The Art of Street Photography

The Jazz and Blues Festival kicked off on Saturday with a bit of noise and colour. Samba drummers and dancers where at the City Council buildings on the High street. Crowds of people flocked into the courtyard to watch and listen to the proceedings. There I headed to to see if there was anything that took my fancy too.

Then I spotted a familiar face the "I have a press pass photographer and I can go and stand anywhere I want". With no consideration for the crowds of people already there taking photos. He strode around obscuring the view and I guess ruining a lot of peoples photographs. He didn't even seem to be taking any photographs at the time.

Good street or press photographers are discreet and will at least acknowledge people they are about to get in front of.

Arch White and myself are watchful of who we get in front of. We move to get a photo, we move to get out of the way of the audience.

That's why we get invited into a performers space, because we respect the street, we respect the performer and we respect the audience watching.

So if you get a press pass to go anywhere during the Fringe use the eyes in the back of your head because I do.

Street photography is about that "shot." But it's also about how you get that shot. Small children would rather watch the funny performer, than the disrespectful photographer.

And for those photographers out there who publish for profit a Fringe press pass is a required item of clothing.