NOT Street Photography ( 1 )

 

I'm opening up a new photo project : NOT Street Photography.

So, what's this silly term : STREET PHOTOGRAPHY anyway ? I see there are millions, if not BILLIONS of professional and amateur photo-takers showcasing their [ Street Photography ] on Instagram, a ' Street Photography ' of all kinds, better or worse. Internet is practically diluted by these so-called ' Street Photography ' being uploaded by [ Street Photographer ]. For me, a [ Photography ] is just a fuckin' PHOTOGRAPHY that's all and I don't give a fuck if you're taking pictures on the STREET, or INSIDE the hotel room shooting photographs of women's genitals, it's only a PHOTOGRAPHY, so stop being a SNOB, cos I don't like the term, NO not at all, it sounds and remind me of a Black punk talking in the gang-language ON THE STREET in America, well, that's a STREET we're talkin' about, it sounds so cheap. 

I haven't touched Black & White Photography for very long time, well, since 1989 the Year of the JUNE 4th, the last time I remember was my photo assignment commissioned to me by Japanese major Publication BUNGEI SHUNJU,which they specifically asked me to do it on Monochrome Films. It was an important 6 page photo story on Hong Kong's HANDOVER in 1997, the deadline was so close after I completed the entire shoots. Eventually I took some 30 rolls of undeveloped Kodak T Films to Tokyo in the cold winter night in February that year. Photography had developed so much since then, and after I saw the apex of my career in the Year 1997, I have been through many years of downturn in my profession having endured really frustrating period of time, quite undignified. Until I had big break in 2014, when I had the privilege of shooting for Reuters Pictures for the coverage of OCCUPY CENTRAL-UMBRELLA REVOLUTION. My career was then restored, being a Photographer is never easy. 

I started my career as an editorial photographer, taking pictures as a contributing photographer based in Tokyo from 1989-1991 for ASIAWEEK ( closed in 1997 ). The training and experience I have learned during those early years have contributed much, to my photography today and I'm thankful that I came to understand what ' Editorial Photography ' is all about before I encountered wire service much later in my career. Now, that Hong Kong is DEAD under a POLICE LAW that forbids all civil disobedience, rallies and protests, I have decided to spend more time to dedicate myself for something else, the choice is, naturally, BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY, or simply, Monochrome Photography. So I take my Canon 5D MkIV, EF50mm f/1.8 ( I call it, Malaysian Lens because it's assembled in Malaysia, a cheap but very sharp piece of crystal a little shy of 900 HK Dollars ) and 28mm f/2.8 lens and start shooting on the street in Black & White ' Films '. Limit your focal length if you want to be a better photographer, I started my photography with 28mm f/2.8 a cheap non-Canon fixed focal lens attached to Canon AE-1 Program, I couldn't afford extra lenses as a poor young man at the time. Now, I prefer to work almost only on 50mm, some says that Henri Cartier-Bresson prefered 50mm for it's natural perspective, so as Francis Ford Coppola, he shot his masterpiece GODFATHER primarily relied on 50mm lens for it's ' intimacy ' which he was seeking specifically in his visual expression for the movie. 

It is a good feeling eliminating colours out of your photographs reducing it only the contrasts between light and shadow, yes, Monochrome Photography offer different sense of beauty.

Get a LEICA M, that expensive piece of shit, and shoot Black & White with Summicron Lens, that'll make you a  ' Magnum ' Photographer AUTOMATIC lol. I see many pretentious snobs from major Wire Service doing that, moreover, thousand of amateurs shooting rubbish with Leica M. Well I'm not that clown, but just a plain guy working on Canon camera and lenses, cos that's more than enough for me.

So, enjoy your shoot ON THE STREETS motherfuckers.

Liau Chung Ren （ 廖中仁 ）

20220719hk

* Photo : Fish vendor selling eels at Mong Kok Market / Canon 50mm f/1.8 / Original Monochrome File 

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