TikTok Street Photographers... We need to talk.
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ส.ค. 2024
- TikTok Street Photography has fludded all social media platforms. But what is all about and should "Traditional" Street Photographers be concerned? We will also discuss the new Voigtländer 27mm F2 Ultron for Fuji X and the results of the GR Photo Festival Contest 2022! Enjoy Episode 2 of the Streetlife Show!
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GR PHOTO CONTEST 22 Results: www.ricoh-imaging.com/en/grph...
Cologne Zine: www.streetphotographycologne....
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#streetphotography #tiktok #fujifilm
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 In this Episode...
01:03 Voigtländer 27mm F2 Ultron for Fuji X
05:04 Ricoh GR PHOTO Contest 2022 Results
10:14 TikTok Street Photography is Trending...
18:47 Cologne Street Photography Zine
21:07 Community Photos!
25:37 Thanks for watching
The silver lining of the TikTok’s “photographers-in-street” phenomenon is that they’re normalizing the presence of photographers and maybe people hopefully can get a bit more relaxed about us, that’s a positive thing for street photography. (Hey I’m trying here 😂)
Not a bad way to look at the whole situation. I think you have a good point there. Even if the way of candid street photographers and the tik tok street photographers is completely different we both profit from normalizing photographers out in the streets.
I worry about the opposite effect; that they will become annoying by their numbers. They usually work in cities and most often target good looking people. So it’s possible that the same group of people will be continually pestered.
At the end of the day if everyone remains polite and respectful about it, then it’s harmless - but let’s hope the talented street photography artists, shine through.
I am going to date myself here, but I remember the days when Walkman first came out and the reactions people would get when they wore them in the streets were insane. Similarly the Bluetooth headsets - for several years it was the most annoying thing out in public. Today, nobody bats an eyelash. Now, taking pictures of someone without consent is not exactly the same grade of annoyance but, humans are funny, they get used to literally everything - good and bad.
That’s a good perspective I agree
Valid point but it's still taking away the real sense of street photography
I just regret that what is portrayed on TikTok as “street photography” is how the mainstream population will now see it. Either people find it creepy or, as I also feel, very easy and uncreative. Just wish channels like yours or Paulie B’s could be the ones trending so people could really see the amount of skills, dedication and work it takes to take a good street photo and also how important the genre is for documentation of history
100% agree. When I tell people I newly meet that I do street photography they more often than not ask me if I do tiktoks like that.
Explaining that these videos have nothing to do with street photography gets really tiring.
Does mainstream ever count? Real street photography has always been a niche and that's fantastic
People be like "lol you just take pictures of random things"
Great response
Paulie B’s is incredible
I am a high school student in Japan and I am in the photography club. My friends ask me, "What kind of photography do you like?" I replied, "I like street photography," and was very sad when she said, "Oh, you mean the ones on tiktok and stuff. Even though I fell in love with street photography because I admired the Saul Leiter's photos. I was a little happy to see that there seemed to be a lot of friends in this video and in the comments section who had similar thoughts to mine.
Being an artist and having your work compared to a tiktok trend must be one of the worst feelings on Earth.
@@cruzdesangre2850 Except the main drive for your art should first and foremost be your own enjoyment. I don't even call myself a photographer even though I've had a camera in my hands for the last 30 years. Don't let labels define you and you can be anything YOU want to be.
Hello, where is your Photography Club? Are you by any chance from Tokyo?
Regarding the whole TikTok street photography trend, I think that short-term they are pleasing portraits (nice bokeh, wide aperture, long lenses, etc). But that’s all they are. No one image really stands out. They lack the timeless appeal that the best street photographs have. They lack story, that sense of wonder that makes you curious about the context behind the image. There’s nothing that draws your attention other than the bokeh and a beautiful face. They are nice portraits, and props to them for having the courage to talk to strangers, but it’s not what street photography should be known for.
Yep. They are just posed snapshots done with good gear - a FF camera with a fast lens shot near max aperture. Check out Dawn Eagleton’s work for actual street portraits.
They lack story because they aren't the whole story, the video itself is.
It's going to get to a point where this trend becomes oversaturated and boring because they make it look too easy. When in reality, it's extremely hard to get into and do. Now some people are going to be outgoing, charismatic, extroverted, etc and etc so it's natural. For others, its anxiety and panic attacks, along with dealing with confrontation.
They are good if you want a nice picture of yourself taken by your friend. Agreed they provide nothing to further the art form or being creative. That goes for portraiture and street.
