It's Street Photography Day

Most of the cats that you meet on the streets speak of true love,
Most of the time they're sittin' and cryin' at home.
One of these days they know they better get goin'
Out of the door and down on the streets all alone.

—The Grateful Dead, "Truckin'"

It's the birthday today of the great French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson. He was born in 1908 and would have been 110 today.

In some quarters that makes today "Street Photography Day," although I find suspiciously little on the Internet about that apart from old TOP posts. Maybe this is just something I imagined, or dreamed.

But anyway, today we go out and take a picture on the street. Here's my contribution, presented with the two-legged subject's permission:

The doggie is the spiritual advisor of the pilot. Her name, appropriately enough, is Sidecar Sadie.

I'm sure you have not failed to note Sadie's cool goggles! Those weren't just for the picture. She wears them when she rides.

I actually took this last week. It was taken with the 2018 equivalent of a Barnack camera—a smartphone. Not that I would have minded taking this with a real Barnack camera*, not at all.

So the idea today is to get out and take a picture—any picture. You can award yourself life points for conforming to the genre of street photography, for any similarity to the work of Cartier-Bresson, or for technical appropriateness of any sort as understood by you. You're very welcome to share.

Main requirement: be cool and have fun.

Mike

P.S. To put your image in our Comments, please use this code:

Where the bit in quotes is an image on the Web. Make sure the original image is not wider than 470 pixels wide, or it will be cut off.

*A Barnack camera is any Leica before the M3 of 1954. All were derived from the original designs of Oskar Barnack, hence the name.

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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

Jan Kwarnmark [you remember Jan —Ed.]: "To be honest, it's my own idea. I simply claim this day as dedicated to street photography. I used to send a mail to TOP, to Peter Turnley, and write on Facebook. Some people think it's a nice idea and respond kindly. I suggest we meet in a special café in Gothenburg at noon. Until now one friend has said he will come. After all, street photography is is something you do alone. Walking around in a crowd has nothing to do with it. By the way, is there really an 'official' way to make August 22 The International Street Photography Day?"

Mike replies: Aha! And sure enough, you're the guy who emails me about it year after year. Well, I'm on board. Why not?

Photo by Hans Muus

Hans Muus: "Shot one day before HC-B day, hopefully close enough. Folding doors at ground level (presumably the house was build as a small shop a long time ago) on a medieval square in the centre of my hometown, Utrecht, Netherlands. I liked the way the two blokes were sitting there, reading quietly. Took a sneaky (pardon, 'candid') shot. Too far off. And they noticed me. Walked up closer, moving my camera aside. 'Goedemorgen!' 'Sorry...English.' 'I see, good morning! I just took a picture of you, because you make such a nice image the way you're sitting and reading, but it doesn't feel good to do it secretly—mind if I take another one?' 'Not at all—we'll just smile!' When it is done friendly, I really love subtle British irony. I think I smiled. 'Or just keep on reading, if you will.' So they did.

"Later that same day I brought them a small print, which was appreciated. And I wonder, the contraption on the otherwise empty chair at the right—does it suggest one of the men has a handicap—anyone?"

Comments

[Roger Bradbury]

Nice Dnepr outfit. Leading link forks and a disc brake; just the job.
I can also recognise numerous cameras from, say, just a glimpse of pentaprism.

[Bob Gary]

MIke, Here's my two for street photo day just shot an hour ago on my Nikon P100. Love the late afternoon in the town. Just a hazy August day.

https://s22.postimg.cc/opolyehql/Bob-_Gary-8_22_18-1.jpg

[Paul Politis]

I share a love of geometry with HCB

[OBrienNYC]

Photo by Gerry O'Brien, taken in Brooklyn's Prospect Park | Canon 5D Mark IV, 28-300mm lens, f/5.6, 1/640, ISO 2,000

Image in comments:

[Kenneth Tanaka]

State of Illinois Building, Chicago
August 22, 2018

Henri Cartier-Bresson and Jean DuBuffet, the sculptor of the piece in this image, were contemporaries as well as countrymen. Although HCB didn’t like DuBuffet’s work it can make for an interesting backdrop for late afternoon street images.

Hope everyone enjoyed International Street Photography Day.

[Animesh Ray]

Taken today a few hours ago in downtown Pomona, CA. I used a 50mm Summicron on M9.

[Ash]

Image in comments:

Waiting for the Collins St tram, Melbourne, Australia

shot with the Fuji X-t20 and 34mm 1.4 lens

[Shubh Mohan Singh]

Image in comments: "

[Jim Arthur]

I love Jan’s idea for the holiday. It’s nice to have a reason to see what everyone’s up to here on TOP. The holiday did prompt me to carry my “real” camera as I headed out the door which makes it a success in my book. I took a few shots on my morning walk but nothing I'd classify as street photography.

Paul's shot is really nice.

[John Krumm]

Not at all a street photo, but taken yesterday, during my unproductive but pleasant walk. I usually don't take car photos but could not resist a record shot of this Buick Wildcat.

Click to embiggen.

[Luke]

TOP is the official way to make Street Photo day a thing.

After all, TOP created Bokeh Day, didn't they?

[David Comdico]

Not taken yesterday but very recently.

[Jeffrey Shimizu]

Hello! Greetings from Brazil.

This one was taken in Bogotá, Colombia. By the way, my "Barnack Camera" is the Sony RX100.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffreyshimizu/42411053430/in/dateposted-public/>

[Henry Rogers]

Mike,
What is the purist view of the IIIg, built from 1957-1960? Do the changes to the viewfinder compared to the IIIf disqualify it as a 'Barnack'? I've read somewhere that some IIIgs were made with the M type lens mount, though most I've seen have the Leica thread. So, does it really count as an 'M3 cousin' rather than as a Barnack?
Henry

[Well, it's transitional, but more on the Barnack side I'd say. These are just labels, though. Keep in mind "Barnack camera" wasn't something anybody said until a few decades ago. It wasn't a label in use when the cameras were new. --Mike]

[Herman Krieger]

Skit Row

[Bill Mitchell]

I tried, Henri, I really did.
Even went for supper to a McDonald's with that extra room where kiddies can romp and scream, (took out my hearing aids). Some neat stuff going on, but everything needed video clips to appreciate -- unfortunately no "decisive Moment" B&W stills .
Guess I'm getting old -- maybe next year????

[Leo Kawczinski]

Mike,
Here is my contribution to the day, made in the south garden of the Art Institute of Chicago. I do enjoy attempting to meet challenge of the occasional "assignments" you cast forth.