Street Photography's Ethical Line: When Documenting Becomes Violation
The ethics of street photography have come under scrutiny once again due to a case in Milan. A photographer captured thousands of unsolicited images of women, including intimate anatomical features, which were shared privately and later assembled into a book. This practice persisted until it faced public backlash, prompting discussions about the thin line between street photography and voyeurism. Notable photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Walker Evans, and Garry Winogrand are mentioned. A relevant legal case involves Philip-Lorca diCorcia, whose image of an unaware passerby was deemed art by a New York court. Italian law forbids the publication of portraits without consent, barring certain exceptions. The piece concludes by stating that street photography crosses a line when subjects are victimized, referencing Susan Sontag on photographic appropriation.
Key facts
- A photographer in Milan took thousands of unsolicited photos of women, including anatomical details, shared in a private chat and later published in a book.
- The book was initially celebrated by newspapers and magazines before a public denunciation.
- Henri Cartier-Bresson hid his Leica under a handkerchief; Walker Evans photographed subway passengers with a hidden lens; Garry Winogrand photographed American streets without permission.
- Vivian Maier left 100,000 negatives of strangers who never knew they were photographed.
- Philip-Lorca diCorcia was sued by an Orthodox Jew he photographed without consent in Times Square; the New York State court ruled in diCorcia's favor, deeming the photograph art.
- Bruce Gilden photographs New York passersby with a flash, described as brutal but returning whole people.
- Italian law prohibits publishing portraits without consent, with exceptions for notoriety, public interest, and cultural/artistic purposes, but not if it harms dignity.
- Susan Sontag wrote in 'On Photography': 'to photograph is to appropriate the thing photographed' and 'To take a photograph is to participate in another person's mortality, vulnerability, mutability.'
Entities
Artists
- Henri Cartier-Bresson
- Walker Evans
- Garry Winogrand
- Vivian Maier
- Philip-Lorca diCorcia
- Bruce Gilden
- Susan Sontag
- Luigi Falanga
- Gaia Forlin
Institutions
- New York State court
Locations
- Milan
- Italy
- New York City
- United States
- Times Square