WNYC Street Shots: Bruce Gilden
Summary
TLDRBruce Gilden, a Brooklyn-born photographer since 1981, shares his unique street photography approach. He emphasizes close-up shots to immerse viewers in the action, often using flash to capture the city's energy and anxiety. Gilden is drawn to distinctive characters, not the average passerby, aiming to evoke the feeling of being present on the bustling streets. He has witnessed Manhattan's transformation over the years, noting a loss of individuality and character, which contrasts with his earlier experiences. Despite the dangers and challenges of street photography, Gilden remains passionate about capturing the essence of the city and its people.
Takeaways
- 📸 Bruce Gilden is a street photographer born in 1946 in Brooklyn, known for his direct and confrontational style.
- 🗣️ He has a distinctive accent, which he finds infamous, acquired from growing up in Brooklyn.
- 👀 Gilden's early fascination with the bustling street life in Brooklyn ignited his passion for photography.
- 🚶♂️ He prefers walking on the west side of the street and maintains a fast pace, even at the age of 61.
- 📷 He often uses flash photography to capture the energy, stress, and anxiety of city life.
- 👥 Gilden's work makes viewers feel like participants, as he photographs people up close, capturing their unguarded moments.
- 🤔 He is drawn to photographing individuals who are 'characters', those who stand out and are not average in appearance.
- 📚 Gilden believes that a successful street photograph should make the viewer feel like they can 'smell the street', immersing them in the scene.
- 🌆 He has been documenting Manhattan since 1981 and observes that the city has become more homogenized over time.
- 😅 Friends note that when they are with Gilden, they notice more 'characters' on the street, which they don't see as much on their own.
- 💥 Gilden compares the intensity of street photography to a war zone, suggesting it's more dangerous and competitive than other forms of photography.
Q & A
Who is Bruce Gilden and what is his profession?
-Bruce Gilden is a photographer born in 1946 in Brooklyn. He is known for his close-up street photography.
What is distinctive about Bruce Gilden's accent?
-Bruce Gilden has a Brooklyn accent, which he describes as either famous or infamous, and he admits he can't stand it.
What inspired Bruce Gilden to become a photographer?
-Bruce Gilden was inspired by the vigorous activity he observed from his second-story window as a child in Brooklyn.
Why does Bruce Gilden typically walk on the west side of the street?
-He doesn't know why, but he feels more comfortable walking on the west side of the street.
How does Bruce Gilden's age affect his photography?
-As he has aged, Bruce Gilden's pace has slowed down, which has likely influenced his approach to capturing street photography.
Why does Bruce Gilden use flash in his photography?
-He uses flash to help visualize his feelings about the city, including its energy, stress, and anxiety.
What does Bruce Gilden aim to achieve with his street photographs?
-He wants viewers to feel like participants and to be in the middle of the action, as if they can smell the street.
How does Bruce Gilden describe the people he photographs?
-He looks for characters that make an impression on him, people who are not average looking and who are often lost in thought.
What is Bruce Gilden's opinion on ethics in photography?
-He claims to have no ethics and dismisses the idea of ethics in photography, suggesting that it's not as important as the work itself.
How does Bruce Gilden perceive the danger in his work?
-He views his street photography as more dangerous than working in supposedly dangerous places like Haiti, as he feels more connected to the people and the reactions he gets on the street.
What changes has Bruce Gilden observed in Manhattan since he started photographing there?
-He has noticed that Manhattan has become more similar and uniform, with people dressing and looking the same, and places like 42nd Street have changed from being crazy to being more like Disney World.
How does Bruce Gilden's friend describe the difference in characters seen when with Bruce?
-His friend notices that when they are together, they see many more characters, suggesting that Bruce has a unique ability to spot and capture interesting individuals.
