How do you get over the hesitation to take pictures of people in public places?

[hugon]

i'll second edmo and hang that poem above my bed,...

[taffer]

Thanks Gabriele, found that link sometime ago and found it a nice resource.

 

Btw, very nice pics Chris.

 

My few people street shots are still from some distance so I have to work it a bit more :) But one thing I can say after some time is that I've NEVER regreted overcoming my shyness and taking one of those shots because I've ended being happy with what has turned out on the image.

 

OTH, many times I've regretted not taking them, because I'll never know if they would look good or not :(

[preston_merchant]

You can practice by choosing situations where people are out and about expecting to be photographed, like parades, festivals, street fairs and the like. You won't be the only photographer around, and it will be obvious what you are doing.

 

It's also good to have a shtick. Diane Arbus apparently used to tell people that she was a photography student.

[taffer]

It may also be useful to bring in your bag a small album with pocket size prints of some of your photos, or even upload your portfolio to your PDA so you have some samples to show if somebody asks you.

[kemmerichphoto]

Hello Jonathan,

I use a 20d and sometimes I will just show people the picture, for me there is nothing but excitment when I am in the street shooting. As for the ass kicking I am 6'7 and really dont worry about that, and even I travel with a friend.

[erol_a.]

I struggle with this often. The make or break for me is, do I know *why* I want to take this

picture? My street work is typically pretty substandard and I often don't enjoy it for this

very reason - if I'm walking around NYC or DC, I often don't know why I'm photographing,

and without that sense of purpose, I'm overwhelmed and not particularly dedicated to

getting in people's faces with a camera - and if you aren't getting close, you're missing the

best shots.

 

My advice would be to pick something you're going to shoot - give yourself a mission. Pick

a certain subject, or an issue/theme that can be explored through shooting on the streets

of your town. Think about it the night before and understand as best you can what it is

you want to photograph, and I promise you it helps you overcome the shyness (and I

myself am very shy) and complete the objectives you've set out for yourself.

 

Of course, it can be hard to come up with that theme, that purpose. It's hard to engage

your own "I see this every day" culture in photonarrative, I think. This is the hardest part as

far as I'm concerned, but I've never been able to work in the "just go out and shoot"

mentality.

[over exposure]

I went through this, too...

 

Really, It's all about honesty...if you're really clean about what you're doing and you're doing it for the right reason, nothing usually will get wrong. You'll use the good common sense, depending on the situation, naturally..

Be friendly, polite, discrete, use a small camera, be simply happy..

 

Then again, a lot of people don't care...otherwise, shoot something by the hip!

 

ciao!

[Allen Herbert]

Just do it...stop thinking about it.

[travis1]

the best way of overcoming the hesitation is don't do it.

[mark liddell]

I've only just started street photography and I'm still dealing with the same thing since my pretty shy. I do all my street photography in central London since there are loads of people and cameras around anyway so I don't stand out. I've also just got hold of a canon QL17 rangefinder which is a lot smaller and much quieter than my nikon fm and that has made it easier too.

 

I never ask permission from people, by then the moment that made me want to shoot is long gone and I've interfered. I see a situation, shoot and keep walking. Most people have no idea you've shot a photo and if they have your gone anyway. Busy places are easier (like Oxford street) since getting close is no problem and there is so much going on people are less likely to notice. Being quick enough becomes difficult though. I've had a few people I've photographed apologise for getting in my picture!

 

I still have problems in places where people are quite spread out (eg less busy pedestrian precincts), getting 6-8ft away from someone and shooting a picture would definitely attract attention. I use my Nikon fm with 105mm portrait lens for those situations (flame away but it works for me).

 

One thing that has helped me is taking my Nikon along to social things like BBQ?s with friends. Not sure why, maybe it?s just a confidence thing.

 

Good luck!

[nemeng]

I've been doing in-close candid people photography in Sydney for years:<p>

 

<a href="http://unposed.4020.net">unposed.4020.net</a><p>

 

In all that time I've only been harrassed three times. So the odds are pretty low that something bad will happen.<p>

 

Mind you, when it does, then it does big time! Last week I had my camera snatched off me and got pushed around by a crowd of Muslim men who objected to my taking a photo of one of them sitting at a cafe on the main street of Lakemba (a Sydney suburb). It took a lot of negotiation to get the camera back (a Hasselblad 501c/m), but I lost the film.<p>

 

So bad things can happen. But then a few days later I shot all morning in the crowd during the Anzac Day march and no one was worried at all. Even had few smiles.<p>

 

Very much swings and roundabouts.