How do you ask permission to take a photograph?

[sam_richardson]

Now if there were private booths.......enclosed with doors or curtains......yeah, I would consider THAT expectation of privacy.

 

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Thomas,why should you let that stop you! If there were no signs prohibiting photography AND/OR the people were not displaying some sort of sign saying that they didn't want to be photographed then they are fair game. If they do not want to be photographed then they should've said it when they entered and continued to state it throughout their meal. A door or curtain is not a reason to stop photographing, especially when you obviously have so much empathy and respect for other humans.

 

I have no problem with street photography, although in the case above I see no respect for the subject, as HBC assumed you all had. Grant posting the shot was more about his immature reaction to having someone question what he does for his personal pleasure. I'm still not totally convinced that it is the woman that did not want to be photographed because I can't believe that someone would go ahead and post it on the internet. That to me does not show empathy or respect for other people.

 

PS SP is dead, at least as we know it in the west. There are still hobbyist (such as you guys) but it's dead and buried in the art world.

[Brad_]

Sam, there are just some things you won't be able to understand or get a grasp on. That's

OK.

[bruno]

I'd skip all the question about morality and law... being myself immoral and illegal... and turn back to the original question:

 

1. Lie. Pretend that you are from some press agency or a freelancer doing a report on this or that subject. It works.

 

2. Lie. Tell that it is for an art exhibition.

 

3. Don't ask, just shoot.

 

4. Say the truth, tell that you're not from the press. Because in certain situations this could lead you in BIG trouble.

 

5. Lie at your own pleasure.

 

Now, this looks like a joke, but it is not. The problem is that you have to understand a little bit about of the person you're talking to. Just find a way to please or unplease them. Then you can also picture their reactions.

 

This was one way. Another way is go there and start talking about whatever comes up to your mind. In your case, it was the dog. Talk about her dog for some minutes, after you earned some confidence, it is more likely that the person will agree to be taken on picture.

 

I don't do this all the time. Sometimes I don't have time or simply forget about it. But the times you can obtain a more complex interaction you will be able to take much better pictures.

 

Other tricks: dress elegant. If I'm in a sweat shirt people will say f**k off. I'f I'm wearing a jacket or a trench coat, it works better.

[bruno]

Ah, forgot this: move to Southern Countries. People are more keen to be taken in pictures in Italy, Portugal, Spain, Greece rather than Germany, for example.

 

If you just go around with a camera in Italy, there are places where people will ask you to take a picture of them. You don't even have to ask, it's for free. Southern people are less paranoid than Northern Europeans and Americans.

 

Just try to ask a German if he/she wants to be taken in a picture... you'll get a glance like you asked if you could rob him/her.

 

Sorry to make this rude remarks... but it's what my experience told me until now.

[john_sidlo]

<center><p><i>Dark Restaurant</i></p><img src=http://www.johnsidlo.com/images/AvraRestaurantsm.jpg /></center>

[EricM]

asking's no fun...<center><img src=" http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/2547783-md.jpg"></center>

[Spearhead]

But sometimes it's essential to self-preservation.<p>

 

<center><img src="http://www.spirer.com/images/tatts.jpg"><br>

<i>Tattoos, Copyright 2000 Jeff Spirer</i></center>

[patrick_ingram]

<p><i>Shoot first then ask later. Remember, the photo is most

important. More important than her feelings of invasion.</i>

</p><p>That's a bit cold.

Sarah, I think you did the right thing, and it sucks that it didn't

work out. Fish in the sea and all that. I would suggest, next

time, that you ask the dog's name first, or something like that.

The personal interaction might help a little bit with the subsequent

request. It's true that if you ask permission some people will turn

you down just because they can, and that sucks, but I don't think

this should force one to adopt a dog-eat-dog mentality. I see

people with that mentality every day in all aspects of life, and

it's ugly. There are plenty of people who will let you take their

photo (and especially their dog's), and despite the above quote I

never place more value on <i>my</i> photograph than I do on another

human being.</p>

[richard_milner2]

It seems to me that if you ask permission the shot changes from a candid street photo to an informal portrait. Am I just a pedant?