If I would do this i would say, “hello, my name is Bob and I do street portraits”
problem solved 👍🏼
From now on I will call myself a landscape photographer because I took some images of beautiful flowers at f1.4 in the woods #landscapephotography
Did you make those flowers famous overnight? Because that is the real power behind tiktok photography...
Lol 😂
The issue i have with this type of content is that it is misleading viewers to think these are candid street portraits.
If you scratch beneath the surface you find that its all staged with the majority of subjects being professional models or wannabe influencers with their own huge followings.
yes and no. there are some that are not influencers. what makes these photos attractive is the heavy editing (mostly photoshop) that they undergo. if you look closely at their faces, some of their features are enhanced. it's all for the money. and i hate these type of photographers.
Exactly, even if they are not “professional” model, the creator would have chosen ones that are the best looking etc
I approach people on the street and ask for a photo if there's good lighting and I need to be in their face. I stopped introducing myself as a street photographer because I think these TikToks have tainted the title "street photographer"
The one that bugged me a bit was the wedding couple. They said they didn't have time, and you don't know under what other constraints they are already running. Just leave people alone the moment they say no, no questions asked, no insisting or negotiating. You wanna be the wedding photographer, then do wedding photography.
That was really the most problematic. Rude as hell to interrupt another photographer's paid session.
you weird
@@alexeilyubimov7760 No, I'm a working photographer and I'd be pissed if some random dipshit rolled up demanding to take photos of my clients mid-session.
Don´t be so suspicious of the Tiktok-Photographers. Their work will not remain, they won´t be featured in photobooks, it´s not really about the art of photography. There is no need of comparison.
The videos are about building a short personal connection and the intimacy of being posed for a photograph. The interactions are much more important than the image.
Also I do think that there could be a nice outcome from this trend as well:
It´s framed as a very positive interaction with an outcome which is deemed quite lovely and beautiful in the end. The popularity might help to make photographing in the cities seen less disruptive and threatening.
Also (especially also): The term "street photography" is popular for just a couple of years. Photographers from the 60ties, 70ties, 80ties didn´t do "street photography", they did just photography in their city.
So a younger generation of photographers who started photography with the availability of digital cameras called photographing in the street "streetphotography" to give themselves something to be associated with and are now claiming this term, which pretty much means anything or nothing anyways and are snotty about some other photographers using another medium and format.
It feels like street photography poser. Basically find nice looking people and take portrait. And then comments are “she is so beautiful ❤❤” “keep going” “you are so good”.
Haha yes the comment section under these videos is something else...
@@SamuelStreetlife That's the creepiest part for me, they're all like "she would have definitely said yes to a date" etc., just confirms in my head the bias that the photographer in the video had/has a creepy ulterior motive
Great video. I like this kind of format where you sit down discussing photography news and giving your commentary about things happening in the photography world. Hoping to see more of this in the future
I am a Korean photographer.
I usually shoot street fashion.
The algorithm recommended your video.
Many young people in Korea are more positive than expected about TikTok's photo style.
I think this part is just a trend.
However, most photographers are creating their own style of work is emphasizing their own style.
Of course, I'm filming a variety of things.
I was impressed by your video.
- Lee Lee, a photographer from far away Korea.
율곡이이ㄷ
Finally someone will tell them 😅🙏🏻🙏🏻
I bet it's about the look and that those are like always the same photos (low aperture, Basic Portrait). Can't see it anymore
Cant agree more, the photo result is the worst part of every streetphoto tiktok videos.
I think its about the fact that none of these shots are candid, all are staged with professional models.
the worst i've seen was when the "street photographer" interupted a wedding photography session. He asks the couple's permission for some photos and you can see the pro is mad about the situation
Indeed.
Yea, I thought it was pretty cringe. When you see someone working don’t interrupt them. This extends past photography and applies to any type of work. Is this not common sense? It feels so weird for me to even write this comment lol.
Loving this news style video! Really appreciate it :) I do not know much about these other lens company’s so thank you for the info.
Oh glad you're talking about those. It irks me so much. How did they even think of calling themselves street photographers and did they never know what real street photo is?
There's quite literally zero skill or talent involved. Just buy an 85mm f/1.4 or f/1.2 point and click. The worst part is it is educating the young with false information about what street photography is and warps their perspective.
you forgot the bit where they(generally) seem to only ask attractive women for photos and give off a super creepy vibe
Thanks love the new format! Still want to see you taking street photography but is a nice addition.
