How to approach subjects for street photography

I've been into photography for a long time, but I've just recently

gotten a good camera to use. My goal is studio photography but

right now I'm looking to develop my skills at street photography

before I invest the money into studio equipment.

 

The problem I have is that I sometimes feel a little strange

pointing my camera at a complete stranger. I have an 85-210mm lens,

so I can't be SO far away from my subject. How do you photograph

complete strangers? Do I need to get a better lens and take the

pictures from a greater distance? I of course don't want to approach

them and ask their permission first because you loose the moment and

it becomes a composed shot.

 

Any suggestions on how to get around this, or do I need to learn to

just take the shot and not be shy?

 

-Troy

that's a pretty long lens to do street photography with...i do NOT suggest going longer

unless you're taking shots of birds in the streets

 

i'd get a wide angle, zone focus, react quickly, and don't be shy. i was shy at first, but it

becomes a zen-like experience. if your subjects react, that's part of the "street" too.

personally, i don't feel bad about street photographt becayse i don't do anything beyond

my good taste (unless it's a goal of my work), meaning i don't stick my lens a foot away

from a fighting couple or a sleeping homeless person. by the way, i find homeless people

are a common subject for beginning street photographers...they're fascinating, apparently.

i would stay out of this trap. treat them as people, not freaks of the streets.

I walk up to people and take their photo. Most never notice. Most that notice don't care. The ones that care haven't been the ones with big muscles.

By the way, I typically shoot with a 35 to 50mm (or digital equivalent) lens on the street.

Start right the first time. Begin with a 21mm and you'll never be

afraid again;p

Hi Troy

 

I consider myself very shy, but I am also very aggressive when comes down to street photography, I quickly approach my subjects and capture the moment without interupt them, I know I got part of wolf in my shyness, I felt heartbeat and body temperature increase when I'm "locked-in", the whole world pauses and I get close and take shot (the real action only take less than 1 second). If you feel too much of the self existence, then I recommend 28mm-105mm, even 24mm -105mm zoom lens, * note I don't prefer zoom lens for street photography at all, only if you insist.

 

First find a camera body and lens combination that you can FOCUS BY FEEL (Leica M body with 50mm lens that does have an infinity lock button) or a zone focusing camera like Olympus XA-2. The following is a list of cameras I've used for street photography.

 

Pentax ME Super, Pentax Super Program with either 28mm/f2.8 or 50mm/f1.7 (mirror bounce noise, shutter noise, I like ME-Super tho)

 

Leica M3 with Summicron 50mm/f2 collapse lens, (first choice, near silent shutter and the very helpful infinity button for focusing by feel)

 

Canon P with 50mm/f1.2, (very good candidate, moderate shutter noise, but slow focusing due to the long range focusing ring travel)

 

Canonet GIII QL17, (nothing wrong with it, does the same as Leica M3 but lack of quickness)

 

Yashica Electro 35 GSN, (beautiful lens for color street shots, but slow focusing)

 

Minolta Hi-Matic E, (I used this one couple of times before I got the XA-2, a nice camera)

 

Olympus XA-2, (this little toy has a zone focusing scale, simple and intuitive, choose this one for quickness and sharpness of the lens)

 

Canon EOS 7e with 50mm/f1.8, (quiet shutter as SLR, very capable, but does draw attention when you get close to your subject)

 

Minolta X700 with numbers of lens, (don't like the sound of the mirror bounce, but it does the job any others can)

 

Leica R3 MOT with 50mm/f2, ( very nice lens, most logical body design, but slow focusing made itself a bench player)

 

Zeiss Ikon Vitessa 500SE, (with zeiss lens, small body like Canonet QL17, it's a way cool zone focusing camera, film winding is slow, tho)

 

Nikon FE-2 & EF, (sound of the mirror bounce never appeal to me, I like their bright viewfinders and smooth focusing ring on older lens)

 

* Note: all my comments are judged as how fast and how quiet the camera can be served for a street photography, when I state "slow focusing" that means either I have to look at the focusing scale, rotate more than one turn or due to tight focusing ring on design.

 

** Here is why the Leica lens' infinity button is so practical? - I hang the camera on my neck and hold (rest) both hands on the camera and use both middle fingers to hold and position the infinity button, on 6 o'clock it's 12ft, push to 3 o'clock with my right middle finger I get 7 ft, goes the opposite way I got 12ft, perfect, with this setup you can shoot very fast by feel and never need to bring your camera up to focusing.

 

 

conclusion: the lens I prefer for everyday street shots is 50mm, besides that I also have 28mm and 24mm, if you have problem at framing, try use 28mm or 24mm, 24mm's images fall flat due to deep DOF , some consider this as advantage and turned their camera into a point and shoot.

 

Sean h. Zhang<div></div>

Thank you very much for the information. I was not expecting everyone to tell me to get in closer.

About what Jeff said, being 6'5" 215lb I don't have to worry so much, even the ones with muscles.

That same aspect also makes it more difficult too, with those demensions, I kind of stick out living in an asian country (Korea).

Guess it's time to put another lens on the camera (my 18-55mm) and get out there and take 'em.

 

Thanks again.

