[v5planet]

Last night I was looking for tips and advice on getting started in street photography, and stumbled upon this: http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs11/f/2006/227/e/2/street_photography_for_the_purist.pdf , which is someone's epic manifesto on what street photography is and isn't, and that the only way to approach it is with a rangefinder (preferably Leica) using B&W film.

Has anyone encountered this attitude before? Does anyone here subscribe to it? I understand the argument from a size and inconspicuousness standpoint, but the guy has some (vigorous) assertions that go far beyond that.

Thoughts?

[mtansley]

I have heard of some people who still prefer film since digital has no 'soul' to it. The document does have some good tips on 'street photography'.

The article does have some good ideas about staying inconspicuous. I do use some of their techniques even with my K20. I sometimes keep the camera round my neck at waist level and to use if that way. Quite good with lots of people around. Even if someone sees you looking down at your camera they tend to think that you're merely checking something.

I do wish that there was a way of putting a screen facing up on the top of the camera like some of the older film units.

However, the overall tone of the document is very much 'This is what you HAVE to do to be a street photographer, nothing else will suffice!!'

Michael

[TaoMaas]

Anyone who asserts that there is only one way to approach an area of photography is wrong. You don't have to have a Leica for street photography and you don't need a view camera for landscapes. Don't take those guys' word for it...use whatever camera you have to prove them wrong.

[Rense]

You should look for and subscribe to the Street Photography Now Project. It's a whole year of weekly challenges / instructions, and in its 35th week now. It'll give you a steep learning curve! And it shows there are many, many ways to do streets.....

[v5planet]

Took a look at that Rense, I think I'm going to join up.

He makes a lot of good points in his .pdf that I think are useful advice, but he's so desperate to trumpet the strengths of the film rangefinder over a dSLR that he keeps overextending his argument... he talks about battery life several times, for instance. I am constantly impressed with the battery life of my camera -- I haven't charged it in weeks and it's showing full power.

[Mike Cash]

Tell the jerk I said he is a "sidewalk photographer" (as are practically 100% of the "street" photographers....not to imply they're all jerks, of course).

[CWyatt]

As someone who shoots street 95% of the time, and somewhat knows quite a few of the writers of this, I think there are a lot of good points, but yes it is very opinionated (which doesn't necessarily need to be a bad thing), but in a way that is, as you say, a pretty narrow view. My philosophy is more do whatever the hell works. I also think, with notable exceptions, a lot of the shots in the document are quite average.

[v5planet]

Tell the jerk I said he is a "sidewalk photographer" (as are practically 100% of the "street" photographers....not to imply they're all jerks, of course).

Haha, it's true! Mike, you are a true "street" photographer -- and I'm laughing to myself because where the author of this article espouses the glory of rangefinders for their inconspicuousness, you instead roll up in a truck (and have collected many wonderful shots - in color no less! - that I think are considerably better than the b&w highlights this dude has put in his .pdf as illustration).

[Digitalis]

this guy does have some points, does take some things a bit far, especially his worship of the Leica.

I love my leica M9, but i'm very aware of it's limitations; few lenses focus closer than 3 feet, and the ones that do typically are less than trustworthy at those distances. The choice of focal lengths is dictated by the frame lines in your viewfinder - which means the closest Leica photographers get to a zoom is a slow TRi-elmar 28-35-50mm f/4, there are currently no focal lengths longer than 135mm.

But I can live with those limitations. I still use my M9 for street work, mostly because there isn't anything else out there like it. Having said that I still use my K7 more than my M9, let's face it: the M9+ 50mm f/1.4 summilux is worth nearly 10K, A pentax K5 and an SMCP-FA 31mm f/1.8 Limited costs a fraction of that in comparison to the Leica M9 and delivers image quality that can rival the output of the Leica.

[Wombat]

There are some pretty wild, hairy statements with holes you could drive a truck through, but thank god it's a (largely) free world and it does one a power of good to be severely challenged now and again. Personally, some of my best street shots come from my little Fuji p&s digital, which is so cheap and so unobtrusive it's a joy to use. I can hold it concealed in the palm of my hand and operate the shutter with my thumb. And I happen to like being able to see what I've taken straight away. Each to their own. The important thing is to enjoy it, to get out there and do it with whatever gear does the job for you. It's only a camera, whether it says Leica or Cheng Wah on the front.

[Wombat]

Grrrreeeaaat shot of the Muslim woman, Digitalis. Very fine.

[Wombat]

You should look for and subscribe to the Street Photography Now Project. It's a whole year of weekly challenges / instructions, and in its 35th week now. It'll give you a steep learning curve! And it shows there are many, many ways to do streets.....

One of the things I like about you, Rense, is your incredible discipline and determination to be in there for the long haul, with these extended projects. You're an inspiration to us all, mate.

[Digitalis]

Grrrreeeaaat shot of the Muslim woman, Digitalis. Very fine.

thanks, that Image was actually taken on my Leica M8 with the Leica Summilux-M 75mm f/1.4 - there is some slight front focus because that lens is a PITA to focus accurately on the M8, on the M9 it is more manageable.

[RioRico]

Street photos can be shot with almost anything, even an oatmeal-carton pinhole if you want all movement to disappear. You can use big cams with monster flashes, or almost-invisible tiny cams, or cams with waist-level viewfinders that most nowadays won't even recognize as being cameras, or just the typical P&S or phone. The "only-Leica-works" formula is totally bogus.

[K-9]

I don't subscribe to the Leica/B&W theory. First of all, I prefer my street shots to be in color. The streets are alive with people, people are in color, let's show them how they truly look. While black and white can work, I feel it can also change the mood or feel of the shot, and not necessarily for the better.

As for the camera, I never like the hang it on your waist and click method, as even with lots of practice, the composition will never be as sound as holding the camera up to your eye. I can lift the camera, snap the shot, and put it back down again without anyone seeing, and there's no reason why others can't. I also hate the grips on Leicas. There's simply nothing to hold on their rangefinders. While I have no trouble shooting with non grip cameras, longer outings for me feel much more comfortable when holding chunky grips.