Outlines
📸 Bruce Gilden's Street Photography Philosophy
Bruce Gilden, a photographer born in 1946 in Brooklyn, shares his approach to street photography. He emphasizes the importance of having the right of way and walking on the west side of the street, which he feels more comfortable with. Despite slowing down with age, he maintains a fast pace. Gilden's work is characterized by close-up shots that make viewers feel like participants in the scene. He frequently uses flash to capture the city's energy, stress, and anxiety. His subjects are often lost in thought, which he finds intriguing. Gilden seeks out characters that make an impression on him, rather than average-looking people. He believes that a successful street photograph should evoke the smell of the street, making viewers feel truly present. He also discusses the changes in Manhattan since he started photographing there in 1981, noting the homogenization of people's appearances and the loss of the city's unique character.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Right of Way
💡Brooklyn
💡Street Photography
💡Flash
💡Character
💡Ethics
💡Journalists
💡Manhattan
💡Disney World
💡Urbanization
💡Participant
Highlights
Bruce Gilden, a photographer born in 1946 in Brooklyn, discusses his early fascination with street activity.
He mentions his preference for walking on the west side of the street and his fast pace, which is slowing down due to his age.
Gilden's photography aims to make viewers feel like participants, capturing the energy and stress of the city.
He frequently uses flash to visualize his feelings about the city's energy, stress, and anxiety.
Gilden believes his street photography should evoke the smell of the street, making viewers feel truly present.
He looks for characters that make an impression on him, rather than average-looking people.
Gilden admits to having no ethics in his photography, contrasting with journalists who he feels have huge egos.
He compares photographing in Manhattan to being in a war zone, due to the intensity and potential danger.
Gilden has been photographing in Manhattan since 1981 and notes the significant changes in the city's character.
He observes that Manhattan has become more homogenized, with people wearing similar clothes and looking the same.
Gilden reflects on how his friend notices more characters when they are together, suggesting Gilden's unique perspective.
He emphasizes that it's not about what he cares about, but rather what he captures that matters in his photography.
Gilden's work is characterized by his close proximity to subjects, often photographing them without their awareness.
He discusses the importance of capturing people who are lost in thought, which he believes is a common state in the city.
Gilden's photography is a reflection of his own experiences and observations, rather than a staged or artificial representation.
He shares anecdotes about photographing in Haiti during tough times, highlighting the risks and rewards of his work.
Gilden concludes by emphasizing the importance of authenticity in street photography and his commitment to capturing real moments.
Transcripts
see how i don't let them ahead of me
okay because i have the right away
i'm bruce gildan photographer born in
1946 in brooklyn that's where i acquired
my famous accent
or infamous accent which i can't stand
when i was growing up in brooklyn
looking out my second story window as a
child
at the vigorous activity in the street i
was hooked
i generally walk on the west side of the
street
i don't know why i just do i feel more
comfortable
i walk at generally a fast pace though
my pace is slowing down i'm 61.
and i work so close that sometimes when
people think i'm
i'm not photographing them when i'm
photographing them they look behind them
the viewer will always feel like he's a
participant because i work so close
the viewer gets the feeling that he's in
the middle of the action
i use flash a lot because flash helps me
visualize my feelings of the city
the energy the stress the anxiety
you know that you find here what what i
see is
and the viewers should see is that a lot
of people walking in the city are like
lost in thought
they're not paying attention you know
they're they're thinking about this
they're thinking about these two guys
are good
but not smiling
now i forgot to say i was looking at my
question is about i don't care about
because i know you don't care
i wrote that if you can smell the street
by looking at the photo
it's a street photograph you know you
feel like you're really there
you know i look for characters things
that that make an impression on me
character is someone that's not the the
average looking person
i mean you know they could have uh i'll
show you
what i mean all these people that i
photographed like my friends
even if i don't know them because i'm
drawn to them somehow
and that i can't fake
i have no ethics i mean i i know
anyone who gives us ethics i mean come
on give me a break
most of the uh journalists i met you
know they got huge egos
they walk where you know supposedly
dangerous but i think this is more
dangerous
because i you know i've been in haiti in
tough times and you know of course you
may get killed but no one really gives a
what you photograph generally
here people do care this is like a war
zone
here i'm taking a picture i didn't know
you on the street not here he's telling
me
you know i've been photographing in
manhattan since 1981
and it's changed a lot it's more similar
more the same
everyone's becoming everyone's wearing
the same clothes everyone looks the same
i mean when i was on 40 seconds three
years ago
you know it was a crazy place okay and
now it's like disney world
i haven't changed what the place has
i have a friend of mine who always tells
me when we go out on the street he says
bruce when i'm not with you i hardly
ever see any characters
but whenever i go out with you i see so
many characters
you
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