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Must rent Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 VR [UPDATE: Street Photography musings/results]
- Thread starter Shacklebolt
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I agree. I'm really interested to know if the photos missed their mark or if all the talk of a "dangerous" neighborhood was irrelevant because the goal was to show ordinary life in that area.
Soooo true !
So ignorant. So not true. I'm sick of seeing the bourgeois painted with the Devil's palette.
To the OP: Good photos, but I agree with the general consensus that they don't paint a picture of a dangerous neighborhood (unless your readers are afraid of black people, which I doubt).
Nobody offered their specific expecatations of a stereotypical bad neighborhood, but the OP's project was presented (perhaps misleadingly) as a documentation of a dangerous place, and the photos simply do not convey any sense of danger. This discrepancy leaves me, for one, wondering if his goal was indeed to debunk some myth about this particular neighborhood--in which case he succeeded. If, on the other hand, his assignment was to document the plight of the residents in that area, well...that's not what we're seeing in these three shots.
Maybe in your experience. Mind you I was talking about rich neighborhoods - as in those populated by multi-million dollar homes, not just your average upper middle class suburbs.
I was aware the neighborhoods you were referring to. Just because there aren't people wandering the streets waiting to talk to you doesn't mean the residents are evil. "Old money" has its own customs, and it takes a different approach to work with "them."
What makes you think "the rich" are bad? What have "they" done to you?
I'm not as biased as you're trying to portray me as.
What happened to make me say that I find people nicer and more accommodating in 'bad' neighborhoods has to do with my photographic experience. I have been approached negatively much more in 'upper class' neighborhoods then in working class ones. (Please note: in either of these cases I was not doing anything wrong - no trespassing, harassment, or anything else you might think would provoke a reaction).
For example, I was taking a photograph of a very picturesque and elegant road in a high-class neighborhood when I was approached by a man and asked quite severely what I was doing with such a big camera.. I told him I was taking a photo and then he asked me if I lived in the area.. after I said no, he suggested that I leave the neighborhood.. This was all on a sleepy thursday afternoon when almost no one was about.
Just my experience, though. Don't think I'm generalizing for all societies and cultures based off of my experience here, though.
*sigh* I'm not trying to put words in your mouth. I'm overreacting to a general societal backlash against successful families that I deal with daily in the RW.
That's surprising (because a resident a) was around at that time, and b) actually cared enough to pester you) . I understand your impression.
If you were taking a picture of his house, I'd understand him wanting you to leave; but just the street? Just a group shot of houses and concrete? That's an irrational request.
You must be a good soul. I have never had any problems in poorer neighborhoods either, but I've seen others who are stuffy or fearful get in a lot of trouble for less than I get away with.
The female subjects which you shared from the outing look very flattered by your attention, as well. Just goes to show that good karma breaks stereotypes...
So, I spoke with a friend of mine about the neighborhood, because there was something that I obviously was failing to communicate to this board, as people seem to think it doesn't look particularly terrible. And you know, though I neglected to post some other pictures, I can agree with that. We came to this conclusion:
It's a neighborhood that is, put simply, run by gangs. This isn't to say the grass doesn't grow there, or teenage girls don't walk through there smiling. Rather, it is to say that the normal rule of law simply doesn't apply - that is, bears much less weight. For example, if I were assaulted and robbed for taking pictures, there would have been precious little I could do about it. So again, not to say it can't be a nice place - just, it is a nice place run by several gangs. I was allowed to walk through there taking pictures literally because I received their permission.
btw, these pictures aren't just random pictures of people who might be in gangs. Residents pointed the guys out as a gang and told me to avoid them. The above story I told about them saying "HE'S TAKING PICTURES" was a shouted discussion between these two groups. The guy in the white tank top was the guy who initially thought I was a police officer, and eventually ended up on my side when he realized I was just a (dumb) student.
It's a neighborhood that is, put simply, run by gangs. This isn't to say the grass doesn't grow there, or teenage girls don't walk through there smiling. Rather, it is to say that the normal rule of law simply doesn't apply - that is, bears much less weight. For example, if I were assaulted and robbed for taking pictures, there would have been precious little I could do about it. So again, not to say it can't be a nice place - just, it is a nice place run by several gangs. I was allowed to walk through there taking pictures literally because I received their permission.
btw, these pictures aren't just random pictures of people who might be in gangs. Residents pointed the guys out as a gang and told me to avoid them. The above story I told about them saying "HE'S TAKING PICTURES" was a shouted discussion between these two groups. The guy in the white tank top was the guy who initially thought I was a police officer, and eventually ended up on my side when he realized I was just a (dumb) student.
Hehe, yep. And as for it looking lovely and gentrified, there is one McDonalds there, and one A and W there, both on busy street corners. A lot of it also looks like this:
The moral - I wish people wouldn't be so hasty to jump on the "looks perfectly normal!" bandwagon. A neighborhood is more complex than people in complete misery or people smiling cheerfully.
The moral - I wish people wouldn't be so hasty to jump on the "looks perfectly normal!" bandwagon. A neighborhood is more complex than people in complete misery or people smiling cheerfully.
If you come across anyone on meth, you will know! They're some of the most paranoid and degenerate pieces of **** that exist.
I don't think anyone here doubts that complexity. What we see and what your magazine's readers will see in this neighborhood is entirely dependent upon what you, the photographer, choose to show us.