About Chris Weeks

[pentahedron]

Most of you probably know him from this video

Street Photography: Documenting the Human Condition - Part One of Three on Vimeo

He did however write an e-book called "Street Photography for the Purist" and the title should be taken literally. I started reading it over the weekend and the first section, personal reflections from other street photographers is quite good as it shows what the genre means to each of them and how they relate to it. Then the second section is done all by Chris which is badly written, edited, and tends to focus a lot on gear over skill. Here are some excepts:

If you think I’m going to say you can make street photographs with any type of camera, you are sorely mistaken.
You can flame.
I can ignore.
I can delete.
Because you just don’t know.(pg 52)

An SLR has its place. So does a view camera. As does a little digi. Even medium format.
None of the aforementioned belongs around the neck or on the shoulder or hidden under a jacket of the street photographer.
This is the world of the rangefinder. Go ahead chop down a ******* tree with a hammer.
Whether your budget is limited and all you can manage is a Bessa with some Voigtlander glass or your dad’s a dentist and he’s turned on by “hot
gear” and buys you the latest Leica and the fastest glass … I implore you to start off your street photography quest with a rangefinder.
If you counter this that you can use an SLR with a long lens and stand away from the action, you’re not of the correct mindset to really understand.
Close this document.
Go back to macros.
They’re easier.(pg 54)

Don't just take my word for it. Look through it yourself.
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs11/f/20...the_purist.pdf

His section starts around pg 49(the pages aren't that long since he spaces a lot for some reason. The more I read it the more I started to think he was arrogant and full of himself.After I went through it, someone basically summed up the book based on how Chris writes and speaks to the reader:

Chris Weeks really doesn’t give a **** what you think, because you don’t know. You. just. don’t. If you don’t use a non-digital rangefinder, preferably a Leica, with black-and-white film, just STFU. Because you don’t know, you neophyte. You probably don’t know what depth of field is. But Chris Weeks doesn’t care what you say or do or what you got on your SAT. He really, really doesn’t give a ****

I also think he has some sort of affiliation with Leica since it reads like an advertisement as well. If you go back to his video that he filmed you see that almost every scene with him involves him talking about his Leica rather than the genre itself.

And one last thing I found out after I was done with the book:

APhotoContributor: thank you

It's his inspiration for the video. He basically disses Joel Meyerowitz, a respected and well known street photographer in the most childish manner solidifying my opinion of him.


*Sigh*

Okay I'm done. Sorry I had to get that off my chest with others who are probably not into the genre or may be thinking about getting into since I think it's unprofessional and deceptive(get Leica or else).

[IainM]

I bet a little while ago he was all about Lomo and Polaroid photos. Carting a Diana F (original, of course) around flapping on about the "feel" of the photo, and how even looking through the viewfinder negates the whole point, man. And how his style of photography is a life style, not a method.
But now that sort of thing has become too cool and cliche, and only posers use that crap any more.

Heh, anyways, he sounds like a dick. I wouldn't even give him a second thought.

[nickbedford]

Well said IainM. He sounds like a tosspot with a way inflated ego, stuck in the 70's. Regardless of how good he is at his street photography.

That's my opinion anyway.

[Elmo]

First thing first, I was very fortunate that in my formative years in photography (60 years ago), I had the opportunity of encountering for a short period of time the “last” of the old time street photographers, Robert Franks. So you might say I am biased.

As for Chris I agree with his points but not necessarily his presentation methodology. The first point is: what is true street photography? I feel most of what I see now days should be classified as paparazzi or better yet photographic terrorism. Where is the statement of something worth preserving? Where is the reminder of something good or bad? Most images now days are little more than instant gratification from a quick hormone jolt or some since of thrill. Shooting true “street” is a learning experience about yourself and others.

Chris' next point relates to tools of the trade. Street photography can be done with any camera, but. That is a big but. A rangefinder opens up a whole new world when shooting street. I could venture into explaining why but that would little good, it is just something one needs to experience in use. As for Leica, who else still makes rangefinders? Do not confuse the use of Leica’s by street photographers with Leicaphites who have Leica’s as a status symbol. Street photographers use it for its unique ability.

