Chosen image:

This photograph from a series by Bruce Gilden shot around New York City over the 1980s and 1990s features two men in business suits smoking cigarettes. The man in the foreground occupies around 2 thirds of the frame and neither of the men are fully in the shot. The angle of the shot is around torso height, as Gilden tends to bend slightly for a lower angle when photographing. This makes the viewer feel as if they are participating, as if they are part of the action of the city. The edges and background of the photograph are out of focus, reflecting the fast-paced nature of the city and how fearless Gilden is when given an opportunity for a shot even with very little time. During this series, Gilden used all black and white film and all of his photos utilise a flashgun which helps him to visualise the feelings of the city; the energy, the stress and the anxiety.

Gilden is a street photographer, however his style of photography and his photography methods are unlike any other I have seen. Gilden’s subjects very rarely know they are being photographed. He gets so close to his subjects that they often think he is photographing behind them. He jumps in front of his subjects and within a second, he has his shot and the two have parted ways. It is a very aggressive method of photographing and I am surprised that Gilden doesn’t receive just as aggressive responses from his subjects. However this style produces an extremely unique and emotive result. Gilden wants to show how lost in thought the people walking around the city are, that they’re not paying attention.

Gilden’s other works, such as a series he shot in Haiti in the 1980s, shows how he can apply his unique style regardless of the subject. The violence and poverty he captured when visiting Haiti are clearly visible and are a stark contrast to his shots around NYC, however his style of photography is just as provocative and immersive.

Another documentary/street photographer of 1980s NYC, more specifically Brooklyn, is Jamel Shabazz. Despite shooting around the same time and locations, Shabazz and Gilden’s work feel very different. One of the most obvious differences is that Gilden’s work was in black and white while Shabazz’s is in full colour, but the first difference that struck me was that Shabazz’s subjects are aware they are being photographed and have had time to prepare themselves for it. In fact, Shabazz would approach his subjects, introduce himself and tell them about his photography; completely contrasting Gilden’s aggressive split second shots. The two photographers’ goals also seem to be different. While Gilden searches for characters he is drawn to and wants to convey the feeling of that single moment, Shabazz was more concerned with making a statement about the world he lived in and about making his subjects smile and feel good about themselves.

While Bruce Gilden’s influence on Sheila Casado’s Fall 17 collection may have been small or could easily go unrecognised, I think there is more to take from Gilden’s attitude and appreciation for what would normally be ‘ordinary’ than what is seen in his photos.

 

 

Bibliography:

Not Just a Label (2017) Sheila Casado Available from: https://www.notjustalabel.com/designer/sheila-casado [Accessed 26 October 2017]

Gilden, Bruce (2005) A Beautiful Catastrophe, New York, Powerhouse Books

Gilden, Bruce (2017) Bruce Gilden, NYC Available from: http://www.brucegilden.com/a-beautiful-catastrophe/ [Accessed 28 October 2017]

Walker, Benjamen & Silenzi, Andrea (Producers). (2008) WNYC Street Shots: Bruce Gilden Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnBeh9tUPRU [Accessed 28 October 2017]

Gilden Bruce (1999) Haiti, Stockport, England, Dewi-Lewis Publishing

Gilden, Bruce (2017) Bruce Gilden, Haiti Available from: http://www.brucegilden.com/haiti/ [Accessed 28 October 2017]

Magnum Photos (Year Unkown) Religion, Haiti, Bruce Gilden Available from: https://www.magnumphotos.com/newsroom/religion/bruce-gilden-haiti/ [Accessed 28 October 2017]

Shabazz, Jamel (2011) Back in the Days, New York, PowerHouse

Jay (2012) The Reel Foto – Jamel Shabazz: Old School Street Photography Available from: http://reelfoto.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/jamel-shabazz-old-school-street.html [Accessed 28 October 2017]