Your Ideal Mindset While in the Street

Lex, quite often there is a feeling of alienation amongst this group. It is/was an activity where kids could get together and feel a sense of cohesion. It�s an activity usually done in the urban centers where there isn�t a heck of a lot to do, where some of the kids are extremely talented and athletic, but still not legitimized by the status quo. It used to be a crime to skate in this city center up until a few years ago. There is a resentment of the establishment amongst this sub-culture. For a stranger to approach with a camera, a tool of the establishment, that has been used by the media to sensationalize their �disruptive� activity is grounds to spook them. Well done on the photographer�s part to disarm them and shoot away.

I become quiet, and enter a very receptive state. I walk slowly, without making any sudden moves. When I see something I like, I scout the location for a good position, and shoot with abandon.

Emre, is that shooting with a camera or a gun?

Jim Corbet traded his gun for a camera

Eric, I think that's overanalyzing things a bit. I remember my teen years well - I was a rebellious punk. It was a pretentious affectation. So I know it when I see it.

 

Anyway, as a photographer I've never personally encountered any problem with photographing anyone. Unless preening and posing for the camera counts as a problem.

Lex, I was only trying to shed some light on your mystery of this sub-culture. I�ve never met you and the only impression I have is your words in your first post; which sound just like many dads out there. If you want to understand skating, start with �DogTown and Z Boys�.

Sounds identical to the Shopping Mindset! This is indeed a form of shopping. Don't see a lot of emphasis on empathy with the subjects, nor socio/political nuance... which I guess means street photography is now post-modern. Jez heft that deer carcus up on the roof. Could be why it looks so impersonal even though the subject is persons. A thought, merely a thought.

to get out of the comfort zones.

I start of tentative, but I go into a different mode, I am consciously more observant, always scanning and anticipating, looking for frames. I am usually very slow in this early period, taking my time.

 

Once I'm told off at least once for what I am doing ("you should ask before you take my photo next time!") and see that I have not been punched or killed, I loosen up and become a little more daring, not cocky or overbearing but I don't hesitate too much unless I'm disrupting what's going on. I am still slow, however, I don't run and throw myself onto the ground or where ever to obtain the picture.

 

I enjoy the shots I get from asking, they're usually about the person and count more as portraits or environmental portraits than pure street I guess. My candid street shots seem to be a direct product of my hesitation, I've yet to get pure candids from being right in front of people unless it's a parade or something.

 

Overall its a tentative, alert, slow start that builds to a slow euphoric conclusion. I find it very exhausting but rewarding.

Tunded into my surroundings, open-minded, sometimes careless (in a good way: I don't fret over every single image).

Interesting observation, QL. I like to believe I'm interested in the people I photograph and hope that the images reflect that. But knowing human nature, it's all too easy to find justification for something we want to do, regardless of its effect on others.

I suppose I can contribute to my own topic, can't I?

 

I don't know why I arrived at my style, but I never ask somebody if I can take their picture unless I've been talking with them for at least ten minutes and the conversation entails photography at some point and they show an understanding for the value of portraits. I never start the conversations either, probably because I'mt rying to "invisible" and forget that I'm not. So that, needless to say, doesn't happen often.

 

Anyway, I think I'd be lying if I didn't hit the sidewalk everyday thinking "I hope today I get THE shot.", but it's not over-powering. I think I have a healthy way of saying to myself, "Self, lets make these people remember this day."