Looking forward to next episode already. Really cool format!
Very thoughtful assessment of the whole TikTok street photography phenom. It irked me as well and I couldn't put my finger on it exactly, except to say that part of it was jealousy for sure. All of these guys are younger than me, apparently ambidextrous (one hand on smart phone, other on DSLR), and with quite steady hands I might add, which I do not have lol. One thing I can pinpoint about the effect of social media on photography, esp. portrait photography, is that it has made it more of a requirement that the photographer be a personality and usually good looking to even have an opportunity. Back when I was coming up, guys like Helmut Newton would shoot Cindy Crawford and Walter Iooss would be photographing Kathy Ireland for Sport Illustrated. These were older guys; not necessarily unattractive, but nowhere comparable to the models they were shooting. But this new breed of TikTok photographers are all slick, young guys. Not the BEST photographers per se, just the most charming/appealing. I don't like how social media has made that a prerequisite for photography.
The difference is that Walter is a high end pro working on assignments with international companies, whereas Tiktok and TH-cam photographers have to market themselves directly to a viewership. Pros of Walter's calibre often have managers and agents, not to mention the portfolio to display credibility. I've never met Walter but he always came across as pleasant and professional in his SI shoots. The not entirely attractive Giles Bensimon married Elle Macpherson, remember that.
@@raksh9 Nice to get a response from someone who is familiar with that time period. Walter is actually not the best example of what I was trying to convey; he's fairly good looking, just somewhat grizzled and older. I had Robert Huntzinger in mind, but couldn't recall his name when I wrote the comment. The interesting thing with Giles is he's like 80 now, so Elle was really young when she dated him. Anyway, your point is well taken about the differences between someone like Iooss and these TikTok guys. But that brings me to one of the few things that I do like about the current climate. Become a pro photographer was very insider-y back in the day; lots of gatekeepers. As least these days you can get your product directly to the consumer and bypass all that cronyism.
Not to completely contradict you but the guys shown in the video were completely average looking guys (uh not to be mean just being honest about the rather arbitrary standards of beauty that western society has deemed as what is and isn’t beautiful, and if we’re really being honest uh even below average!)
Secondly we saw that the Russian guy basically had a rig attached to his body that held on to his smartphone so he could freely position his camera with with his two hands. So it’s not like they are amazing jugglers or anything, vloggers typically look like janky cyborgs lol
Most of them are not charming or appealing at all, they come across as socially awkward nerds most of the time
I'm not on TikTok, for many of the same reasons you alluded to at the beginning (and neither are my kids). I always take a pause when it feels like maybe the "gatekeepers" of a genre of photography declare some group of work to be "not true X photography", because I think it can be a way to exclude new voices and ideas and maintain a status quo.
But having watched you for some time now I knew that this wouldn't be your hot take so I was interested to learn more about this trend. I fully agree that these aren't street portraits. They're just portraits of people outside - they're basically indistinguishable from shots you'd take of a teenager graduating or other for-hire portraiture. I think you hit the nail on the head with regards to the longer lenses used wide open - they're able to get a "good looking" shot within mere seconds because they're not composing anything. It's kind of lowest-common-denominator photography - but that could be commentary about TikTok in general. They're just framing an attractive person and nuking the background. It definitely feels like insincere posturing to call themselves street photographers - they clearly want to ride the reputation of that genre as making meaningful, historical art, but use it to plug mundane portraiture. It occurred to me as I was watching clips just how much of it could be totally staged to boost views and reputation. "Look how great I am at walking up to women and stopping just short of hitting on them to convince them to let me photograph them!" Thanks for covering this topic and introducing people like me to it who don't participate in certain social media channels.
Also, was anyone else irked by the number of "You have a really nice camera!" comments? 🙄 I get that maybe the average person on the street doesn't really know what other compliment to give a photographer when they like a picture, but c'mon...
To add onto that, I believe that street photography should always provide a take on the practical reality of street life. This also means not discriminating solely based on beauty standards. Those guys (I mean, it's only guys it seems) just look for women who adhere to our flawed perception of beauty, reproducing it. It's not at all representative of what kinds of people one would meet on the streets.
All in all, I honestly don't think this style produces pictures of any meaning. They're like a piece of chocolate: it's kinda nice, you eat it and it's gone forever.
