Street Portrait

<p>Catherine: Lots of oppurtunity in Montreal. Congrats on taking the first step. </p>

<p>Steve</p><div></div>

>>> Ok its my first shot asked for shot so it was just a breaking down of the communication barrier for me,... Like I said, just an

ordinary shot but it helped me to aapproach people, spoke to a few actuallly, and so the odyssey begins. :)<P>

 

Perfect start! That's the essence of "street portraiture." Getting up enough nerve breaking down personal barriers, getting out

of your comfort zone, approaching total strangers, and ultimately learning about people while taking a portrait. And in the

process discovering that strangers aren't so unapproachable or scary after all.<P>

 

That's the aspect that a lot of people don't get about street portraiture. And no doubt argue over definitions simply due to that

element being uncomfortable.<P>

 

Avedon spoke about the *relationship* between photographer/camera and subject being an essential element in portraiture. That's

what street portraiture is about, but taking that one step further getting out of the studio and into peoples' environment. Sure, you can take candid pictures of people and then proclaim

them portraits. Many obviously do. But street portraiture, like portraiture in general, is really about engagement and relationship. People that actually practice it

daily (rather than theorize about it), understand that perfectly. <P>

 

There are a lot of ways to practice getting up to speed. I used to shoot a lot of San Francisco events just for that purpose. At

events, participants are there to be seen, express a point of view, and are always good for engagement. After awhile you learn that all events are about the same, with only the costume and message changing. Protests marches/demonstrations are similar avenues.<P>

 

You then look for greater challenges and projects. For me, that's people that initially don't want to be seen or discovered. But after the

approach, there's always something on their mind and a story to tell. I've become very good at listening. Right now I shoot in a SF neighborhood that most

photographers stay out of because to many it's scary going in and being treated with suspicion. For me it's energizing and is now part of a long-term project.<P>

 

>>> and so the odyssey begins. :)<P>

 

What's great is it's an odyssey with no limits. I've been to Montreal just once, but I suspect there are huge opportunities at many different

levels that one can spend their life exploring.<P>

 

<center><img src= "http://pages.sbcglobal.net/b-evans/Images54/Mission.jpg"></center>

>>> I will continue with 'wide to normal zoom' 17-50mm, tamron 2.8 but am thinking 24-70 2.8 L in future.

I had imagined the 50mm would push me to approach people, but of course on my crop sensor its till

longish.

 

The Tamron 17-50 is what I used when I shot with a crop body. It's a great lens for both street and street portraiture. I actually like it better

than my 24-70 f/2.8 that I used to use on my FF body that I shoot with today. That's a heavy and large lens. I shoot

just with a 35 (on a FF) today. It's a nice crossover lens for both street and street portraiture.

 

Yeah, for me a 50 on a crop body is long. Like a telephoto. I don't use mine very much.

<p>Photographers and these individual threads seem to fall into many camps. There's an emphasis in this thread on process, on intention, on "meeting people" and "getting out of yourself," etc., on what a street shooter is, all of which should not be minimized. It would be interesting now to explore it from a visual and visualization perspective. To look at photographs not because of how they were made but because of what they look like.</p>

<p>Ok Fred. I'll start with an easy one. Walking around Antigua I came across this scene. It struck me as timeless, so I tried to capture how I visualized the moment.</p>

<p>I hope this qualifys as what you meant.</p>

<p>Steve</p><div></div>

<p>For me it is a street portrait, I don't know how it will be for you...</p><div></div>

<p>Javier -Thats exactly the philosophy that I use. If in doubt on the first two, just take it!<br>

Some good advice here Catherine.</p>

<p>Thanks for the nod Steve! And, yes, your shot from Antigua could have been shot in many places and in many eras - so, yes, I'd say it is timeless.<br>

Catherine - a good beginning! Keep at it. I'm pretty sure there are street photographers in Montreal. Maybe you can find contact info for some and maybe see if you can shoot together some. I don't know this person, but he's got some nice work.<br>

<a href="http://www.j-roumagnac.net/index.php?showimage=115">http://www.j-roumagnac.net/index.php?showimage=115</a><br>

DS Meador</p>

<p>This has all been great and great reading. I don`t know anyone, who shoots mainly street, but I always run into people when I`m out downtown, so who knows. I feel like I know you guys now so if your ever in my neck of the woods, shout me up and I`ll put on my bummiest clothes and give you the grand tour. I think its a goldmine for street. Bob Kurt (Montrealer) always finds a great one...<br>

Brad you know being a guy helps. I don`t think Montreal has any really tough or sensitive areas as many big American cities do. I can say that I feel safe on the streets of Montreal whatever part of town it is or whatever time of night. At least the issue has never concerned me. Of course stuff happens, but its usually isolated incidents between people known to each other. I think I just made Montreal sound really boring lol </p>

<p>Along with what I said earlier about my pic(orchestra portrait). Since I enjoy Latin American photography, I also wanted to capture it in a more "Latin American" style. As opposed to my usual one.</p>

<p>Did I succeed?</p>

<p>Steve</p>

<p>What`s Latin American style? Don`t tell me countries have `styles`? So what`s Canadian eh?</p>

<p><a title="after a long night by Street Vision L.A., on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jgredline/5453094479/"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5180/5453094479_883c8b1b2d_z.jpg" alt="after a long night" width="640" height="514" /></a><br>

Another recent one. Can a street portrait have two people in it?</p>

<p>Catherine: I was alluding to the discussion on the Different Cultures thread. The claim is that the culture you are raised in effects your style. They articulate it much better in that thread than I can.</p>

<p>Javier, Of course you can have two in a street portrait.</p><div></div>