What Makes a Good Street Photograph? - Take it or Leave it with Bruce Gilden

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Meet Bruce Gilden. He's one of our favorite Magnum photographers, and in case you're clueless, he won a Guggenheim Fellowship this past year and is known to be one of the badassest badasses in the business. When we asked him to film a new show, he agreed on the terms that it wouldn't suck and, if it did, we'd let him sock us in the face.
This is Take It or Leave It with Bruce Gilden, a photo-critique series in which Bruce tells up-and-coming photographers if their work is transcendent, total crap, or somewhere in between. In our second episode, he takes on the world of street photography.
Check out Bruce Gilden's feature for the VICE Photo Issue: bit.ly/1vvdOAS
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[@tracephoto1823]

The one thing I took away from this was, “this photograph doesn’t make me ask what’s going on”. Always a good benchmark when taking/creating a photograph.

[@johngastaldo6419]

Not to be confused with taking too much time to figure out what the photographer was thinking and why he/she/they included it.

[@Chiefmismaker]

The so called "Why?"

[@user-jm7se9cf3u]

We need more people like this in the arts. Highly critical of the art because today society is obsessed with everything is good

[@IVMTAB]

Side effects of toxic positivity

[@frozentrollgaming1961]

damn american people doesn't even know wtf is "respect" anymore, keep that "i don't give a F" attitude you children will love it👍

[@PlutoTheGod]

For real, art is subjective but 90% of photographers today have nothing unique to show and no unique perspective / techniques of their own. They get a nice quality camera and take pics of the most square ass ideas imaginable.

[@Moodboard39]

@@PlutoTheGod they in money only no creativity

[@GS-vb3zn]

“…is obsessed with everything is good” & “…they in money…” yah, ok, geniuses.

[@bennytroung]

Quit hating on the guy. Honest criticism is way more valuable than empty compliments.

[@MKETSHOW117]

it was for a large part empty hate, worse than empty compliments

[@bennytroung]

How do you figure? I feel like he explained the reasons for his criticisms and they all seemed pretty valid. Maybe there's something to be desired in his delivery and tone but I don't think he said anything outright hateful.

[@MKETSHOW117]

The part where he talks about the photograph with the kid with a gun to his head. First he uses a useless quote that has nothing to do with what he is talking about (the only thing it has in common is that it happened in the past). Then he starts talking about the composition but doesn`t say what makes it better, just that it does. Then he says "you have to do better", that could mean that you have to do better than the original. That still doesn`t give any solid critique, it is however a helpfull tip.

[@MKETSHOW117]

overall he just felt like a big showoff.

[@bennytroung]

You have a point. I feel like him being from Brooklyn has a lot to do with his directness too.

[@willw8463]

Although this guy is brutal with his criticism, it was very constructive to the way I now see photos

[@alexklaskaris]

SarkyBegger oh hush

[@puj5859]

Lol. Classic Gilden

[@Monkeyabroad]

This guy is the inspiration behind Peter Parker's editor-employer in Spiderman.

[@hoill]

J. Jonah Jameson

[@alexvlogs8653]

True

[@Person-lk1vs]

bro doesn't know JJJ

[@Moodboard39]

😂😂 50 bucks

[@cobNE22]

Did that piece of string on the pencil annoy anyone else or am I going mad?

[@themawnz]

You're not going mad, It drove me crazy too.

[@mollywatch]

Get that man a sharpie. *Please.*

[@erfahnh7127]

LOL

[@grunertee3930]

I nearly stoped watching the video.

[@_digi]

Got me seriously mad

[@calahad]

95% of what he says is pretty accurate and any person who spent several years taking photos and gave it any more attention beyond just pushing the trigger button would understand. All the haters here who are just expressing their own fears and/or don't have the balls to shoot decent street are ridiculous. Street photography IS one of the hardest to do. That's why his criticism is harsh as well.

[@asdf42100]

+calahad oh jeea jea jep , hes harsh but right, but also weak photo-collection from vice.

[@quirkypurple]

Well said.

[@csorgotom]

I would say street photography is the easiest to do, but the hardest to do well

[@Moodboard39]

@@csorgotom hmm

[@vicas3334]

damn a longer version of this would be a dream

[@Moodboard39]

Short

[@nambu1306]

@@Moodboard39suckmywewy

Agreed. I could watch this for hours

[@Ndo01]

The story he makes up about the people on the beach is hilarious.

