25th – 26th May, 2016
Royal Academy of Arts
The depiction of everyday street life and capturing the energy of life on the street has pre-occupied artists for centuries. From Renoir’s evocative street scenes of late 19th century Parisian life to Lowry’s iconic views of crowds in industrial Yorkshire, the dynamic energy and movement of crowds has been a central feature of modern and contemporary art. It is no surprise then that there was a similar enthusiasm for the practice of street photography as soon as technology enabled photographers to move out of the studio and onto the street.
The art of capturing a dynamic street photograph involves a number of different elements, including the chance encounter, framing and timing, patience and observation. Street Photography and the Art of Capturing the Crowd aimed to cover each of these and more, equipping participants with the basic tools required to create engaging photographs of life on the streets of London. Using the history of Street Photography as a starting point, this course referenced both artistic and documentary approaches within the field, and included practical exercises designed to equip participants with the necessary tools to capture dynamic and moving images of the life on the street.
The two-day masterclass included an overview of the genre, theory and history of street photography as well as a detailed and practical examination of street photography within the setting of London. This information was used to inform practical exercises set by Anthony Luvera, which were designed to equip participants with the necessary skills required for capturing photographic images. Exercises were tailored to the individual needs, experiences and personal interests of participants, culminating in a group critique in which participants were asked to upload a select number of images captured over the weekend for an informal group discussion and review. Participants were invited to upload selected images to the RA’s Flickr site after the event.