Cafe

Sandy - What's annoying is 100 strangers can point their smart phones at a kid on a slide in a park all recording at 4k and nobody bats an eyelash. I pull out my dSLR and point it at the sky in the opposite direction and I get suspiciously gawked at.

 

If social neurosis are going to be present, I at least request they be applied uniformly.

Your request Is likely to go unheeded. The general public is not required nor do they as a matter of course act consistently, or as any one photographer would like them to.

There are reasons why regular people at a park with their kids might be more suspicious of a dslr than a cell phone camera. Dslrs look more professional and formal. Cell phones carry a much more casual air about them. As you say, a hundred people might be using their cell phones. There’s strength in numbers. One guy using a dslr is naturally going to stand out.

None of this is likely to be the way you would react, personally. But I don’t see why the situation wouldn’t be understood.

I’d also question whether someone taking pics of unknown kids at a playground would be so easily accepted as you make it sound. Most people are taking pics of their own kids and not intentionally pointing their phones at others, though others may be caught as part of the background or group. Someone obviously taking pics of others’ kids with a cell phone, depending on the location, behavior, and context, could and would easily arouse suspicion among the general public.

"Someone obviously taking pics of others’ kids with a cell phone, depending on the location, behavior, and context, could and would easily arouse suspicion among the general public." Fred.

Common sense is the criteria for street photography.....It's is all about how you go about your street photography regardless of gear used.

If the public can see that you are a photographer and are open and honest with your photography there is never really a problem that a smile and wave cannot cure.. However, if you are nervous uncomfortable....well, fear can be recognized by in any species,and has the smell of wrong doing and weakness.

Regardless of what you are photographing.

Beignets anyone? by David Stephens, on Flickr

Hmm... beignets and bananas...

mmmmmm...

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Street photography is fun and I enjoy it. I've at times just taken a camera with a wideangle and pointed it at the line of people going by. Set the timer, hit the button, sit back and see what happens. It's fun once in a while. It's funny though how people will react to photographers in some situations. I once was photographing a little league baseball game in which my nephew was playing, just getting some photos of him. Some blowhard came stomping up and demanded to know what I though I was doing. Had he been even remotely polite I'd have told him but his attitude made me basically ignore him. He reached for the camera though and I nearly fed it to him. About that time both a police officer and my brother (nephew's dad) got there and calmed things down. I've just acquired 2 new zooms that should be wonderful for a lot of street work along with a 24 or 28. Film for me for this kind of thing, HP-5 usually. Gotta find some Tri-X....

Rick H.

 

http://citysnaps.net/2015%20Photos/Dog%20shot%202%201-%209-10.jpg

San Francisco • ©Brad Evans 2018

 

 

Brad, was that here??

Untitled by Barry Fisher

Just to add sympathy to the thread: as I related elsewhere, I was recently taking some photos of squirrels in a car park with a big telephoto, and got confronted (twice) because there was a kids' playground in the vague vicinity. Neither seemed to believe that photographing wildlife was a thing. The second person to pester me insisted on seeing what I was shooting, then on me proving that it wasn't just the most recent photo that was of a squirrel, although he then apologised (and we shook hands after I assured him that some concern for kids was reasonable, and that I wasn't offended). The first ones continued to abuse me verbally and generally get in the way. Not a big problem, but not a pleasant experience either. I've also been stopped from photographing buildings (actually sunlight reflecting on buildings) in LA because apparently terrorists stand in plain view on the street with a big dSLR when trying to scope out a target, rather than using a cell phone. Sadly people are predisposed to think the worst by the few cases that hit the media.

I've had people give me the finger while trying to take a street snap, but otherwise I assume it's a matter of time before someone takes real offence; I need to get able to take "good street photos" before that happens so I can explain myself and defuse the situation (although for some reason carrying a compact in a leather case seems less troublesome than a dSLR). I've had people have a go at me for shooting pub sign photos when they thought they were in the shot, too (on film, where I couldn't show them otherwise). It doesn't really encourage me to the genre. Wildlife is at least more likely to run away than to accost me or report me to the police.

