I wish people were my thing. I get self conscious when they know I’m pointing a camera at them, and worried when they don’t know but might suddenly notice. I always find photos with people in them more interesting, though, so I’ve got to find a way to get there.
Street photography is an art and it’s one that I relish. Nine times out of ten, people have no clue that I’ve taken their photograph. And if they do, then they assume I’m with Time Magazine and they are going to be a part of something big. You need to detach yourself from the subject matter. Be an observer. I think I developed a certain ability to do this based upon my training in art school. Over and over again in figure drawing and painting classes you are told to do quick gestures. Fast. Very, very fast drawings and paintings of posed models. You have no time to become emotionally invested in the subject or to worry what they are thinking about you. You have to quickly get the overall gesture down, which means you are looking at the large shapes, getting the essence of the scene down as fast as possible and then moving on. This is precisely how I take a photograph of people. I don’t think. I do. However, there is a time and a place for it. It’s not appropriate in certain settings to be photographing people and you also need to be mindful of WHO you are shooting. Randomly taking candid shots of a group of bikers is not advised 😉
In my photography of non-people, non-thinking is also essential. But street photography is an entirely other thing—far outside my imagination. The only tiny connection I have to your experience is that when I photographed a single human model long enough, I noticed that I forgot about the model as human and began seeing shapes, lines, shadow, composition—just like with non-people.
Exactly! But then you can integrate the fun stuff, like, seeing clues, connections, symbolism, irony and that which is poignant. I see that all the time. Then it becomes a story. It’s all a story in a photograph. Whether it’s a person or a back-lit group of leaves or blades of grass.
The Gravel Ghost 
Great photo …even though its a still photo, I can feel the movement!
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Thank you so much. Then I did my job 🙂
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Really liking this people series.
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People are my thing. I really respond to people being in the picture. For me, they are a part of the narrative.
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I wish people were my thing. I get self conscious when they know I’m pointing a camera at them, and worried when they don’t know but might suddenly notice. I always find photos with people in them more interesting, though, so I’ve got to find a way to get there.
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Street photography is an art and it’s one that I relish. Nine times out of ten, people have no clue that I’ve taken their photograph. And if they do, then they assume I’m with Time Magazine and they are going to be a part of something big. You need to detach yourself from the subject matter. Be an observer. I think I developed a certain ability to do this based upon my training in art school. Over and over again in figure drawing and painting classes you are told to do quick gestures. Fast. Very, very fast drawings and paintings of posed models. You have no time to become emotionally invested in the subject or to worry what they are thinking about you. You have to quickly get the overall gesture down, which means you are looking at the large shapes, getting the essence of the scene down as fast as possible and then moving on. This is precisely how I take a photograph of people. I don’t think. I do. However, there is a time and a place for it. It’s not appropriate in certain settings to be photographing people and you also need to be mindful of WHO you are shooting. Randomly taking candid shots of a group of bikers is not advised 😉
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In my photography of non-people, non-thinking is also essential. But street photography is an entirely other thing—far outside my imagination. The only tiny connection I have to your experience is that when I photographed a single human model long enough, I noticed that I forgot about the model as human and began seeing shapes, lines, shadow, composition—just like with non-people.
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Exactly! But then you can integrate the fun stuff, like, seeing clues, connections, symbolism, irony and that which is poignant. I see that all the time. Then it becomes a story. It’s all a story in a photograph. Whether it’s a person or a back-lit group of leaves or blades of grass.
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Fascinating. And compelling.
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