Photojournal II

Street Photography

Photojournalist: José C. Burgos / Rubén / Singer of "Los Chinchillos" / Puerto Rico

— The thing that’s important to know is that you never know. For me the subject of the picture is always more important than the picture.

I do feel I have some slight corner on something about the quality of things.

I mean it’s very and a little embarrassing to me, but I really believe there are things which nobody would see unless I photographed them.

Diane Arbus

An Aperture Monographs

Photo: José C. Burgos / Río Piedras Urban Train Station

Street Photography uses the raw approach of straight photography from which derives. Street Photography is untagged photography, a challenge of the photographer with himself, an attitude, and a state of mind.

Street Photography is a reflection of every day life through the eye of a photographer able to document the ordinary capturing the decisive moment, or what others don’t see.

To give a comprehensive definition of street photography is not easy. You might begin by saying that it is a photographic genre, more precisely a kind of reportage. Street photography is indeed a snapshot of urban life on the street observed in his everyday life and in all its aspects: the irony, tragedy, unpredictability, cruelty and even beauty.

Street Photography

2009 / ebook by Alex Coghe

Photo: José C. Burgos / Homeless in Miramar

We should deeply consider why we shoot street photography and what kind of deeper meaning we want through our images.

Our images should be about documenting society and having some sort of critique or commentary.

We should capture images that inspire people that make us rethink about our own lives, or bring certain social issues to light.

But the most important thing is that we are aware of what we are doing —and doing it with our heart in the right place.

Why Street Photographers
Need To Take Themselves More Seriously

By Eric Kim on January 15, 2012

Photo: José C. Burgos / Political Protest

The street where you live, the parking lot of your favorite grocery store, the subway. Street photographers document the truth, things that you don’t notice in your daily grind. Street photography involves attention to detail.

The photographer pays attention to scenes, moments that you only recognize subconsciously. The camera is an unobtrusive extension of the eye in any given situation. Oftentimes, street photographers take pictures they feel; the photographer happens to be there and captures the mood in a fraction of a second. He freezes a moment that you will forget in the same amount of time…

About Street Photography

Markus Hartel / New York City 2011

Photo; José C. Burgos / Tapestry in Guaynabo

Photography is essentially making sense out of chaos. The act of photographing, if you think about it, is removing all elements not useful to convey the message. One of my obsessions and desires when I take a camera is telling a story. 

For me, photography is not a tool, but an opportunity to communicate. For this reason I could never do fashion photography or still life. Photography for me means: a way of life, an attitude and a philosophy. For me, Photography is out into the streets and taking pictures.

Alex Coghe

Photojournalist

NOTA: Este es mi primer intento en inglés en una publicación. No he querido traducir estos segmentos para que no se pierda la pasión con la cual fueron escritos. Estas palabras de todos estos artistas forman parte de la filosofía de vida que sigo como artista. Por eso los comparto con la esperanza que puedan encontrar un hueco en el espíritu de artista que sé que tienen muchos igual al mío...