In the past couple of months, I have discovered that I really enjoy street photography. I love the spontaneous moments, and the sense of art flowing from life. I wish I had my camera with me all the time, so I can capture images like the one today morning, which made me stop in the middle of the road with its, well, eloquence.
A group of old men and women were crossing the street, the winter sun lighting up the red flags with the hammer and the sickle that they were holding. It was a poetic moment.
I obviously have a lot to learn about photography. Street photography,to me, is all about capturing a story, and I'm not sure how to deal with the classic problem of shooting strangers. Do you ask them for permission? Do you shoot 'from the hip' to avoid drawing attention to the fact that you are trying to capture, forever, the image of a person who just happens to be there? I was reading an
article on this on Digital Photography School. I understand the author's logic about the need to be, well, sneaky (and smile disarmingly if caught by your subjects, hoping they'll understand that its not your fault, but that of Art). Some of the greatest moments on the street can be when people have intensly private moments in a public space (and I do not refer only to the photo of the kissing couple), which will be destroyed if they realise they're being caught on camera. At the same time, the voyeurism of non-informed shots bothers me. And by the way, I have no idea if there are any laws against street photography in India. I'm not going to find out either, ignorance will be bliss :)
For now, I think I shall try and use my judgement. I won't ask for permission if I don't think the moment is 'private'-but I won't hide my camera either. So hopefully, if people object to being in my frame, they can move out-if they notice me. I will ask for permission where I can. Because I, personally, get creeped out at the thought of being on some stranger's camera.
These are some photos I've taken on the street since getting my camera.
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| Paharganj, Delhi. Near Sam's Cafe. |
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| At Sarojini Nagar, Babu market. I did ask the tailor for permission to shoot his machine, although I shot the watchmaker too. I like the fact that they're aware of the camera. I think it only adds to this shot. |
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| Paharganj, Delhi. |
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| Paharganj, Delhi |
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| The non-living are easy on the dilemma :P |
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| New York City, Broadway Street |
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| Ditto |
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| Near NYU (No permission. But they were so into their game they didn't give a fig about me or my camera :D) |
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| Near Central Park, New York City. I'm a little more uncomfortable when I want to shoot people doing their job. They're not trying to look arty, but I'm turning them into something that is,for me. I really should ask them for permission... |
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| Brooklyn Bridge. |
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| Performers also make it easy to decide. They're performing, if not for your camera (heh heh), then for an audience. I guess it is polite if you leave some money, as appreciation for THEIR art. But impoverished student types (um, yes I still put myself in that category) can still get away with the excuse of Art. |
The photographs all convey the intend of their creator: to capture the quotidian life on streets. but they also raise a question-does the onus lie on the photographer or on the viewer to discover the story latent in the picture? for instance, in the first snap, the rickshaw puller and the washer woman are perhaps, usual a sight on an alley like that but the guitar in the background is unexpected-it makes an onlooker wonder is it a musical instruments store?
ReplyDeleteand i have found a wonderful-intellectually and rationally sound-solution to all ethical dilemmas. The Kantian Categorical Imperative states that one ought to act on principles only which can be accepted as universal maxims. This should solve your problem!
Thanks A, my only regular reader, for commenting :D
ReplyDeleteWhat you ask is pertinent. Kind of in the direction of the who-owns-a-work-of-art-the-artist-or-the-observer argument. I say it lies on both. Dispersing the responsibility. The more the merrier, na?
A friend of mine, the K from the WKC Petticoat post label (:) ) mentioned being greatly troubled by the whole universal versus the subjective argument. If I remember correctly, she veered towards the Kantian concept (or reiteration of a previously articulated concept?) of universal maxims.
I keep my feet on both sides of the fence. I believe that the universal and the subjective can fail to cease being problematic in certain situations.