Logical, easy-to-read, and informative, The Street Photographer's Manual offers explanations of and tips and techniques to help the student street photographer. Gibson works consistently through the various facets of street photography from busy to quiet to still, abstract to defined subjects, and references what to me are now household names (maybe not to my mum) such as those that are members of the collective In-Public, plus other names that I am less familiar with, and also references to less contemporary photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson and Colin O'Brien.
Gibson takes the reader through an organised route of learning different facets by explaining the theory in the context of a project and then introducing masters of that theory. Of particular value to me was Project 18 on Projects, Gibson (2014) pp 168-171; I have recently started to organise my street photography into projects and reading this section has reinforced my conviction that this is a great way of keeping momentum and inspiration going in this practice. Plus the photos look great when they are grouped together around a theme.
Also pertinent, is Project 2 on Events, Gibson (2014) pp 58-61: recently I realised that when I go to photograph events, e.g. this year I tried to get street photography at the Naked Bike Ride and London Pride, that I was focusing too much on the event itself rather than the peripheries (see commentary about Dave Mason in my post about research into street photography). I think the advice Gibson gives about wandering off around the edges of the event without an agenda - you will find a lot more than if you try to capture the parade or whatever the event is.
All-in-all, this is a great book: you can dip in and out of the various different projects, or follow the book as a sequential process. It is just what it says on the cover: a manual.
References
- Gibson, D. (2014) The Street Photographer's Manual, London: Thames & Hudson pp 58-61, 168-171
No comments:
Post a Comment