Lens for "unaware" people and street photography

[jaycobar-chay]

I've had a Canon 10D for years and I love taking photos with it. I've found that if I've got the thing in front of my face

pointing it around like I'm shooting, I miss a lot of candid shots because it intimidates folks.

 

I'm a student and spend about 8 hours a day around the same 70 people. I'd like to start grabbing shots of us all and

I'm looking for the right lens and technique to grab the shots I want.

 

I'm thinking wide angle. If I have the camera over my shoulder on a strap and it looks like I'm just holding it next to

my torso, people assume I'm not taking pictures and they act normal. I think shots like this, not perfectly composed

and level with the horizon with a wide angle perspective look pretty cool.

 

I wish I could get a lens with a depth of field scale so I could just set the aperture and shoot for the required depth of

focus, but on EF lenses, depth of field scales are only marked with f stops on primes, usually only show f/22 and are

about two millimeters long between the closest focus and infinity.

 

I'm thinking about getting the Tamron 17-35 (which I know isn't a real wide angle on a crop body) and hoping for the

best. I hear the instruction manual comes with a description of depth of field settings, so at least I can work with the

desired focus depth. I've had the Zenitar 16mm fisheye which had a good depth of field scale, but I just didn't like the

fishy look, so I sold it.

 

I'm wondering if anyone knows of a lens that might better suit my needs, and I have nothing wrong with using an old

manual lens that can fit an EOS body with an adapter. I'm mostly looking for shots in focus from 2 feet to about 10

or 15 feet, and occaisonally having more of the distance in sharper focus. I'm thinking most shots will be indoors and

will need a fast maximum aperture, hence the need for wide angle to get the most depth of field and need the slowest

shutter speeds for the technique I'm hoping to employ.

 

If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. Thanks!

[asher]

<i>"I've found that if I've got the thing in front of my face pointing it around like I'm shooting, I miss a lot of candid shots because it intimidates folks."</i><p>

 

It's not the lens or the camera, it's you who is likely intimidating possibly because you feel that what you're doing is intrusive or unethical. It is intrusive, but there's nothing wrong with taking photos of others, at least in a public place (at work is another matter, but no lens will compensate for that). You've got to get over this psychological hump, project to your subjects a sense that "I mean you no harm", treat people respectfully and the rest will come.

[tapani]

Asher has it right. If you just start taking lots of pictures, acting as if it was normal and as if the camera's just part of you, people will get used to it and will behave normally even when photographed.

 

That said, I'd suggest a prime would be preferable to that kind of photography, if only because you'll soon learn to frame pictures correctly before even looking through the viewfinder - i.e., you'll know how far you want to be before raising the camera. You don't need to go all that wide either, something like 28mm should do just fine (I like the 28/1.8 for this kind of stuff).

[g dan mitchell]

Your personal approach in the field is very important for street photography, especially if you want to work up close.

(And, for me, photographing people from a distance with a very long lens in a stealthy way is just plain spooky and bit to

"stalker like.")

 

I almost never use a very long lens for street photography. I shoot full frame and I'm most likely to use a 24-105, though

I also like using a 17-40 in tighter situations.

 

I also find that it can be very useful to not wander around with a camera in front of your face pointed at your subjects -

talk about a way to change the scene by your own actions. Keep the camera down. If you need to look through the

viewfinder, work quickly and then drop the camera.

 

Often you can shoot without raising the camera at all, especially if you use a wide angle lens with AF. I sometimes rest

the camera (probably using the 17-40) on top of my pack carried in front of me. I shoot with the camera in that position

and almost never raise it to my eyes. Not every shot is going to be a keeper, but frankly that is par for the course with

street work.

 

I prefer AF lenses since they let me work very quickly w/o having to think too much about focus. I prefer wides because

they are more forgiving regarding focus and because they let me work close in and because perfect framing may not be

necessary - either leave in the surrounding stuff or crop in post.

 

YMMV.

 

Dan

[bobatkins]

I've moved this to the Street Photography forum since I think it has a lot more to do with technique than equipment.

 

If you want equipment suggestions, any old M42 screw mount prime lens will work just fine on an EOS body. Most are pretty cheap and most have DOF scales. I've used an old Vivitar 19mm f3.5 for street work on a 20D. A 24mm lens is also pretty useful.

