Street Photography - It's addictive !

 STREET MUSICIAN CORK CITY

Street photography is becoming more and more  a part of my photographic existence lately. . Even though I have been taking pictures since I was a teenager , I am finding the lure of street photography more and more a feature of my work. There is something that appeals about wandering the streets of a city with a camera, one lens and an empty page .
      I use a wide angle lens, which requires you to be close to your subject, upfront and honest.   There are techniques of covert capture of images and it can work. Shooting from the hip .. something sneaky in that I feel, although I have tried it and always come away feeling slightly guilty . But I do use it  ( ! ).  I prefer the second method of catching the eye of the subject and their approval before shooting the image.. or shooting and then getting approval after if it is a shot that you just have to get , in the moment. Rarely have I encountered resistance or disquiet about the method I use to get the picture  and very often spend time chatting to my subjects for some time. ( sounds very royal !! ) .But, it really is a social experience.  Like this gentleman above.  He really was a talented musician and a charming character.  He was playing some Classical music - very well and I found myself wondering how he came to be musically involved with the Violin.  His instrument was a strange contraption, without a body to produce the resonance and sound , but the rest of the thing was very much a Violin with a Scroll at the top, a neck with four strings, finger board and then......things became a bit different.   A kind of  trumpet contraption was attached parrallel to the violin and actually produced quite a good sound , though it wouldn't be easily confused with the sound of a Stradivarius Violin,!  I listened for a good few minutes.. little was said, He sensed that I was actually enjoying  his music and having spent my younger years studying the Piano from about 8 yrs of age to  16 years of age and working my way up the Grades , the two of us had much in Common ..... As his routine came to an end there was good applause from those who had gathered around. They vocalised their appreciation of his performance .  Then I took the shot. Not an award winner but the image encapsulates what I felt at the time and his character . A very rewarding experience and I walked away knowing that I had captured a good image.. And yes , he was rewarded for his performance.  Thank you my friend..