Lastly, I don't think we should start the old tinfoil hat "I bet this is staged" thing. Ockham's Razor. It is a totally unnecessary aspect to our theory. Those guys could walk up to a hundred women in a day and even if 80 of them say no, the rest are more than enough for weeks of content. You are never going to see any of the rejections. Also, young women in their "focus group" have a higher probability of using Tik Tok themselves, knowing about this trend, maybe even feeling a bit pressured to consent to doing the shots.
@@Nitidus fair enough point about the staged aspect. Odds are eventually they’ll be successful if they ask enough. But I do think it’s relevant to an extent about the nature of social media and faked/staged imagery. I brought it up as it was one of the musings that went through my head as I watched.
"Oh you really have a nice camera" always cringes me to death internally 🤮
The only reason I downloaded tiktok in 2023 is to post my pictures as video to showcase whatever small photography skills I have. To normalise you dont need an expensive setup for street photography, it can be started by anyone and to let others know, bokeh is not street photography!
Yeah, nuking the background also removes any sense of context that, imo, is one of the key elements of street composition.
I am grateful that you’ve covered this. I saw several of these portrait photographers on TH-cam but I’m sure they got their start on TikTok. Thousands of followers and all doing pretty much the exact same thing. My first impression was “This is creepy af.”
I felt uncomfortable watching them. It did seem that the person being photographed was picked because they were young, female, and beautiful. I didn’t like that these guys called themselves “street photographers.” I don’t feel that this fits the genre in any meaningful way. I’m not knocking what they do. Portraiture is a great pursuit, but these are not street photographs. They lack the candidness of the outside world that street photographers strive to portray.
In one case, a commenter on one of these street portrait guys pointed out that the women he was supposedly spontaneously finding on the street and shooting were professional models. Finding that out really cheapened the portraiture value of his videos.
This type of photography is definitely easy to define: it’s portraiture, not street.
I strive to capture normal, natural life and hope that I get good light when I do it. The way most of these guys are approaching the young women they shoot is unseemly to me. Stalker-ish.
That’s my 2-cents.
I think usually they aren't as random either. Some of the interactions seems like a set up and they know the person
Hey! Just wanted to pop in and give you a shoutout for your latest video - it was seriously awesome and super informative! Your content is always spot-on, and I love how much effort you put into sharing your expertise with us all.
Sending good vibes from Spain! Wishing you an awesome day!
I think street photography can include “staged” street portraits but shouldn’t be exclusively about that. As for TikTok, it’s problematic for a host of reasons that range from the deterioration of attention spans to Chinese surveillance.
yes chinese are watching you
I love these. Please continue doing these.
This was a brilliant video Samuel, find myself agreeing with you on most things tbh. More please!
For me they're just portraits done out on the street. I do it all the time for clients. But they're for professional purposes (headshots mostly) and have a lifespan of about 3-5 years depending on the use. Street photography is a different genre entirely. I do that as well and the outcomes are vastly different.
Hey, just wanted to say that this was a really cool episode, and that I really enjoy this kind of content :)
You are right, bro. They are making confusion by calling themselves street photographers. And of course there is also a distintion to make with certain street portraits: Stephen Shore, Vivian Maier, Jamel Shabazz did raw portraiture work that is in the aesthetic line of street photography, not those tiktokers.
Hey Samuel. Eine wirklich coole neue Show. Toll gemacht und gut konzipiert. Bravo. Bitte mehr davon! ;-) Alles gute aus der Schweiz. LG, Sven
I take a mix of candid street photos and portraits mainly, and I found this video to be inspiring. Of course, if I take a candid and then find out that the subjects are family, or something, sometimes I will ask them to pose for a more formal posed portrait. This is my attempt to give them back something that they will value in exchange for giving me the candid. I do see the difference and I agree. Ultimately, I feel that the posed portrait is a gift from me to the subject, whereas the candid is (ideally) my (and the subject’s) contribution to the world, Street Photography, and history.
Subbed bro, love the content.
Very good work Samuel! Your English has improved and your personal style feels consistent.
I like this video. I think character is more important than "lovely". Excellent point!
The third pic you choose is soo soo grt!!!
Thank you for sharing, I agreed 100%
Thanks for the video! Aside from the TikTok phenomenon, which is completely of my radar - I do find the discussion interesting - about what street photographers do, and how it is understood (or not) by the general person. Maybe that contributes to an increase in people creating this kind of photography, for good or bad (?)
