Why Street Photography?
Street photography is the most amazing of all genres of photography because it can and often encompasses all other genres of photography. Documenting people and the places they occupy is usually only meaningful when viewed in the context of their surroundings and interactions with others or when you see the remnants of where they have been. It is a genre derived from some of the world's most renowned photographic pioneers, including the notable names Cartier-Bresson, Capa, Lange, Evans, Frank, and Winogrand, to name a few. Generations of photographers have taken cameras to document the atrocities of war, the depression of poverty, and the fight against racism for equality. Their recorded vision compels others to see humanity in a different light.
In the early years, street photography was uncommon due to the bulk, expense, and complexity of photographic equipment and the developing process. Photography underwent significant changes in the early 1900s with the introduction of portable cameras. As camera technology improved, cameras became more straightforward and affordable.
From the 1920s to the 1940s, photography and the age of photographs began due to the portability of cameras and the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson, often considered the father of Street Photography. Photography became a vital medium for newspapers, magazines, and the arts.
Street photography flourished in the 1950s and 60s, thanks to the rise of faster, more accessible cameras and film. America's social and political landscapes underwent significant changes in the post-war era. Photographers such as Robert Frank and Garry Winogrand captured the spirit of post-war America, documenting the country's evolving social and political landscape. In the intercity and southern regions, Gordon Parks depicted the struggles of African Americans for equality, fighting against racism and poverty. The 1970s witnessed a shift in street photography, with photographers such as Diane Arbus and Lee Friedlander exploring themes of identity and alienation in their work.
With the evolution from film to digital cameras, everyone now has the fantastic power to document their world that was previously only accessible to a select few. Photography beyond the cell phone is limited only by your budget. Some even use only their cell phone to produce excellent artistic work that photographers in the past could only conceptualize. The annual iPhone Photo Awards is an example.
While digital camera technology has expanded exponentially, with smaller cameras, higher resolution, more sensitive sensors, and increased megapixel counts, film cameras continue. A thriving industry continues to produce various types of film stock, along with the associated chemistry required for film development. I own excellent modern digital cameras for current work, but I also enjoy classic film cameras from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Shooting film is much more difficult because there is no room for error. Every frame costs money. In the digital world, you can shoot and experiment at will with no additional cost.
I am a humanist who believes in human beings' inherent value and dignity. I seek to share my perception of others in pursuit of creating a more just and compassionate world through human agency and cooperation. The camera is my chosen weapon to help others consider the human condition: we are all wonderfully unique yet are a common species with all its faults. While, like Gordon Parks, I hate racism, poverty, social injustice, and inequality. I choose street photography, finding comfort in photographing people. While looking for their meaning, I often find parts of my own.
