Street Vs Cityscape Photography

[alexxk]

What is the difference between them?

Example... Can I take a photos in which I intend to capture buildings but there are people in the frame and consider is Cityscape?

What about Street Photography.. Can I take a photo in which I focus on a particular part of a narrow between 2 building that I might find interesting but there are no one there? Or for example.. take a photo of a corner in which there are many cars but no people walking or doing something?

I've been debating on these lately..

Anyone?

 

[Badrottie]

Nobody want you take picture of them walking.

 

[Miltz]

The difference between the two is VERY clear. Hence why the have different names. A Cityscape is a Landscape type shot of the city. The Subject is the landscape of the city. A street images focus on people in the street as the subject. And no just because a building is visible doesn't make it a cityscape.

This is a Cityscape shot: http://www.miltonphotography.com/Portfolio/My-Portfolio/i-FRg2z8h
This is a Street shot: http://www.miltonphotography.com/Portfolio/My-Portfolio/i-rhVtGx2/A

 

[alexxk]

The difference between the two is VERY clear. Hence why the have different names. A Cityscape is a Landscape type shot of the city. The Subject is the landscape of the city. A street images focus on people in the street as the subject. And no just because a building is visible doesn't make it a cityscape.

This is a Cityscape shot: http://www.miltonphotography.com/Portfolio/My-Portfolio/i-FRg2z8h
This is a Street shot: http://www.miltonphotography.com/Portfolio/My-Portfolio/i-rhVtGx2/A

Right.. when you use VERY clear examples such as those its easy.. that was not my question though!!

 

[Attonine]

Unless there's a specific reason it's needed, don't get too bogged down in definitions.

Cityscape, I agree with Miltz is basically a landscape in the city. I would add that focusing on the skyline is important in this genre, they tend to be grand shots. Compare this to urban landscapes (look at someone like Stephen Shore for examples) where the observation of details of the city is the focus (parking lots, tenement buildings, advertising etc.)

The best definition I've heard of street photography is from Bruce Gilden who states "If you can smell the street by looking at a photo, it's a street photograph." Other than the obvious, it's in the street, street photography has much more of a feel to it, it's much more of an emotional capture. I don't think it's an absolute that people must be in a street photography frame. Compare this to what many people end up shooting, photographs in the street - which are bland, meaningless shots that just so happen to be taken in the street. There is also street portraiture which, as one would expect, are portraits taken in the street. I suggest looking at the work of Bruce Gilden (Facing New York, Haiti, A Complete Examination of Middlesex), William Klein (New York), early Joel Meyerowitz, Garry Winnogrand, Tom Wood (Photie Man), Daido Moriyama... for some examples of work that is clearly street photography.

 

[alexxk]

Unless there's a specific reason it's needed, don't get too bogged down in definitions.

Cityscape, I agree with Miltz is basically a landscape in the city. I would add that focusing on the skyline is important in this genre, they tend to be grand shots. Compare this to urban landscapes (look at someone like Stephen Shore for examples) where the observation of details of the city is the focus (parking lots, tenement buildings, advertising etc.)

The best definition I've heard of street photography is from Bruce Gilden who states "If you can smell the street by looking at a photo, it's a street photograph." Other than the obvious, it's in the street, street photography has much more of a feel to it, it's much more of an emotional capture. I don't think it's an absolute that people must be in a street photography frame. Compare this to what many people end up shooting, photographs in the street - which are bland, meaningless shots that just so happen to be taken in the street. There is also street portraiture which, as one would expect, are portraits taken in the street. I suggest looking at the work of Bruce Gilden (Facing New York, Haiti, A Complete Examination of Middlesex), William Klein (New York), early Joel Meyerowitz, Garry Winnogrand, Tom Wood (Photie Man), Daido Moriyama... for some examples of work that is clearly street photography.

That makes sense

 

[kenoh]

That makes sense

Yeah but on that same logic, when does a picture of someone in the street become a portrait rather than a street photo?

 

[Attonine]

A photograph can fit into more than one genre, no?

 

[JDDavis]

Shoot first. Ask questions later.

 

[kenoh]

A photograph can fit into more than one genre, no?

Exactly...

 

[alexxk]

Shoot first. Ask questions later.

??

 

[alexxk]

Yeah but on that same logic, when does a picture of someone in the street become a portrait rather than a street photo?

Right.. I would say.. street is for when you catch something that the subject is not expecting.. its not communicating to you direct... Portrait you have a more direct interaction with it.. you ask.. she/he poses and so on..

I could be wrong!!