CONTROVERSIAL STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

[Paul Crespel]

I've started this thread to try and encourage people to come out of their comfort zone, and to think more when they photograph street scenes.  Some of these images may be viewed as controversial or provocative.  None are criticisms of the subjects, but rather they are criticisms of the society and mentality in which the subjects live, and perhaps a criticism our our own judgement of others.

Some of the images here appear also in other threads; be patient with me, each is a useful illustration for more than one subject.

You're Welcome To Verona! by Paul Crespel, on Flickr
 

Verona Kids Teasing Man by Paul Crespel, on Flickr

 

Homeless in Verona by Paul Crespel, on Flickr

 

Verona right of way? by Paul Crespel, on Flickr

 

Verona Curiosity by Paul Crespel, on Flickr

 

Verona antisocial behaviour by Paul Crespel, on Flickr

 

Dignity by Paul Crespel, on Flickr

 

Nutella by Paul Crespel, on Flickr

 

Curia Curiosa by Paul Crespel, on Flickr

 

[Monty Montgomery]

For the most part, this is a wonderful series.  IMO all are fair game for street photography.  That said, I typically do not photograph homeless people unless I am trying to make a statement to support them. I like "Curiosity" showing a poor homeless person and many well off people staring at him as though he was a freak.  He is not a freak, he is a person!  A person who may be an addict or just not had the fortunate life that many of us have.

 

"Dignity" I defiantly would have taken the photograph.  I would struggle deciding if I'd post it.  I would really want to post, but I probably would not.

 

I absolutely love the first shot.  The snow, the deadpan looks, the White/Black writing.  It is a photograph I wish I'd have taken...

 

I try very hard not to embarrass the people I photograph. They are people and deserve our respect.

 

Monty

[Paul Crespel]

This child, watched over by his "minder", was 9 years old when I took the photograph.  Instead of being at school he was being made to work the tables and earn money.  The expression on his face, and that on his "minder's" face tell the story.

Forced Child Labour by Paul Crespel, on Flickr

[Harlem]

Shooting the homeless and poor is cliché and don't make their situation any better. In my opinion it's kinda exploitation of poverty. Just my 2ct.

[macjim]

Controversial, maybe, wrong, maybe... I don't generally photograph homeless people as I feel they have had enough bad luck in life that they don't need to be use for someone's entertainment. That said, it would also be wrong not to document what it happening in this world too. Where would we be if our historic records didn't include images, we wouldn't have scenes from WW1 & 2. The horrors of the concentration camps, the evils of what the Nazis did etc. images tell a story and those above do that well.

I do try to take people candidly so as to get an image that is real and most of the above do that and I applaud the photographer for that.

What I don't like is the style of work where the camera and flash is 'forced' into some unsuspecting persons face... I can't remember the photographers name... That's just plain wrong and rude in the extreme but that's just my opinion.

With those above, there's sadness, humour, and real life in them, so... I like them.

See link for my one and only homeless photograph: https://flic.kr/p/e8MGLG

Flickr: thesrpspaintshop

[ChangshaNotes]

For me, I see a difference between photographing homeless people when they are trying to have some semblance of privacy (for example sleeping) and when they are actively trying to engage other members of the public. If they are begging, I think of it as their work and I have no problem taking a photo as I do with a street performer or construction worker.

[Paul Crespel]

Can we try to keep this from becoming a discussion purely about homeless people?

[Paul Crespel]

There only ONE homeless person in any of the photos.  If you look hard enough, think a lot, and ask questions - that's what people aren't doing - you will understand that there is only one homeless lady. 

This set of photos covers racism, obesity, a man trying to beat kids with a big stick, disabled, child slave labour, priest kissing a nun, urinating in public (not by a homeless man, but a man who lives only 100 metres from there, who was just to lazy to hold it until he got home), and other challenging subjects.
 

People aren't curious, they are not asking themselves, or others, questions.  Without curiosity and questioning, there cannot be good photos.

 

It seems that people these days can only concentrate on one image at a time, and even then they all fail to see what's in the image.

 

The above images aren't just chosen at random, they all have something that needs questioning, and many are not what they seem at first glance, but studying them, questioning what is wrong in the photos, or what is missing, can often tell you more than what is there.  That is the same for all documentary photographs

I have thousands like this, possibly half a million archived on negatives.

Maybe homeless is easy to discuss and photograph because generally the homeless can't fight back.

What about the 4 black guys sheltering from the snow under a tree, by chance behind a bench with "white / colored" graffiti.... that is at least as good as Elliott Erwitt's famous "White / Colored" drinking fountain shot.  It was not posed - none of my photos are posed.

People are scared of confronting or discussing anything controversial, and even with homeless, which is the most easily discussed, the discussion never goes beyond "It's cliché and doesn't help their situation", or at best "somebody has to do it to record it for future generations".

My exhibitions really provoke, and I am often there to provoke discussion, and I see how uncomfortable people are, but often, with discussion, they go away with a new view on an issue.

Given what's been in the news in recent years, nobody even seems to have the courage to even look at the new thread "kids and teenagers". 

