I'm a shy person. I don't take photos of people without asking them first. Are there tips to taking street photos without the subjects getting angry? I know it's perfectly legal, but it's a comfort issue with me. I passed up a chance today to photograph a guy in a cement wash under a freeway practicing his trumpet. I felt awkward about asking him, and he was quite a distance in.
I'd like to start branching out photographically. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!
I never ask Chris - naughty I know but I want the candid shot. I have a great zoom on my camera, never invade the persons space and I snap away. I am totally addicted to street photography and gain a HUGE buzz out of it. I have started getting grumpy when I can't get out with my camera.
Go out there - don't think about it and have fun, snap away.
One easy way is to shoot with a long lens. Another easy way is to get up closer and shoot from the hip so to speak without the subject knowing you are taking their photo, put your camera on auto, have a wideish lens and point in the general direction while not holding the camera up to your face (very hit and miss though). I find though - that if I am in a crowded place and you are just snapping away very few people take notice of you. If however I am in a not so crowded place and there is someone I would like to photograph I simply ask - if they say no I don't take their photo. I now even go up to front doors and ask people if I can take photos of stuff in their gardens. Most people even thank me for asking - I think it is all in the delivery and if you do it with a smile. I also think the more you have your camera out and about - the more confident you get and bolder you get in your approach - at least I did!
The first time is hardest, its gets easier after that. Prep your camera, turn off AF lamp, beeps etc. Choose you mode and set accordingly, some prefer AP but I will happily admit that when shooting street I always use AUTO unless its on film.
People will often not notice if they are engaged in what they are doing, or give you a look but are unsure what to say. Though you will get confrontation, so you need to accept that. Firstly never deny taking a photo, be honest. Tell them why, that you found them interesting, tell them about street photography, get some cards printed out (i did my own) with email and Flickr on so you can give it to them so they can check out the photo.
Consider a film cam, as they are so much more quicker and quieter than digital.
Just go with the flow, don't worry to much about getting the shot. Street photography is much more than the final product, involve yourself with the scene, see what they are looking at, smell what they are smelling, overhear conversations etc.
Please don't go for a long lens, totally not what it is about
Go for it, its a killer rush. Any questions just ask :)
Check out this site. I've done a few pictures. I do take pictures of people with and without them knowing but I need to talk with them more to get better portrait shots.
Thanks all for the responses. My hesitancy in this instance was that he was all alone in this channel, and he clearly would've seen me coming. Technically, he was trespassing, so I would be as well.
And I don't want to make generalizations, but I'm a 6'7" white guy, and he was an older Hispanic gentleman. I have a feeling he'd be rather suspicious of me walking towards him with photo equipment.
I take bundles - and occasionally ask but when you do it's never that candid(ness) that I am after... On occasion my cheap 'and not great quality' big lens comes out but more often then not it's the standard kit 18-55mm lens.
One trick is to find an interesting backdrop that you might have considered taking even if there was no one present but one where the added person makes the photo.
Maybe start with capturing people walking past buildings/shop fronts to build up your confidence - that way you could always offer the explaination you were taking a pic of the building if you don't feel you can be honest and say what you were really up to...
But like everything - it's takes time and if you persist, you will get to a position where you will be comfortable going into towns / cities and taking some great streety's...
Examples with an interesting backdrop
Examples when you've been at it a while...
I found originally it was people walking past a building but after a while it built up to face on shots...
Personally, I prefer snapping a candit if I can get away with it, but sometimes I will just walk up and ask if I can take a shot. I usually do this if I don't like the background and want to guide them somewhere better. I've never been turned down. Not once. Most are delighted, some are puzzled by my request, but happily relent anyway.
If you feel uncomfortable doing this, then get yourself a good zoom lens. Trouble with that is, you usually stick out like a sore thumb walking around with that bazooka. If you can get a 70 -135mm lens they are a bit less obtrusive.
