Streetphotography is unethical

[@rogerbrooksfilms]

I’m constantly amused by members of the public complaining about street photographers taking photos of strangers without their permission. Many of these people would be guilty of taking photos with their phones where not only would there be strangers accidentally in the picture, but they also post them on social media and tag others in the post. In these circumstances we now know who took the picture, who else is in the picture and where it was taken. When a street photographer publishes a picture, no-one knows the identity of the people in the picture. I do agree with you regarding taking pictures of people who are vulnerable.

[@trystanfranziskus]

in my country and many others you have a right to your own image and if someone posts your face or sells it as a photo print you can sue them

[@rogerbrooksfilms]

@ aha, interesting..

[@trystanfranziskus]

@@rogerbrooksfilms k

[@MarcoBlanke]

@trystanfranziskus is right here, in most countries that's the point. I think there is always a point missing with how the picture was taken and with what intention.

[@rogerbrooksfilms]

@@MarcoBlanke perhaps, but I honestly think that’s stretching it a bit. Maybe you guys have experiences like that in your countries, but not here. At the end of the day it’s either a problem on the street and it gets sorted, or it’s not a problem.

[@franxrothschild]

Nice vid mate! In my country, Mexico, it is legal to take pictures of strangers on the streets, but posting it on social media its not, in theory you have to ask for permition. Now, If you want to monetize with somebody else face you have to pay royalties, unethical will be if you don't. "Street Photography" is a new term for an old style of photography that is "documentary photography" like you said, wich is fundamental not only for art but also to preserve the memory of the human kind. Sorry for the dramatism and the bad spelling haha In another topic, I love your color grading! can you do a video of it?? 🙏

[@MarcoBlanke]

Hi mate! Thanks for your feedback. I didn't know that about Mexico, but it is definitely a way to handle this situation! And yes, documenting the human kind is so important!

[@joshuaam7701]

I disagree, we always need to be able to document society and the struggles in it. We can’t keep sweeping these things under the rug or we will not learn. It may hurt some one, but how many does it help or impact to understand what he suffering of humanity or an individual during any given period of time. There’s always been an unspoken rule to always collect or take your images with as much respect as possible. But we as photographers have a job to do, use your best desecration. These issues have been coming up since for ever with war and conflict photographers. I completely disagree, the lose of the art form and the purpose it services would be much greater, than any single individual. And this idea that we have to put the individual before the collective education or suffering or any thing in society is a fallacy that’s causing the very break down in the fabric of our society.

[@TravellerdeLux]

I doubt you'll find one pic from war time or from the famous street photgrapher from the 40/50/60 s that goes up in the face of stranger like some photgraphers started to do in the last decades, and that's just plain disrispectful, use a model if you want a close up or ask. is plain as it can be

[@benoitvos]

@@TravellerdeLux You will find a lot of street photographs from the 70/80/90 from big photographers names that have published books with uncovered faces that are recognisable. I would be highly surprised if they would make form to have concent from the subject to be published and exposed in books and/or exhibition. Being a photographer, I really understand the problem and am torned between the two... I want to document and to freeze moments that could be funny or representative of our era. Some valuable pictures couldn't be made with poses... Of course, it needs to be done with respect and no willing to make fun.

[@TravellerdeLux]

@@benoitvos Of course I am not talking about consent but about the difference between taking a photo and assault a person with a camera, if I am walking in public and notice that I am being part of somebody's picture it's not a big deal for me, but if somebody would walk straight into me and take a picture it'd piss me off and i would probably react bad

[@MarcoBlanke]

Very good point you have there, somehow we have to document our surroundings. But (in my opinion) there is a big difference nowadays between photo journalism & documentary photography and street photography

[@seventeendegree]

When I think about photography, street photography is probably the most important genre, especially when a lot of time has past. Without the work of photographers like Brassai, Robert Frank, HCB or (one of my favourites) Gundula Schulze Eldowy, photography wouldn't be the same. I'm not a big fan of Bruce Gildens work, who jumps into people faces but as long as you capture city life how it is, without forcing anything, I think it is okay...and if you are going to do it, go all the way. Shooting people from behind is the most lazy way of street photography and not worth it.

[@MarcoBlanke]

Yeah, not a big Bruce Gilden fan either.

[@trystanfranziskus]

I just avoid showing people's faces

[@chrismuylle]

Taking the picture is not the problem. Showing the picture on social media is. So it is not street photography in itself that is 'immoral' or 'unethical', but the exposure on social media.

[@Username_CC_]

Then stay in your house if you do not want people to see your face... The street is public!

[@trabouliste1037]

@@Username_CC_ Using the public space is in no way a permission for third parties to upload pictures to social media.

[@MarcoBlanke]

I somehow get your point but what do you do with those pictures then, when not publish them in anyway.

[@chrismuylle]

@@MarcoBlanke Books, magazines, exhibitions.

[@MarcoBlanke]

@@chrismuylle but that's also media...