Dear friend,
I think what we’re trying to do in street photography is capturing the souls of others, as well as reflecting our own soul in the photos we make.
Objectivity doesn’t exist in photography
When I first started to work on my SUITS project, the objection I got was that I was being “biased”.
But of course I’m being biased! That’s the whole point!
Your purpose as a photographer is to present your own version of reality, to share your own perspective of society with others! This is why I think street photography is so powerful; it’s visual sociology with a camera. You are critiquing society with the photos you make, but you’re also showing people what needs to be appreciated in life! #lewishine
Bias is good in street photography
Bias is good in street photography, because the more biased and opinionated you are with your photography, the more likely you are to influence, affect, or stir the hearts of your viewer!
As a street photographer, you’re capturing the souls of others (in the words of my friend Thomas Leuthard).
But don’t think of “capturing souls” in some creepy voodoo way. To me, I see the soul as the ego, personality, and individuality of someone. I see the “soul” in a more practical way, less spiritual and more “logical”.
All of us have a soul. I don’t necessarily think our soul will live on after we die. I thus believe in a mortal soul (like Nietzsche). If our body dies, I don’t think a soul can exist outside of our body and mind.
To contemplate the idea of a soul, some good sources to study:
- Ghost in the Shell: Watch the anime and the live action version. Does a “ghost” (your soul) exist without your “shell” (body?)
- Black Mirror on Netflix: Watch the “White Christmas” episode. Is the soul of someone more than just their mind?
- The Matrix: Does your mind dictate who you are, or your body?
To sum up, as a street photographer you shoot with your soul. You decide what to photograph and what not to photograph. You’re a filter of reality. It’s your ego, your consciousness, and soul which selects what to photograph.
Therefore let us seek to be MORE BIASED and MORE OPINIONATED with our street photography!
BE BRAZEN,
ERIC
Preorder SUITS: a project that I shot with my soul, about my personal experiences and my personal stress and anxiety of working the corporate rat race in life.
PHOTOLOSOPHY
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- Now is the Time to Shoot!
- Photolosophy 101: Don’t Photograph Others the Way You Wouldn’t Want to Be Photographed
- Photolosophy 101: Life and Death in Photography
- Photolosophy 101: Street Photography and the Art of People
- Introduction to Photolosophy
- Photography Entrepreneurship Philosophy
- Photography Philosophy 101