I love street photography. It is one of the most challenging and rewarding types of photography there is. Good luck in your attempt at it. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
i'm 5'2" female and i think, quite non-threatening so that probably helps me... i rarely try to sneak a shot... mostly i'm out there where i can be seen and if a subject doesn't want to be in my field of view, they can decide to move... i do use my kit zoom lens (takes me up to 85mm) which i find works well for me... sometimes in order to manage the background i will have to shoot from across the street (since being in the middle of a busy street is not an option)...
i wouldn't want anything any zoomier, tho'... and often find myself at the 17mm end of the spectrum... mostly because i like to have a fair bit of the surroundings in a shot for context... but that's just me...
i agree with @38mm - most won't notice or won't care...
i will often seem to show interest in the landscape and architecture and will occasionally make like the people who may end up in the shot are accidental... but not always...
a way to ease into it is to hang out somewhere touristy or a a festival, where there are already so many cameras a-clicking away you will blend right in... that will let you get your feet wet in a comparatively non-threatening environment... good luck and have fun!!!!
@andycoleborn great advice Andy.....and i always love your shots.....super interesting backdrops. Also, it really IS fun to just wait for someone to walk into your chosen "scene"!
I recently read an article about that which has several tips.
I took some street photography the last couple of days and just posted.
• Be ready to shoot always.
Have a setup ready you don't need to adjust all the time.
I used aperture priority of f4 (for bokeh and sharpness). ISO 100 (it was a bright day). And let the camera decide the shutter according to the situation. But i knew i would always have a shutter around 1/125 or higher on that day.
• Walk with the camera down. Size of the camera matters. Big cameras attract too much attention. I used a small prime lens (to get unnoticed), so i always knew more than less what kind of frame i could have out of it. It also made me get close, which is much more daring.
• Wait where people will have to wait. Bus stops, street crossings and be ready to shoot them while they look for their buses and the traffic. Focus on their eyes.
• Pretend you are shooting something else: a building, a lamp, the traffic etc. And then move and shoot the people you want.
If you are noticed:
• people usually just walk away. You don't need to bother with that. Simply shoot and move away. If the person asks what you are doing, just say you are doing a one hundred strangers shoot project and ask them if they agree. If asked so, kindly erase their pictures.
I use several different types of cameras for ocassional street photography, both digital and film. Film cameras can be less intrusive than digital, particularly if you are really clicking away, and getting in peoples faces. With a film SLR I tend to use a 50mm f1.4 lens because it can get the detail with some distance, and the fastness of lens with a relatively high speed film means shots can be taken in shadows, early evening or low light. With film because you can be compositionally oriented taking time to get into the subject and using less shots it can be a little less invasive I find. I do notice that observers realising its film rather than digital can be intrigued or just go on with their business. There is a fascination with vintage and lomo. I am very careful when photographing homeless because it can be construed as exploitative.
Sometimes I take candid shots, but there are circumstances, where I will ask the subject to pose for a portrait. Particularly older men and women in other countries where it is important to be culturally sensitive. Same goes in our own culture as well. My favourite camera for taking portraits is a 1958 Yashica A Twin Lens Reflex camera with a 80mm lens. It can take a little time to set focus, aperture, shutter speed, and shoot. I find that this gives the subject time to prepare, compose themselves and present an image they want to present. I have found that they are more familiar with this older style of photography and are more relaxed with it. Sometimes people ask to have their shots taken because of the uniqueness of the camera. I really like @38mm having a card.
Here are some photos using this method taken in Bali:
@pschtyckque --- Number one thing to keep in mind is that you keep yourself safe. Never ever put yourself into a situation that will put you at risk. Trust your instincts. In the meantime build your confidence by trying to do a project like the 100 strangers one. There are lots of people doing this and if you have a reason to take pictures of people, this is a good one that you can share with those you photograph. People will be more willing when they know why you are taking thier pictures.
