It’s hard to watch Bruce Gilden in action, and not feel a strong reaction to his methods. Take the members of the Flickr group Hardcore Street Photography. One member wrote, “I got nervous just watching that” and another member asks, “I wonder how many times he gets thumped for doing that?” And over on the Rangefinder forum, Alex from Holland laments, “If i do that over here i get home (if i am lucky) with 2 blue eyes and a broken nose!!”
But some photo forum members say that they can relate to and learn from Gilden’s questionable methods. Back on Flickr, a member of the Kuwait Science Club, of all places, wrote, “watch and learn. I did.” And one photographer from the Rangefinder forum, has brought Gilden’s style to the terrified streets of Stockholm, Sweden:
So, how does Bruce Gilden get away with this? When I was on 5th Avenue with him, watching him cram his flash into the faces of unsuspecting pedestrians, we asked him, “Does anyone ever get mad at you for doing that? What do you tell them?”
If you do not see flash audio player please install the latest flash player.
Want to ask him that yourself? Bruce Gilden will be on WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Show this Friday, discussing what you can and cannot shoot with Eileen Clancy, a representative from PictureNY.org. You can give the show a call this Friday, May 23rd from 11:30am-12:00pm EST, or you can chime in by leaving a comment here.
While you’re at it, who do you think is the tougher photographer—Bruce Gilden, for sticking his camera in the faces of strangers, or Sandra Roa, for braving the streets of Jackson Heights to tell stories?
Windows 
Windows 
Windows 
13 Comments
I’m from the UK so don’t know the exact geography of New York, having only visited the city once. But I’d guess Sandra Roa is maybe the tougher one. If she’s working in any area where street gang’s are active she runs the risk of taking pictures of the ‘wrong face’ pretty much everytime she walks the neighbourhood. Plus if the workers she’s photographing are working illegally and think the pictures might be published or used by the INS etc - she runs the risk of being singled out for retaliation, whatever her honest motivations for the project.
I’m guessing Bruce Gilden, whatever the immmediate risks he faces from angry & pissed off pedestrians, is far safer (ironically) stalking the main streets and sidewalks of the busier parts of the city.
I would contest that great street photography need not be confrontational at all.
http://www.flickr.com/people/lorenzodom
I am impressed by Bruce Gilden’s attitude. I suspect that his appearance in the vest and stature as an older male photographer– clearly a professional on the street– this may be what enables him to get away with such a confrontational style), and though Jackson Heights is not particularly dangerous, I would suggest that there is also an advantage in being a young woman taking pictures… if she were to employ his style on this project I think she’d get vastly more hostile reactions… You have to work within your own personality. When I get angry or confused looks from people I’ve just photographed I smile at them or explain that I’m just taking pictures of New York and often the problem dissolves. But I’m never quite this close and I don’t use flash for street shots like this.
From what see Bruce has been taking p the same 5 photographs again and again for ten years. What are we learning from these pictures? From what I see is that Hattie is the same as NYC maybe Bruce would like to explain what is his point. I personally think that he is trying to show his self-proclaimed superiority over his subjects I deliberately do not uses the term victim.
Last year, while riding on a bus coming up 6th Avenue, our bus driver stopped and opened the front door (at around 31st St.) and shouted at 2 tourists who were taking a photo that included our bus. He told them in no uncertain terms that it was illegal to take a picture of a city bus, and if they didn’t stop it at once, he would call a policeman.
We on the bus were rather shocked.
I find that NYC is rather tolerant in general, though I can see where policemen can make bad/unfair decisions. In Paris, someone needs a permit from each Marie, where photography will be taken by anything larger than a 35mm format. It takes about a week to get the permits.
Well, Bruce’s pictures do capture a certain aspect of the city. I think his “deer in the headlights (flash gun)” approach makes for some interesting archiving of the city’s denizens. One of the comments on the video states that without Bruce, they never see any characters. Either this person has an uninteresting way of looking at things, or Bruce is capturing a staged moment precisely because of his style of shooting. In my opinion, the ambush technique captures an unnatural reaction to an unnatural event. Either way, they are interesting, and I applaud him for standing up to petty police harassment. That said, if he approached me in such a quick and furtive manner on the streets of NYC, he’d end up flipped over with his arm behind his back until I determined that he just wanted a picture. Might make for a good action sequence.
Bruce Gilden is closer to a thief that gets a good haul and gets good cash for it from the local fence. And I’m sure that’s exactly how his “victims” feels. Nothing honorable here. Many photographers have to PAY for their models. His, don’t get a nickel. Not too much overhead. If he had to pay these people, he would feel like HE was being cheated, and find some other scam more to his advantage. Sorry to be so nasty, but this guy inspires me.
Bruce’s style is based on who he is and where he came from. He can no more change his approach, without being totally dishonest, than he can change the past. He responds to that which interests him, in a way that is unique and authentic. Like it or not, if you are in a public place, anyone can take your photo. Whether you like his work or not, he has created a substantial and important body of work over a long period of time with a definitive point of view that will stand the test of history. Not many people can say that and actually back it up with the images to prove it.
Mr. Gilden is simply attacking other people for personal enjoyment and gain in a way which happens to not violate any laws. Someday, someone will retaliate in a definitive manner, and then Mr. Gilden, if he survives, _will_ changes his approach. It depresses me, though, is that so many of you support and encourage his pathological behavior. What’s the matter with you?
Really good photographer, but WHAT a jerk off. A true New York character. it is very insulting the way he photographs people, but produces some excellent photos.
I prefer to treat people a little more respectfully if I intent to use their image for my art.
He’s obnoxious, he knows it and doesn’t care. An aggressive, egotistical man.
Inspirational video of Bruce Gilden shooting on the streets. I can remember purchasing my first camera at 47th street photo and walking through Times Square scared for my life with $500 in my sock. His commments about NYC becoming Disneyworld are spot on. He has an incredible insight into people and is capturing a slice of life, whether or not he is confrontational or not. NYC itself is confrontational, don’t you think?