I came across a Dutch site called fotovisie.net announcing a contest for March 2009. Subject “street photography” – interesting maybe… Participants were asked to take photographs showing something “allowing the viewer to make up his own story about” [there’s the story-telling again!]. They also made some suggestions, which I will translate here, because they’re so revealing:
– people queuing at the subway or a building;
– old man on a bench reading a paper [an old favorite];
– someone feeding birds in a park;
– passers-by in a crowded street;
– loner on a bridge seen from afar [if that doesn’t do it!];
– child playing next to a parked car;
– animal feeding on the street;
– legs and bag on the stairs [seems a new favorite; very story-telling obviously];
– old car with new building in the background.
Where do people get this kind of inspiration? Looking at Photo Year Book 1937 or something? It’s 2009 for heaven’s sake, give us a taste of what’s going on. Don’t make a want list when you take your camera to the streets, show what’s there and open up to what you do not know already!