@webfoot --- www.moo.com is a great site for making postcards. I love it. You can create little cards that you can pass out to those who agree to let you take their picture. I personally just made strips of paper with numbers and the website for my strangers. All you need is the first name. So, keep track of which number you are on and the first name of your strangers.
@catwhiskers --- Check out the 100 strangers site. Those people are all asked ahead of time for their permission and know full well they are being photographed. It's true that people will try to pose but if you talk to them while you photograph them, they relax. It's a good way improve your people skills, too.
The 100 strangers idea is very intriguing. That may help me broach the subject if asked. The suggestions are all fantastic! Now I want to get out and find people!
By the way, here is the shot that started the whole conversation in my head. I was DYING to go down into the culvert to take a better shot, but I felt very invasive in that. So I took this (bad) shot over the fence.
I never ask! It ruins the shot I'm after! If I wanted some ugly guy to smile for the camera I would just take a pic of one of my family members! :o)
I usually act like I'm taking a shot of something behind them! If they bust me, I don't make eye contact and usually take another shot! :)
For street candids, if I can, I usually don't ask, or ask at the same time when I take the photos so they are more natural. Like wide... 18mm, 21mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm. You can also get cool street candids with telezooms, but it's more fun and engaged with wide!
(1) Either find a place and wait...
From my candid shots, like this one the most, didn't ask. I was sitting right there for a while taking photos of people as they walked passed or stood around where I sat. (18mm wide-angle)
(2) Walk around and find interesting people/scenes...
For this, asked at the same time as I took the photo. Questions came after... (21mm wide-angle)
PS -
(3) I do ask sometimes ( @bobfoto )... took a few mins for this guy to let me take some photos of him
@andycoleborn Aha, I love what you're saying andy, find a context and wait. This is slightly less intimidating because as you say you may take a photo of that anyway. I'll give this a go and also try shooting from the hip again too (lots of blurry unineresting limb shots last time)
I'm with you Chris, I haven't had the guts to take street photos of people yet. Not the ones I want to, anyway.
Interestingly enough, I've been on the receiving end though. I travelled to France last year, and bought myself a baguette and Nutella and juice from the local supermarket, and took it opposite the Eiffel Tower for breakfast. I sat myself down and enjoyed the view and people watching. A lady came right up in front of me (as in, she fully blocked the Eiffel Tower view), and snapped a photo of me, and then walked off really quickly... I was perplexed and amused. My first thought was "Hey Lady! You're facing the wrong way!" But I can totally see why my set-up was more photo worthy. After all, everyone knows what the Eiffel Tower looks like...
In PNG, it is not wise to present yourself as a target, so carrying a bunch of camera gear is not the wisest of moves. However, if you can move around with a confidence, then the locals just figure you know what you are doing and are meant to be doing that. But I do always ask, and in the occasion with this shot, I was asked. Every situation is slightly different and you need to play everything on its merits. But confidence does come with regular experience.
@38mm I like this response. Thanks, it helped me out too as I am shy about street photography. I think it comes from years of being a video news photographer in commercial television news. I got yelled at about taking people's pictures and just got used to it but never felt good about it. Even on stories where you are capturing the good times in life.
While asking may seem like the polite thing to do, it really ruins the natural candidness of the shot. You don't want to interupt reality. Being causal and not obvious with the camera helps, as well as a telephoto:
After being inspired by all the suggestions, I went out and took some people shots. Here's the one I like best. Yeah, I still have work to do to be confident,but it's a start. :-)
wow lots of new street togs for me to follow here.
there was a magazine back in the 80s called PHOTO it had a number of essays about weird or poor people in candid situations, it was the candid natural look that really drew me in. but for my experience its very new to me, im not a social butterfly and being a bit out of shape seems a risk can easily be a suprise, so i prefer to ask ... and buskers are very camera friendly, although i like you image of the man in the tunnel, there is a great deal of mystery there, sometimes close ups in your face with gleaming eyes can be a turn off. but im not giving up and i would definatly recommend it. Street Photography is a great, also look up Eric Kim he does great work around the globe with street photography
I think I'm hooked! While I was out shooting on Hollywood Blvd, a guy even requested that I take his photo! But here was the shot I was most proud of taking.
