What is street photography?

Street photography is a unique and dynamic form of photography that captures the raw, unmediated moments of everyday life in public places. It is a way for photographers to document the human experience and tell the stories of the people, places, and events that make up our world.

The beauty of street photography lies in its ability to capture candid, unplanned moments that reveal the true character and emotions of the subjects. The photographs are often candid, as they capture real-life moments as they happen, without the subjects being aware of the camera.

However, it is important to note that not all candid photography is considered street photography, and vice versa.

Street photography explained: The different interpretations and characteristics

Defining street photography can be difficult, as everyone has their own interpretation of what it means. According to the Wikipedia article on the subject:

Street photography (also sometimes called candid photography) is photography conducted for art or enquiry that features unmediated chance encounters and random incidents within public places. Although there is a difference between street and candid photography, it is usually subtle with most street photography being candid in nature and some candid photography being classifiable as street photography. Street photography does not necessitate the presence of a street or even the urban environment. Though people usually feature directly, street photography might be absent of people and can be of an object or environment where the image projects a decidedly human character in facsimile or aesthetic.

The Wikipedia article continues:

It is also important to note that street photography does not need to exclusively feature people within the frame. It can also focus on traces left by humanity that say something about life. Photographers such as William Eggleston often produce street photography where there are no people in the frame, but their presence is suggested by the subject matter.

PortraitMode’s mission: Creating a platform for street photography

At PortraitMode, our mission is to create a platform for street photographers to showcase their work. While the definition of street photography may vary, we have established guidelines to ensure that the content aligns with the theme of street photography.

We believe that street photography encompasses capturing candid moments of everyday life in public spaces, featuring people, architecture, or urban environments.

However, it’s important to note that not all types of photos align with the theme of street photography and may not be suitable for our platform.

For example, a close-up photo of a flower, a landscape with no human presence or emotion, or photos of your pets are not considered street photography.

Maintaining the Integrity of Street Photography

We strive to maintain the integrity of street photography on our platform by curating content that aligns with this genre, and creating a dedicated space for it.

When reviewing photos on the platform, we strive to be lenient and give the benefit of the doubt to our users. However, if a photo is significantly removed from the theme of street photography, it may not be suitable for our platform and might be removed.

The focus of PortraitMode remains street photography. We are here to provide a dedicated space for street photographers to showcase their work and we are excited to see the unique perspectives of our community members.