The History of Street Photography

Welcome to the Course

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A Detailed History of Street Photography: Key Figures, Techniques, and Cultural Milestones

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Street photography is a genre that evolved in step with the growth of cities, social movements, and technological advances in photography. Since the 19th century, photographers have ventured into streets to capture candid, unscripted moments that reflect society, culture, and change. What started as an experiment with capturing the hustle and bustle of city life has grown into a revered art form, celebrated for its authenticity and rawness. This essay dives deep into the fascinating history of street photography, from its beginnings and major pioneers to the milestones that helped shape it into what it is today.

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​Early Beginnings of Street Photography: 19th Century​​​

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Photography was born in 1839 with the invention of the daguerreotype by Louis Daguerre. This new medium allowed artists to capture reality in ways that painting could not, but it was initially cumbersome, with long exposure times and complex processing. Street photography in its early days was less about the candid street scenes we think of today and more about documenting architecture and cityscapes. The earliest street photographers faced immense technical challenges, including extremely long exposure times, which made photographing moving people almost impossible.

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Pioneers of Early Street Photography

Two photographers who took on the challenge of documenting street life were

 

Charles Nègre and Eugène Atget.

• Charles Nègre (1820–1880): Nègre was a French photographer and painter who aimed to capture life as it happened on the streets of Paris. He experimented with the then-revolutionary daguerreotype and, later, the calotype process, which reduced exposure times. He often set up his camera in busy areas like Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral, capturing laborers, street vendors, and daily life with more immediacy than other methods allowed.

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• Eugène Atget (1857–1927): Often regarded as the father of documentary photography, Atget spent decades photographing the rapidly changing city of Paris. Atget’s work was groundbreaking because he wasn’t only interested in grand monuments or famous landmarks; he also focused on shop windows, alleys, and ordinary people. His photos preserved a Paris that was on the cusp of modernization and have become an invaluable historical record of the city. Atget’s detailed, unvarnished documentation style had a huge influence on later photographers and introduced an approach to capturing the essence of city life that remains foundational to street photography.

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While these photographers weren’t creating “street photography” in the modern sense, they set the stage by focusing on documenting the streets and the people within them. Their methods, though technically limited, encouraged later photographers to explore public spaces and the stories they contained.

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20th Century: The Birth of Modern Street Photography

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The 20th century saw massive changes in photography. Advances in technology made cameras smaller, faster, and more versatile, which allowed photographers to capture more dynamic, candid moments. The invention of the handheld Leica camera in 1925 was a game-changer, allowing photographers to work quickly and discreetly. This portability allowed them to navigate through crowds and capture fleeting moments in a way that had never been possible before.

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The Leica Camera and the Decisive Moment

The Leica rangefinder, designed in Germany, quickly became a favorite among street photographers. Its compact size, high-quality optics, and relative quietness allowed photographers to work unobtrusively, making it perfect for candid shots in public spaces. The Leica’s ease of use and high-quality results allowed for quick, on-the-go shooting—a revolutionary change from the large-format cameras of the 19th century.

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The notion of the "decisive moment"

emerged around this time, popularized by French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson. This concept, which defined a perfect alignment of composition, timing, and subject matter, became the cornerstone of modern street photography. Cartier-Bresson believed that everything in a photograph should happen in a single moment and emphasized capturing this instant without cropping or adjusting afterward. His philosophy and skill in catching the “decisive moment” were instrumental in establishing the aesthetic and values of street photography.

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• Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908–2004): Cartier-Bresson is often called the “father of street photography” for his contributions to the genre. A co-founder of the Magnum Photos agency, he traveled the world capturing decisive moments with his Leica. His photojournalistic work covered major historical events, including Gandhi’s funeral and the liberation of Paris, but he was also known for quieter scenes of ordinary life. Cartier-Bresson’s iconic book The Decisive Moment (1952) remains one of the most influential works in photography, and his approach to shooting in public places still influences photographers worldwide.

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Street Photography in the United States: Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange

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In the United States, street photography took on a slightly different flavor, blending with social documentary photography to capture the hardships of the Great Depression.

• Walker Evans (1903–1975): Evans worked as part of the Farm Security Administration (FSA), a government program created to document the struggles of Americans during the Great Depression. He captured candid moments of people on the streets and even used a hidden camera to take photos on New York’s subway, showing people in unguarded, introspective moments. His work helped establish the idea of the “documentary style” in street photography, which sought to capture everyday life as it was, with an emphasis on authenticity and social reality.

• Dorothea Lange (1895–1965): Lange was another FSA photographer who used her camera to highlight social issues. Her famous image Migrant Mother (1936) is one of the most iconic photographs of the 20th century and exemplifies the use of photography to create empathy and raise awareness. Though not strictly a street photographer, Lange’s work influenced how photographers approached public spaces and subjects, showing that street photography could have a powerful social impact.

