I've been admiring the street shots of others here on 365, but haven't found the courage to start shooting strangers. How do you all do it? With a 35mm lens, a telephoto? Do you engage your subject? Have you had any people try to smash your gear?
It's not easy, and they sometimes get mad and *glare* at you or turn their back. Some people just notice and go about their business, others jump into it and clearly LIKE being in front of the camera! I try to do it subtlely, as though I am taking a photo of something else....obviously, the better the zoom, the easier it is (in regard to dealing with folks!) At times I engage my subject - or they do me - and I usually compliment them to explain WHY I want to include them in a photo. Usually that makes them cooperative. :))
I just posted one... I usually am sneaky about it but this guy asked me for money. I had heard of the $2 project. He wasn't as talkative as I would have hoped but for being a stranger, he told me a bit about himself. Sometimes I act like I'm taking a photo of something in their general direction, never really making eye contact with them. I haven't done a lot, but the little I have done, has made me more confident.
@cmc1200 Caryn sometimes I just find a nice spot where I will not stand out an djust take candid shots. Sometimes I will actually go up to someone and tell them what I am doing and I ask if I can take there picture
The risk of confrontation is partly why I do it, you get such a rush from street photography as you don't know how people will react. For that reason I would never consider using a telephoto and try to get close as possible to people. The only time I really zoom in is if I think I will miss the shot. Must of mine have been with a Point and Shoot but I have just started just a fixed 38mm lens. To me the likes of the $2 project,100 Strangers etc. project is not street photography as you are getting people to pose, the whole point of street photography is to capture everyday people going about there business. The only time I engage with people is when there is a confrontation, I have been told to "fuck off" on a number of occasions, called various names etc. But have only ever had a couple of people get right in my face. On those occasions I go with the approach of trying to talk to them about street photography, why had chosen to shoot them etc. And have also printed some cards with my Flickr address so they can look if they want, this approach has worked on all but one person and in that case I did delete the photo. The hardest part is the very first street shot, it get's a lot easier after that and rather addictive, but you need to accept the fact that people will at times kick off.
In the words of Thomas Leuthard
"The shorter your focal length is, the bigger your balls have to be..."
I usually use my little Nikon (P7000), I feel that it's much less in your face than a DSLR. I have found it helpful to make sure the camera has a reasonably high ISO setting for both fast enough shutter speed and adequate depth of feild. I walk about looking for opportunities and mix waiting for things to develop with just trying it. Sometimes I don't take the pictures I see because it does not feel safe.
Funny thing is I have had drunk women ask me to take their photo and heaven know's what which is nearly as scary as those that don't wan't their picture taken.
Going through the pictures once I get home is always interesting and like other forms of photography you learn as you go. I have a number of places where I know good pictures are to be had but I have failed to get a good enough one yet. So I'll go back. I'm also making a point of chatting to people who I plan to get street portraits of later.
I have some small cards printed on photo paper with some of my street photo's and my email address on them. I give these to some of the people I end up talking to. This way they see what I'm doing and if I I have anything of them that is any good I'll send them a copy if they email me.
Oh yes, I forgot. street parties, carnivals and events are great. Relaxed atmosphere. loads of cameras about and in my experince people much less concerned about me and my camera.
Thanks everyone. I'm really excited to give it a try, and I agree with @jasehoad that the first shot will be the hardest to take. Hopefully I have something to post this week!
@swguevin basically when a person asks you for change, offer them two dollars in exchange for a few photos and their story. I just attempted it for the first time the other day. I didn't really make it clear that I wanted his story when I offered him the $. He wanted to pose and I just said to stand wherever and started asking him questions, where from, how long here, that sort of thing. He didn't seem to want to talk much but I got a few photos and a little story.
@jasehoad I agree that its not street photography in it's purest sense but it is an easier way to get into it. If you're smart about it you can get the candid shots while you are talking to them and they let their guard down some. But yeah it takes balls to get in someones face and shoot away.
I got into street photography kind of by accident. I was basically taking shots of colourful shop fronts or interesting buildings and couldn't be bothered for the people to get out of the way sometimes. When I looked back at the pics I realised I much preferred the ones with people in and then set about trying to get a capture that kind of worked compositionally and either emotinally or at least humorously with the person/s and their immediate surroundings. So I suppose I wasn't actually pointing a camera right in their faces and got accustomed to shooting in the street. Don't know whether that might work for you as a way to get into taking shots in the street? Nowadays it's second nature for me to have my Canon and iphone at the ready whenever I'm out and about looking for a good opportunity. Like @jasehoad I don't go up and ask for a pic as it would lose the immediacy of whatever it is i'm trying to capture. Luckily so far no-one has got mad at me, and I've been getting quite close up with the iphone, as with others I'd say the smaller the camera the less intimidated people are. Good luck with it, it's a real addiction once you start!
@jasehoad I bow to you! My balls are small, but growing! :-) LOL! I have done the sneaky shots, I have given money and I have just gotten in people's faces. Whatever it takes to get your shot for the day!
I have been inspired after seeing a photo exhibit of Vivian Maier's work. If you don't know who she is--google her! You won't regret it! Her photos are genius and her story is remarkable.
