Bill Sullivan's situational photography
January 23, 2007 11:37 AM   Subscribe

Bill Sullivan calls his strict approach to taking candid shots "situational photography." Each subject in the uniformly composed photos is doing the exact same thing, like going through a turnstile or posing for a street artist. More candid street photograpy: Harry Callahan (1 2 3 4 more), Philip-Lorca diCorcia (1 2 3 4 more) ,and previously. One diCorcia photo led to a recent ruling that non-commercial street photography is protected under the 1st Amendment. 'more' links have NSFW images. The other direct links should be fine.
posted by hydrophonic (15 comments total) 7 users marked this as a favorite
 
Wow, those turnstile shots are awesome....but I am an anthropologist/voyuer anhow.

The ruling link is interesting too , but (not being a lwyer), this seems like a bit of a leap:

"The photograph, she added, represented the free and open flow of opinion and the image, for Nussenzweig, was the price of living in a society that holds those values. From this, therefore, we can conclude that artistic rights under the First Amendment trump freedom of religion, also protected under the First Amendment - at least when considering privacy laws within the civil courts of New York. "

I mean, sure i understand the concept of judgements being determined on precedent...but that seems like a huge leap right there...
posted by das_2099 at 11:56 AM on January 23, 2007


I really like the turnstile series a lot. Especially how each was captured just as they registered the camera.

I also thought the girl in photo #13 was hot until I saw here reading Ayn Rand /snob
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 12:04 PM on January 23, 2007


Loving the turnstile series as well. All this repetition and variation - your eyes get drawn to what's unique about each image. Fantastic stuff.
posted by avoision at 12:08 PM on January 23, 2007


This is great stuff: a rare art post here that is both something really cool and something I hadn't seen.
posted by klangklangston at 1:26 PM on January 23, 2007


neat!
posted by carmen at 1:31 PM on January 23, 2007


Street Photography, long may it live.

In the turnstile shots, I like the way the people are dealing with the camera as a possible predator—the women seemingly seeing a rapist, while the men seem to be reacting to a possible mugger.

Those setting for a street artist had an altogether different attitude, and were more relaxed. I think the contrast between the two situations adds an interesting demention.

That diCorcia case made my heart leap thinking new laws may trash my life’s work. Imagine being stuck with a lifetime collection of street negatives, slides, digital images and prints I couldn’t show.
posted by BillyElmore at 1:31 PM on January 23, 2007


I liked all three of the Sullivan series, but probably the turnstiles best.
posted by OmieWise at 1:46 PM on January 23, 2007


BillyElmore: the women seemingly seeing a rapist, while the men seem to be reacting to a possible mugger.

*does Jon Stewart eye-rub*

whaaa...?
posted by found missing at 1:56 PM on January 23, 2007 [1 favorite]


I followed the diCorcia case with some interest. While I'll never sell any of my prints for even a fraction of what he received, I do hope I'll always have the right to shoot in public.

I wasn't familiar with Sullivan's work - thanks much for the link! The obvious links to Warhol - images worth repeating - are fascinating to me. Great stuff.
posted by aladfar at 1:56 PM on January 23, 2007


The overlying message in Sullivan's work appears to be thus:

People in NY are fucking dour.
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 2:25 PM on January 23, 2007 [1 favorite]


Beautiful work. Thanks for the link!
posted by johngumbo at 4:50 PM on January 23, 2007


Sullivan's work is fantastic. Thanks for the link!
posted by photoslob at 5:00 PM on January 23, 2007


INteresting stuff, yes, but:

The result of such a set-up: photographs that fused street photography genre with cinematic lighting, shot from a distance to preserve the anonymity of the photographer

Somehow that burns me. Kinda sleazy to hide and, using technology, sneak up on people and take their picture. I mean a reasonable photojournalist develops a relationship with the subject and then gets candid shots, or takes the risk in risky circumstances, to get shots. This is paparazzi tactics for the masses and just as sleazy.
posted by Listener at 8:52 PM on January 23, 2007


In the turnstile shots, I like the way the people are dealing with the camera as a possible predator—the women seemingly seeing a rapist, while the men seem to be reacting to a possible mugger.

I saw the same thing. Sticking a camera in people's faces is confrontational.

I'm forcing myself to learn to be able to take unsolicited photographs at parties and in public, and it absolutely puts some people on edge when they realize you are photographing them. It's especially hard when you're zoomed up right in their grill and they glare at you while you reel off like 10 shots. I'm for sure gonna get my ass kicked.
posted by popechunk at 9:42 PM on January 23, 2007


I really like the turnstile photos. I think, though, that they'd be more impressive in the gallery, since they appear to be printed quite huge. Fascinating.
posted by Dave Faris at 5:48 PM on January 27, 2007


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