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  1. #1
    Be serious Franglais's Avatar
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    Street Photography vs. Poverty Porn

    I've been pondering about these two topics about photography. Can someone help me differentiate between the two?

    Of course, we all know that street photography is a very wide subject and can happen anywhere rural or urban, uptown or downtown. But I'm mainly talking about Street Photography in the suburbs where poverty is obvious.

    Another question is how can we take pictures of a situation in that setting but not make it poverty porn but proper art?

    I have often mentioned the questionable morality of taking photographs of poor street people and homeless as "art." To my mind, it is pure exploitation. However, I believe that "poverty porn" is a loaded term that is inappropriate and does more to obscure than help.

    You find poor people interesting and you want to do their photo and publish the results? Fine. Treat them like any other models:

    - Present yourself to your model
    - Explain your project and get their agreement
    - Negotiate how much you will pay them (could be nothing but get it clear)
    - Get a model release
    - Do the shoot and as always - respect your model. Make them look good

    In street photography, even when you are just getting a chance shot on the fly, you must always be ready to talk to the subject and explain why you want their picture.

    Quote Originally Posted by Franglais View Post
    Treat them like any other models:

    - Do the shoot and as always - respect your model. Make them look good
    I think that's about it. respecting them and making them look good. Giving the viewers a perspective of what their life is and what they do.
    Now my only concern i guess is how to do that in a truthful way instead of (for example) what the media can do, altering the truth and stuff. You know what I mean?
    One thing I can think of is just being sincere. And with all that, not making it a photograph of sympathy.

    What do you think?

    This isn't really off topic and should be moved to viewfinder or something

    I have been pondering about these two topics and I'm sure most of you have also. This is a discussion about the differences between the two and how to avoid exploitation through poverty porn images

    A moderator called "Frog" suggested I move this discussion to the viewfinder forum so here it is.

    Please read the original thread. there's only like 6 posts there so far just to get a background. Thanks

    Here's the original thread:http://forums.photographyreview.com/...orn-80786.html

    Quote Originally Posted by Frog View Post
    This isn't really off topic and should be moved to viewfinder or something
    Oh ok, thanks Mr. Frog.
    I have opened another thread on the viewfinder forum.
    Here's the link:
    http://forums.photographyreview.com/...tml#post509218

    To future readers of this thread, please click the link above and reply there instead

    Quote from original thread:

    Franglais:

    Treat them like any other models:

    - Do the shoot and as always - respect your model. Make them look good

    Lezeuddocke reply:

    I think that's about it. respecting them and making them look good. Giving the viewers a perspective of what their life is and what they do.
    Now my only concern i guess is how to do that in a truthful way instead of (for example) what the media can do, altering the truth and stuff. You know what I mean?
    One thing I can think of is just being sincere. And with all that, not making it a photograph of sympathy.

    What do you think?


    I would never go out and photograph poor people. I don't mix with them, I don't go where they live. I'm an amateur. I only photograph what is in my regular existence. I don't have to make a story out of someone else's misery.

    If you are ready to go in and mix with them, get to know them, develop trust, maybe even pay them for their time - that's sincere. I would respect that.
    Last edited by Grandpaw; 06-05-2012 at 05:14 AM. Reason: duplicte post

  2. #2
    Spamminator Grandpaw's Avatar
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    Re: Street Photography vs. Poverty Porn

    I was attempting to get both threads together in the Viewfinder Forum and I did that but found out that merge puts them all together. This is the first time I tried merging some posts so I won't do this again. There is no un-merge option, so you will just have to reply to this post. Sorry about that but I was trying to merge the threads to get them together, not the posts, Jeff
    Check out my website Here
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  3. #3
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    Re: Street Photography vs. Poverty Porn

    Quote Originally Posted by Grandpaw View Post
    I was attempting to get both threads together in the Viewfinder Forum and I did that but found out that merge puts them all together. This is the first time I tried merging some posts so I won't do this again. There is no un-merge option, so you will just have to reply to this post. Sorry about that but I was trying to merge the threads to get them together, not the posts, Jeff
    lol that's alright I guess people will just have to read everything. I hope they do, I think this discussion is going somewhere and I hope it continues.

    Hmm, would you care to give any insight about this topic?

    Thanks

  4. #4
    Spamminator Grandpaw's Avatar
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    Re: Street Photography vs. Poverty Porn

    Quote Originally Posted by lezeuddocke View Post
    lol that's alright I guess people will just have to read everything. I hope they do, I think this discussion is going somewhere and I hope it continues.

    Hmm, would you care to give any insight about this topic?

    Thanks
    My thought on this....
    If someone were taking a general photo of a street scene that had a homeless person in it, I would treat it a little differently than taking a photo where the homeless person was more predominant or the main subject.

    I may be too simplistic about this but I was brought up to "treat others as you would like to be treated", or "do unto others as you would have them do unto you". I have never been homeless or down on my luck but I would have to say that if I saw someone taking a picture of a homeless person that even though the were in that condition that I would probably think more of them than the one exploiting them by taking the picture, Jeff
    Check out my website Here
    My Nikon D7000 Tips thread is HERE

    All images posted by me anywhere are Copyrighted by Federal Law and may not be copied or used in ANY FORM without my personal written permission. Jeff Impey
    "I decided years ago I was only going to have two types of days... Very Good Days or just Plain Good Days I just refuse to have Bad Ones!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

  5. #5
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    Re: Street Photography vs. Poverty Porn

    I live in a small town in a climate too cold for homeless people so this isn't something I encounter often. But in my travels I see these poor people on the streets and I find I'm interested in them both aesthetically and in their stories. I have gone into cities where I was there on other business with a bunch of small bills and I'll sit and talk to some of the homes for a while, give them a few dollars, and then ask if I can take a photo. I've only tried this a few times and it's gone pretty well.
    It does seem like a blurred line between exploration and exploitation. Kind of like artful nude vs. porn. Some images fall clearly on one side or the other but many are somewhere in the middle.

  6. #6
    Member Memecoo's Avatar
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    Re: Street Photography vs. Poverty Porn

    I thought there will be a video By the way it is quite interesting genre for sex videos. Do you watch such? If yes I can share one interesting website with nude celebrity videos, there are many hot girls!

  7. #7
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    Re: Street Photography vs. Poverty Porn

    When I took photography in college (a long time ago) my professor taught me something that I kept with me to this day. I always love to photograph nice and attractive girls. After it, I start working in an escort agency, now I take a photo of the whore from these escort https://escortbrasov.info/service-photography/

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