Disabled.... that's just as bad.  NOBODY takes photos of people in wheelchairs.... why?  As far as I know, that photo is the only wheelchair photo I've ever seen in a photography forum.  Why?  People just feel too uncomfortable around certain subjects, and prefer to ignore them instead of treating them as normal.

This thread is not about the photographs, it is about people's attitudes to certain subjects

If photographers don't study other people's photographs, not just look at them, but really study them, they will never be photographers. 

Go and look at the controversial set again, there really is only one homeless, poor person there.

Look also at photos from 30 years ago or more, by Erwitt, Berengo-Gardin, Maier etc., they had no fear of photographing what the world now sees as embarrassing subjects.  Why?

[ewm19]

Controversial photo if we share those photo in internet just to show how good we are as photographer. 

Good/Great/Stunning photo if those photo use to raise awareness/fundraising or some kind of give back to those subject in the photo.

[Stefan]

Hi Paul,

 

Great shots. I don't want to detract from general feedback but I just want to make mention of the following; I don't think that anything here was taken in an untasteful manner. As a street photographer you're documenting life as it happens. Homeless people are part of life. If you only took of homeless people, never engaging with them to tell their story or share their plight with the world then that is different. But you clearly engaged with the lady and your showing a very specific slice of life. Dorothea Lange, Robert Frank etc .Okay enough about that, every can calm down now.

 

I'd also like to mention that of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion I'm merely sharing my point of few and my opinion. My comments are based on my beliefs, views and aesthetic tastes.

 

4 Guys by the bench:

Since you were posing them, I would have liked to see 1 guy alone on the bench sitting between the two words. As if he were defying or breaking the boundary. Or guys only on the 'Colored' side, with nobody on the 'white' side so as to imply that perhaps all that is left now is this bench but those 'whites' are not around any more etc. However the viewer wanted to interpret the arrangement.

 

Chasing kids with cane:

It's cool, it tells a story. Old man, old city, old traditions with new new kids having no respect or are unappreciative and this angers the old generation. What does it hold for the future of this old beautiful place.

 

Old lady with blanket:

LOVE it. Very photo journalistic, she is roughing it on the streets but that hint of a smile lets you know she's okay. This is me and I'm okay, it's not easy and I'm old, but I have my things and I'm okay.

 

Bus and motorised Wheel chair:

It's cool, it tells a story. Who wins? The bus is bigger but he has the handicap card. I like how he almost seems to be rubbing his head as if to say 'mmmm now what? Are you gonna move?"

 

Old Man street performer:

This one is not my favourite, I think because I can't tell whats going on. Is he real? What was he performing? Why do the viewers look so perplexed? All of these questions are not good questions for me, I leave unsatisfied. The sense of mystery is not a good mystery.

 

Guy peeing in the corner:

Slice of life. Maybe he doesn't like those shows? (lol) I like how he put his packet down and then shyly went into the corner as far as possible and hunched up hiding himself as much as is possible.  Not my favourite shot, but as part of a series it says something.

 

Old man in the park shaving:

Love this shot! Slice of life but so interesting. He must be homeless? But with such a sense of pride. This is me, I'm going to sit here and shave now on this nice sunny day. Life is good right now. Very cool.

 

Big Lady at the Stall:

Aesthetically not a pleasing shot, but it does say a lot. I think if it wasn't for the big jar of Nutella balancing out her behind it wouldn't have been nearly as strong. Great as part of a series, slightly weaker on its own.

 

Nun kissing a Priest:

It's definitely interesting, I didn't know they do that. It's unexpected or unthought of usually which makes it interesting. I would maybe crop it a bit tighter, really emphasise that. Again as part of a series it would be a good complimentary shot. I would also crush those blacks, they'd really pop off that light wall. I like how the other two are looking away they're almost uncomfortable with it. lol

 

Boy playing violin:

Probably my favourite shot of all. Nice and strong, contrast is solid. The face... is the best! And his caretaker or mother actually makes the shot because her smile is in direct contrast to his face further emphasising the situation. He's not a slave, let's relax about that. But kids hate going to their music lessons etc, so this tells a strong story.

 

Some nice shots Paul, interesting post. Again just my view and opinion. Thanks

[Paul Crespel]

Hi Stefan, thanks for your comments

 

Finally somebody has thought about the images!

 

Ok, here's my reply:

 

The 4 guys behind the bench were not posed. 

 

None of my photos are ever posed, nor are they cropped, straightened or manipulated in any way.

 

Those guys were sheltering from the snow under a tree, behind a bench.  I had passed that bench hundreds of times and never seen the graffiti, because there were always people sitting there.  I saw the guys from 50 metres away, and as I drew level I turned, went down on one knee, and shot... and at that moment I saw the graffiti for the first time.  The graffiti is a protest against the metal bars Verona has placed on all benches to stop homeless people sleeping on them.

 

The bus and the wheelchair.... the bus won, the driver refused to move to one side, and the pavements were too narrow for Cristian to mount, so he had to turn around and exit the road with the bus following.  At that point, to add insult to injury, a police woman on point duty, held her hand up and made him stop to give way to traffic coming the other way.... I have that photo too

 

The old man sitting in the street was not a performer.