My experience is that most people I know, family etc, really don’t understand or appreciate why I would be interested in taking candid photographs of them or other people. Even though everybody sees ‘street photographs’ (or documentary/journalistic photography) all of the time and in many different mediums - maybe there is a real disconnect between seeing and appreciating photographs (magazines, nat geo etc) and actually seeing somebody photographing that way in real life, on the ‘street’.
Probably always going to be true that most people would prefer to be photographed in the beautiful, posed portrait style even though, in my opinion, the candid, street photograph will always be much more powerful, meaningful and appeal to a wider audience, ultimately. But it is also really, really, really, really hard to do!!!
WHY AM I JUST DISCOVERING YOUR CHANNEL?! Great points on the candidness of street photography. it's what i've been saying since i've taken up photography myself.
Edit: You earned one loyal sub. Keep it up good sir.
As a guy practising street photography, i understand the centiment you have with this trend. Me personally, whenever I do street photography, there are times that I approach strangers to take their photos. However, I do not or I refuse to introduce myself as street photographer as I do not want people to start thinking that taking portraits on the street (non candid) is what street photography is all about. But boy it is a lot of fun just by approaching people to have their photos taken and get different reaction/response out from it.
Hi Samuel, very cool format this show!
great video!
Well said! I feel It’s a legitimate criticism.
Would love to hear your perspective on this same topic a year from now once I’ve had some time to grow. I’d be thrilled if I could successfully strive to be just a fraction as versatile and natural as some of the great veteran street photographers you mentioned later in the video.
God damn thank you for this contribution!!!
Love this format!
This type of TikTok street photography is just an additional form of the modern self-portrait mania. Only one's own arm is extended, the smartphone is replaced by a camera and a vicarious agent presses the shutter release. The only true achievement of the person behind the camera is that nothing is too embarrassing for her to approach strangers.
I feel like there is this balance in street photography with capturing the moment as it is, and changing the moment to it makes the photograph different (e.g., asking someone to pose a certain way, stand in a certain place, look in a certain direction, or even just adjust your composition without people noticing).
Sometimes it can be okay to make slight alterations to reality. You already do in a way when you are waiting for “the perfect shot”. But also asking someone to stand a certain way, while still capturing them how they are, can look authentic when done the right way.
TikTok photography leans way too much towards artificialness and posing. The moment is not “captured”, it is “created”. In my view this loses the essence of what street photography should do: capture people and places in a specific timeframe, in a camera.
Thanks for expressing your thoughts on this. I think people on TikTok have a tendency to lose the main point of doing things, or rather they have their own way of seeing it and it's usually very technical, "standard" pieces, which work but aren't very interesting or have much artistic thought behind them. I can say similar things about animation on TikTok, where a lot of things that go viral are literally traced, or are overdone. Or the art community where most of the things I see going viral are hyper realistic portraits, which yes they do require skill but it's not as interesting as someone drawing from imagination, or someone having more style.
I think you just said it out loud for many ppl who think the same way about TikTok trend. Thanks a lot, Samuel!
Always entertaining!
Another great show Sam! Thanks for your efforts and content :) I also agree with your TikTok views - everyone is a “photographer “ until you put in in MANUAL mode! LOL!
Excellent video. You are right about TikTok. I agree with you, absolutely!
Very comprehensive video of that trend Samuel. Thanks for pointing it out.
Thank you for sharing this interesting topic on the Tiktok photographers. It helped me reflect on my own goals of photography.
Also the TikTok topic made me think about the nature of digital trends. With a flick of their fingers, people can like the photos/videos or follow them. However, the “like” by an expert photographer is the same “like” from a person with no expertise on these digital platforms including Tiktok, Instagram, Twitter, TH-cam, etc. There is no way to differentiate the “likes” from a photography aspect vs the “likes” for a different reason (e.g. attractive model, funny content, already trending, etc.). It’s interesting how street photography might get affected due to the likes clicked probably by many non-photographers from Tiktok videos. Trends do go away. TikTok might also go away after some time. But the lasting impact created by this liking system could be significant for both photographers and the audience, just like how the definition of a “street photographer” might be changing.
Great show!
Thanks to put my photo on this video. It’s the photo with the two people on a scooter. Photo was taken in Amsterdam.
Love the new set! I'm "green" with envy!! :)
That second shot in the subway car with the dutch angle is frankly just a snapshot!
The Ricoh Photo Festival is brilliant. Photography is such a broad craft that shoehorning images into a rigid contest of just a couple of winners judged by a couple of people with their own limited biases throws away so much great and interesting photographs out there. By letting a broad array of judges pick their own favorites and letting them speak why they chose the particular photo brings a lot more context and understanding into why the photograph means something. It just enriches people's (both photographers' and viewers') knowledge and appreciation of the medium.
