Street photography refers to a subtype of photography that involves pictures taken in public witch capture moments of everyday life. It differentiates from other genres due to the realistic and candid “touch” these photos behold. They usually show strangers and instances happening in a particular place at a particular moment who are shot without them knowing it. The shots often resemble frames from a movie, and usually, they narrate a short story.
But when did this kind of image-making start to emerge?
The emergence of Street Photography
Old cameras did not have many (if any) special features, so the shooting was done in a “protected place,” which was usually a studio. It was not until late 1830 that a French photographer, Louis Daguerre, attempted to turn his camera toward his studio’s window and capture a fragment of a Parisian Boulevard below. Although the street was busy, the city traffic was moving too much to appear on film due to the camera’s long exposure time (over 10 minutes). However, a man polishing his shoes with the shoe polisher was imprinted on the image because they stood still and long enough to show. This photo is considered to be the first sample of street photography and is known as “Boulevard du Temple (1838)”.
The initial movement had a Parisian scent
Charles Nègre was another French photographer who tried to document buildings, and shops, along with laborers, peddlers, traveling musicians, and other unusual street types in the 1850s. However, it was not until he used calotype in his camera that he was able to capture some movement in the still image, revealing some of the street’s energy. Then came along Eugène Atget, who shot the architecture and street scenes of Paris before their demolition to modernization. His work remains a benchmark for later photographers since he succeeded in shooting the City of Light through his unique vision.
And then appeared photojournalism
André Kertész and Brassaï, both of Hungarian origin, focused mainly on photojournalism and thus produced documentary images from the everyday urban scenery, giving a boost to street photography. It was about the mid-1900s, and the Leica camera had already appeared and permitted to a point the capture of spontaneous activity. The French Henri Cartier Bresson was the one who mastered its qualifications and was able to shoot moments as they happened. In the USA, the years that followed the Great Recession, along with the technology’s development, gave plenty of street material for documentary photographers like Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange, who, with their work, helped street photography stand out from other styles.
Street Photography is constantly evolving
After World War II, the genre began to “blossom.” Photographers multiplied, technology made more progress, and the experimentation around shooting increased. Street photos during the ’50s, ‘60s and ’70s started to show more action while welcoming imperfections and ambiguity in the images. A new aesthetic was rising that got to pave the way for the style of street photography as we enjoy it nowadays.
Street Photography counts for almost two centuries in this world. From its “timid” beginning, it gained substantial growth throughout the years and, with the help of technology, now constitutes a popular subtype in the image-making field with numerous loyal fans.
And where do we stand today? It seems useful to conclude by reflecting on what developments street photography has taken in recent times.
First of all, it is a fact that street photography is currently enjoying great popularity. On the one hand, this is wonderful, but on the other hand, it produces many street photos that do not necessarily meet the highest standards. Many photos are often meaningless and are at best pleasing snapshots. Sound knowledge about image composition or the artistic use of aperture and shutter speed does not seem to exist. Nevertheless, everything is published on Instagram and Facebook.
Due to this development, the reputation of street photography has suffered a bit. Also, street photos can be published faster and by anyone. Besides a social media account, all you need is a cell phone, and you’re good to go. So that there are no misunderstandings: There are excellent street photos even nowadays, as this series about Frankfurt shows.
In the old days, this was much more difficult, as there were still film cameras and gatekeepers between the photographer and the target audience who made critical selections.
In this respect, the new era has led to a democratization of photography, but the quality has suffered. Nevertheless, the development is positive. Lovers of photography merely need to be a bit more selective in choosing their sources.
