Photos and words by David Tannenhauser
Hi West Side Rag readers,
I was happy to see such a lively conversation in response to last week’s photos. Here’s my take on the privacy discussion surrounding street photography:
I never take photos of people in distress, whether they’re unhoused or experiencing mental health crises, I consider this exploitative and not my business to capture. I also avoid capturing children’s faces without explicit consent from their parents.
As for advanced permission, I prefer to capture candid moments, so I generally try to acknowledge the subjects that notice me after the fact — “I like your look” or “that ok?” — or sometimes, just a smile and a thumbs up. I’ve rarely gotten any complaints.
I’m looking to capture interesting moments in time, never to make anyone look bad or feel uncomfortable.
That being said, if you happen to see yourself in one of the pictures we post, and would prefer to have it removed, please contact the Rag and we will gladly accommodate your request.
Street photography is spontaneous and fun. I try to keep it that way.
Subscribe to West Side Rag’s FREE email newsletter here. And you can Support the Rag here.
It would be nice if their were captions sometimes.
Such as Sunday NYRR race. Or 75 and Bway.
Sometimes I know. But when I don’t it encourages me to take another look at that location to see what I missed. Or re-see it from a different perspective.
Half the fun is trying to guess the location
Thank you for the reasonable and compassionate ‘ take’ on street photos. I have always wondered about the legal versus personal privacy aspect of it. I understand that there is no presumption of privacy when we are walking down the street, so it’s heartening to know that an experienced artist/photographer prioritizes the most civilized route. I hope that others in the same field will learn from your wisdom!
And, btw, I love your photo documentation of those ephemeral moments we lead in the public eye! Thank you also for sharing your work!
I love the photos! My favorite in this batch is of the tourist family (bewildered and slightly overwhelmed and rather tired dad in blue and pink socks in sandals, mama holding the children’s sweatshirt, kids staying close by), with the contrast of the NewYorker walking by in matching leotard shirt and backpack. Gentle and sweet in its way and so iconic to me!
As for the photos of people themselves – there is no expectation of privacy on the street, and taking precautions to not take photos of people in distress, and none of minors without their adult’s permission, seems plenty reasonable to me. As soon as we step out into the street or park or bench, we become part of the landscape of this city. Photos are no different than people watching, only with a snippet of it to share with others.
I think the item on the leopard print womans back is actually a hat!! Which is very odd as she already has a cap on her head!
I love NYC!
I love street photography and appreciate your work.
If you photographed what I saw a “character” doing outside of Made In NY last night around 10:30, I think you’d be writing a much less rosier missive.
Street photos wouldn’t exist if people would just look around when walking out there instead of keeping heads in phones.
Lol wrong. There’d probably be more of it that’s more interesting
Street photography is as old as portable cameras themselves. Older, even, if you count Eugene Atget:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eug%C3%A8ne_Atget#/media/File:Eug%C3%A8ne_Atget,_Street_Musicians,_1898%E2%80%9399.jpg
I love the mailbox one.
That deliberate, almost formal, stop-in-your-tracks recognition-greeting, captured perfectly in the first photo. Perfect! I can almost hear it
Thank you for your rational, civilized, and thoughtful approach to street photography. Can’t wait to see more and more of your photos.
Where is the guy who lived in front of Victoria’s Secret for over 10 years? Haven’t seen him.