Street
I love this form of art. There are people whose work I love. Steve McCurry is an icon in this field. But check out Matt Landy on Instagram. He has opportunity and chutzpah! Chutzspah is a key element. Seeing someone, in a street environment that excites you visually and begs to be captured, doesn’t make the task any easier. McCurry embeds with villagers in Afghanistan. He’s there for weeks before he even gets the camera out of the bag. It’s not a luxury afforded to most people. But taking pictures of random people is fraught with uncertainty. How they react, whether they want to be “captured”, their desire to be the centre of attention. All variables that need to be decided in the matter of a second or less. For me “street” also encapsulates everything I see. It isn’t just people. It is how and where they live.
Also apart from the vagaries of common law around the world. Personal, religious and national belief systems kick in. I recall being chased through a bazaar in Marrakesh by a man with a bunch of live chickens, strapped to the rear pannier of his bicycle. He demanded money for a picture I’d taken. Of course, he was the artiste and I was the hapless mug. He set me up beautifully for the entrapment. There are worse ways to make a living
All that said. This form of photography intrigues me. People are the weirdest things. I love their eccentricities Their uniqueness. I also love the way that everyday dull life in one part of the world can be captivating to others on the other. Unfortunately cynicism warns me that even in the remotest parts, there are people wanting to exploit my journey and “be available” for the picture. Spotting the mark is the difference between photography and tourism. I hope you enjoy my journey
