If you are reading my blog probably you’re asking also why sometimes I write more articles about cinema and paintings than street photography. First of all I love movies and art in general and this is probably the first reason. But the truth is that in my opinion you can learn more from a paint or a movie frame than from a portfolio. I’ll tray to explain better what I mean.
A street photographer can’t choose light, subject and background. He can simply try to photograph the scene in front of him using his instinct and skill: the photo may work or not, his “responsability” is “only” to choice what, where and how to photograph something.
Let’s take a practical example. Probably you love a particular photo taken by Gary Winongrand or Bruce Gilden because subject and scene are awesome, background and light are good but maybe could be better. Yes light and background could be better because a street photographer, even a master like gilden and winongrand, can only take pictures of what he has in front of him in that particular moment. He can’t choice to photograph the same scene/subject with different light and background (he can only change his point of view).
If i take a picture of a beautiful moment in street (like a romantic kiss between two lovers) i can’t change light and colors of the scene, I can’t choice subject’s clothes. I can only use a different point of view and work the scene. Stop. Light, colors, setting and other thousnad details are essentially due to chance.
This is important for another great concept: luck in street photography. I have already talked about this, albeit indirectly, in a recent article (but I don’t remember which one), where I explain the importance of chance and luck in street photography, as well as in life, quoting the wonderful Match point directed by Woody Allen (another parallelism with cinema). Street photography is not 100% skill and talent, it is also about caos and randomness comparing to other arts.
Look at that photo. I took this picture in Rome, it was 2021 (or 2022 i don’t remember). I was very close to my subjects; the scene was evanescent like everything that happens on the street.
If I had been the cinematographer (or painter), maybe I would have insisted on warmer lighting to emphasize this beuatiful moment. Maybe i would have changed background… Though I must say, I was fortunate in this particular picture: it was almost sunset, and the light was warm and selective. But did you get the point? Sometimes details can “ruin” your “scenography”. That’s why street photography is complex.
Of course the situation is totally different for a movie director/cinematographer or painter because they can choose light, subject, scene, colors, subjects, clothes and background. In other words if we are looking to the works of great artists probably we look at the best light/composition/subject possible for that particular scene (according to artist’s vision). So if I look to an Hopper’s painting I know that composition, gestures, lights are a great example of good lights/compositions/gestures because he is a great painter, nothing is by chance. A street photo is more by chance, regardless of the photographer’s skill and experience. Get over it!
So my suggestion: do not learn exclusively from street photographer, try to study and find inspiration also with painting, cinema and whatever inspires you (also music!)… Open your mind, be flexible, get inspired always, use your right brain!
If you ask me about masters of light in cinema to study I would suggest John Alton, Orson Welles, Roger Deakins, just to name a few. In particular John Alton is the greatest one with shadows and lights in BW frames.
Try to study Roger Deakins for the use of colors and silhouettes (expecially in Blade Runner 2024 for color palette.)
Thinking of painters, I would mention the already cited Edward Hopper, a sort of street photographer with a brush instead of a camera, but also De Chirico, Caravaggio, Rembrandt…
In the next article I’ll try to make practical examples to explain why and how cinema and painting inspire my street photography vision. We have to talk about this concept a little more. Stay tuned.
That’s all folks
Stay well, have always light in your life
Best, F.S
Here is the link to my personal best pictures: street photography gallery
Read more about street photography, art, cinema
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