[jim_rais]

<p align="justify">

Street or people-on-the-street photography is an art itself. There are a handful masters in the past who knew how to get a story out of candid photography without annoying the targetted people. There are several techniques to do this without people feel being attacked or exposed to embarassement in public. If one is very communicative in a pleasant way, using funny remarks or jokingly, that's for sure a help to get a shot one wants. It's maybe not that candid anymore, but as soon as the person(s) get used to the fact that there is someone nearby with a camera, one may still get interesting shots.<br>

 

<br>Make sure one is SEEN that he/she has a camera and intends to use to capture the surroundings, including "the victims". This way you give the surroundings a fair chance to say no if photographed. If you think that hidden sneaky shot from the hip or from under your armpit is the best way to get a shot, you'll be ended with embarassement oneday. People, if being caught, will feel cheated and attacked. Some may become defensive or even aggressive. That's really not worth candid photography. I speak from my own experience.<br>

 

<br>Another technique is off course the use of wide angle or even ultra wide angle lens. UWA is in my opinion in advantage as one can get more of the environment without really pointing the camera to somebody. You can even shoot a foreground at close range and still get the targetted person(s) behind that foreground. Some would not even be aware that you are aiming at them, and if they do, they are not sure if you just had their moment stolen or not.<br>

 

<br>The use of "a model" (be it your GF or other friends) is pretty welknown, either. Just place the model in the same direction to the targetted people, but shoot past him/her. This is a job for a standard lens or a weak telephoto. Another preferred technique is also the use of a TLR, twin lens reflex, which has to be viewed from above the camera that lies at waist/belly level. This is a very discrete use of a camera as it's not pointed aggressively at someone, no eye contact and once you have secured the focus you don't have to press the button immediately but wait for the right moment while looking around normally (but follow the target closely) with one finger at the shutter release. The downside of the TLR is that it uses film, which is off course more expensive than digital and the fact that it takes normally only 120 roll film for 12 images. 220 roll film is hard to find these days and some said it's on its way out.<br>

 

<br>As you see, candid photography is just more than only using the right lens. As said before it's an art itself and it really depends on how the photographer act and react to the subject, the timing, the camera/lens combination used, the lighting, the impact or story of the scene (funny, sad, interesting, dull etc. etc.), but especially it's all about communication - verbal and or non-verbal. Good luck with your choice of lens and technique.</p><div></div>

[clive1]

Exchange the shoulder strap for a wrist strap. You'll shoot more.

[JDMvW]

Here's the old answer. I am not commenting on the ethics of 'stealing' pictures of people, just noting that this was one solution back in the 60s. Many such right-angle lens attachments were offered, but this one is unusual in its actual mimicking of the front of a normal lens.<div></div>

[Allen Herbert]

I think it has a lot more to do with technique than equipment.

 

Bob has it sussed. Finally, there is hope for humanity.

 

Jeez,and i thought i needed a Leica,or, a giant Canon with a big white lens with special low light abilities which are slightly marginally less noisy than the rest.

 

;)

[ray .]

1:23- The Battle of the Bulge

[jack_lo_..._t_o]

Gimmicks can help. Walker Evans got really close to subway users in NYC for his superb book "Many Are Called" by either using a right angle device such as the one above, or by hiding his Rolleiflex in his overcoat, depending which source you want to believe.

[jack_lo_..._t_o]

Now I'm reading that it was a Contax-"through a buttonhole". Buttons must've been huge...

 

Anyway you get it is a good way.

[plasma181]

I don't have specifics, but there were cameras designed to shoot from waist level. You looked down into the

viewfinder.

[corey_ward]

Disposable cameras are perfect for this. Once it's wound for the shot it's got no lag and no need to focus. So

long as your subject is between 3' and infinity (or on some, 6' and infinity) you're in good shape. You can bring

it up and aim it pretty quickly without losing the candidness of the situation, too.

[Brad_]

I like Corey's idea...

[mrraz]

Personally, I use both long and short lenses for street photography. I don't specialize in street work, but I've been doing it, since I was in high school in the late 50's and early 60's.

 

For shooting around people I know, I just start shooting. There can be some tense moments at the start, but after a short time they just ignore what I'm doing. I become part of the background noise.

 

If you're afraid to put the camera to your eye, you're not doing real street photography. I don't care what anyone says to the contrary. One just has to get used to invading a stranger's space. A good way to start is look for people who are oblivious to their surroundings. You know, the ones that don't practice good situational awareness. You catch them unawares. Another way to get used to this is to attend local City Council meetings. Anyone attending is fair game, since they're in a public forum. It gives you a chance to practice snap shooting, bringing the camera up and shooting the shot without thinking about what you're doing.

