What Pinoy Street Photography Should Be?

[randymarsh]

Hey guys, I just wanna get your thoughts with regards to Philippine Street Photography.

I've seen so many local "street photographs" and most of the time I feel uneasy and sometimes sad about the photographs I see on the web. I'm not judging the person behind the lens taking the photos, I salute them for their guts, out the streets slinging an expensive camera hoping not to get mugged. They even stick their head out and wonder the bad streets of Tondo just to take a photo. However majority of the photographs uploaded on the web saddens me.

It looks like there is a common theme with our version of this genre. A snap shot of a street kid or indigent, sleeping on the dirty aisle of Metro Manila. Or a photo of a kid holding his hand out, probably begging for food or money from the photographer. I know this is the reality of being poor living in the Philippines and there's nothing wrong with the truth. Let me share you a quote from one of the greatest street photographer in the US

"Photography is not about the thing photographed. It is about how that thing looks photographed."

- Garry Winogrand

All you have to do is do a flickr search on "manila street kids" and you'll get my drift. Many of these photographs are taken with proper technique but to me they look cliche and unnecessary. We have beautiful subjects in a bad context.

What do I think a good Pinoy Street Photography should be? Personally I do not know but I have some ideas

- Kids playing "tumbang preso". Should bring back good memories
- Open street karaoke
- Man peeing infront of a "Bawal Umihi Dito" sign

Check out the following links below

http://erickimphotography.com/blog/2013/01/22/the-vibrant-light-and-colors-of-manila-street-photography-by-chio-gonzalez/

And this flickr page is from a fellow guitarist and Yupangco and Philmusic forumer. There is a story (a short poem) associated with every photograph which makes the photograph more relevant and interesting. Also note the camera he's using for the set.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kamalayan

[CeL1916]

True! Puro poverty porn trip ng streets photographer dito..


Kahit sa mga national painting competition puro malulungkot at dark pinipinta nila, yung utol ko sumali dati sa ganun, ang dark din ng concept niya, nag advise ako na , "mga batang nagtutumbang preso " ang ipaint niya, sinunod naman niya! Ayun finalist! Haha, diba mas ok naman ipaint oh kunan yung mga bagay na gusto mo nakikita ..

[rennell]

Well, most of the time those who shoot poverty porn na wala naman talaga sila purpose eh yung mga wala pa masyado experience sa photography, in general.

Atsaka, hindi ko rin talaga maintindihan mga street photographers dito sa atin, even the experienced ones. Andaming basag trip pag nagshu-shoot ka ng street even without asking for their criticisms kesyo wala raw juxtaposition, kesyo pina-pose yung subject, etc.

[cjsantos]

Im a noob at photography and just yesterday joined a photowalk in intramuros. And the above-mentioned type of photos were also submitted for "critique-ing" (that's how I heard it).
Photos were critiqued by a photo editor for a magazine, and he had those types of photos removed. Ang term nila is exploitation, parang exposure ng poverty ng pilipinas. Even my officemates had it mentioned na wag nga raw ipopost sa facebook yung mga ganung klase na nakukunan nila. Im glad I was reminded of those things while starting out

[rennell]

Im a noob at photography and just yesterday joined a photowalk in intramuros. And the above-mentioned type of photos were also submitted for "critique-ing" (that's how I heard it).
Photos were critiqued by a photo editor for a magazine, and he had those types of photos removed. Ang term nila is exploitation, parang exposure ng poverty ng pilipinas. Even my officemates had it mentioned na wag nga raw ipopost sa facebook yung mga ganung klase na nakukunan nila. Im glad I was reminded of those things while starting out

true, it is exploitation. atsaka ang dating kasi, yung mga naghihirap and source of fun mo sa pagkuha ng photos. Good thing, nalaman mo na rin agad.

[cjsantos]

true, it is exploitation. atsaka ang dating kasi, yung mga naghihirap and source of fun mo sa pagkuha ng photos. Good thing, nalaman mo na rin agad.

Thanks bro. Before that ang akala ko nga din e mga ganung concept ang nagpapabenta. I was eavesdropping on their conversation about some person that they know na nanalo dahil "helicopter lang yung kinunan". Parang nanalo sya dahil hindi nya ginawang complicated yung subject nya.

[randymarsh]

Mahirap talagang maging subjective kung poverty ang topic ng photo. Pero hindi masama kumuha ng poverty ang topic.

I always think of the subject whenever I take a photo and imagine I'm taking a "selfie" whenever I click the shutter. If it's a bad "selfie", delete agad.