A while ago I was pondering on the state of street style photography, and I ended up considering that this photographic genre still has a long way to go. Recently, I have noticed that the street style photographers I am following were using more and more words. For example Scott Schuman always sparing with words on his blog, The Sartorialist, started adding few sentences to accompany some of his shots. Despite a very terse style, he always succeeds in going straight to the point (you can't imagine how much I wish I had the same ability as him). There is an old saying in photography telling that a picture speaks by itself but when it comes to a genre like street style photography you have to go beyond the proverb. Not because the photographers are not good enough but simply because there is such a saturation in fashion right now that people are unable to see beyond its glitters, obviously that is my opinion (feel free to have one different from mine so that we can chat over it). There is more comments on the clothing instead of a real obversation of the background, the person shot, the details componing the outfit and the picture in general, the moment etc..To sum it up I am feeling that the picture in its whole is not taken in consideration.
In this era where we are said to be very visual, my impression is that we actually don't pay this much attention to what is visual. In brief, I don't feel like our eyes are as much visually educated as we think. That is why I am sharing with you this video by Mr.Porter featuring 3 of the street style photographers I appreciate the most (can you guess who they are ? hint: I've already told you about one just a few lines ago..).
I wish this kind of approach would be more used so that we can actually learn to look at a picture. Though I am keen on photography I don't have the photographer's eye and this despite training myself. Meaning I am not always able to see the essential on a picture. The very reason I started Shoot That Thursday is certainly because I wanted to train my eye as a viewer and then do the next step by training my eye as a photographer.
I am aware not everybody is fond of photography but fashion being visual, I can't help thinking it is a necessity to learn seeing beyond the garments. Street style photography is an interesting genre because instead of only focusing on the clothes, it shows individuals. Unfortunately, lately I feel viewers (and maybe some street style photographers too) lost this idea and are watching images for the brands and the glamour, hence my total admiration for Mr.Porter project in which what the charisma of the people photographed and the composition of a picture are highligted.
What is your opinion on the matter ? Do you think a photo speaks by itself or does it need words ?
Même si la photo peut avoir son langage propre, en vase clos, je pense que les mots sont indispensables pour en décupler le pouvoir d'évocation, ce tant au plan de la légende (qui ? quand ? où ? etc*.) que du ressenti du spectateur ;) !
ReplyDelete* Autant de repères qui guident, domestiquent le regard ET sont d'autant + nécessaires à l'heure où le flux d'images dispo sur tous les réseaux fait planer le spectre de l'overdose ;)
a presto, Antoine
Bonjour Antoine,
DeleteC'est exactement ce à quoi je pensais. Nous sommes tellement assomés d'images chaque seconde, heure, jour que notre oeil n'est plus aussi attentif qu'avant.
Une photo a son sens toute seule mais rajouter une légende ou quelques phrases à son propos permet toujours d'aiguiller le spectateur.
Récemment j'ai découvert le photographe Pieter Hugo, qui ne fait en rien du street style, mais c'est en partie grâce à lui que j'ai mieux compris le pouvoir des mots sur une photo. Si tu fais un tour dans cette section tu trouveras le post que j'ai écrit à son sujet.
Je te remercie de ton commentaire.
A presto,
Shug
Le fotografie parlano spesso da sole, ma a volte le parole di chi le ha scattate servono per capire quale interpretazione l'autore gli voleva dare o ci vede dentro!
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Cami
Paillettes&Champagne
Ciao Camilla,
DeleteSono ampiamente d'accordo con te. Penso pero' che nell'era in cui viviamo adesso, siamo tanto bombardati da immagini ogni secondo che abbiamo perso la nostra capacità ad osservare le cose in maniera precisa. Ecco perché ADESSO penso che sia NECESSARIO aggiungerci qualche parola per rieducare il nostro occhio.
Ti ringrazio del tuo commento
Un bacione