On TikTok (and other social media) "street" photographers, they do affect me as a photographer when the general population where I shoot start expecting people with cameras to take "street" photos of them. It's like getting catcalled to take a photo. I usually just pretend not to notice but sometimes it's getting harder to get some genuine scenes because of this perception about street photographers created by this trend. But as with anything social media, it's only a matter of time before the trend will fall in favor and get buried by the feed and algorithm.
I recently bought a Ricoh GR3x. It is might first camera at age 27, paid by myself, so I am pretty proud about that decision. It costed me almost $1200 CAD and inspite the hefty price and my friends who click portraits telling you can better cameras with blur at half the price (used), I decided to stick with it. This decision was only made after watching so many videos on street photography and ricoh walks. My crux from all these learnings is that street photography is candid, wherein you capture a moment in time, an expression or a story which cannot be faked or styled. With the street portraits, I feel you loose that "real" story as you create a controlled environment and modify the subject's behaviour. Ofcourse, these pictures would be nice, a nice camera, an expensive lens and post can change so much, but that is not the true self in that moment.
I also agree that these photographers talking and seeking consent from the subjects is really nice, not everyone likes to be clicked but maybe that is why we have street photography, using light and the environment in a manner to portray a beautiful story where the by product is a beautiful story in itself.
Second thing I learnt is that the best camera that you can have is the one in your hand. Vincent Peters and Eric Van Nynatten are a great example of this. These tiktok videos make me feel unworthy unless I have an expensive setup which is not possible for everyone. I really like the 3rd pic being selected as it shows and its reason. I can use my phone camera for portraits and add blur with photo editing apps but I feel that is not street photography.
This was fun. Definitely the best news of the week or month. At a random time.
Thanks man for the engaging live chat! : )
Completely agree with your thoughts in hot topic about those TikTok photographers.
really insightful observations about those TikTok "street photographers"!
My darling sometimes asks why my street portraits contain so much street. I’ll point her here next time. Fantastic, thoughtful, and thought provoking video Samuel.
Shouldnt be too concerned about whats popular right now as the people who take up photography will dig deeper and find the real treasures behind whats been happening on the surface. Thank you for your channel nd input :)
Great chat!
Another great episode. That thumbnail though 🔥 it encompasses my feelings about TikTok street photographers 😅
A little dramatic probably but I knew that the community feels like that at the moment haha
@@SamuelStreetlife absolutely! I can’t wait for the next episode!
I would describe the photos of these TikTok photographers as corporate or manufactured. Kinda lifeless but works as a profile pic or something like that. They're really only useful to the individual being photographed. Whereas really good portraiture and/or street portraits are appealing to both the subject and anyone who happens to view the photo. Really love this new video format btw! I always enjoy listening to something while I edit and these are perfect.
Hello Samuel and thank your for all the information you have shared with us, I wondered why if you like to shoot manual on the d850, you chose Voigtander instead of native Ais Nikon Ais lenses. Have you tried them?
Hope you have the time to respond.
someone has finally spoken! thank you! the people claiming themselves as "street photographers" in those trending videos on tiktok aren't doing the true meaning of street photography at all. it's sickening. :(
Facts 💯
Great to see Voigtlander is busy cooking up some new glass. Will be interesting to see a comparison of the 58mm 1.4 vs 55mm 1.2
Great video
Thanks Samuel, very interesting format and content, I appreciate it 👍
The first time I saw something that looked like this trend on TikTok it was a photographer who actually called it 'live street portraits of beauty in Moscow' and it was mostly a fun and rather humble way to capture images of pretty girls and talk to them 🙃
I don't even know if the guy is Russian as I never heard his voice but it had nothing to do with street photography anyway 😉 and maybe I'm wrong but I think AI will question our photography much more than TikTok, no matter their latest trend
Extremely happy and not surprised that Voightlander is still producing lenses for F Mount. For all the hype around mirrorless, F Mount is not dead, Nikon DSLRs and lenses are still in production, and for good reason: shooting with them is like coming home.
Some good takes. I prefer to look at traditional street but there is something magical in how some of tik-tok photographers are able to make people's day with their portrait. Like dgphotoholic has such a pleasant and gentle approach and disarms even the most skeptical of subjects
I agree. If you watch his videos, David doesn't introduce himself as street photographers, only a photographer.