Brad, was that here??

Untitled by Barry Fisher

Hey Barry... not sure. I know it wasn’t at the cafe we met up at years ago. I think mine was on Columbus St.

Just to add sympathy to the thread: as I related elsewhere, I was recently taking some photos of squirrels in a car park with a big telephoto, and got confronted (twice) because there was a kids' playground in the vague vicinity. Neither seemed to believe that photographing wildlife was a thing. The second person to pester me insisted on seeing what I was shooting, then on me proving that it wasn't just the most recent photo that was of a squirrel, although he then apologised (and we shook hands after I assured him that some concern for kids was reasonable, and that I wasn't offended). The first ones continued to abuse me verbally and generally get in the way. Not a big problem, but not a pleasant experience either. I've also been stopped from photographing buildings (actually sunlight reflecting on buildings) in LA because apparently terrorists stand in plain view on the street with a big dSLR when trying to scope out a target, rather than using a cell phone. Sadly people are predisposed to think the worst by the few cases that hit the media.

 

I've had people give me the finger while trying to take a street snap, but otherwise I assume it's a matter of time before someone takes real offence; I need to get able to take "good street photos" before that happens so I can explain myself and defuse the situation (although for some reason carrying a compact in a leather case seems less troublesome than a dSLR). I've had people have a go at me for shooting pub sign photos when they thought they were in the shot, too (on film, where I couldn't show them otherwise). It doesn't really encourage me to the genre. Wildlife is at least more likely to run away than to accost me or report me to the police.

You might think a bit about your behavior when you’re shooting on the street. People are very aware of photographers who act suspiciously and use deceptive measures (hip shots, looking in one direction while shooting in another, pretending to fiddle with your camera while you sneak a shot, hiding your camera, etc.) when making photographs, which can cause tense situations and engagements.

"I've had people give me the finger while trying to take a street snap, but otherwise I assume it's a matter of time before someone takes real offence;" Andrew.

Never happened to me. Sorry. Its all about how you go about your photography.

Magic word is common sense and a smile.

Understood, guys. Practice will probably make me look less uncomfortable, and therefore less suspicious. I think I actually had the camera to my eye when I was given the finger - but I may have surprised the people I shot.

There seems to be an odd mix of advice for street shooters, a fair bit of which suggests hiding the fact that you're shooting (and I agree this is iffy if you're called on it, even if you explain innocently). Probably the counter to that is to look like you're shooting so much that people don't feel singled out, the extreme of which is to look like you're shooting video.

Odds are I'll get a better feel for things once I've tried more, and got a better eye for subjects. Explaining why I want to shoot someone with permission well enough to get a "yes" would make me more confident about shooting candids. Practice, as with all things in life. So long as I don't get beaten up first. :-)

(In my defence, I'm an ex single-sex private schooled computer geek. By stereotype it's amazing I can interact with anyone at all.)

But still, given that half the population posts a selfie every few minutes, it's a pain that the worst is assumed whenever an enthusiast raises a camera - be it for worries of child abuse, terrorism, or just bashfulness.

" Explaining why I want to shoot someone with permission well enough to get a "yes" would make me more confident about shooting candids" Andrew.

Without seeming to be too rude...okay, I'm rude.

A lot of folk, get a lot of pleasure from knitting. Street photography seems to trouble you; no need to be troubled, life is too short. Knitting, calms the soul, and a cross stich can be a moment of ejaculation in its intensity, so I have been told by practitioners ..

Give it a go.

You know me....after a while of your playing..

You just know what to expect.

Temptation too hard to resist;))I should have.

You have to be ruder than that to trouble me, Allen - though I might take up knitting. :-)

Reaching outside our comfort zones is a chance to grow. If I learn to adapt and like it, good. If I just find I'm tormenting myself, I'll do something else. If you don't try, you never know. So if I seem uncomfortable here, it's because I know I've a lot to learn, and in trying to absorb all the advice I can get. If I were comfortable, I wouldn't need to ask.

