CANDID PHOTOGRAPHY

Evening Star, Issue 23378, 22 September 1939, Page 8

CANDID PHOTOGRAPHY

“SNAPPING" PEOPLE ON STREET CORNERS WOMEN THE MOST POPULAR SUBJECTS In these days the sight of a “ candid cameraman ” standing at street corners snapping members of the public in unconventional attitudes arouses practically no comment, and even a “ snapped ” person more or Jes automatically puts out a hand for the card telling when, where, or how the photograph just taken may bo seen. While keeping a paternal eye on the “ doings ” of a big city, a reporter spent some minutes watching one of tliese cameramen at work in a busy part of Princes street, and those minu.tes were devoid of neither entertainment nor interest. First jt became apparent that not every person was considered a camera subject, although it might have been hard for the uninitiated to reason why some were so pointedly overlooked. Men were only occasionally snapped, which seems to indicate that men just do not “ fall for ” this kind of thing, although men in company with women—particularly of an ago when love might bo said to be stirring—appeared to be considered a fair prospect. But it was significant that the photographer always handed Ids card to the female member of the duo.

Rarely was one of the fair sex permitted) to pass by without having her appearance recorded on the spool ot film. And if that does not tell its own story, then nothing could. Most of the women accepted the cards gratefully, some with a self-conscious smile which appeared the moment the camera was trained on them. There were a few who refused the gift, while an occasional one creased the card and tossed it into the gutter—which must have been quite a blow to the photographer. Mostly, men seemed Capable of striding towards the camera quite unconcernedly. If the cameraman liked to waste portion of his film onthem, well, that was his look-out. Their very attitude should show him that there just wasn’t anything doing. Women, however, adopted various little tricks to escape the all-seeing eye —that is, if they were not wearing a dress or a hat in which they felt they appeared at their best.. Heads would be lowered, the crown of the hat forming an effective barrier against worthwhile photography; other heads would be swung hastily to the other side of the road, or a gloved hand would dart upward, becoming, momentarily, a mask over the face. And in one or two instances what is vulgarly termed * a face ” was made at the camera—and sometimes snapped! But not all the photographs taken—and a film will enable the snapping of 40 pictures—were “ chancy.” Even during the period of the reporter’s survey three mothers pushing prams stopped and requested the cameraman to take a photograph of their offspring. These requests provided the photographer with every opportunity of bestowing his w’]® 3 and personality on a sharp-eyed child, interested in everything under the sun hut the camera. Still, however much time was taken, it was worth while, because that one snap meant a certain sale whereas possibly only one out of 10 of the others taken might bring business. , ... Women, too, ostensibly garbed m new spring frocks, were not hesitant about standing still for a second or two while a “ decent” photograph was taken, and the curiosity of passers-by worried them not. There was even one couple—a young man and a girl—who stopped and were photographed) in a charming pose. Only—it is to be hoped that the final result does not show them to be as self-conscious as they undoubtedly appeared at being snapped while the life of a city surged about them.