[@repairdrive]

As a photographer I say this series is GREAT!

[@zethabney3856]

says he didn't like the apple but then it leads him to a like two minute long analysis thats all deep and prophetic...

[@alexklaskaris]

Zeth Abney I get the feeling he can talk about anything

[@distastefulvideos]

I like Bruce Gilden. He knows photography and knows how to convey constructive criticism in what can be a very subjective field.

[@sonomama82]

"look at us Americans. aren't we ignorant?"

[@RoscottProduction]

+sonomama82 Thanks for the subtitles, I'm watching this without sound.

[@sonomama82]

+Roscott Production thanks for posting the same comment twice. I wasn't sure if you were being sarcastic the first time.

[@2yoyodog]

...yes, he is..ignorant?..well, maybe just arrogant!

[@TheMrWoe]

the analyze of the photograph with that apple in it was amazing..

[@antoinebernard8]

Everyone talking about his analyze but what bother me the most is his pencil

[@ItaiJamshy]

I can't take it

[@MrChapu87]

OH MY GOOOD!!! PLEASE!! Get the f**k off that thing... even in the shadow, even with this flex behavior

[@CardboardFortress]

I think its a grease pencil, they're used for a bunch of art stuff

[@alexklaskaris]

All the comments are about the pencil

[@katherineclara01]

As a photographer trying to shift for editorial portraits to street photography this is very helpful! Honestly this is the kind of critique that I look for!!

[@emiliocabra331]

People if you can't take honest critisism and are offended by everything, photgraphy isn't for you... or anything for that matter

[@AV-wx9rm]

keep in mind. how you shoot is different from someone else. so why go by how this guy THINKS?

[@thai2go]

Mmmm... me think you still have a lot to learn son.

[@AV-wx9rm]

nono oh really? and who the hell are you to say about someones opinions and views?

[@thai2go]

I am giving my opinion on someone opinion... duh If you take so badly criticism... well you still a lot to learn my friend!

[@CYBERDECIMAL]

Emilio your profile picture is terrible and out of focus.

[@satya430]

Being an amateur street photographer, I totally agree on his points about composition and other photographic thumb rules. Having said that I do not agree with his comment on the photo with a fellow holing the gun to his friend in a very jovial way, it is a good photo and makes the viewer concoct a story in his/her head. The fact that someone else has already taken a similar photo should not have to lower it's value .

[@emiliocabra331]

I think it does, I mean, what would you think if someone made another Mona Lisa?! If you're trying to make art, you have to be original

[@JohanEssenceExplorer]

That picture is boring simple as that.

[@zero4hunnit236]

That picture was boring and unoriginal. In fact I think Gilden was actually being polite in a way when he made the "presumption" that the photographer must've "not learned from history" that the shot was already "done" ala William Klein.... everybody knows that was a William Klein RIP OFF.

[@kannonfps]

it's not because someone is jovial that it's a good picture ... the composition is off , the dead space kill the photo , it could have been a way more interesting shot than what we've seen , tetra hedron , not everybody , i didnt knew that and you know why ? cause i didnt study a lot of master (yes i'm a retard,but i work on that) depending on how you approach the photography world you might not study anybody for the entire time , or study everybody , just depend on what is your approach and what you wanna learn etc

[@Moodboard39]

@@JohanEssenceExplorer lol

[@yellowSmileyFacee]

I'm actually learning from this. It's entertaining as well.

[@iii-ei5cv]

My freshman English professor was like this... rapid-fire critique that people didn't take well but the reality was that he had a lot to get across to us, and he absolutely knew what he was talking about. The accent makes it a bit more grating than it actually is

[@yashwinning]

At first I thought he was just a pretentious fuck who thought every photograph sucked except his own but the more the video went on the more he made sense. Sure he was a bit too brutal but that's only because the dude's been exposed to excellence pretty much his whole life, so when he looks at a picture people like us would think is good, he'll only find mistakes. But his insight was still very informative.

[@red2lucas]

The string on his pencil is driving me nuts

[@Andrew-kk2ry]

Chris Lucas Yes!!! I must have missed half the video looking at that instead of the photos.

[@LBenjamin]

Chris Lucas I scrolled down here knowing this would be one of the top comments. It's driving me nuts too!! I can't take my eyes off the damn pencil!!!

[@M461Cfs]

It's the way they peel the pencil for more tip

[@mohelism]

so true...

