Re: [Leica] RE: Street Photography debate

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@islandnet.com>]

Dan Khong wrote:
>During a recent discussion with a friend who takes mainly salon style
>photography, he said that street photography is not artistic photography
>because it breaks too many rules of composition, lighting, etc.>>>>>>>>

Hi Dan,

I think a simple answer might have been, the  Museum of Modern Art, MOMA,
have considered "street photography and photojournalism a form of art" for
quite some time. I would think, what's good enough for MOMA would be good
enough for anyone  to accept street photography as an art form.

Quite frankly, some of the very finest street photography is art, simply
because of the delicate use of composition,lighting and moment of tripping
the shutter. Certainly way ahead of the "salon" photographer's ability of
capturing a fleeting moment in time.

I'm afraid your acquaintence may be trapped in the early days of
photography when only "salon photography was considered art." You know,
rocks and ferns, peeling paint and non breathing things were all the rage
of the photographic art elite!" :)

Instant moments of time were beyond their ability to comprehend. Therefore
it couldn't possibly be art.  But those of us who use Leica no better!;)

ted

Ted Grant
This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William Osler.
http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant