Did I take your photograph?
Cool Lads, New York, 2024
If you’re reading this then I took your photograph on a street somewhere. It could have been New York, Paris or London…it might even have been Blackpool and you’re looking for a reason why.
The first thing to clear up is that it’s not to make money. The pictures I take can’t be used for commercial reasons. I can’t sell a picture of mine to anyone that can use it for advertising or any other similar purpose. That is the law. However, if you are in a public place then anyone can take a picture of you and they’re not required to delete it even if you ask. Not even the police can demand that a picture is deleted.
Here is a YouTube video of a barrister explaining the law concerning photography and videography in public spaces.
Street or documentary photography has been done since the earliest days of the camera. If you’re interested then Google Robert Frank, Joel Meyrowitz and Garry Winogrand. Their photos from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s are in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art in New York amongst others.
But why do street photography now when millions and millions of pictures are taken every day on iPhones? Well, one reason is the reason I couldn’t show you the picture on the day. I shoot all my photographs on film. This is so I’m not relying on the cloud or the internet in any way to keep my pictures safe. If the internet were to turn off right this second, how many pictures would be lost? Yes, every picture that lives on a mobile phone. How many of the precious pictures on mobile phones are printed out? Very few indeed.
Millions and millions of pictures will be lost forever.
Mine will remain. I also just love the look of black and white pictures!
Street photography is a very difficult thing to do well. A photographer called Robert Capa said that if your pictures aren’t good enough then you’re not close enough. Getting close gets the best picture. It also leads, sometimes, to confrontation.
I’m sorry if me taking a picture upset you.
Also, if someone wants a copy of the picture I have taken then I will gladly print one and send it to you where ever you are.
There’s not much else I can say. Have a look through my website and see what I do and why I do it.
If I did take your picture, I hope you liked it and I hope your happy knowing that you are a part of the future record of what life was like when the photograph was taken.
Please contact me via the contact form the button below will take you to with any other questions you have and if the picture worked, I’ll get a copy of it to you one way or another.