30 Of The Most Fascinating Pictures Shared On These Street Photography Groups

We got in touch with the administrators and moderators of the group Street Photography Cartier-Bresson Inspired and its founder, digital content creator Peter Pickering agreed to tell us more about the inner workings of how such a community looks from the inside.

"Maintaining the group's quality and standards is a top priority for [our] team, and as the group has grown in size, the cleaning and moderation duties have become more challenging," Pickering told Bored Panda.

"However, the team is committed to keeping the group clean and engaging for its members, and they work tirelessly to remove any content that violates the group's rules or aesthetic standards."

Of course, every similar group is different, but the most common issue that the admins and mods of Street Photography Cartier-Bresson Inspired have to take care of is the members (of whom there already are a whopping 294K) posting images that don't meet the group's guidelines or rules, such as:

• Not meeting our definition of street photography;
• Lacking visual impact and clichés;
• Technically lacking;
• Color instead of black and white;
• Borders;
• Logos and watermarks;
• Over-processing.

"We understand that although members may have questions about why their images were rejected, despite being pointed to the rule that was breached, it can be time-consuming for our team to provide individualized explanations for every rejected image," Pickering explained.

"Occasionally some members may come across as overly critical or dismissive in their comments towards other members, and even towards our ... team," the founder of Street Photography Cartier-Bresson Inspired said. "While we do not condone this behavior, we approach it with understanding and compassion and work to educate them on the importance of respectful and constructive feedback. It takes time."

"Overall, we try to keep the group clean and free from any content that doesn't align with our mission or standards. It is a lot of work, but we are committed to maintaining a positive and supportive community for street photographers of all levels."

Since Pickering is the founder of what we can sort of call Henri Cartier-Bresson's modern fan club, we also asked him what he considers to be the quintessential components of the master's success.

"[Cartier-Bresson's] photography is characterized by a sense of spontaneity, capturing candid moments and emotions in a way that feels authentic and immediate," Pickering said. "He was a master of composition, using techniques like the rule of thirds and natural light and shadow to create striking and balanced images."

"His work often focused on the human experience, capturing everyday moments and emotions in a way that feels both relatable and profound. [It] has inspired countless photographers over the years. His style can be described as an unobtrusive, intuitive approach that sought to capture the essence of a moment or scene, rather than impose a preconceived narrative or message," Pickering explained.

However, while the members of the group are trying to imitate Cartier-Bresson's work to some extent, Pickering and the other group's admins and mods believe they should also "strive to find their own voice and express themselves authentically through their art."

"We encourage our members to explore their own creative paths, rather than simply copying the work of others. Ultimately, we value the diversity of styles and approaches in our group and want our members to feel free to express themselves in their own unique way."

From what he's seen in the group, Pickering thinks that the following techniques and themes appear in the members' photos the most:

1. Candid moments and emotions: "Many members of the group strive to capture authentic moments of everyday life, in public spaces or on the street. This includes images of people going about their daily routines, interacting with others, or experiencing a range of emotions."

2. Black and white photography: "As a group inspired by Cartier-Bresson's work, it's no surprise that black and white photography is a popular technique and an essential for our group. Members often use high-contrast black and white to create striking images that emphasize light and shadow though we discourage this in the group, preferring a more balanced, authentic image, with good tonal range."

3. Creative use of composition: "Cartier-Bresson was known for his mastery of composition, and many members of the group take inspiration from his approach. This includes techniques like the use of negative space, leading lines, and the rule of thirds."

4. Reflections and shadows: "Many members of the group enjoy experimenting with reflections and shadows, using them to create interesting and abstract compositions."

5. Minimalism: "Some members of the group are drawn to a minimalist approach, using negative space and simple compositions to create striking images. Sometimes it works to good effect; sometimes all we perceive is a small dot of a person in the distance!"

"As admin and moderators of the group, we feel a deep sense of love and responsibility towards it," Pickering added. "It is our baby, and we nurture it, care for it, and love it with all our hearts."

"Every day, we dedicate countless hours to maintaining the quality and integrity of the group, to ensure that our members have a positive experience and a platform to showcase their work. We monitor the group 24/7, across different time zones, to ensure that every image, comment, and post aligns with our ethos."

There are big plans for the community. In addition to their current offers, the admins and mods are thinking about introducing contests and awards to showcase the best of their members' work.

"We also aim to provide more educational resources such as video lectures, workshops, and video conferencing for advice and feedback," Pickering said. "We hope to take our group to new heights with printed publications and, dare we say, at some point in the future, photo walks in hosted cities around the world where members can meet, learn from each other, and celebrate their shared passion for street photography."

However, it's still a volunteer-run group, and they're limited by resources, especially funding. "We believe that our members are the lifeblood of our community, and we hope that they will support us on Patreon even from as little as $1.50 per month," Pickering said. "With their help, we can continue to build a thriving community of street photographers who inspire and challenge each other to grow and create."