Comprehensive Study Notes on the History and Philosophy of Street Photography

The Primary Function of the Camera: A popular use of the camera is to capture fleeting moments and events that catch the eye but happen too quickly to photograph easily.
Definition of a Snapshot: A simple picture, often called a snapshot, can take an ordinary passing event and, through its frozen image, transform it into something more meaningful.
Finding Meaning through Stillness: Humans find meaning in the world when they can hold it still long enough to stare at it.
The Concept of the Voyeur:
- In a French context, a "voyeur" is not necessarily a "peeping Tom."
- Verbatim Definition: A voyeur is someone who looks with enough intensity into a face, toward a place, or within an event to see what others miss.

The Street as a Focal Point: Photographers have captured the world most extensively on the streets, with Paris serving as a primary location.
People Watching: A favorite pastime for tourists and residents in Paris is people-watching from sidewalk cafes.
Cultural Specifics of the Cafe:
- While enjoying coffee or wine, residents might have a "demi," which is the local name for a pint of beer.
- The aesthetic of street life is described as uniquely Parisian.
Strolling and Passage:
- Activities include strolling along the Seine River and stopping at book stalls in search of treasures like a first edition of the poetry of Baudelaire.
- A "passage" involves walking through the city's parks, alleys, side streets, and boulevards, a practice celebrated by Impressionist painters.

Claude Monet: Celebrated the city's passages in his 1873 painting Boulevard De Capucine.
The Role of Nadar: Monet's 1873 painting portrays a view from the studio of the photographer Nadar. Significantly, the first exhibition of the Impressionist painters took place in Nadar's photography studio.
Gustave Kuehlbert (Caillebotte):
- Painted in the late nineteenth century in a style described as less impressionistic and much more linear.
- He focused on street life, specifically the promenades of the wealthy and the "dandy."
- Key Work: Paris Street, Rainy Day (1877).
Jacques Henri Lathree (Lartigue):
- A French photographer who, at the age of 18, photographed wealthy women walking dogs in the Bois De Boulogne and other Paris parks.
- The distinction between a painting and Lathree's photography is the emphasis on capturing a moment spontaneously.
- Impression vs. Instantaneity: While a painter provides an impression of something, the photographer captures the "instantly."

Diane Arbus:
- Formerly a worker in the New York fashion industry photographing "beautiful people."
- She eventually shifted her focus to the forgotten, rejected, ignored, and unacknowledged aspects of life.
- She found a beauty that did not adhere to high fashion standards and identified with the grotesque and surreal.
- Her photographs were often viewed as reflections of her own inner turmoil.
Lee Friedlander:
- Associated photography with voyeurism.
- In the 1960s, he and other American artists believed America had become a "culture of lookers" who preferred staring to interacting, maintaining the role of a bystander.
Television as a Catalyst: During this era, television was seen less as a window to the world and more as a way to bring violence and horror directly into the home.
Ouija (Weegee):
- A freelance crime scene photographer known for arriving at murders before the police.
- His work captured strange juxtapositions between people on the street that only a camera could record.

Henri Cartier Blason (Bresson):
- Considered the epitome of street photography.
- He traveled globally, riding through streets, villages, and towns to capture rare, sudden moments.
- The Decisive Moment: This was his core philosophy. It is the skill of the photographer to recognize that brief, fleeting time in the flow of events where everything climaxes.
- The goal is to align that climax with the perfectly timed click of the camera shutter.
Robert Frank:
- A Swiss photographer who traveled across the United States in the 1950s.
- He used the camera as a mirror to show Americans themselves during a time when they were citizens of the world's most powerful nation post-WWII.
- This era was defined by newfound wealth and the popularity of the "Great American Road Trip" and motels.
- Key Work: The Americans (1958).

Modern Approach: Contemporary practitioners rove through alleys, town squares, war zones, and changing political scenes, moving beyond the irony and loneliness of earlier photographers.
The Street as a Stage: The street remains a stage for human drama and comedy.
Alex Webb: Examines worlds bathed in tropical light where the tourist remains anonymous.
Eric Kim: Specifically photographs the reactions of people who do not want to be photographed—pedestrians protecting their private lives in public environments.
Bruno Stevens:
- Documented Baghdad in 2003 during the American bombing of the Iraqi capital.
- Key Observations:
  - A peaceful spring afternoon in a park the day before the bombing.
  - Men in cafes watching television as American soldiers moved north from Kuwait (Stevens notes specific images on the walls behind them).
  - The horror of people having nowhere to hide once bombing commenced (noting a specific movie depicted on a boy's T-shirt).
  - The aftermath of destruction and the inhumanity of war.
- Book Title: Truth Lies Within.
- John Morris (Writer): Questioned the efficacy of photojournalism, wondering if pictures can truly alleviate problems like hunger, sickness, or peril, or if they only call attention to them.

Fred (The Speaker's Son):
- Has spent a decade traveling the world (Beijing, China to Cusco, Peru) as a photographer and videographer.
- Roves the streets and beaches of Southern California with his wife, Marissa.
- He focuses on people living on the "mental and foodonomic edge" despite being in a place of perceived "opportunity."
The Motivation of Modern Photographers: They photograph with intent and a desire to discover the global social landscape.
Core Aspiration: These photographers aspire not only to inform the viewer but also to transform them.