This man is fascinating... I mean I would never do that style of photography personally, but that he gets into the personal space with the camera and flash is quite beautiful if not crazy. I have to admire that, he gets some really cool pictures.
He doesn't just do photography, it's more about breaking these silly boundaries modern people have about so-called "privacy" when they're in fact in public, it's a forced interaction but it's not by chance. He's maybe a lonely freak (or maybe not) but he's an artist with that camera.
+Dani Timo never heard such stupid crap, just because someone is in public doesent give you the righ to point a camera and a flash right into peoples faces with just 10cm distance. Taking people´s picture from a normal distance is allright because it gives people the opportunity to step out of the picture, they can move on with what they were doing and not getting disturbed. Since a flash is pretty bright it can also cause damage to the eye in some cases. So i would not mind if someone punches you in the face for that.
+John Doe people react differently to a photo shot 10 cm from your face with a flash (Bruce Gilden), as compared to a photo shot from 'a normal distance' (what *is* a normal distance anyways?). It's all very deliberate. They produce very different results with very different aesthetics. One does not substitute the other. It all depends on which look you are going for.
This is one of the greats. I've meet him a few times; the last time in Randazzo's in shepshead bay. He is a prince that was a pauper. If that make any sense. If you've come up in NYC, It should.
You don't become a Magnum Photographer without certain risks. Attitude for sure. Did you see that smile at 5:12? He loves it, and I like it, despite his lack of sympathy, and urbanity haha. "As crazy as it sounds, I don't like confrontations, but I push myself to overcome my fears".
I am a Streetog in Daytona. I know well of Bruce and respect his achievements but differ in views of real Street Photography. I feel it should be Real. Not posed or asked before hand, as well as not a shock photo in your face.
his work is not just about the shock of photo its about his aesthetic meaning. So IMO his work is very real. Its about people in a world like NYC where his background movement blur is talking about the speed of a city while being able to freeze the frame of the people he captures. Big fan of his work i dont shoot his style as well but love his work.
bruce is good at seeing characters, thats his art. but that style cant be applied in a lot of places in the world. would be too dangerous. im not saying that his works are bad, its just theyre not the kinda works i would love to see and appreciate. his version of beauty isnt compatible with mine. so, good luck Bruce.
ThePhilthyRich1 uhm. so travelling the world somehow makes one immune to aggressive people who dont like their photos being taken? i was just trying to make the point that outside the US, people are generally more receptive to strangers taking their photo and with his style, im surprised that noone has tried to assault him in the states
He did it with some japanese gangster shit and still alive. Aldo in coney island. I did the same style too. Now im working in vietnam and people never get mad. So you dont need to worry about that. Art is art, his work is cleary not easy at all and he tried realy hard to keep his passion go and dont care about what another people says.
Yamin Rashid Then whats the point of a model release? Are you ok with someone taking a picture of you when you walk by him, and then saw your own picture online to promote a business?
I wouldn't like anyone using their camera with the flash and catching me unawares.... the photographer might end up in an emergency room with a broken nose.
For what it's with. If your looking for a good example of a street photography, this is just one style. He likes his style and its done well for him, but his style is abrasive along with his criticisms of other peoples work. He's got some quirks.
A. Rawlin Hewitt He's very confident in how he goes about his photography, I would never even think of doing that for fear of getting arrested or beat up
Oh please shut up, anyone can criticise bruce Gilden, hes not "above criticism". And no you don't "have to admit his photos are unique and full of character" nor do you have to "envy his success", have you ever heard of someone not liking someone else's work before? what an arse you have to be to believe the shite you just spewed.
+Alex Alex which would be more of a creep? The photographer who's being honest and open about what he's doing (photographing people) right in front of you, or the photographer who stalks you from a distance while taking pictures of you behind your back/when you won't notice? I know which one creeps me out more.
Honestly, I don't see the art of photography in this. I only see hypocrisy when he says he doe "it's social interaction". His photography doesn't even capture the natural human behaviour... To me he is just one more weirdo scaring people and being acclaimed by photography agencies. "photographers" like him, Mark Cohen and the more recent creep Chuck Jines are distorting the real image that the people have about street photographers and keep others from seeing and value our art form. Snapshots of scared or surprised people is not street photography. It's not even art.
Lome Roger How does it not capture humans' natural behavior when he makes sure he's not noticed at all? I find his photos very intriguing. But you have your opinion, it's art. It's good if you agree or disagree, it's meant to evoke emotion either way - positive or negative.
It's amazing he hasn't been arrested or worse the idea of shoving a camera and flash in peoples faces. This type of photography is in my mind not feasible or a correct way of conducting themselves. Arrogance
If he did this in FL where people have a right to carry.. he'd run a real risk of getting some bullet holes in him. Just saying'.. be careful where you do this.
