Yesterday I took a candid of a Lady outside a tourist attraction. Now she was posing for other peoples pictures but I didn't actually ask permission and shot whilst pretending to be doing shots of the house she was in front of. I am a people watcher and would love to document some of the characters out there but I don't know if I have the balls as I feel quite guilty putting this pic up, let alone one of someone who didn't know they were being captured!
So any tips or hints for a beginner and any thoughts on the ethics (and indeed laws) of doing this?
Here is the pic I got yesterday : ) Please share yours.
I don't think you should feel guilty but I do understand. Supposedly, it's fair game if they're in public - unless of course they ask you not to. Otherwise, it's probably best to avoid others' children. Besides, this particular case is fine because she was posing for others anyway.
I don't do well with portraits, never mind of strangers in public, so the few I've gotten have been from a distance, without them knowing.
This guy ^ actually hadn't noticed me until after I was done. He seemed suspicious and annoyed but I wasn't bothered because I was actually shooting something else by that point and he'd missed the part where he was my subject :)
I was wondering this yesterday. I took some pictures whilst we were out for brunch, i took a few of the man at the next table to us (without his knowledge) and my husband dissuaded me from posting it ...as it was without his permission. so i went for this one instead. I'm not very good at portraits but i like taking scenes with people in..
If you're out in public, you give up your right to privacy. This is what makes street photography so interesting to me. People are going about their every day lives, and someone is able to freeze it for an instant, for others to enjoy. Don't feel guilty. I want to try my hand at this soon!
If you are in public, and not concealling the camera, there is no problem. I too, find I am a bit restrained and nervous. One brilliant way of practicing I find is to photograph peoples pets! I found it a good stepping stone to candid people shots, you've still got to be quick but it is less scary.
@araminta - aaaaah lovely.... I always feel weird to take close ups of strangers.... like am invading their privacy .... plus am too shy to ask for perrmission... hence, I take shots like this:
this one is not quite a Stranger as she is a Popular Model/Actress here in Taiwan... still I do not know her personally, so she is a Stranger to me.. :))
I hesitate to take pics of people in public. There were so many great pics I didn't get take when we lived in Uganda, especially of kids. Sometimes I would hold up my camera and point and they would shake their heads yes or no. Many rural people spoke no English so I couldn't ask. Sometimes I was sneaky and would zoom from afar but not best option.
Thanks for sharing, I'm loving everyone's pic's which makes me think that I really should just get over it and take some more shots! I don't really faff about when taking pic's and have my camera on silent so that helps I suppose, plus I have a toddler that goes everywhere with me (and a grumpy pre-teen that lags behind) so I can use them as cover and slip the camera onto unsuspecting subjects.
Thinking about it in the street I never think 'are they photographing me?' when someone is pointing a camera in my general direction....maybe I should ; P
I photographed a stranger for the first time yesterday. I introduced myself and asked if she would mind if I photographed her because i thought she and what she was doing was interesting. She agreed but asked that I not get her face.
I love stranger photography, yet im not brave enough to go up to someone and ask them to take a picture of them. I wish I was, cause there have been many times when I see some interesting people I would love to capture.
I do follow a person on here and here photos of strangers are amazing check her out @robinwarner
I did post one today, I think it's not a candid, but it's a shot of strangers...
I'm still a bit scared if I shoot them upclose without asking. Maybe I'll give it a try anytime soon. But this is my shot from today:
I feel the same way. I really want to work on my courage to take pictures of others but am kind of afraid of someone getting in my face because they're not happy I pointed a camera in their direction..lol I tend to get the few shots I have from far back while pretending to shoot something else...like a building, tree, whatever. I really want to try more "from the hip" shots like @rich57. And yes @robinwarner is awesome at getting great shots.
there is no paticular law about photographing people in a Public place unless you go following them around then you get into the realms of stalking. I usually never have a problem taking candid shots of people on the street, if you have the shot you want in your head before you point the camera then you will probably have taken the shot before they have had a chance to notice you even have one:)
heres some of mine
I took my first ever stranger shot last week on vacay in NOLA, I asked him if he minded and he was happy to oblige. I would like to get more 'unposed' shots like StephD's though. Here is the one I took.
I think you make a very good point about the ethics and laws of taking such shots - I would love to know what, if any there are in the UK. A photo-journalist might be the best person to answer that. In Guatemala I took about 1/3 shots in which the subject knew and the rest were half behind and half front views. I haven't generally tried it out here - people generally aren't as colourful or culturally unusual being the main reason. Here's three of my people shots where they didn't know:
Interesting mix of viewpointa and plenty of food fro thought. The dilemms is it's usually the unposed shot we want, and asking permission immediately makes them pose or change their body language
@june That is the thing. I would sometimes go up to them afterwards and show them what I had done and check it was OK, but this wasn't always appropriate. It is a tricky one.
