Harry Gruyaert is a Belgian photographer known for his innovative use of color, both with film and digital photography. In street photography, Gruyaert specifically considers the formal element of shape, and how it responds with light, so his photographs consider the background as much as the people. His photographs are an exploration of how people and objects interact in day to day life.

Gruyaert’s work was influenced by his dream to become a film director, and he studied at the School for Film and Photography in Brussels. Due to this, there is strong evidence of cinematography in his photos. Gruyaert was also influenced by his travels to Europe, North Africa, Asia, and the United States, where the vibrant colors and dynamics of the locations appealed to him.

Photo Study

There is an extremely powerful use of color and light in this photograph. The primary colors of yellow, red, and blue feature prominently, and the gray of the road supports the photo with balance. The lighting of the photo places emphasis on the two subjects in an otherwise empty street, and the sunlight provides different shades of color to make the photo look more full. The sparsely populated photograph creates a serene and quiet atmosphere. The slight angle down of the photograph from a point of elevation provides a viewpoint that does not feel intrusive or disruptive of the scene, and the wide-angle seriously considers not only the people in the photo but also the surroundings which they are in.

My favorite aspect of this photograph is how light is used. Although much of the photo is dark, the streaks of light that come through between the buildings seem to provide the street with warmth. I like how they paint interesting shapes, and it is something I would like to focus on in my pieces. In my street photography, I would like to focus on the lights and shadows when taking pictures, and how the subject interacts with it. I think that the way the street photography tells a story is through light.

Works Cited