He was very still, and the people didn't understand, and they believed he was dead.... so the photo shows human reaction... instead of trying to help, they all just stared at him with disgust / horror / fear.

 

Dumitru, shaving in the park, is Romanian.  He comes to Italy for 6 months every year.  He has a nice house and family in Romania, but he chooses to live rough in Italy for 6 months and busk with his guitar and send the money he earns home, where it keeps his family in luxury, and where it will support him when he returns for the winter.  Those buskers earn between 100 and 200 euros a day.

 

Nutella.  Cause and effect.  Instead of selling the fried donuts, she was eating them. 

 

Nun kissing priest, full on the lips, for over 10 seconds - very early on a Sunday morning, very few people around, two other priests seemingly looking out for them.

 

The boy playing the violin.... Patrizio.... 9 years old.  I asked his "minder" why he wasn't at school, and she told me that he has to work because he is clever, and can earn more money than she can.  They are Rom.  He was capable of playing 40 seconds of one classical work, and then demanding money.  It was slave labour.  I spoke to both of them, the woman was proud of what she was doing, but Patrizio wasn't happy.

 

In this series, the only truly homeless person is the lady with the blankets.  It was taken on a Christmas eve morning, very early, in Verona.  I didn't speak her language, and she didn't speak any of mine, but she enjoyed a good breakfast, and hopefully had a better Christmas than she was expecting.

 

It's nice to finally see people think about the images, thank you

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[Stefan]

You see Paul, how not having any context puts your photos in a very interesting 'frame' of reference. Some photos I take because they have a certain meaning for me, but some I take because I think that alone with no reference they will tell an, perhaps even more, interesting story. Thats what I love about photography, a moment can be interpreted in many ways. It's quite fascinating.

[Paul Crespel]

Sharing a Vape
Sharing a Vape by Paul Crespel, on Flickr

[Paul Crespel]

Ok, let's return to the 9 year-old violin player.

 

I was hoping that by now somebody would have looked at his minder's rucksack, strangely worn in front of her.

 

Doesn't it appear that holes have been cut out, and it's hiding a loudspeaker?

If you can't see these things in other people's photos, how can you possibly see things that you choose to photograph?

 

Here is a 100% crop of the rucksack taken the same day showing an MP3 music player connected to an amplifier and speaker in the rucksack:

 

 

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[pizzaman]

Your quote: "Without curiosity and questioning, there cannot be good photos."

 

Okay - true - but if the photos do not inspire curiosity and questioning in the viewers then it is possible that the photographs fail in their intended function. If people are getting drawn to cliches (homeless person) - this isn't the viewer's fault. This is the photographer's fault for presenting such easy bait for criticism.

 

I don't see any of these images as particularly controversial. To me it looks like you are trying to inject controversy into some images that do not read that way. The kids in the image of the man with the stick, they all look like they are playing. Maybe that's not the case but that's how you photographed it and because of that it doesn't read as controversial. I see one or maybe two images that strike me as exploitative (the picture of the obese woman - it's basically a one-liner - it says 'oh hey look an overweight woman) or a little bit calloused (as many street photographs/photographers can be), and the rest as pretty normal b/w street photography that, for the most part, doesn't grab me because it is derivative of images I have seen done better many times. But none of that should matter, if you love to shoot, then do it. I like to shoot street photography too, so I'm not knocking it, but at some point though you may face the fact that your work isn't contributing to an advance in the cultural dialogue. 

 

You want to call out social issues through imagery? You need to put in a lot of time getting to know people and into really understanding their story and the cultural and social implications of their story. You can't just look at something on the street and snap a picture and think you are really doing much to talk about social ills. 

 

Personally, I don't think these types of images have advanced in any significant way since the 60s/70s. Actually, to be cliche, I don't think it has really advanced since Robert Frank's The Americans. Winogrand was an obsessive snapper with a great eye and wit but his images were more insight into his own soul than into the cultural dialogue of the time. The color street photographers of the 80's/90's advanced the dialogue more (Alex Webb, Costa Manos), but even that work at times is over calculated and can leave a viewer marveling at compositional aspects and forgetting the humanity in the photograph.

[pizzaman]

 

If you can't see these things in other people's photos, how can you possibly see things that you choose to photograph?

 

 

Oftentimes it's for one of three reasons: 1: This is the internet, images are small, many and if not immediately captivating we don't waste our time. Maybe in a gallery we would see this.

 

2: Things that make a picture to you just do not speak to other viewers. We don't care and/or it is not that interesting as a viewer.

 

3: It is not photographed effectively. If you care so much about this, how can you better make a viewer care? Seems a better photograph is in order, or maybe it is not something that lends itself to this particular medium so well. I often find that photographers would probably be better off writing. 

[Paul Crespel]

A reminder that this thread is meant to be about the subject material rather than the actual photographs... to provoke discussion about subjects that we photograph in public places, and how we handle situations that some people may feel uncomfortable with.

Breastfeeding by Paul Crespel, on Flickr

[Paul Crespel]

Italy - VIDEO CALL while driving in town
Video Call by Paul Crespel, on Flickr