If you take a candid of one or two specific people, you should definitely approach them afterwards and ask if it's alright if you use or post the shot. It you take a general public photo where no one is the specific focus, then you're fine.
If you don't feel comfortable approaching people about pictures you take of them, don't take the photos.
@miranda Hey Miranda - there is no law in the UK that stops you photographing, or printing a photo of a stranger. You do not even have to get a model release, its not required in UK law. All photographs have to be taken in a public place, as a person elsewhere can expect a right to privacy. So no photographing people in their houses or back gardens etc!! And even some people who's private land you're on dont mind, but they do have the right to ask you to stop. Nobody tho, not even the police can ask you to delete, show your photo's to them, nor take away your camera/memory card. In order to do that they have to get a court to give them persmission.
I love taking candids of strangers. I don't feel guilty about it... but then again, I'm always hiding behind the car window anyways. (That sounds stalker-ish, but I promise I was just waiting for the red light.)
@miranda Model release is literally the person photographed signing a contract giving permission for a photo to be used, as a print, online or even marketing. A lot of commercial photographers in the UK will get a model release just for an easy life, but as I mentioned, its not a legal requirement in the UK. In the UK, the copyright of the photo always belongs to the photographer, not the person being photographed. But, if someone in the USA for example were to use your image, then you do as its a legal requirement in the USA - I think anyway. Interestingly, the law in the UK applies to minors too - you do not have to have permission from parents or anyone to photograph a child in the UK, if those pics are used innocently of course. But its courtesy that makes people ask beforehand.
Same courtesy I guess when people ask you to stop - but as the law stands, you dont have to. I used to get it a lot working in the press, people would tell me, shout at me to stop, but when it was a newsworthy story, I continued anyway.
I take a lot of pictures of strangers and people in the street.
I know that the law is different in many places. In Israel One can take picture of people in public places and publish them without asking for a permission from the person as long as it is not degrading him. One can take picture of children but cannot publish them in any media without their parents consent.
Many times I show the people the results in my camera, offer to send them via email the photos and sometime, when they do not have access to the internet or computer – print a copy and send them ( like the last lady I took a picture of two days ago).
Many time people ask me to take picture of them. It is another kind of street photography and have a beauty and asset in its own.
Here are some from here and from the last month or so
I'm always wary of taking pics of strangers, mainly because I'm a bit shy. I'd only really feel OK if they happened to be in my way, but would often still discard them.
Occasionally I've come across what would look like a good pic but would think 'no' because there are kids there. In the UK if you take pics of kids that are nothing to do with you ie they're not a friend or relatives child, it's automatically suspicious. While I can in part understand this, it does mean that a lot of very good photo opportunities are missed. i often wander through parks etc but would pass up pictures of the swings etc for this very reason, even if it is not my intention to post here. I would only take pics of my nieces and nephews/friends kids where I have the express or implied permission of the parents.
What you can legally get away with shouldn't be the primary concern. It's a matter of respecting people's privacy, and not posting pictures of them on the Internet without permission.
if someone is performing in public, they should expect to have their picture taken. if they are performing for tips, they should expect to get that too.
@drewmm With respect, I totally disagree. Photographing people doing the every day is a fantastic way of recording normal life with or without permission. A great way to document something that soon will be history. You cant get permission of say a large crowd, or a few in focus for example, some of those in the recent Egyptian protesters can you? And its not like names and addresses are published with most photos, so....
I'd hate for censorship to take this away, and its something that the famous celebs are trying very hard to do right now. The freedom to photograph anything and anyone in a public area is a wonderful thing, worth fighting for. Think of the VJ day photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt, Martin Parr who documents beach life and all sorts of other photography in a candid manner, Humphrey Spender who documented pre-war life in a northern part of the UK.. I can go on and no doubt there are many more famous than the ones I personally like, but for me, without those people, a lot would be lost.
I'm fascinated by all these wonderful candids! Its certainly something I want to do more of.
So the point of law in the UK is you don't have privacy in a public place and any picture is the photographers property.
Its a thought provoking moral dilemma certainly!
Thinking about it I would be more annoyed that my Hubby had posted a pic of me without asking than a stranger!
Funnily enough as I took that pic there were some girls behind me talking about how cute my Daughter was and discussing how they would love to snap her but they had been told it was not polite to do so without the parents permission, I was going to turn around and give them permission when the rascal did something that drew my attention away from them, so maybe I shouldn't be so worried about approaching people to ask : )
@asrai I really love your people shots. I'm wondering how you shot those...did you just innocently put the camera to your face like one normally would and compose the shot to take the photo, or were you a little sneaky about it? They really are fabulous.