 

You can also practice manual zone focusing to speed up your shooting. Set the camera or lens to manual focus, choose an f stop that will provide a known depth of field sufficient for where you're shooting, manually focus the camera at a point that is one third of the DOF and then you're ready to shoot. Don't focus. Don't think. When the subject is in range, the camera goes to your eye, and the shutter release gets pushed. It's not as easy as my explanation, but it provides some very spontaneous images. As you get used to the technique you'll see an improvement in your shots.

[jaycobar-chay]

I've done some looking and a 17mm lens at f/8, manually focused at 5 feet, will have a depth of field from 3 feet to 24 feet. I figure this will work for outdoor shots during the day and shots in well lit buildings for shooting "from the hip".

 

Please, keep the suggestions coming.

[pankaj purohit]

I just want to tell only one thing here, You judt hsve dtsrted photogrsphy wiht films, so you could have learned to value the photos....

[clive1]

I like Pankaj's idea...

[h._p.]

Lots of strong viewpoints here but you really need to figure out what you want to achieve and why. For myself, I'm currently building up a sequence of people enjoying themselves.

 

I prefer being sneaky, as I really don't want to intrude on them, so I use tools which facilitate that. At the moment, I find that the best camera to capture people unawares is Nikon's little S10 Coolpix. You can twist the lens relative to the viewfinder and no-one ever seems to notice me, because I'm looking down at some odd gadget and not at them. I also have a Sony R1 and an Olympus E20, which give similar facilities, although they're much larger and more obvious.

 

Once you've worked out what your aims are, I imagine that the rest will follow naturally.<div></div>

[peter_berger]

HP, that's a pretty bad photo to use as an example of effective street photography.

 

There's no gimmick here. If you want to be a photographer who shoots candids, you're going to have to be willing to, as another poster said,

get into people's personal space.

[joshua_mortel]

Use a longer lens for stalk photography. Anything above 200mm. Jump in the bushes and hide behind trees --it's no

different than shooting nature shots. If your subject looks at you and you don't want to look "creepy" then put

your camera down, motion that you want the person to move out of the way, and then pretend like you're shooting

something that was behind them, but still focus on them ;) Be mentally tough. Oh, and check out the movie Blow Up

:) (you might capture a murder in progress??)

 

Also, don't let anyone tell you that this is wrong. It's one thing if you are taking photos of people topless in

their own backyards (you know it's wrong :)), but if it is a public place where everybody can see that person

then anything is game.

 

I find shooting the "unaware" to be a rewarding kind of photography. I also shoot people (drunk people) dancing

at clubs as a paid gig --these are people that want to have their picture taken. They WANT to be seen, and

they're all: "look at meee!!" It is the complete opposite of the photography you are trying to do. But is

nightclub photography fun and satisfying? Well... it's work. Sometimes the people that *don't* want to be

photographed are the most beautiful and interesting people you can find, and I think it's our job as

photographers to try to capture them.

 

Part of this is getting past your own shyness. Even though you're not forming a connection to your subject (as

in, "hey, look into this lens!") you still need to be ready for confrontation and also be ready to play it off

and be cool. Skill also helps (if you take a great shot of someone, they will rarely object to the photo that was

taken). But it's not enough to just be "cool" --you also have to be charming. Crack a joke and be funny! You have

to be able to talk your way out of or INTO things.

 

Good luck!

[Mike Gammill]

Don't have a lot of call for "street photography" in a town with <13,000 but when I used to take candid photos for the yearbook I often used similar techniques. Also, at our annual Prairie Arts Festival the Saturday before Labor Day I would often take "street" type photos. My favorite camera was the Yashica T3 with its right angle viewfinder. It has a 35mm f2.8 Carl Zeiss lens and is splash proof in case the subject turns the hose on you. Should be cheap on the used market now. The later T4 is smaller, but they tend to sell for a lot more.

[gary_watson]

Use anything with a WLF and you tend to vanish. I use Bronicas--and old Yashicas in the past--for street. They work like the Jedi mind trick--"you don't see me." The non-threatening posture of using a WLF draws far less attention than the aggressive, hunter-like stance of the SLR shooter.

[stephen_van_egmond1]

Don't let the lack of DoF markings stop you. There's calculators out there. Key in your focal length and favourite F stop, and it will tell you a focus range.