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The best street photographers have (per project/series) a purpose, some kind of goal, plan and even unifying style.

Really, I would never have imagined that in a thousand years.

Check out the following:

Brassai's prostitutes.

Penn's cigarette butts.

Larry Clark's drug addicts.

Martin Parr's working-class seaside stuff.

Harry Callahan's color.

Joel Meyerowitz's Cape Cod atmosphere.

Dianne Arbus's street "freaks".

Walker Evans's storefronts.

Eugène Atget's Paris architecture.

Bruce Gilden's flash stuff.

Elliott Erwitt's visual puns.

William Eggleston's suburbia.

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"You talkin' to me?"

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pure street photography

I don't know what pure street photography (as opposed to impure street photography?) is and I wasn't talking about pure street photography. I was talking about street photography and most of the photos that belong to the works of the photographers I mentioned would easily fit right into a Street thread on PN, though they'd likely stand out for reasons of vision.

"You talkin' to me?"

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Forgive me this comment (perhaps even rant). It is not intended to criticize anyone but just to put forward my personal views on Street Photography. I'm by no means anywhere close to being a good street photographer. I do believe that I learn more and more about what makes some street photography 'great' and other street photography mediocre

 

The best street photographers have (per project/series) a purpose, some kind of goal, plan and even unifying style. Much of their photography is 'random' in the sense that they randomly encounter people and situations that fit in with with their project. Of course, there is also a willingness of these people to tell their story.

 

Mike

Not sure that's the case Mike. Have you read Bystander? Joel Meyerorwitz is one of co-authors. I tend to believe style derives out of shooting enough. My photos may not follow a style, but I can always tell which pics are mine :) For many, shooting in the street was more of an activity, a process for tuning in and getting in sync with the street. Its no mistake that a lot of what we consider street photography evolved in New York, Paris and London where there are active streets. But its certainly not confined to big cities, but more of a way of taking pictures.

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For me, when I look at a photo, I look to see what the photographer is seeing, to understand the language of that image and why they are presenting it.

 

Rarely does a photographer take a photo without some thought or rhyme or reason.

 

With any photo you have to look and look again.

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