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The Post-War Boom and the Golden Age: 1940s–1960s

After World War II, street photography experienced a golden age, with photographers around the world capturing the dynamism of post-war urban life. Cities were bustling with energy, and photographers sought to document the human condition in new and experimental ways.

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Robert Frank and The Americans

One of the most influential projects in street photography was Robert Frank’s The Americans (1958), a series that depicted American life in a raw, unfiltered way. Frank, a Swiss-born photographer, traveled across the United States, capturing moments that were often gritty, unpolished, and deeply human. His work was controversial because it defied the conventions of polished composition and instead embraced a candid, often uncomfortable view of American society.

The Americans challenged traditional views on composition and aesthetics, showing that photography didn’t need to be “beautiful” to be powerful. Frank’s work was seen as a critique of American society, highlighting disparities, disillusionment, and the complex layers of daily life. His use of unconventional angles, grainy film, and even blurred images gave street photography a new, grittier style that emphasized mood over technical perfection.

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Diane Arbus: Documenting Society’s Outsiders

Diane Arbus, another influential figure in mid-century street photography, took a more intimate approach, focusing on people who lived on the fringes of society. Arbus’s photographs of “outsiders” (including circus performers, marginalized communities, and unconventional individuals) are deeply empathetic and reveal her subjects’ unique personalities and lives. Arbus’s style was controversial for its rawness, and her approach to portraying the unusual and often uncomfortable aspects of society influenced future street photographers to explore taboo or overlooked subjects.

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The Shift to Colour and Experimentation: 1960s–1980s

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Color photography was largely dismissed in the early days of street photography, with black and white seen as the “serious” medium. However, from the 1960s to the 1980s, street photographers began embracing colour, expanding the emotional and narrative possibilities of their work.

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Joel Meyerowitz and Color Street Photography

Joel Meyerowitz was one of the first photographers to champion color photography in the streets. He argued that color added a new dimension to capturing the urban landscape. His work, particularly in New York City, is vibrant, full of energy, and reflects the unique cultural landscape of the time. Meyerowitz’s switch to color was initially controversial, but it paved the way for color to become a legitimate choice for street photographers.

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William Eggleston and the American South

William Eggleston, another pioneer of color photography, used street photography techniques to capture everyday life in the American South. His images of mundane, often overlooked subjects challenged the boundaries of art photography and helped to legitimize color photography in both street and documentary work.

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The Digital Revolution: 1990s–2000s

The digital revolution in the late 1990s changed photography forever, making it more accessible and convenient. With digital cameras, photographers could take an unlimited number of shots, experiment with new techniques, and review images instantly. The evolution of the internet and social media also played a significant role in transforming street photography by creating platforms for sharing and popularizing the genre.

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Technology and Street Photography Techniques

Digital cameras, especially DSLRs and later mirrorless cameras, gave street photographers new ways to work in low-light settings, thanks to improved ISO capabilities. The ability to edit and store photos digitally meant photographers could try out new compositional styles and experiment with color and contrast in ways that were challenging with film.

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The Rise of Smartphones and Citizen Street Photography

With the rise of smartphones, everyone became a potential street photographer. Phones are discreet, always on hand, and have increasingly powerful cameras. Platforms like Instagram allowed photographers to share their work instantly, democratizing the genre even further and enabling a global community of photographers to capture and share their perspectives.

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Street Photography Today: 2010s–Present

Modern street photography is more diverse than ever, with photographers around the world embracing different styles, subjects, and techniques. Many street photographers today explore social issues, from documenting protests to capturing the effects of urbanization and globalization.

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Influential Modern Street Photographers

Photographers like Martin Parr, known for his satirical and brightly-colored depictions of British life, have brought a unique and often humorous perspective to modern street photography. Meanwhile, photographers like Alex Webb are celebrated for their complex compositions and rich use of color, especially in documenting life across the globe. Or our Professor Peter Kalnbach who focuses on moody and gritty scenes.

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Ethics and Privacy Concerns

As street photography has grown, so have debates over ethics and privacy. Questions about consent, the right to photograph in public, and respect for subjects are more prominent than ever. Many photographers navigate these challenges by focusing on public events, cityscapes, or using more respectful, non-invasive techniques.

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Street Photography in the Social Media Age

Instagram and other social platforms have opened up new opportunities for street photographers to reach audiences, but they’ve also raised questions about the art form’s commercialization and influence. Hashtags, challenges, and photography communities have given street photographers more visibility but have also fostered trends and a “like” culture that some argue can diminish the authenticity of the work.