What is Street Photography?
Street photography is the process of capturing candid and real-life moments in public spaces, usually without the subject’s knowledge. This technique allows you to photograph raw and genuine scenes that can document everyday life and tell stories about the people and places being photographed.
History of Street Photography
Street photography began to be recognised as a genre around the 1930s. Photographers commonly used 35mm cameras, which allowed them to take close-up shots while still capturing the background and wider context of the scene. The genre was often associated with Paris, as many iconic street photographs were taken in France during that time.
Street photography gained more popularity after the release of the famous image Place de L’Europe by Henri Cartier-Bresson. He produced a wide range of interesting and unique street photographs that captured ordinary people going about their daily lives. His work draws viewers in, encouraging them to closely observe the details especially with what’s happening in the background and what has been included in the frame.
Cartier-Bresson’s work inspired many others to start capturing street scenes, including photographers like Bruce Gilden, Alex Webb, and William Klein. Another notable figure was Robert Capa, a street photographer and journalist who documented World War II, including the D-Day invasion. One of his most well-known photos shows soldiers swimming through the sea during the landings. The image sparked conversations about the war and gave people a sense of what soldiers were experiencing. However, some questioned the authenticity of the photo, with claims that it might have been staged.
Many street photographers used the Leica handheld camera, which had been commercially available since 1924. It became one of the most popular cameras for street photography due to its compact size, wide aperture, and short exposure time. These features made it ideal for capturing quick, spontaneous shots, even in bright sunlight without overexposing the final developed images.