A third point is the use of film over digital. Film will make you a better photographer!! Why? Because the cost of using film will make you concentrate on each and every capture. You will be more aware of exposure and composition of every capture. Think about it, how would you shoot if every shutter click cost you a dollar? Shooting film make the camera becomes an extension of both your body and mind. Where in today’s digital world we point the camera, mash the button, then bitch about the camera missing the focus and/or exposure. We will not even talk about composition.

BTW., I only shoot digital, except for one camera, but I shoot digital with the same care as I shot film.

[RLucas]

I agree, he is very abrasive about the style he shoots, but I like his stuff. If you can look past all the "F" bombs he drops, which personally doesn't bother me,he actually has some pretty good information.
Severin Koller is a little more laid back, but he and Chris Weeks seem to be pretty good pals, and share the same opinion as far as gear goes.

[RichardTaylor]

Not all of them used Leica range finders all the time.

Robert DOISNEAU
View All Photos Photo Gallery - Photo 121 of 305 by BluesElephant - Myspace Photos

[RLucas]

Originally Posted by RichardTaylor

Not all of them used Leica range finders all the time.

Robert DOISNEAU
View All Photos Photo Gallery - Photo 121 of 305 by BluesElephant - Myspace Photos

Koller didn't for a while. His Leica was stolen, so he used a Nikon FE instead. Maybe my eyes aren't trained enough, but I really couldn't see the difference between the two. Must be more of a feel thing?

[Elmo]

I do not believe anyone said only a rangefinder could be used, but those who shoot rangefinders prefer them over other camera types for shooting street. A rangefinder just seem easier to use for "street" (after one learns to use it) than other camera styles. Also it's non-imposing appearance help in maintaining "in the background".

One thing not mentioned is lenses. One who shoots street a lot will shoot nearly all his stuff with a single FL lens. Generally something wide 28's and 35's on FF seem the preferred choices. This way one can frame the image mentally before taking the image. I know I saw better pictorial stuff in my Rollie days when I had only a single FL lens.

As for Leica, many camera mfg made rangefinders in the past (I seem to recall Canon's first camera was a rangefinder) but none seem to gain wide spread acceptance. And to my knowledge the only one who currently makes rangefinders is Leica. So it is more of a name association than brand loyalty.

There is also something different about ones mental attitude when shooting street than when doing pictorial images. I know years ago when I shot professionally, shooting street was not work, it was relaxation.

[nickbedford]

Yeah, I'm not dissing his work (his professional work is great), but his apparent attitude toward other/new/learning photographers is appalling.

[pentahedron]

Originally Posted by RLucas

Koller didn't for a while. His Leica was stolen, so he used a Nikon FE instead. Maybe my eyes aren't trained enough, but I really couldn't see the difference between the two. Must be more of a feel thing?

Yeah I went back and did the same thing a few weeks ago to see if there was a difference between images shot with his Leica and those shot with the FE. The photographer makes the street pictures moreso than the camera. If one is shy then owning a leica isn't going to help because either way you're going to have to point a camera at someone you don't know when shooting street.

Someone directed me to this group a few weeks ago

Flickr: HCSP (Hardcore Street Photography)

If you go through the images which are nice and out of the ordinary for street you notice that they are all shot with a variety of cameras. When I've gone out to shoot street I've noticed that the single most determinant for whether people notice you is how crowded the area is. If someone does look at me it'll be for a quick glance and they'll resume their what they are doing. Now obviously when you live in a crowded place like LA, shooting street is going to be a whole lot easier when you have more available subjects and more opportunities to recover from being caught.

Either way peoples reactions upon seeing a camera around your neck is "that's an old camera" or "he must be a professional" or in my case "lol nikon d3000" >_>

Originally Posted by nickbedford

Yeah, I'm not dissing his work (his professional work is great), but his apparent attitude toward other/new/learning photographers is appalling.

Same though I think his work is just good and I would extend his demeaning attitude to other professionals as well.