Think Like a Street Photographer

This was one of the books that I got on a visit to the Baltic in Gateshead a little while back.

I thought I would get this as I loved Matt Stuarts photo that was on the front of the book Street Photography Now, the one of the marching pigeon, and the cover photo of this book was fun!

A fun little book broken down into short but informative chapters on various aspects of street photography and how Matt approaches them.

The best bit about the book is that he gives you no ‘rules’ just some tips on how he works and what works for him and lets you run with the ideas.

From ‘Think Lucky, Be Lucky’ where he talks about a positive attitude in looking for photographs all the way to ‘The Last Word’ talking about striving and pushing yourself, this is full of really helpful thoughts that I’m going to try and fold into my own practice.

The whole is supported so well with great examples of his own work, highlighting what he is trying to explain in a visual manner.

A lovely little book that can be carried in your bag and referenced when having a cup of coffee and thinking about what and where next when out and about with your camera.

Light Matters

A collection of essays exploring some of the usual ‘canon’ of photographers of the twentieth century, with a definitely western bias, if not a US one.

This is definitely an end of the Twentieth Century™ survey, before the explosion of 21st Century reappraisals and widening of the acknowledged ‘greats’.

But for all that the collection of essays cover some important photographers to the early history of the art, and some of the broader subjects that photography encompasses. In doing so Vicki Goldberg gives a great introduction to these area with a brilliantly sardonic and knowing wink.

Most of the articles for individual photographers were in response to exhibitions of their work, and explored the artist through this lens. I especially enjoyed the article about Martin Parr which explored the way that he approaches the intrusions of his ‘in your face’ photography style and that he acknowledges the possibly exploitative nature of this practice.

The final essays that explore themes in photography were really interesting especially the last which looks at the entwining of the modern age, ready access to images, and the hiding of personal death away from the public as gruesome death had become performative through different medias such as films, TV, and newspapers.

Overall a great read but definitely of its time.