There’s always an image

mickyates Candid, Critical Research Journal, Ethics, Photography, PositionsPractice, PPWeek1, Street Leave a Comment

I am at the University of Leeds today, teaching, and I took this picture at Kings Cross – shot and edited on iPhone 7Plus.

Seems to me there is always an image, waiting to be taken.

That said, I am mindful of a point I was making when lecturing today on ‘Big Data, Ethics & Privacy’. Just because something can be done, you have to consider whether it should be done. I said this in the context of data analytics of customer behaviour, where sometimes over zealous analysts come up with things affecting individuals which go beyond cool to become plain creepy.

For me, street photography is a reasonably comfortable genre. I know some very good photographers who still find street hard to do, for different reasons. And I know others who, in my opinion are overly aggressive and intrusive on people’s private space.

Two things struck me about this scene. First, the gaze, and the Leon sign. Second, Stannah and the contractor’s reception. Stories unfolding but incomplete, unfinished.

Like many things, finding the happy balance to practice ‘street’ is an interesting exercise, not just in the technical aspects of photography, but also in the ethical.

Leon, Kings Cross, London. iPhone 7Plus

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *