Street photography is not something I do much of - although I do enjoy it when I get the chance. It forces you to be observant, quick and brave. Brave, because a lot of people can get upset with you for taking pictures and at worst can get quite angry and threatening. I had read a number of reviews online of people demanding money from photographers for “taking their pictures” (as well as the horror stories of pickpockets, thieves and muggers roaming the streets of a lawless city at will).
Naples is a gritty and demanding city, but most of the stories are, in my experience, exaggerated. It is no more dangerous to your average person, tourist and photographer than any other large, heavily urbanised city. I have felt more threatened in cities like London and San Francisco than I did in Naples, to be honest. That is not to say that you don’t need to be careful and watch yourself and your belongings, but that is true for anywhere you are working as a photographer - you always need to keep an eye on your equipment!
Three pictures that I took from the trip can serve as examples of each of the above requirements, observation, speed and bravery (well, not quite, but I did speak to the people and when they asked about what I was doing and why I was taking a picture “of them”).
Observation
As I was standing on the street I saw the four ladies in the picture - they were walking four-abreast and were not in the mood for making way for anybody. The street was pretty crowded, but every other person had to move off to one side and allow them to pass.
I was standing point where I could get the sign above the street as a focal point - but it also gave me a clear indication as to what point the four ladies were likely to be in focus for the shot. I took about 12 shots as they approached and were just past the sign. As they got closer, the lady closest to me spotted the camera and immediately alerted the others, who all put their heads down, and the spontaneity was lost as they became self-conscious. A smile from me, and a “Grazie!” received a smile in return, and they walked on.
Speed
I had just left the apartment were were staying in and had the camera slung over my shoulder when I saw a newly-married couple stop for about 15 seconds as a car turned the corner in front of them. I literally had time to turn on the camera, take off the lens cover and get one shot before they moved on. Fortunately for me it worked out and I got a shot that captures such a wonderful moment in their life and a classic moment of Naples street life.
In the frame, you have ordinary life - a man with his shopping, papers stuck in a back pocket. Tourists are walking past and yet, for the groom he is oblivious to all of this and it is clearly the happiest day of his life - his face says it all. The gritty streets with graffiti on the walls act as a frame for the couple, but more poignantly, like a picture on a wall, there is a death notice - one of the many thousands which are pasted on walls all over the city. A reminder that any happiness you may have today is fleeting, and death comes to us all.
Bravery
Okay, in the great scheme of things, this won’t be winning awards for bravery. But, the reality is that for many photographers, being approached by people on the street after you have taken a picture can be a nerve-wracking moment, as you never really know how things may turn out and what their reaction will be.
I was in the Piazza del Plebiscito just wandering around and taking pictures when I saw these two ladies posing for pics by one of the statues on the facade of the Royal Palace. It was a perfect shot to give people an idea of the scale and size of the statues along the front of the palace, so I started to take a couple of shots. They saw what I was doing, and came over to me to ask if I was taking pictures of them.
I showed them two things - a business card, which I always carry with me (so that they could see that I was genuinely a photographer!) and the couple of pictures that I had taken just a moment ago. When they saw that, yes, they were in the picture, and yes, they were not really the focus of the picture, but just one element of the composition, they were perfectly happy. And, as a bonus, they decided to go back and to carry on with their own picture taking, so I was able to get this lovely shot of the two of them right up against the palace. When they moved on, they waved and said goodbye - a lesson that manners and a willingness to engage really can work wonders.