@blightygal Like I said, if you're taking a picture of a crowd you don't need permission. But if you're taking one of a specific person or a few specific people? What's the harm in asking permission? Take the photo, and then go up and let them know. If they're not ok with it, you just delete it. You still get the candid shots rather than posed ones, and people don't get photos of them published without their permission.
I do this quite often (in the warmer weather anyway). The only time I would ask permission is if I'm taking a child's pic. Here's one I snapped from the car last month
@laceyjogautreau Thank Hun she is adorable I can see why they hire her.
@drewmm What you are suggesting is a courtesy though not a necessity in law, so it is up to each individual photographer to decide how they choose to undertake candid shots. I admire your moral standpoint, it has certainly got me thinking.
@araminta I'm not quite sure, lol! They were transporting "something" in a shopping cart. It looks like some kind of filter, but that doesn't make much sense to me....
These were some workers outside of my school's window haha I take a lot of pictures of strangers too, however, I havent so much since I've started this project haha
some of the best photo's in our family albums were taken by professional street photographers during the mid 1940's to 1950's. In those days most people didn't have camera's of their own & consequently these were sometimes the only photo's some people had. They have such a special quality too as mostly the person was unaware the photo was being taken until afterwards.
It makes me nervous too. I have so many friends who get weirded out by pics that I worry the strangers I photograph may not like it. I also worry if kids are near because I don't want people thinking I may be doing something harmful. I also don't really like the photos I take because I think I feel rushed and busy trying to just take the shot...so they don't come out great. Here are a few though:
I went out yesterday and tried to get some shots but it was so cold and rainy everyone was huddled over and speed walking, I did notice I have outdone myself in nosiness stakes since I have been thinking about candid shots!
I get really self conscious, take one shot and get out of there.
I was afraid the guy on the left noticed me when he turned to the side..
I was safe inside my apartment for this one...
it's always easier when there's something else that could be the subject..
I think I'd feel less self conscious if I had a business card I could give them so they could see the photo
I've enjoyed taking street shots and always feel they're better with people in them, most of the time the strangers are part of the picture, not necessarily the main focus but I almost didn't post this as it seemed a bit too personal but I did anyway to see the reaction
This one was a one I definitely didn't want to ask first!
And this one set off a whole series where candids of strangers are the whole point, but from an angle that doesn't feel too intrusive
This one was taken in a place where everyone was taking pictures so it felt ok
I get self conscious sometimes but I still take the photos. Some shots, of course, come out better than others. I think alot of times the best photos are the ones where people don't know they're being photographed. They come across more naturally imho when they aren't posing on purpose. Here are a couple from my project.
These 2 were taken out in public.
and this one is my nephew but I didn't tell him I was taking pics, just kinda pulled up one of my camera apps and was randomly shooting so I got him pouting instead of posing & saying "cheese" with his little grin he gets when he knows you're about to take a pic.
This is my first ever shot of a stranger and I'm really pleased with it but I felt very aware of myself whilst shooting today not wanting to upset people :oS
Great photos here, and I really am wanting to try this someday soon. It seems I don't see people in my everyday life often enough except through work, but upcoming spring activities like a local Medieval Fair and music festival are always fun for people watching and such, so maybe I'll try then.
I love photographing random people on the street. You capture raw true emotion when they least suspect they are being watched. Here's one i recently took:
if they're out in public you have every right to photograph them. there's no law that can stop you. you probably can't sell the picture with them in it (unless its a huge crowd thing) without their permission though. but i don't think you need to worry about that.
you can take pictures in the mall at your own risk, but if they ask you to stop you have to stop. they cannot however make you delete anything you took. same with trespassing... but thats not exactly the same thing we're talking about. um... yeah. that's all I can recall regarding people in public and the laws about it =)
Yeah, I feel so guilty - like I'm intruding or taking part of some very private moments...thanks for the post. would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this as well.
Finally did it, Took pic , then asked if was ok with him . He was a bit suspicious but as soon as I offered to delete pic if he wished , relaxed and was ok with it all.
@drewmm No, no it doesn't.I tried to conceal my actions in the first two because if I'd been noticed the scene would have changed.The third one I didn't disguise as I believe even with a crowbar and a flame thrower that scene wouldn't have changed.
My comment was tongue in cheek. You seem very highly strung for a young guy.
took these as a tourist in Hong Kong and Macau. i figured i had the excuse as i wasn't from there. i'm just having a hard time convincing myself to do the same in my own city, and i don't know why. :D
@tolpol Just wanted to say that you're right, I was being overly intense. I still think that taking pictures (and especially posting/publishing them) without permission before or after is inappropriate, but there was no reason for me to get so worked up about it. I am a bit confused by your comment about my age, though.
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I don't do well with portraits, never mind of strangers in public, so the few I've gotten have been from a distance, without them knowing.
