Inspirational Research: People and Street Photography

All my life I have been inspired by other people. Being an artist it allows me to be able to reach and learn other people but also inspired them in a way. I have chosen photography to freeze the moment, maybe because I have lost many other moments before and this urgent feeling to capture life around me it meant to be my journey. When I think about artists that inspire me is not necessarily, their journey or status. Many artists that I follow in the music industry, cinema and photography can bring me different thoughts. Some of their work inspired me, however, many other does not bring me any kind of joy while I am looking at them. This is something that I have in mind, when I have decide to be an artist. The challenges that I will face in my area. 

I have been passionate by landscape photography and travel photography for long time. However, with experience that I have been able to get specially in a few months since I have started my academic journey my vision has changed. Looking at other artists such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, that is the father of Street Photography really brings me joy. According to Britannica (2022), the candid moment that Carter-Bresson was able to capture was a benchmark for the Photojournalism. More I look at this, more I believe, that yes they are an inspiration, however, I want to build my own path by creating my art. 

An artist once said "I’m not the kind of photographer who'll name old masters of photography as their inspiration. I wanted to be a photographer to become a better, happier “me”, not a poor copy of some old masters which I respect but who are past and not in charge of my life. It may sound ungrateful but Henri Cartier-Bresson or Vivian Meyer have no responsibility in where I am today, my work is"' (Nicholas Goodden Photography, 2022).

More I experiment Photography more I understand that I want to photograph people. This does not mean that I need to be in a studio. I prefer to be outside and capture the life around me with people in it. Robert Doisneau (1908-2004) has an important role in photography that I found very interesting. He has an ability to capture his images in a poetic way (Britannica, 2022). A candid moment that I believe to be important as Street Photographer. More than capture people on the streets is to bring credibility to one moment.

Figure 1 - Robert Doisneau, Le baiser de l’Hôtel de Ville, Paris 1950.

Looking to this picture from Robert Doisneau I see a strong approach to poetry by sharing with the viewer an intimate moment that those people are not really worried to hide from other people. How many times a day we see people kissing? That is not a taboo or something that we have to hide from other people. We can show affection in a public space. The people around them seem not to be worried too. Everyone is living their own life. "During his long career, his poetic approach to street photography recorded French everyday life in often playful and surreal images" (International Centre of Photography, 2022).

In the composition the artists decided to include the couple as the main scene, however, more people can be seen around them. The arrangement gives us clue that in 1950 was not a scandal to kiss someone on the streets. The coupe is central in the image in between the 4 points of the rule of thirds, however, our eye is lead to the top left-hand side where a man can be seen in a clear way. The technique that the artists used is not that clear by the long exposure in the image. However, seems that the artist was seated outside where a table can be seen and a man just in front of him not on focus. A photograph that seems to document who was passing by. Furthermore, Doisneau argues "...that he, Bornet and her boyfriend Jacques Carteaud staged the photo" (Iconic Photos, 2009). 

Reference 

Britannica (2022) Henri Cartier-Bresson. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henri-Cartier-Bresson (Accessed: 10/05/2022)

Nicholas Goodden Photography (2022) A Level Photography Information. Available at: https://www.nicholasgooddenphotography.co.uk/london-blog/a-level-photography-information (Accessed: 10/05/2022)

International Centre of Photography (2022) Robert Doisneau. Available at: https://www.icp.org/browse/archive/constituents/robert-doisneau?all/all/all/all/0 (Accessed: 10/05/2022)

Iconic Photos (2009) Le Baiser de l’Hotel de Ville. Available at: https://iconicphotos.wordpress.com/2009/05/08/le-baiser-de-lhotel-de-ville/ (Accessed: 10/05/2022)

Image Reference

Figure 1

Doisneau, R. (1950) Le Baiser de l’Hotel de Ville. Availbale at:  https://www.artandobject.com/news/robert-doisneau-fisherman-moments-palazzo-roverella (Accessed: 10/05/2022)