Street Photography in Illinois: Secrets and Style
Raids. W. Eldred Richardson, photographer. September 4, 1935. McLean County Museum of History.
Due to the candid nature of the images, street photographers must be bystanders. They are there with their cameras on the edge of a scene to capture the fleeting, mundane, and striking images that are a hallmark of this artform. In some cases, photographers have chosen to work in extremely covert ways, even going so far as to hide cameras inside shirts to take photos through the buttonholes. Photos taken in this way may reveal close views of more private or hidden happenings that still take place in public – for example, an image taken during a raid on a gambling parlor.
Alcohol under suspicion. Charles A. Mercier, W. Eldred Richardson, John S. Bowman, photographers. May 9, 1938. McLean County Museum of History.
It is easy to see how some viewers might object to the idea of street photography, viewing it as potentially invasive or unethical; the people photographed do not consent to have their picture taken -- they are, by the definition of street photography, unaware that they were ever objects of interest to the photographer. However, images in the genre of street photography must be taken in a public space; thus, the subjects are not having their private lives invaded. There can be an expectation of privacy in public, and despite the legalities of taking photos in public, some may still object to having their photos taken.
State Street Mall near the Chicago Theater. C. William Brubaker, photographer. 1982. University of Illinois Chicago.
Potential issues with ethics and the response of the subject should inform how one practices street photography, rather than stopping one from taking photos altogether. Ways to be an ethical street photographer include being respectful of the captured moments. Photographer and author David Gibson, for instance, personally avoids taking images of people in states of discomfort or danger, or images that deliberately depict a person in an unflattering or meanspirited light. To him, empathy and respect are key factors to this craft. With this in mind, there is a way to capture the more distressing aspects of life while still keeping empathy at the forefront. Some photographers make an effort to take shocking photos, sometimes even springing on their subjects to catch them in a surprised or angry moment. However, in following with the main idea of street photography – to take candid photos – the typical, and most ethical photographer is respectful of a subject’s space, allowing life to go on, uninterrupted.