[._._z]

Maybe you are ;-) , but your conclusion seems about right.

[Allen Herbert]

I don't. Just develop good technique.

 

In the UK every road, virtually every street corner has surveillance cameras. We even have coppers popping out of bushes on quite country lanes with little speed cameras.

 

So tell me about asking permissions.

[Allen Herbert]

It would seem to me that you folks over there should be worrying about the number of firearms being carried by all sorts. Someone taking a photo of your wife should be the least of your concerns.

 

Seems your values are somewhat wanting.

[Allen Herbert]

I'm sure John Lennon would have been happier shot with a camera.

[claudia__]

the idea of taking pictures of strangers is slightly odd to begin with. bad karma to capture peoples' souls and then post it on the internet ;)

[jay_.]

It all boils down to whether or not you care about the wishes and feelings of others. If you do, you ask, and respect their answer. If you don't, you don't. Being within your legal rights and being courteous are different issues but they seem to get confused on these threads.

[windsor]

OK, so you don't ask, take the picture and move on. What happens when your work is

"discovered" and galleries start asking for your amazing street shots and they do a leather

bound retrospective volume of your work for $34.99 at Barnes and Noble? When that lady

is actually in witness protection and you've just exposed her?

 

Tongue in cheek, yes. But I'm not concerned about taking the photo. I'm concerned about

displaying it. Maybe not in a major gallery--but what about on the wall of my cube? Does

that violate anything? If I put a dozen shots of candid strangers on my walls because I like

the photos, does it constitute a wrongful act on my part? Do I need to get permission after

the fact to display the pictures?

[Allen Herbert]

It all boils down to whether or not you care about the wishes and feelings of others

 

Just a photo,Jay. Not really going to harm anyone, is it.Okay, a photo of your wife caught with her knickers down, with your next door neighbour....well, that's a different thing;)

 

Folks really should not be so touchy. Plenty of more importnt thing to be touchy about.Someone taking your photo...Wow, how terrible.

[._._z]

<i><blockquote> It all boils down to whether or not you care about the wishes and

feelings of others </blockquote> </i><p>

 

That statement is too damned funny, considering the source. <p>

 

Irony rules!

[sandy.]

Hi .[. Z,

 

Found you. Peace :-))

[absinthe]

I went out today with my mother, strolling around the city. We worked our way over to Washington Square Park where we stopped to rest & people watch. There was a jazz band playing & this lone guy standing in front of them kind of just digging the music, bopping his head, tapping his feet & snapping his fingers. I walked right up to him & snapped of a few frames before he noticed & then he just kind of waved at me & smiled. I smiled back & walked back to my bench. My mother says in motherly tone, "did you ask his permission first?". I responded that if I had, he would have posed & it wouldn't be the shot I wanted. She gave me that motherly "I do not approve" stare & that is where we ended that conversation :-)

[._._z]

Let's see your mom's street photos.

[absinthe]

LOL! The idea of street photography is not appealing to her

[._._z]

Mothers like to offer advice about things they don't like. Or know about. Next time

change the subject about something else she might not know about: her favorite death-

metal bands, or tattoo designs, or condom brands. ;-)

[lee park]

Gosh I hate those looks! I'm almost 50 and my mom is still offering disapproval about my hair length (a tattoo definitely has a certain appeal!). My mother will never take my photography seriously ... Heather's point is well-taken, however - as well as other's - once you get permission you've "missed the moment."

[jonathan_reynolds]

I haven't read this entire thread, but I noticed that someone brought HCB into the argument in support of the 'ask-first-and-respect-the-answer' school. I'd love to have been there if he really asked those people he shot having intercourse in a Mexican brothel. He didn't hold back from diplaying the picture, either.