And his approach is so smooth, doesn't feel awkward and artificial. Something that we (ok, me) take for granted
The 27mm from Fuji is a 2.8, so you also get a stop more light with the Voigtländer.
Sehr interessante Video. Habe es gerne angeschaut, ich werde die tage auch ein video posten mit meinen Gedanken dazu. wünsche an alle Fotografen nur das beste bleibt gesund und positiv das ist das wichtigste
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Lol this is the video I needed!
lol i'm in a bit of shock seeing my photos in here. i'm a big fan of the channel and the community, and glad to have been mentioned amongst all the other amazing photos, even if it was for just 20 seconds😂 and on the topic of tiktok "street photographers", i really don't think its street, if they're calling themselves portrait photographers then fine, but its definitely not street. people should do whatever makes them happy as long as they're not hurting anyone
I started stopping strangers for portraits around 2014. It started as a casual thing and it slowly turned into a fashion project. I did it for several years and enjoyed it very much...that was until I started seeing these TikTok photographers do it. It really took all the joy out of it. I was a great way to network, though.
I don't have TikTok, so I personally haven't noticed this whole thing. But the "mainstream" has a different perspective on "photos" due to all these filters. I found the part with the weeding couple really cheeky and embarrassing... I wouldn't even dare to take my first camera (1100D, 50mm) out on the street today, it would be super uncomfortable for me and kinda pointless imo. Luckily, thanks to you, I discovered my x100F and have it for ~8 years now :)
Cooles video!
Your tongue must be so sore from biting it all the way through that video! I love how diplomatic you were and yet the glint in your eye spoke volumes. I agree with all of this. Taking staged pictures of random people with a shallow depth of field and calling yourself a street photographer is like baking a cake from a cake mix and calling yourself a chef.
just ran into your channel. Interesting viewpoint. I love street photography here in the Philippines. Many of these guys are amazing photographers yes some get a little off. Anyway, worth a discussion.
The photo taken at 16:53 was taken in my hometown of New Brighton! Instantly recognised that corner. So unexpected.
Not being on TikTok, my only exposure to this trend has only been through Instagram and thankfully of one guy who commonly photographs elderly people. The tone is never too forceful, and the subjects talk about their younger years or encourage the photographer as the portraits are taken.
While I wholeheartedly prefer taking candid photos myself, I'm always thinking in the perspective of the fiercely private person who is now unwittingly plastered online or in print without permission and may never be compensated since they are rendered anonymous with no knowledge of the image. I vaguely remember my time on my school newspaper, where any person with a face the size of something like a quarter on the page must be credited.
It brings complicated feelings when even I would rather not be photographed without permission (and I typically deny permission) because I dress alternatively and don't like the idea of my visage being used for another's monetary gain. If I give permission but say the photo(s) cannot be posted online or seen by any other person, how would that go over in the grand scheme of things and by the honor system?
Liverpool is brilliant. Let me know when you come around!
This phenomena happened in my uni too. There was a social media page ran by some students that would take pictures of other students especially those that are attractive and post is online. At first their shots were mostly candid but due to the prominence of their page, people are more aware of photographers even to the point that even having a camera with you make them think you're apart of that said group of photographers. People will immedioately pose and even call you out for pictures even thought you have no prior intent to do so, basically killed off the ability to shoot candid.
i was really bummed about this as I really like how street photgraphy depicts people's raw day to day lives wihtout them putting up a facede. I'm glad I'm not the one who sees this as an issue that doesn't just conclude that it's just due to pride and arrogance
That sounds awful, I'd be so sad if something like that happened to my college. Another issue is that photography students here don't like to give or receive real criticism, it's an endless cycle of mediocre work really.
I can see the beautiful Vienna in your green screen setup 😃
Well said, Samuel!
I see street photography as purely candid
Capturing people in the moment without them consciously aware they are on camera or with minimal/no interaction
street portraiture was my favorite kind of street photography long before tiktok. Sometimes I'd walk up to people and couples and ask them if I would take their picture. Though I mostly shot in the candid "no permission" style. When I first started out I was inspired by Bruce Gilden's work. Of course when I say street portraiture, I did the kind that included the environment around, I shot with 40mm lens, so still pretty wide to include the context of the person I was photographing. My favorite thing to do was to take a picture of a person with a street sign or landmark in the background. I mentally referred to these as money shots.