[@adhyawhan]

it's not easy to take a street photograph, we should appreciate every struggle that was made to take this kind of photograph

[@magical571]

lol, on petapixel they called it blunt and honest, but he sounds just like any art professor. that's not rough xD he is just spot on, as any professional should.

[@dinosaurfilms7425]

Poison apple, huh? I think this guys brain went mush from watching Snow White one to many times.

[@pointlessneedle10]

Lol .....

[@alexklaskaris]

Who are you?

[@frankiegamer2984]

I really am enjoying this series and I hope there's a lot more to come. Helpful to me who wants to become a professional photographer. Thank you Vice.

[@choccomonde]

Learned so much man. Sometimes people praise or denounce my works, because of details but before hearing him I never knew what they were talking about. good job, thanks

[@adriansteele5679]

The string in the pencil is pulled back to sharpen the nib, it pulls back the wood to reveal more graphite. They give them to you on planes

[@JordanReynoldsx]

This is a great series you got going. Please keep it coming.

[@mikegomezfilms]

Everything he said was on point and just makes me reflect on how terrible my own work is. Wish I had a true master like Bruce critique my work just once!

[@EL3IMAGERY]

"who cares about her chin" hahahahahaha im dead

[@sambulleit6191]

Holy moly. Honestly, there was so much valuable information packed into those very short ten minutes. Brutal, but the man's worth listening to.

[@johnkraemer5505]

I enjoyed the video! I liked hearing what Bruce had to say about the different pics! After hearing Bruce's feedback, it makes me think a little bit different about the photos and my own photos. Keep it up!

[@RevJock]

Excellent! I could listen to Bruce all day long :-)

[@ondrejpavelka2179]

Me too but i wouldnt let him see my photos 😂

[@palad1ncz]

so refreshing! honest photo reviews from experienced photographer.

[@minoltacollector9128]

I love the perspective this guy gives me. I dont agree with everything he says and thats ok. You all don't need to get so worked up, its just criticism.

[@Moodboard39]

Critique part of the business don't get butthurt about it...

[@GlennnD]

I like his directness. No bullshitting and straight from the heart.

[@mentalbriefcase]

Great series, Vice! I do photography as a hobby and I'm learning a lot while smiling. :-)

[@davidcottam7431]

Really enjoyed this. Wish it was longer. Might be brutal but that's the best way to learn. Anyone know if there are any similar clips?

[@Lucas3D]

This was great thanks, I'd love more like this, thanks Vice x

[@crwn_munkz]

We need more of this with Bruce!!!

[@richardhaw9757]

i love this episode! more from bruce,please!

[@benjaminjones8870]

I don't particularly like the guy, but after checking his site out, I find his photos of people to be very strong. Having said that, his other stuff such as "foreclosures" is as mediocre as it gets, though I'm sure he would make up some intricate story for each picture to justify it's worth. And that's what I don't like. Anybody can make up a random story for an image, but if it's about narrative, the image should be telling you, not the other way around. Though I believe that interpretation and narrative are over-rated and abused to justify poor imagery, and a great photo can stand alone without any need to communicate a narrative at all.

[@RAFSWRLD]

Benjamin Jones A critique of a critique. You should start your own vice series.

[@benjaminjones8870]

Ralphstricks Bellend.

[@oldlarry9234]

Benjamin Jones - very well said, I agree 100% “A picture speaks a thousand words “

[@kannonfps]

i don't fully agree with you on the "a picture should talk by herself" pictures that make you wonder what the f is going on are really interesting , check daido moryiama if you havent already , i'm sure you won't like it since it appear that you are the type (at the time you made the comment) to look for perfection

[@maxbashyrov5785]

who are you and who cares about your opinion?

[@evilwarlock]

I could watch videos like this all day. Fantastic!

[@DenisLiang]

really insightful. Its always cool to see experts critique. Although you should still take everything with a pinch of salt

[@julian123411]

Awesome concept and video!!

[@dk038967]

this guy knows his stuff and is very funny. more please

[@theworldthroughmyeye5003]

"Look at us Americans. Aren't we ignorant?" Hahaha I love this dude

[@zhbroder]

note that baby boomers from brooklyn are probably the hardest people to please.

[@alexklaskaris]

zac that’s Bruce gilden not some random dickhead

[@kannonfps]

have you seen the same pictures ? cause he was right on most of it , at least i felt the same way for most of it

[@TrueTreeRadioNetwork]

This dude is hilarious and smart, I'm laughing and learning at the same time.

