Dave,
The new will always redefine the ground rules for it need to grow. Always has been that way and will always be.
Peter
+1
Maybe street photography as it is defined by the street guru's is obsolete.
I find an image interesting when some elements come together: Strong story (and this can be the total absence of a story), Strong composition (and this can be the total ignorance of composition rules), colour balance, tonality, character of the image (I think B&W is obsolete for many reasons), Graphic, light balance (Contrast, Shadow vs light, claire obscure)
Imo, Street photography as defined is a subset of a broader photography theme: Urban Photography.
There is nothing 'elevated' or 'higher' on street photography. It is relatively narrow subset of a much more interesting scope: Human proliferation made visible with the comprehension of a camera's eye.
And I'm not convinced there where less garbage images pre digital era.
I remember endless dia shows at family evenings or photoclub presentations with all the same shit. Uncle Will who had the money to blow up every single shot of his perfectly centered unsharp picture of the tomcat of the house to poster format and hung it on literally every wall of the freaking house.
My dad who had the need to enlarge (and show the family) every 6x6 frame he shot in the local park. A birch. Two Birches, three Birches,........ But I have to say, all perfectly composed according to his 500BC manuscript 'Photographic compositions' written by Dr. Socrates himself.(ok this is not true)
The difference is, the internet is the perfect tool to flood all who is looking to his computer whit this image diarrhea. Is this good or bad?
It doesn't change a single thing.
If I want to see good photographs, I visit a well chosen exposition, just as we did pre 1990. Or I buy a Photo book with interesting theme or from the hand of a good photographer. Internet is not a trusty source for good photography. It is the flee market and that does have it's own charm.
Street photography is not killing itself, Society changes, so the subject is changing. If street photographers do not allow exegesis of the definition the style is deemed to fade out.
And there is something else. Contemporary Urban photography reflects the modern mentality. It reflects the complexity of people aware of there rights. Nowadays it is key to make you rights count, regardless if it make sense or not, if men have 'a right', are entitled to something, they race to court. (It would be great if peoples had the same urge to fulfill their duties as well)
In my home town, we have a mix of nationalities, pointing a camera in one direction on the street can end up with disturbances and perhaps physical violence, pointing the camera to the other direction can end up in a 'portraiture rights' claim. I was once arrested because I made a picture in the central station and by accident I had a undercover officer in the frame. He got me to turn in my film based on a 1890 law with states Rail station are of military interest and for that reason not allowed to photograph.
This change of environmental condition can not be kept out of the image, it sneaks in. Photographers have to find an answer on this changed reality.
A good friend of my have the natural talent to interact with peoples, even with the ones who would create disturbance. He makes wonderful street photography, but not according the 'rules' because there is interaction between the photographer and the subject.
If street photography is not following the reality it is framing, it will disappear for sure.
I think.