Street photography is an amazing photography genre because it can and often encompasses all other genres of photography. Documenting people and the places they occupy is usually only meaningful when viewed in the context of their surroundings and interactions with others or when you see the remnants of where they have been. It is a genre derived from some of the world's most renowned photographic pioneers, including the notable names Cartier-Bresson, Capa, Lange, Evans, Frank, and Winogrand, to name a few.
The best street photographs remanences about lives being lived and the pleasure of getting lost in a strange town or city. The gift of daily looking, through and into other lives adds an eyewitness account of our rehearsed, posed and finessed world. As an art form, street photography is very generous and democratic. Anyone even one with a camera, even their cell phone can use it to share their perceptions of people, places and things, describe their personality or explore their world.
In the early years, street photography was uncommon due to the bulk, expense, and complexity of photographic equipment and the developing process. Photography underwent significant changes in the early 1900s with the introduction of portable cameras. As camera technology improved, cameras became more straightforward and affordable.
From the 1920s to the 1940s, photography and the age of photographs began due to the portability of cameras and the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson, often considered the father of Street Photography. Photography became a vital medium for newspapers, magazines, and the arts.
Street photography flourished in the 1950s and 60s, thanks to the rise of faster, more accessible cameras and film. America's social and political landscapes underwent significant changes in the post-war era. Photographers such as Robert Frank and Garry Winogrand captured the spirit of post-war America, documenting the country's evolving social and political landscape. In the intercity and southern regions, Gordon Parks depicted the struggles of African Americans for equality, fighting against racism and poverty. The 1970s witnessed a shift in street photography, with photographers such as Diane Arbus and Lee Friedlander exploring themes of identity and alienation in their work. The most innovative street photography challenges others to see their world from a different perspective.
As a humanist, I believes in human beings' inherent value and dignity. The camera is my chosen weapon to help others consider the human condition: we are all wonderfully unique, yet are a common species with all its faults. Like Gordon Parks, I hate racism, poverty, social injustice, and inequality. I choose street photography, finding comfort in photographing people. While looking for their meaning, I often find new meaning in myself.