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OK, here's a question: which is consistently the weakest gallery category on epz? And here's the answer: 'street photography'. For some reason the title makes people think that if they rush out and take a slightly out-of-focus shot of the backs of people's heads in a dull high street somewhere, convert it to mono and put it on a tilt, then it's a fine example of the genre. Why is this the one category in which people abandon all the usual elements of a good pic, eg. composition, lighting, technical skill, subject etc.etc. and think that anything - so long as it's taken in the 'street' - is great work? And why do so many people go into ponderous analysis about what they can see in the pic, without pointing out that it's not a very good photograph? (And, yes, of course I've ticked the 'street photography' box on some of my efforts, before someone points out I'm a hypocrite, but I wish I hadn't). So let's dump it as a category, yes? Good, I'm glad you all agree.
Quote: Street photography has always appealed to me
Yea...and me, especially attractive ladies.....but I'd cut my own ear off first.
Folk have been conditioned to believe you are a pervert the police conditioned to think you are a terrorist...who needs the aggro.
....I'll stick to animals in the zoo...a lot less hostile.
....Mike
Quote: For some reason the title makes people think that if they rush out and take a slightly out-of-focus shot of the backs of people's heads in a dull high street somewhere, convert it to mono and put it on a tilt, then it's a fine example of the genre.
You think thats a fair quote and representation of that particular category? I've just looked and there is not so much of what you describe in there at the moment, there was a while back I must admit but seems to be fairly diverse at the moment.
Personally I think the site needs to dump any category then dump the general category.
Like every category it has it's good and it's bad interpretations.
I love street photography, but street photography done well.
To me street photography is about catching the unusual or the humorous in an every day mundane situation, just snapping people walking down a street is not good street photography in my opinion, there needs to be something else there that makes you take a second look.
This site has a lot of good examples of how it should be done.
I think the street photography section doesn't have a lot of entries or a lot of good examples because it's a far more intimate way of taking photos, you have to be confident to be seen taking photos of strangers, often right in their faces, in public, that is very hard to do.
I don't think it should be scrapped just for that.
Quote:
To me street photography is about catching the unusual or the humorous in an every day mundane situation, just snapping people walking down a street is not good street photography in my opinion, there needs to be something else there that makes you take a second look.
Exactly right. It's just that so many people don't seem to realise that..
Brilliant link Anna 
I took some pictures of a street performer in sheffield at the weekend, completely rubbish, couldnt capture the feeling of the man - very funny man but completely rubbish escape artist lol
anyway I s'pse I could have turned them b&w and created some arty b**lcs about it but I knew they werent good enough anyway and looking at Anna's link just confirms it but does make me want to go out and try again so no, from me, you can leave street photography where it is 
and anyway there is too much good stuff in there anyway to let it go.
I'm not sure it should be dumped, Despite seeing no real point to it.
The old homeless bloke sleeping in the doorway of Centre Point or whatever, Has been done to death, For a fiver you can get them to pose just about anyhow you like...
Surely the real point of it was spontaneity, Not prowling around looking for some poor soul in an awkward situation.
Whatever, Each to thier own.......
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