What Type of Photographer Are You?

 

You don't just happen across a photo like this, you have to set it up, from start to finish. Some photographers wouldn't know where to begin. Others know but don't choose to.

 Ever wonder why some photographers are attracted to street photography while others work exclusively in their own studios? Or why some love landscapes while others care only for portraiture? It has to do with more than a simple preference for one subject over the other. Based on years of personal observation I believe the root cause has to do with personality type. Allow me to explain.

Broadly speaking, photographers who are, shall we say "control freaks," want their photographs to turn out a certain way. They have a vision in their minds and they want their photos to reflect that vision. They therefore prefer to shoot in situations where they have almost total control of the environment--in other words, a studio. A studio allows them to control every aspect of the lighting, from direction and degree of diffusion to intensity. They can control the subject and its positioning. They can control the camera position. If they shoot digitally they can control, well, you name it. Although they might admire the mindset it takes to venture out into the wild and wooly world with their only controls being location, time of day, camera settings, and when to release the shutter, the idea of actually doing it themselves is horrifying.

Street and the sports photographers tend to fall at the opposite end of the spectrum. They give up the bulk of their control in exchange for the joy of the hunt and the miracles of serendipity. The difference between them is that sports photographers are generally extroverts. Although some street shooters are extroverts who think nothing of walking up to perfect strangers and either engaging them in conversation or snapping a few quick frames outright, others are introverts who prefer to be on the outside looking in. The last thing they want is to be noticed and the less attention they attract the better.

Street events like this one make for easy opportunities, yet for some photographers it's just not their style.

Landscape, location, travel, wedding, and architectural photographers tend to fall somewhere in the middle. They understand that they are often at the mercy of mother nature, time, and logistics, yet they're often willing to do whatever it takes to get the shot, whether it be waiting hours or days for the light to be right, or adding unseen lights, shims, and reflectors to a scene. They can certain recognize and take advantage of a serendipitous moment when they see it yet they are perfectly willing and able to seize control if the need arises.

As for me, it's no secret to loyal readers of this blog that I love street photography. You've also noticed that I have no problem setting up lights, reflectors, and backdrops. So yes, I'm one of those guys who falls in the middle. Ask me what I enjoy most though, and the answer will be street photography every time.

What about you? Is your idea of a good day one where you spend hours alone working on one image or one where you return from wandering aimlessly and sort through the day's catch? There are no right or wrong answers here; I'm just curious to know  photographic mindset describes you best.

Comments

[Bill]

An interesting article, throwing a new way of thinking about what makes a photographer. I have never really thought about this before. For my part, I started off as more of a 'travel photographer' as I have always had an interest in histories and cities (more so than natural landscapes and nature). My focusing on city and architecture slowly drew me into the people that lived and moved through a city. I found people incredibly fascinating, and the places they inhabit. I have only had a little experience of using studios, and felt a little overwhelmed by everything. (maybe I needed a little more time). I just love the feel of freedom... walking around in strange places, capturing people and faces; while trying to stay invisible.

So maybe street photography is a little like hunting or fishing; which as you suggested, is more of a sport.

[Dwight]

I never thought of it that way, but I think you are absolutely right. Personality plays a big roll in everything we do.

Opportunity plays an equal roll. I live 300+ miles from the nearest city. My small town doesn't have much of a downtown anymore since Walmart came in. So, I do lots of landscape and no street photos. If our situations were reversed, I'd shoot street and you would probably be a landscape photographer.

[Steven Willard]

I've had the notion that photographers come in two general categories; additive who start with a "blank canvas" like painters, and subtractive, who use the frame(and timing) to control what ends up in the photograph. I've always felt more comfortable as the latter, but admire the former. Some of course are accomplished at both.

[Zeeman]

I found your description of street photographers as introverted fascinating, because it is precisely my own strong introversion which makes me too uncomfortable to photograph on the street. I always feel painfully self-conscious, as if with every click of the shutter I am telling the people on the street: "I am objectifying you right now!"

Because of this, I've always imagined street photographers to be extroverts. Your article opened up a new perspective on the matter.