From my perspective there's nothing wrong with these, some of them are strictly portrait of the non-street variety that just happened to be taken of a stranger in public, but there is nothing wrong with it. Nothing devoid of artistic quality. I much prefer this kind of "street" photography as opposed to taking pictures of the backs of people. Street photography where the subject meets eyes with the camera lens, that's the best. You never look what expression you're gonna get. I love it.
I get the point.. and now i understand why i don't really like their typical photos
german zine? that looks like a whole book haha - very cool to share the photos and collaboration book showing many photographers, my local bangkok photographer group host created a similar book for the group's 2022 favorite photos though I sadly was not able to participate in time but really nice to see photos being printed out.
initially the tiktok "street" photography felt like people who just cut up a normal POV style street photo walk and create shorts - on IG seems to have it's own style of "street" photo reels being posted there as well. a theory could be that its harder to get a "good" candid street photo - and worse case could be that strangers to the street photography genre who watch these tiktoks might feel its more creepy to take pictures of strangers and post it online and SO - we get videos where permission is asked to take pictures of people, and added to the "entertainment" and "feels good" moment is to see the reaction of the person who hopefully likes the photo that was taken of them.
I think to this other youtuber Lashmar - The Street Thief who is maybe one that i really enjoy - talking to people, while taking pictures of them, using a wider angle lens so its up close or shows more of the environment, interesting people and we the audience get to know them a little bit more as well, its not in every video or photo but one who I think does a good job.
back to the tiktok folks - its less street and just "environmental portraits" which is it's own genre of photography thats all it is
When I was first into photography I was so into that bokeh, those portraits and their creamy background. However, years into the hobby, I become more impressed with the portraits that don't rely on the bokeh to make the subject standout or be more dynamic looking. To the point that i am thinking that maybe bokeh is indeed overrated. Wide angle portraits become more interesting to me somehow
Same here.
totally agree, alot of the tik tok stuff is super cringey and everyone relies on a wide open f 1.4 lens. however, i think it is similarly soulless to a lot of candid "real" street photography. candid photos of people crossing the street or standing around very often lack value and interest (i've taken a lot of these myself 🤣) the good news is that candid or posed, you can tell when there is some soul and intention to the image, and not just a random press of a shutter
I didn’t encountered that trend yet. But from what you show I can see there’s a desire of recognition through instant and catchy results. Which is not documenting and/or the original street photography we know. I’m glad because from a different approach you arrived to the same point of view. Standard or authentic street photography isn’t this. But this is maybe a trend or a style of the genre. We have seen the same trend in IG, those catchy and colorful images. It will be a trend and hopefully people will understand on the long term or not. And it was the first time photography became catchy and serving the photographer not the audience. This is the important point between those two new trends. It serves the photographers, their self, not something greater than them. Masters of photography want put substance in their photographies, in their work, in their projects and books otherwise it is a nonsense to them to publish empty work. The first reason is art, an idea, a feeling, a story, a concept. Then the second fold is to share so people feel something for themself. Not feel something for the photographer. A master is recognized in this logic. For his/her work and contribution. Substance. Meaningfulness. Depth. Cleverness. Layers….
They just remind me of school portraits that you bring to your caregiver lol
@ 24:52 best pic!! red yellow x2 , perfect shot dude!
Bout time someone said it 🙌🏾
I enjoyed this video and your commentary on TikTok street photography and agree with your point of view. This TikTok genre is nothing more than portraits taken for flattery - as you say it is a relatively simple photographic technique that relies on portrait lenses used at large apertures to isolate the subject. There is little in these images to be interesting to the art world. However if it entertains the public on TikTok, I guess there is an audience for it.
Tom Wood on the other hand (whom I didn't know before this video - thanks for the introduction), asks people for their permission so they are not candid, yet he manages to capture images which tell us more about the subjects and their environment. His style and genre requires talent, skill and less cringe inducing fake flattery that the TikTokers use. He tells stories which allowed the viewer a chance to look deeper and interpret the images as they see fit.
I think the bokeh/flattery style will die down as TikTok gets saturated with it. It has already become impossibly boring. Whereas the Tom Wood's of this world will stand the test of time.
I think its worth adding that a lot of today's highly respected street photography is also quite empty of content,, even if they do require skill Endless photos of people walking past shops and billboards, or silhouetted in a landscape, are repetitive and give us little insight. That style is a far cry from the era/genre of photographers like Bresson and Doisneau who were real masters of the street.
Thanks again for a great video.
This was spot on. Bokeh isn’t art. It won’t stand the test of time. A fad like glamour shots.