Also, check out @seattle (Contstance Brinkley) & @robinwarner (Robin Warner) they are fab street photographers! :-)
For me the down side of street photography is that you have no control over the subjects, so sometimes you see a great shot and it is gone before you can snap it. Other times, you luck out and get exactly what you were hoping for on disc.
The upside is that since you don't know the subjects, they can't come back and ask you to edit it or be disappointed that it isn't the shot of the day.
One of my favorite silly things to do, is to find a vantage point, like a bench near a monument and shoot a series of tourists handing their camera's off to another tourist to get a photo in front of that building or monument. It is fun watching how they look around the crowd to ask someone who meets their criteria; same age; same situation; someone with a nice camera; someone friendly; we've all been asked to take a shot in that situation. Will have to start taking one with mine and one with theirs.
I shot the same scene one afternoon, "Can you take my photo, please?" while waiting for my husband to park the car. A least a dozen different families had strangers take their photo in a period of less than 15 minutes. The I'll take yours if you take mine is my favorite. I was less than ten yards away on a bench and not one person seemed to notice me snapping the photos.
Street performers and vendors tend to be the most friendly.
People playing a sport or involved in an activity tend to not care.
In a crowd, people are less self conscious.
If they feel you invading their privacy, that is the situation where they can become verbal, perplexed looking, avoid you by looking down, or you get the stare.
Had a camera turned on me recently. Was just sitting on a park bench talking about where we were going next. The photographer was young and walking in from a distance. I noticed the camera and then he started shooting. I'm sure the looks could be labeled: Perplexed; Really? and What could you possible do with a photo of me?. And then he stopped and scurried away
. As I hadn't been shooting for at least five to ten minutes when he appeared, I can't see it as payback. But it did give me a different perspective. I half expected a really bad shot of me to be posted on the 365project, but so far, it has not appeared. I would be wearing same pink coat, on a park bench, and in the distance you might be able to see the Capitol building.
Have not posted a lot of street scenes, but the year is young.
I've had a little go at it, but haven't really had any results yet. I get sussed out a lot too, even with the iPhone. But I'll stick at it, its intresting and I'm inspired by some of the shots people post on 365.
Intresting thread btw.
I love Street Photography, and in the process of setting up a website of my captures, most are candid and spur of the moment but some are planned and with permission.
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In the words of Thomas Leuthard
"The shorter your focal length is, the bigger your balls have to be..."
Funny thing is I have had drunk women ask me to take their photo and heaven know's what which is nearly as scary as those that don't wan't their picture taken.
Going through the pictures once I get home is always interesting and like other forms of photography you learn as you go. I have a number of places where I know good pictures are to be had but I have failed to get a good enough one yet. So I'll go back. I'm also making a point of chatting to people who I plan to get street portraits of later.
I have some small cards printed on photo paper with some of my street photo's and my email address on them. I give these to some of the people I end up talking to. This way they see what I'm doing and if I I have anything of them that is any good I'll send them a copy if they email me.
@jasehoad I agree that its not street photography in it's purest sense but it is an easier way to get into it. If you're smart about it you can get the candid shots while you are talking to them and they let their guard down some. But yeah it takes balls to get in someones face and shoot away.
I have been inspired after seeing a photo exhibit of Vivian Maier's work. If you don't know who she is--google her! You won't regret it! Her photos are genius and her story is remarkable.
Also, check out @seattle (Contstance Brinkley) & @robinwarner (Robin Warner) they are fab street photographers! :-)
The upside is that since you don't know the subjects, they can't come back and ask you to edit it or be disappointed that it isn't the shot of the day.
One of my favorite silly things to do, is to find a vantage point, like a bench near a monument and shoot a series of tourists handing their camera's off to another tourist to get a photo in front of that building or monument. It is fun watching how they look around the crowd to ask someone who meets their criteria; same age; same situation; someone with a nice camera; someone friendly; we've all been asked to take a shot in that situation. Will have to start taking one with mine and one with theirs.
I shot the same scene one afternoon, "Can you take my photo, please?" while waiting for my husband to park the car. A least a dozen different families had strangers take their photo in a period of less than 15 minutes. The I'll take yours if you take mine is my favorite. I was less than ten yards away on a bench and not one person seemed to notice me snapping the photos.
Street performers and vendors tend to be the most friendly.
People playing a sport or involved in an activity tend to not care.
In a crowd, people are less self conscious.
If they feel you invading their privacy, that is the situation where they can become verbal, perplexed looking, avoid you by looking down, or you get the stare.
Had a camera turned on me recently. Was just sitting on a park bench talking about where we were going next. The photographer was young and walking in from a distance. I noticed the camera and then he started shooting. I'm sure the looks could be labeled: Perplexed; Really? and What could you possible do with a photo of me?. And then he stopped and scurried away
. As I hadn't been shooting for at least five to ten minutes when he appeared, I can't see it as payback. But it did give me a different perspective. I half expected a really bad shot of me to be posted on the 365project, but so far, it has not appeared. I would be wearing same pink coat, on a park bench, and in the distance you might be able to see the Capitol building.
Have not posted a lot of street scenes, but the year is young.
Intresting thread btw.