As for myself, introversion, combined with a love of serendipity, have contributed much to my preference for solitary landscapes and impersonal cityscapes. I've also photographed projects about found objects... but found people? No way!

[Tim]

Interesting question. I suspect I'm a bit off-centre in the direction of control, albeit without going as far as freak. My style seems to be "anything that sits still long enough" which excludes most animals (especially 2-legged ones) and includes nature and landscape, where I'll concentrate on framing things up harmoniously.

[hellbike]

i don't like setting things up. I think that this is much more *brain* related, than emotion related. - even though the purpose may be to express emotions - the process is intelectual. When shooting what i see i feel like whole process is more emotional than intelectual.

I'm introvertic, but I'm not sure if this is related with my *style*. What i like mostly is actually intimate, very personal photography - like nan goldin's photographs, for example. I think it's result of being emotion-oriented rather than intelect-oriented.

However, i don't deny that being introverted is related with street photography - i think that all introverts, being either emotional or intelectual, are somehow detached from reality and are comfortable in position of observer.

[Fred]

Of all your posts, this is the one that I most want to comment on. And with no hesitation.
I love street pictures, taking them and looking at the work of others. But as I am getting older and don't have the energy and stamina that I used to have, portraits have an appeal.
I always liked faces with character; when you're looking for opportunities on the street, that's one of the things I'd be looking for. My father in law is 96, and I've been 'circling my prey', but getting him in a good mood, and not looking posed is a challenge!

[MJ]

I love street photography. I love the thrill of looking at what I have at the end of the day and picking out the best to keep. I also hang my camera around my neck and just shoot random. I don't look at what I shoot, it's all random. OK, I don't always get a great picture out of 50. I may get 3 or 4, but they are great angles and things I may never have shot if I had of been focusing in the normal way. For me it's about the thrill and excitement. It is like a hunt and I love it.. I like being outside, so street photography is more for me than a studio. I don't think I'd enjoy that half so much. In fact, if I was made to stay in a studio I'd give up tomorrow. I may as well go back to the office.

[ed g.]

I'm very much a hunt-and-shoot type. Street, randomly encountered stuff, birds; not posed portraits, not arranged still-lifes, not adding light, just taking what's there.

Which is odd, because in everything else I really want control. I guess photography is my release.

[Christian]

Gordon, the portrait that you start the article with is incredible. I love the cohesiveness of the warm color palette, and think it really suits the portrait. Superb!

[ronin]

I'm afraid what I see on the internet that is termed street photography is dull and mundane. Random photos of strangers in a big city with a magic camera while being furtive, all the while having nothing much original to say, is um tedious.

Gathering around and looking at each others' boring work and saying it is great is all well and good. But show such shots to someone not interested in photography and ask what they think. They'll ask why I bothered. I point out to them how wonderful street photography is and they won't get it, because there is nothing to get. They'll ask the same question, and my responses will ring hollow even to my own ears. And and they'll say my juxtaposition of a streetperson in a wealthy setting was already cliched to death in the 1930s, when it was dismissed as the 'ashcan school' of photographic technique.

Take a work made on the street by an artist who worked his butt off on his shots. An artist who combined studio and street, like say Hank Carter-B. Show those shots to someone not interested in photography, and point out the various elements. That person will be fascinated, and drawn into the image even more. They will be amazed at the depth, the planning, the simplicity, and the spontaneity.

[Richard Man]

I do quite a bit of on-location masquerade photos with strobes, because those are the people we like to hang out with. OTOH, I really love doing street and documentary photography. Henri Cartier-Bresson is definitely one of my heroes, as is Gene Smith, Salgado etc.

I guess I am somewhere in the middle too...

[Etienne]

Since my job is to help find the best match between one individual, mostly managers, and a role I fully understand and share what you mean. First comes personality, which will constrain or facilitate the expression of our behaviours. For sure, there is a continuum. For instance between the need for control and the need for letting go. As an example, I know that I'm at my best when I can react to unpredictable events while having the time and the possibility to steer slightly my model.

Thanks a lot for your blog,

Best

Etienne