That Is Funny
Getting those last calls in before the plane takes off.
I love it when a picture makes me smile. I want to take pictures that make other people smile. So how is that done?
Study street photographers who are known for their humorous pictures.
Studying the masters is a good start in learning how to take street photography pictures that make people smile. Foremost on the list is the legendary Magnum photographer, Elliot Erwitt. He is a French-born American photographer who was an original member of Magnum and a former president. In 2018, at the age of 90, he was still taking the photos of dogs that have made us smile since before I was born. You can read about Elliot Erwin in Eric Kim’s blog, “14 Lessons Elliot Erwin Has Taught Me About Street Photography.” Even if you do not read the blog, at least go to see Elliot’s pictures. They will make you smile.
Swedish street photographer, Rickard Landberg, also finds humor on the street, largely by capturing discrepancies and the unexpected. You can read about him in the blog by The Phoblographer, “Rickard Landberg Finds Humor in Street Photography.”
Other photographers known for their humorous pictures include Robert Doisneau, Martin Parr and Matt Stuart.
Things to look for that can make a funny picture.
Juxtaposition and Timing
Photo by Vicki Windman. Used with permission.
Juxtaposition in photography is defined as two things placed close together with the intention to compare them. We have a juxtaposition master among us, and that is Vicki Windman who I got to know on Instagram at @vbarn106 and got to subsequently meet in NYC. Her Instagram posts often make me smile, if not outright laugh. She is the inspiration for this blog on humor.
I am not the only one who has recognized Vicki’s particular talent. She was recently chosen to judge a challenge, #iconicmoments , on Street Photography Challenge. This is a public group on Facebook that hosts a weekly street photography challenge. These challenges typically have a large number of exceptional entries. To see the winning photos that Vicki selected and treat yourself to some smiles, click here.
Photo by Vicki Windman. Used with permission.
Comments
“Elinor agreed to it all, for she did not think he deserved the compliment of rational opposition.”
Photo by Lillis Atkins Werder. Used with permission.
There is more than one way to proverbially “skin a cat”. On Facebook I have come to know Lillis Atkins Werder, who, as far as I can tell, takes exceptional photographs across every genre. Her particular skill in street photography is to find humor by pairing great street photos with carefully curated comments. On more than one morning, as I sit alone at my kitchen table, I am laughing out loud at a picture and its comment that she has posted on Facebook. You can see her pictures on her Facebook gallery, Lillis Photography and on her website at Lillis Photography.
“Cemetary Fashion”
Photo by Lillis Atkins Werder. Used with permission.
Discrepancy
Photo by my long time friend. Used with permission.
In general, producing humor in street photography, certainly producing it consistently, is an advanced skill. However, opportunity is out there. You just have to seize the moment. Kudos to a long time friend for this delightful picture.
The Unexpected
A perfectly timed shot taken with an iPhone produced this unexpected picture posted on Instagram at Easter with the clever caption, “During Holy Week they can levitate.”
Photo by Tee. Used with permission.
What is not humorous street photography.
It is important to differentiate being funny and making fun of someone. If the punchline in a picture is homelessness or obesity, then that is a picture that should be sent to the recycle bin.
And it is a wrap.
It is not easy to take street photos that are funny. Humor is cultural and, beyond that, humor is personal. It is impossible to take a photo that will be funny to everyone. But what an achievement it is if you make even one person laugh.
Exercise
Look for funny pictures on Instagram or Facebook. What makes a picture funny for you?