Street Photography without People: Capturing Humanity through Objects and Scenes by Simon Johnson

by Eric Kim on October 4, 2011

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(Above image by Simon Johnson)

People ask me all the time whether street photography needs to include people or not. I don’t believe it has to, as you can study the work of Lee Friedlander who did a fantastic series on letters and signs in America, as well of the work of Blake Andrews who has embarked on similar projects. However to take an effective street photograph without people is incredibly difficult, as the image should remind you of humanity. This can be done through precision in lighting, symbolism, colors, objects, and framing.

When I look at the work of Simon Johnson, I feel that his still street photographs employ this extremely well. His images truly capture the beauty of the mundane and everyday life. I know many of you live in the suburbs or outside of dense urban populations, which may not have a lot of people. There are always street photography opportunities everywhere you go– in which people aren’t always necessary.

You can also see Simon’s additional traditional street photography work with people here.

Keep reading, and I hope you find inspiration through his images!

Shadow

Telstra

Wooden Gate Ivy Wall

Leaves on the sidewalk

Milk Box Bricked in

Banana

Stone shelf

Glasses & Towl

Cafe Atomica

Empty Shop

Garage Door #4

Lost Trolly

Close Haning on a roof

Flower Bed

Chair on a Balcony

AirTel

3 Locks b

2 Gas bottles

Watch Your Step

Red Car

Red Wall

Mitchell

Two Chairs

Dead Bird

Chair & Shed

No Bills

Transit

Sidewalk & Palms

Skodb

eggs milk spraypa

Links:

You can also see more of Simon’s people street photography here.

What do you think of Simon’s images and do you believe that street photography doesn’t have to include people? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!

Tagged as: simon johnson, street photography, without people

  • Anne Schmidt

    I’m not convinced that these photos show “Humanity through Objects and Scenes” but why not. ;)
    Makes me think that one of mine would fit the profile: http://anneschmidtphoto.wordpress.com/2011/09/24/appartement-de-fortune/.

    • Chris Gachot

      I am not convinced either.

  • Vazquezjeanpierre

    I like that these make you feel like something, or someone, is missing. Cool

  • http://www.photo-vinc.com Vincent de Groot

    amazing… miksang feeling!

    • Stéphane

      Miksang as I heard of it is about the process. The results here could be coming from way many different approaches than that one including trying hard. Could it be called contemplative photography as miksang’s new photographic beat guide? I still wonder.

  • Michiel Fokkema

    These images are the best proof that street photography needs people in it. I’d call these images cityscapes or city abstracts. Okay, they’re made in the street but for me it’s not street photography.

    • Les Faber

      I totally agree with you Michael. I cannot make the connection.

    • Stéphane

      Some cityscapes and/or city abstracts photographers make great use of presence of people. Even works better when it’s a loner as it shows so often. Kind of the same thing for some street shooters isolating one person, it makes for that dramatic and or very graphic shot. Simon’s photographs are street shots taking in the streets, and saddly they lack that purpose that some street photographs with peole in it have sometimes if not most of the time, IMHO. For people to make the connection he needs to throughly define what he goes after.

  • Jason

    These are fantastic. Definitely feeling some Stephen Shore here

    • Jason

      To follow up with what many appear to be criticizing you for, these are actually some of your best images you have posted. Simply because people can’t relate to them doesn’t mean they suck.

  • K Brown

    I’ve looked over the pics a number of times and I must say (and I’m not trying to be mean), they look like the shots I usually delete. There’s just nothing to them, a stack of bricks side view dead center, something unidentifiable laying in the grass and shadows on pavement…
    Eric, you’re seeing something that seems to be missing me entirely, but maybe it’s just me.

    • Stéphane

      According to the fact that these are shots that you usually delete = you do make that kind of shots sometimes. Might not be ready for them but they’re ready for you. One ought to think about the process they go through when taking pictures, it is as much if not more important than the pictures themselves.

      • Aflores

        Agreed. I can feel the human presence or pack of human presence in these images just from these snapshots you can start to build a narrative out of them. Every image you can either someone was just here or about to be. The symbolism is strong enough not to need images. I would never be deleting anything they may not grab your interest now but review them 6months from now and you may see something you like.

  • http://twitter.com/patrickonaty Patrick Conaty

    Wow, I’m pretty shocked at the people who don’t “get” these photos. I think they’re all great and show a unique understanding of design where most people wouldn’t expect to see. While street photography with people can reveal a moment/feeling story through facial/body emotion, a street photo without people can invoke the same feelings both through the absence of people and the precise framing that almost personifies the inanimate subject or invites the viewer to imagine the type of person(s) who created/lives/lived/uses/passes by this space. Included is a photo of mine that I think demonstrates this to some degree.

    • http://www.eriklaurikulo.se Erik Lauri Kulo

      I’m not shocked, people are fed with some kind of unwritten rule that street photography is about decisive moments and people looking odd. But I beg to differ, it’s not all about that. Street photography is simply your every day photography when you’re walking the street. And I like some of these photos, the only thing I disagree with in most of them is the post-production work. I’m not a big fan of tone splitting and whatnot. But to each of his own I guess.

  • Matt Ellis

    The best kind of art is art that causes split opinion and good conversation. I like this stuff, and the comments that it generates

    • http://erickimphotography.com/blog Eric Kim

      :) Agree!

  • Greg Schmigel

    Wonderful collection of images.
    Thanks for sharing this post, Eric.

    G

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