Im new here on 365, and am just getting used to carrying my camera along with me wherever i go. But when i go out and try to take street photos, so many people avoid me when they see that i have a camera, because frankly, not many people like their pictures taken. And im not necessarily taking pictures of them, its just the whole scene that they happen to be in, Should i just avoid people in my photos? Any other tips on taking photos in public places?
some people just seem to have a nack for it! I have a sony NEX-5, which means no viewfinder (and the world's loudest shutter) and I sometimes find it's tilting screen helpful, because I can keep the camera at waist level and still see what im photographing - people seem to not notice it as much that way! Sometimes i also tilt it downward while holding it really high up, i think people just assume you're taking a photo of something behind them. This is only really useful advice if your camera's screen does this, though! Sorry :p
@nadahfeteih I had to do some street photography as part of my A-level.
The key is to not give your subjects eye contact, and if they approach you asking what you're doing just tell them the truth, if it's for a school project some people won't mind...
it is difficult at first to obtain photos you're pleased with, but it's just practice and confidence!
Good luck x
I was wondering this myself. Sometimes I see a very unique person and would love to get a candid shot of them. Didn't know what the etiquette was for this.
i do a lot of urban / street... generally i would say my photos are a bit less about the individuals and more about the, uhm... space maybe? @megsy (link to her project is in Sue's response just above) tends to do photos that are more about the people...
i am fortunate in that i live in a big city with several tourist attractions... it is extremely common to see lots of people wondering around with a camera and i fit right in... often i do what @andycoleborn suggested which is pick a backdrop and see who walks thru the frame... it was a bit scary at first, but i quickly realized that most people didn't notice or didn't care... and if you are just there, those who do notice and do care can make the choice to avoid walking thru your frame... frankly one of my biggest challenges is when people don't walk in front of me because they are afraid they will ruin the picture!
@nebzphoto Nancy - i am not one for sneaky or kamikaze candids... however, there is a project on flickr called 100 strangers where you do go up to people on the street and ask to take their picture... you explain you are working on a project to improve portrait skills and more than often will be met with success... i can dig up the link if you're interested...
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http://365project.org/blog/a-new-way-of-seeing-reflections
http://365project.org/blog/capturing-candid-street-photography
Then after a while, you will become more confident and will be able to take shots face-on..
The key is to not give your subjects eye contact, and if they approach you asking what you're doing just tell them the truth, if it's for a school project some people won't mind...
it is difficult at first to obtain photos you're pleased with, but it's just practice and confidence!
Good luck x
i do a lot of urban / street... generally i would say my photos are a bit less about the individuals and more about the, uhm... space maybe? @megsy (link to her project is in Sue's response just above) tends to do photos that are more about the people...
i am fortunate in that i live in a big city with several tourist attractions... it is extremely common to see lots of people wondering around with a camera and i fit right in... often i do what @andycoleborn suggested which is pick a backdrop and see who walks thru the frame... it was a bit scary at first, but i quickly realized that most people didn't notice or didn't care... and if you are just there, those who do notice and do care can make the choice to avoid walking thru your frame... frankly one of my biggest challenges is when people don't walk in front of me because they are afraid they will ruin the picture!
@nebzphoto Nancy - i am not one for sneaky or kamikaze candids... however, there is a project on flickr called 100 strangers where you do go up to people on the street and ask to take their picture... you explain you are working on a project to improve portrait skills and more than often will be met with success... i can dig up the link if you're interested...