PHOTOGRAPHING PEOPLE IN THE STREET WHO I DON'T KNOW IS AN ACT OF INTIMACY THAT CAN MAKE MY HEART STOP!
American Street Photographer. Janet Delaney
I've returned to Scotland and the Streets of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year, my first in about 4 years. We've been visiting the fringe for over a decade as a family, but this year has been a little different.
My kids suddenly aren't kids any more; seeing my 18-year-old daughter ordering a pint of lager took some getting used to, but I can't lie; it was nice to include my daughter in a round of drinks.
My son Will, came with his girlfriend and my daughter Georgia with one of her best friends. They all loved the experience.
We booked a large apartment near all the action on Edinburgh's 'Golden Mile' - and I loved being back within the great vibe surrounding the fringe.
We've watched some very talented acts, but also an assortment of very ropy comedians, alongside some excellent and some questionable shows too and many others in between - which is all part of the fun.
My kids have all been exposed to this particular kind of theatre, comedy, innuendo and adult humour that prevails on the fringe circuit for many years now, and I have to say, it's broadened their minds and their outlook on life, giving them both a greater sense of awareness, education and insight into life.
Someone once said, 'Comedy changes lives'. Take from that what you will...
As a professional photographer, it's a great opportunity and environment to stretch my photographic mind and indulge in the art of 'Street Photography' - something I love. But it is a skill I could improve at. It's a discipline that needs practice, diligence and consistency to become even 'slightly good' when producing meaningful or eye-catching images.
And, I have to say, Street Photography is definitely an 'Art'!
Capturing good ‘Street' imagery has always been a challenge for me, so I take my hat off to all the great Street Photographers today practising their art on the many different streets worldwide.
It's always exciting to bring my camera to Edinburgh for the fringe; my favourite discipline has always been centred around the theme of Portrait photography.
Having thousands of people walking across my path daily would be a gold mine of great opportunities, so you would think.
Well, it is! But it's also very difficult. Photographing someone close to my lens is easy, but where's the fun? It's all about finding the characters, the colourful, intriguing individuals that stand out, people with the kind of outward personality or look that will make for an exciting or thought-provoking picture.
But it's also about capturing someone in the right light or using shadows to cast intrigue or drama into a scene. When this all comes together, it's like visual poetry. A handful of photographers have nurtured their 'eye' over the years to see or look in a certain way; those who use shadows or hash light to their advantage when constructing a photograph is a skill and an art.
When I started as a trainee photographer in the early eighties, I remember being told I should always ‘look with intention’ or ‘see with purpose’. This is especially true when it comes to street photography or street portraiture. I still have these notions in my mind nearly 40 years later.
The headline quote above by Janet Delaney perfectly sums up my passion for street photography.
It takes a lot to overcome one’s fears regarding street portraiture, but I use this fear as the catalyst that drives me forward.
When I see a person who I absolutely must include in my set of images, I have to make that split-second decision. Should I ask their permission or get the picture and see what happens afterwards?
It's always a toss-up knowing what the right thing is to do. This is where experience comes in; sometimes, you just know that the person in question with who I want to make a picture will say yes if approached in the right way and with the right amount of flattery and smiles.
And then there are times when you know that the person(s) in question will definitely say no to my request; it doesn't matter what I say to them, no matter how much I tell them how great they look, they just flatly refuse to have their picture taken. And that's fine; I'll walk away and look for my next subject.
But as many street photographers know, getting the image in the first instance is the most crucial aspect of the process. Because I love taking pictures of people rather than the environment, I’m accustomed to stopping complete strangers and asking for their permission to take their photographs. This doesn’t faze me, and I sometimes end up in full-scale conversations with them, which is always lovely.
There are a few images here included in this set that I've taken without asking permission; see if you can tell which ones I've grabbed without first asking permission. I asked all these people afterwards if they didn't mind me taking their pictures, and they all said it was fine, except for one lady, with whom I showed her the image and immediately deleted it in front of her.