Like public speaking, I'm sure street photography comes naturally to some, and others have to grow into it. Something has, mostly, clicked in me to allow me to survive giving presentations; I hope the same will happen on the street.

Apologies for the hijack - I'd only meant to express sympathy for the Scott's frustration, not make the thread about my insecurities!

6 Unexpected Benefits of Knitting

My old Gran taught me to knit when I was 5. But when I was older I was told it was a cissy thing to do..

Do you think knitting is a cissy thing to do, Andrew. Don't be condescending folk can tell if you....

So if I seem uncomfortable here

Discomfort is not necessarily a bad place to be. Some great photography and art have been born of uncomfortable situations and the tension that discomfort can produce in someone who’s taking a picture or making a painting. Try photographing your discomfort on the street. Discomfort and tension can actually be inspiring.

I think of Hitchcock when I think of visual tension, anxiety, discomfort. Note the angles he uses, the shadows, what he homes in on in terms of content, what elements stand out in certain scenes, the gestures people adopt. What does discomfort look like to you?

In terms of people getting angry or giving you the finger on the street, it may sometimes not be something you’re doing. There are some jerks in the world. Don’t necessarily blame yourself or your lack of experience (though it’s good to be in touch with your own behavior) when someone goes off. It could be them, not you. Sometimes, all you can do is walk on.

Allen: While I'm not sure why the conversation took this turn, I'm sorry that you were discouraged from an activity that you may have enjoyed by gender bias; I'm sure I picked up some societal norms, but fortunately I've not had such opinions imposed on me. People haven't generally tried to make me more "manly", although I don't claim to be the epitome of testosterone.

Besides, while there's a tradition of women being in charge of fabric manufacture (because, if you have to do it, it's slow and tedious work that can be done at home during child care while the man is out hunting/at work), it's not like men have been under-represented in tailoring or fashion design, and many a soldier has darned his own socks. (Apparently just after my parents got married my dad left some socks out to be darned. My mum explained about whether that was going to happen...)

I've knitted and sewed in the past, and my wife still does (intermittently). I haven't really got much from it (certainly from the cross-switch you suggested), and I've generally not lacked other ways to occupy myself, though knitting is probably one of the more productive displacement activities. I'm sure others do, though.

Street photography, on the other hand, is an activity that encourages me to get some exercise, which can only be a good thing.

If we're going to talk about whether something is masculine (which I'm trying to put on the spectrum containing "cissy"), I'd be interested in the ratio of male to female street shooters. I can imagine that women may be seen as less threatening when taking a photo and get a better reaction when approaching people, but also that wandering around potentially secluded streets pointing cameras at strangers may be something that, at least in some places, some women may be more fearful to do, with unfortunate justification. My understanding is that there are generally more men who consider photography a hobby than women (not helped by the camera companies; I remember Nikon marketing the 1 series at women who had hands too dainty for an SLR, although fortunately not a piece of branding they tried in my region) - but street might have a further bias.

Though I fear we've veered from "cafe". :-)

There seems to be an odd mix of advice for street shooters, a fair bit of which suggests hiding the fact that you're shooting (and I agree this is iffy if you're called on it, even if you explain innocently). Probably the counter to that is to look like you're shooting so much that people don't feel singled out, the extreme of which is to look like you're shooting video.

As I mentioned earlier, people on the street are very perceptive to suspicious/sneaky behavior and your accompanying nervousness. Trying to be clever disguising your shooting (hip shots, fiddling with camera while shooting, looking one way while shooting another direction, etc) only arouses suspicion and being called on it. Which can lead to a hostile encounter; especially if you deny/lie what you're doing when called out.

Shoot out in the open with confidence, with clear intentions, and most people are too busy to care. If someone asks why you're taking pictures just be honest. When that happens to me, which is somewhat rare, I just say "I'm documenting the City," or "It's for my blog," or "It's for a project." And it's always all good.

...If someone asks why you're taking pictures just be honest. When that happens to me, which is somewhat rare, I just say "I'm documenting the City," or "It's for my blog," or "It's for a project." And it's always all good.

Hmm... I always say, "I'm

a spy... it never goes well...

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