This guy ^ actually hadn't noticed me until after I was done. He seemed suspicious and annoyed but I wasn't bothered because I was actually shooting something else by that point and he'd missed the part where he was my subject :)
Thinking about it in the street I never think 'are they photographing me?' when someone is pointing a camera in my general direction....maybe I should ; P
I do follow a person on here and here photos of strangers are amazing check her out @robinwarner
I'm still a bit scared if I shoot them upclose without asking. Maybe I'll give it a try anytime soon. But this is my shot from today:
@meshinka What is she doing?
Here's a few of my sneaky shots...lol
heres some of mine
I took my first ever stranger shot last week on vacay in NOLA, I asked him if he minded and he was happy to oblige. I would like to get more 'unposed' shots like StephD's though. Here is the one I took.
If you don't feel comfortable approaching people about pictures you take of them, don't take the photos.
Same courtesy I guess when people ask you to stop - but as the law stands, you dont have to. I used to get it a lot working in the press, people would tell me, shout at me to stop, but when it was a newsworthy story, I continued anyway.
I know that the law is different in many places. In Israel One can take picture of people in public places and publish them without asking for a permission from the person as long as it is not degrading him. One can take picture of children but cannot publish them in any media without their parents consent.
Many times I show the people the results in my camera, offer to send them via email the photos and sometime, when they do not have access to the internet or computer – print a copy and send them ( like the last lady I took a picture of two days ago).
Many time people ask me to take picture of them. It is another kind of street photography and have a beauty and asset in its own.
Here are some from here and from the last month or so
Occasionally I've come across what would look like a good pic but would think 'no' because there are kids there. In the UK if you take pics of kids that are nothing to do with you ie they're not a friend or relatives child, it's automatically suspicious. While I can in part understand this, it does mean that a lot of very good photo opportunities are missed. i often wander through parks etc but would pass up pictures of the swings etc for this very reason, even if it is not my intention to post here. I would only take pics of my nieces and nephews/friends kids where I have the express or implied permission of the parents.
My first- street art
I'd hate for censorship to take this away, and its something that the famous celebs are trying very hard to do right now. The freedom to photograph anything and anyone in a public area is a wonderful thing, worth fighting for. Think of the VJ day photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt, Martin Parr who documents beach life and all sorts of other photography in a candid manner, Humphrey Spender who documented pre-war life in a northern part of the UK.. I can go on and no doubt there are many more famous than the ones I personally like, but for me, without those people, a lot would be lost.
So the point of law in the UK is you don't have privacy in a public place and any picture is the photographers property.
Its a thought provoking moral dilemma certainly!
Thinking about it I would be more annoyed that my Hubby had posted a pic of me without asking than a stranger!
Funnily enough as I took that pic there were some girls behind me talking about how cute my Daughter was and discussing how they would love to snap her but they had been told it was not polite to do so without the parents permission, I was going to turn around and give them permission when the rascal did something that drew my attention away from them, so maybe I shouldn't be so worried about approaching people to ask : )
@drewmm What you are suggesting is a courtesy though not a necessity in law, so it is up to each individual photographer to decide how they choose to undertake candid shots. I admire your moral standpoint, it has certainly got me thinking.
These were some workers outside of my school's window haha I take a lot of pictures of strangers too, however, I havent so much since I've started this project haha
I went out yesterday and tried to get some shots but it was so cold and rainy everyone was huddled over and speed walking, I did notice I have outdone myself in nosiness stakes since I have been thinking about candid shots!
I was afraid the guy on the left noticed me when he turned to the side..
I was safe inside my apartment for this one...
it's always easier when there's something else that could be the subject..
I think I'd feel less self conscious if I had a business card I could give them so they could see the photo
This one was a one I definitely didn't want to ask first!
And this one set off a whole series where candids of strangers are the whole point, but from an angle that doesn't feel too intrusive
This one was taken in a place where everyone was taking pictures so it felt ok
And this was a fun one:
These 2 were taken out in public.
and this one is my nephew but I didn't tell him I was taking pics, just kinda pulled up one of my camera apps and was randomly shooting so I got him pouting instead of posing & saying "cheese" with his little grin he gets when he knows you're about to take a pic.
you can take pictures in the mall at your own risk, but if they ask you to stop you have to stop. they cannot however make you delete anything you took. same with trespassing... but thats not exactly the same thing we're talking about. um... yeah. that's all I can recall regarding people in public and the laws about it =)
"bath time"
a href="http://365project.org/bec01/365/2011-02-17">
You guys should check out http://www.erickimphotography.com/
Eric's a great street photographer and his blog is full of awesome articles.
My comment was tongue in cheek. You seem very highly strung for a young guy.
took these as a tourist in Hong Kong and Macau. i figured i had the excuse as i wasn't from there. i'm just having a hard time convincing myself to do the same in my own city, and i don't know why. :D
My first candid of a stranger... Incredibly nervous taking the picture, but fairly pleased with how it turned out.