[@javierruiz3356]

lol Make more like these. I love hearing criticisms from great photographers

[@marekeos]

The apple photograph critique was awesome. Love this guy!

[@skyedog47]

Yo that was super helpful. I just learned so much from this guy.

[@SuperOldTramp]

Hope to see a third episode !

[@TheMannuman]

this is so inspiring, thank you Bruce Gilden!

[@noahgross]

More! This guy is awesome~

[@ishaan211991]

This was awesome. I want more of this. Although i must mention i was stoned watching this. And the scorcery tale was the best.

[@RBTVN]

Love it. More please!

[@kaichenghuang8888]

great talk, pretty straight forward.

[@chrisdonahue]

i could listen to bruce critique work for hours haha

[@VeggeMight]

This was great,more please Vice.

[@chuckboris9199]

I would love to ee more of these, or art related videos in general

[@heroesandcons09]

Make more of these!

[@joeldeakin2003]

Jose Raul Valencia got chewed up in this lmao

[@lilmichael212]

I need so much more of this!!! 😂

[@antsunclesmedia]

LOL that last bit "Who cares about under her chin?"

[@brechtvanhoutte4925]

Do another serie of these pleaseeee

[@satyansharma1166]

Thanks a lot for tips.

[@VICE]

In our second episode, Bruce Gilden takes on the world of street photography.

[@Farfetchd.]

These are absolutely great! I really hope to see some more of these.

[@mariamelliott6358]

Ah you guys :3 I get home from a crazy 8hr shift behind the bar (in heels might i add) & I find this in my subscription box, haven't even watched it yet but fucking thankyou! Cannot get enough of Picture Perfect & all that good stuff :) legends xxxxxx

[@redpuds]

i want moaaarrrr

[@Red83ua]

We need more!

[@dannynguyen8967]

I found this to be very amusing even though I don't agree with some of his points or "interpretations." It's always great to hear honest opinion. More videos like this please :D

[@Moodboard39]

Like what

[@proto35]

what an amazing critique

[@pennymymom]

brilliant stuff!!!

[@kevinge1088]

why is there only 2 episode? I really need more

[@skatinbakin]

Keep these coming

[@tonycohen2000]

Brilliant! Good job :)

[@Cruiser203]

flag in the background explains everything

[@viewfindervlog]

Would adore to see more!!!

[@judyonzen]

The best part this vd is the way he talked...truly...take or leave it...

[@happyc00kie]

I love thus series!

[@dandykaufman2]

Love that Jonathan Auch pic. Agreed with Gilden's dismissal of the rest of the photos.

[@nikoszompolas6949]

Fantastic, it's worth of two days workshop!

[@Louise-ki3yd]

These are his own opinions on how the photos should be taken or how he’s used to taking the photos. Every photographer has their own way of taking photos and I personally like the way he ‘criticized’ these photos because of how honest he was.

[@gabrielle.s1896]

Man, i love the Brooklyn accent. I really like ho w direct he is, he makes very good points. I also like the little stories he made up.

[@andythesix]

Please make a part 3

[@T25de]

that was fun. i could def watch him go over a large stack of photos

[@nonechico]

The best way to improve is knowing what is wrong with your photos.

[@oliviasokolvideo]

great advice!

[@Zecamilleo]

I'm not a fan of everything in his body of work, but he is a master and knows his craft.

[@iwander10noob71]

That piece of string on the pencil!! The only thing my eyes have been following throughout the video

[@overtrist]

I like this fella. He might just express his opinion - but his opinions are confident and he brings em across well while being entertaining.

[@fridaanavarro5777]

Loved it!!!

[@matteoforghieri]

i want more of this!!!!

[@Moodboard39]

Is rare

[@embassyoftoysoldier]

bruce definitely reminded of my former drama composition teacher :D

[@guyo68]

This should've been ten times as long!

[@Maartenols]

The only pictures he likes, are his own pictures. Haha.

[@HumanJoseph]

I was entertained and I am interested in seeing more. I also at times felt like I was listening to a mad man, but there were definitely some good points.

[@CieloSkyx3]

I like it!! More vids like this

[@Shant.k]

Link of the full video?

[@eletor]

MOAR!

[@mollywatch]

I love these. *More* please. May I suggest John Currin as your next artist.............