Great thread and very timely for the Get-pushed challenge, where it sounds like a few of us were challenged to do a street shot. I love what Andy said about choosing an interesting backdrop or spot and waiting for people to enter it. Kind of did this with this one, which I used for the challenge.
Another interesting lot of suggestions about being unobtrusive http://2point8.whileseated.org/2005/09/06/rule-1 was suggested by @frasersfotos a week or so back. (sorry can't get the link to link) Some great ideas here too, especially liked his one of taking the shot then immediately looking away. Anyway, lots to get us thinking. I have a feeling I'm going to like doing this...
Tweets ahoy!
Join the Group
Pin With Me
Go out there - don't think about it and have fun, snap away.
People will often not notice if they are engaged in what they are doing, or give you a look but are unsure what to say. Though you will get confrontation, so you need to accept that. Firstly never deny taking a photo, be honest. Tell them why, that you found them interesting, tell them about street photography, get some cards printed out (i did my own) with email and Flickr on so you can give it to them so they can check out the photo.
Consider a film cam, as they are so much more quicker and quieter than digital.
Just go with the flow, don't worry to much about getting the shot. Street photography is much more than the final product, involve yourself with the scene, see what they are looking at, smell what they are smelling, overhear conversations etc.
Please don't go for a long lens, totally not what it is about
Go for it, its a killer rush. Any questions just ask :)
Check out this site. I've done a few pictures. I do take pictures of people with and without them knowing but I need to talk with them more to get better portrait shots.
And I don't want to make generalizations, but I'm a 6'7" white guy, and he was an older Hispanic gentleman. I have a feeling he'd be rather suspicious of me walking towards him with photo equipment.
One trick is to find an interesting backdrop that you might have considered taking even if there was no one present but one where the added person makes the photo.
Maybe start with capturing people walking past buildings/shop fronts to build up your confidence - that way you could always offer the explaination you were taking a pic of the building if you don't feel you can be honest and say what you were really up to...
But like everything - it's takes time and if you persist, you will get to a position where you will be comfortable going into towns / cities and taking some great streety's...
Examples with an interesting backdrop
Examples when you've been at it a while...
I found originally it was people walking past a building but after a while it built up to face on shots...
Good luck...
If you feel uncomfortable doing this, then get yourself a good zoom lens. Trouble with that is, you usually stick out like a sore thumb walking around with that bazooka. If you can get a 70 -135mm lens they are a bit less obtrusive.
I love street photography. It is one of the most challenging and rewarding types of photography there is. Good luck in your attempt at it. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
Curious, I've read mention about a MOO card, but haven't seen anything telling what it is on the group. Do you have a clue on that?
i wouldn't want anything any zoomier, tho'... and often find myself at the 17mm end of the spectrum... mostly because i like to have a fair bit of the surroundings in a shot for context... but that's just me...
i agree with @38mm - most won't notice or won't care...
i will often seem to show interest in the landscape and architecture and will occasionally make like the people who may end up in the shot are accidental... but not always...
a way to ease into it is to hang out somewhere touristy or a a festival, where there are already so many cameras a-clicking away you will blend right in... that will let you get your feet wet in a comparatively non-threatening environment... good luck and have fun!!!!
I recently read an article about that which has several tips.
I took some street photography the last couple of days and just posted.
• Be ready to shoot always.
Have a setup ready you don't need to adjust all the time.
I used aperture priority of f4 (for bokeh and sharpness). ISO 100 (it was a bright day). And let the camera decide the shutter according to the situation. But i knew i would always have a shutter around 1/125 or higher on that day.
