many photographers do. I also don't have any problem with true 
"street photography" when done WELL. Many have alluded to HCB, Winogrand and 
others. That was street photography at its best and of course is worthy of 
great praise.

What I  think I have a problem with is a type of photography that is based, 
at it's very core, in a fear of people -- I have no reason to believe this 
applies to those who do street photography well -- so they sneak around and 
try to make pictures without being caught. Now that method has its place in 
many situations. It's also fine as a way to grow your photography and get 
accustomed to shooting people but so much of it is really bad. What really 
bothers me is the pretention that comes with shooting terrible pictures and 
elevating it to art just because you attach some name -- in this case "street 
photography" to it. Even Johnny Deadman, on his website, acknowledges that 
there is some really bad stuff within the genre. Considering that admission, 
I don't see that Johhny and I have any significant disagreement.

Throughout this conversation I have tried to avoid speaking about any 
specific photographer. This, I hope, allows the various street photographers 
reading my words to place themselves any place in the spectrum -- from awful 
to inspiring -- that they feel they belong.

Bob (would rather dance in the street than fight in the street) McEowen