Last year at this event I started by trying to catch people on the fly.

 

It didn't work, so I just started stopping them and asking.

 

Much better and more respectful of their rights as well.

Another:

Use a TLR, like a YashicaNat and use it sideways. That is, stand facing away 90 degrees from the subject, but have the camera pointing sideways at them. Noone EVER catches on that you're actually taking their picture.

I also just walk up and photograph 'em. You're far less important to most of them than you think you are. ; )<P>

I'm also living in Korea, and it's not that hard to get candid shots. I'm six feet tall with pale skin and red hair, so I'm far from inconspicuous.<P>

<center><img src="http://mikedixonphotography.com/kor2girls.jpg"><P>

<i>Myeongdong, Seoul</i></center>

maybe you should listen to your inner self. there is definitely something creepy about taking pictures of people on the street just for the kick of it.

I think one also needs to take the local culture into account.

For example- I am an Indian and in India, at least the part I stay in I have had no problems taking street photos with an 28-100 Nikkor.

 

I had similar experience while in the U.S.

 

However, in France I had a different experience- where actually someone objected to my pointing the camera.

 

I do not think this is something peculiar to France but I am sure I would not have offended had I asked before.

 

Besides, I have a 5'4" frame and am hardly muscular so I guess a little bit of tuning in to the local culture wont harm me.

 

That's my two cents.

 

 

Joy

define creepy, please

ditch your long lens, grit your teeth and jump in.. most will not notice nor object. but some will, and be prepared to face it when they do.

 

or maybe it will help if you consider yourself the biggest creep in the world according to Claudia.. :D

<i>maybe you should listen to your inner self. there is definitely something creepy about taking pictures of people on the street just for the kick of it.</i><p>

 

Maybe you can show us some of your un-creepy shots of people. I'd be interested in seeing the difference.

jeepers creepers, where'd ya get those peepers?

LOL...some guys are so sensitive about little itty bitty adjectives. i take it all back. there is absolutely nothing creepy about taking pics of peeps on the street. gentleman, start your cameras!

I noted an interesting experience with street photography in China. It seems to be a North American (I've never been to Europe) "shyness" when it comes to getting pictures taken. I'm not certain if it stems from a feeling of inadequacey of our body image (it's all the media's fault!) or if we're fearful of what the images may be used for, but regardless, people shy away from cameras. I notice that children shy away less than adults, so I assume it's a learned response.

 

On the other hand, when I was in China, people seemed to love having their pictures taken, the adults more so than the children. People would literally jump into photo opportunites.

 

Just being polite, and presenting yourself well to the subjects in question will generate success all on its own. There will always be people who don't want to have their photos taken. But we've all missed enough potential photos in our lives to live with another one, haven't we? The only problem with asking permission, is that you lose the spontaneity of the moment. I wonder if Henri Cartier Bresson ever asked anybody before taking a photo?

I find it useful to use a prime lens that you know well (i.e. 50 mm) and a camera that you can operate without looking through the viewfinder. That way you can predict the framing, pre-focus and pre-set the exposure without raising the camera just as you are walking around your subject. When you have selected the best perspective, raise the camera to your eye, fine-tune the focus, take the picture and put the camera down, taking care to do it smoothly. After a couple of tries it won't take you more than 2-3 seconds.

 

More important than your technique is your attitude. Going out into the street and shooting strangers just for the heck of it won't give you much confidence and motivation to do it. Invent a specific, well-defined project (i.e. shooting people with walking sticks limping in the park, or couples communicating face to face at the crosswalks etc.) and just do the job that needs be done to come up with a dozen meaningful photos.

 

M.<div></div>

My experience is that most people are really fascinated of being photographed, what sometimes even spoil the expontaneous factor of the picture. I prefer the "catched" pictures over the posed ones. Much more natural.

 

In this case, I would recommend what I read here before: Be nice, Smile, and even ask after the picture if there is any problem with it.

 

I should add, though, that some communities oppose themselves to photography. Some fishermen in my city have the idea of their soul being captured when they are photographed (no joke).

Creepy, crawly<br>

Creepy, crawly<br>

Creepy creepy crawly crawly<br>

Creepy creepy crawly crawly<br>

"Some fishermen in my city have the idea of their soul being captured when they are

photographed (no joke)."

 

I'm not surprised, but would be interested to hear where that is.

 

I found the same attitude among some in the vicinity of Izmir Turkey years ago. I

immediately stopped shooting, showing respect as best I could. Actually, it makes a

certain amount of sense, as we photographers do capture something of that subject

person. If considered a zero-sum matter, what we take away is something they've lost. We

can use the image later to remind ourselves of the time, place, and person. There's just

something magical about it! ;-)

be there, be part of the scenery and use a short lens (35mm-50mm),<br>

this gives your shots a very intimate 'look and feel'... a long lens is definitely<br>

a no-no in SP

do not ask your subject before but I tell them after I took the picture, I even bring the print to them months later, remember I took a picture of the gentleman and asked the whole neighborhood where he lives, he was certainly happy when he saw the 8x10 print, that's what I call respect, and that's the only way to capture the "real" moment, not posed still portraiture.<div></div>