| Like many of you, I was raised with the idea that | | | | state of mind. Now that I have defined it, I realize |
| when you take portraits you say things like; "Chin up, | | | | much of my wedding photography was shot in |
| eyes forward, and look into the camera." For many | | | | street photography style. Yes, I always brought a list |
| years when shooting adults this seemed to work just | | | | of traditional shots. Things like: Bride and Groom |
| fine, then I went to Korea for a year. For some | | | | Kissing, Bride and Groom cutting the cake, Bride |
| strange reason it seems a whole lot harder to coach | | | | throwing the Bouquet were my traditional |
| a person, if you don't speak the same language. Sure | | | | photography shots. But what got my work |
| I went through the motions; gesturing with my | | | | remembered were my "Street shots". |
| hands, and speaking louder and slower. Don't ask me | | | | Photographs of: little bride's maids smelling flowers, |
| why Americans think louder and slower will magically | | | | mother whispering wisdom in the brides ear, or the |
| make others understand a language they never | | | | Big Mac the groom had hidden under his chair in the |
| spoke before. But eventually; I stopped trying to | | | | reception line were prime examples of "Street |
| change the subject, and realized I was the foreigner | | | | Photography." |
| here. I had to change how I was shooting. | | | | Besides the obvious benefit of capturing memories |
| I shot many informal portraits while in Korea, by just | | | | for your viewer, becoming invisible and shooting from |
| waiting and watching. I learned how to be invisible. | | | | the heart is much less stressful for the photographer. |
| When you become invisible, the subject forgets that | | | | You have not announced your intentions to the |
| you are there and starts interacting with his or her | | | | world, so all that remains is for your client to be |
| surroundings again. To this day, the best smiles I | | | | pleasantly surprised. You do not worry about getting |
| have ever captured on film or digital media were of | | | | it "Just Right", ideally you don't worry at all, and you |
| those who either didn't know or forgot that I was | | | | simply focus on the moment. Pay attention to details |
| there. | | | | of what's happening around you. What you are |
| A friend once stated, "So in a way you were forced | | | | looking for, is what most everybody else has missed. |
| to become a street photographer." Up to that point; | | | | You are saving memories that others may not have |
| I had never thought of myself as a street | | | | had, unless you had been there. |
| photographer, so I started trying to define what | | | | Since the examples I have used so far are wedding |
| makes a good street photographer. Street | | | | shots, obviously Street Photography does not have |
| photography is often described as a series of shared | | | | to be done in the streets. It is a style, a way of |
| moments, either with others or with the environment. | | | | thinking and viewing the world around you. If you |
| A distinguishing feature of good street photography | | | | were shooting a basketball game for example; it |
| is finding the extraordinary in ordinary places. Much of | | | | would mean including something beyond the game |
| the great photography of the Time/Life era was | | | | itself. Audience reactions, a cheerleader grabbing her |
| street photography. It is to a certain degree, Zen | | | | pom-poms while laughing; a three year old on the |
| photography at its best. You do not focus on the | | | | sidelines pretending to shoot the ball are all examples |
| technical side of photography, you focus on life. You | | | | of going beyond the assignment and thinking outside |
| wait for that brief moment in time, and then you | | | | the box. If like me, you had never thought of |
| capture it on film or digital media for time and all | | | | yourself as a street photographer before, try it |
| eternity. | | | | sometime. You might surprise yourself, and your |
| More than anything else, street photography is a | | | | viewer. |