• Walk with the camera down. Size of the camera matters. Big cameras attract too much attention. I used a small prime lens (to get unnoticed), so i always knew more than less what kind of frame i could have out of it. It also made me get close, which is much more daring.
• Wait where people will have to wait. Bus stops, street crossings and be ready to shoot them while they look for their buses and the traffic. Focus on their eyes.
• Pretend you are shooting something else: a building, a lamp, the traffic etc. And then move and shoot the people you want.
If you are noticed:
• people usually just walk away. You don't need to bother with that. Simply shoot and move away. If the person asks what you are doing, just say you are doing a one hundred strangers shoot project and ask them if they agree. If asked so, kindly erase their pictures.
Some of my shots:
Sometimes I take candid shots, but there are circumstances, where I will ask the subject to pose for a portrait. Particularly older men and women in other countries where it is important to be culturally sensitive. Same goes in our own culture as well. My favourite camera for taking portraits is a 1958 Yashica A Twin Lens Reflex camera with a 80mm lens. It can take a little time to set focus, aperture, shutter speed, and shoot. I find that this gives the subject time to prepare, compose themselves and present an image they want to present. I have found that they are more familiar with this older style of photography and are more relaxed with it. Sometimes people ask to have their shots taken because of the uniqueness of the camera. I really like @38mm having a card.
Here are some photos using this method taken in Bali:
http://365project.org/beeblebear/365/2012-06-21
@webfoot --- www.moo.com is a great site for making postcards. I love it. You can create little cards that you can pass out to those who agree to let you take their picture. I personally just made strips of paper with numbers and the website for my strangers. All you need is the first name. So, keep track of which number you are on and the first name of your strangers.
By the way, here is the shot that started the whole conversation in my head. I was DYING to go down into the culvert to take a better shot, but I felt very invasive in that. So I took this (bad) shot over the fence.
I usually act like I'm taking a shot of something behind them! If they bust me, I don't make eye contact and usually take another shot! :)
(1) Either find a place and wait...
From my candid shots, like this one the most, didn't ask. I was sitting right there for a while taking photos of people as they walked passed or stood around where I sat. (18mm wide-angle)
(2) Walk around and find interesting people/scenes...
For this, asked at the same time as I took the photo. Questions came after... (21mm wide-angle)
PS -
(3) I do ask sometimes ( @bobfoto )... took a few mins for this guy to let me take some photos of him
I'm with you Chris, I haven't had the guts to take street photos of people yet. Not the ones I want to, anyway.
Interestingly enough, I've been on the receiving end though. I travelled to France last year, and bought myself a baguette and Nutella and juice from the local supermarket, and took it opposite the Eiffel Tower for breakfast. I sat myself down and enjoyed the view and people watching. A lady came right up in front of me (as in, she fully blocked the Eiffel Tower view), and snapped a photo of me, and then walked off really quickly... I was perplexed and amused. My first thought was "Hey Lady! You're facing the wrong way!" But I can totally see why my set-up was more photo worthy. After all, everyone knows what the Eiffel Tower looks like...
there was a magazine back in the 80s called PHOTO it had a number of essays about weird or poor people in candid situations, it was the candid natural look that really drew me in. but for my experience its very new to me, im not a social butterfly and being a bit out of shape seems a risk can easily be a suprise, so i prefer to ask ... and buskers are very camera friendly, although i like you image of the man in the tunnel, there is a great deal of mystery there, sometimes close ups in your face with gleaming eyes can be a turn off. but im not giving up and i would definatly recommend it. Street Photography is a great, also look up Eric Kim he does great work around the globe with street photography
here are a couple of my attempts
Another interesting lot of suggestions about being unobtrusive http://2point8.whileseated.org/2005/09/06/rule-1 was suggested by @frasersfotos a week or so back. (sorry can't get the link to link) Some great ideas here too, especially liked his one of taking the shot then immediately looking away. Anyway, lots to get us thinking. I have a feeling I'm going to like doing this...