ray . Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>Skulk around awhile, check your LCD screen and if it's all crap, then become obvious as hell, like you own the place. If anyone asks you what you're doing tell them you're doing reconnaissance for Scorsese's next flick.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray . Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>Look at the Winogrand video. Obviously a voyeuristic middle aged curmudgeon sneaking shots of teen aged girls. Damn pervert.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_asprey2 Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>I have found that a 50mm lens set at 4m is good as you can be close enough to be part of the scene, but not so close as to intrude. This is what Cartier Bresson did. As the light changed, he just opened up or shut down the aperture. He shot at 125th.<br> The other thing thats good is to find a location that frames the scene, and pre focus on a spot. Like a set of stairs, or a big puddle. Then just sit it out and as you have been there waiting, you own the location. As interesting people cross the spot, take the shot. That way you are not really pointing the camera at them, just waiting for them to enter the viewfinder.<br> That's why a Leica is good, because you can see outside the framelines, and the shutter does not attract attention.<br> Cartier-Bresson used to sit on a low wall for hours waiting for interesting people to enter the scene. He did not go looking for people. It was the scene first, then the people entering it.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uhooru Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>@ Stephen. Whatever lens does the job for you. I started with a 50 but I found the narrower range of focus and the coverage didn't suit. I find a 35 much faster, and now I'm even interested in 28, but I don't think i would be looking for wider than that on the street. Bresson knew very well where 10 feet was. Many of us get much, much closer.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewideangle.net Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>In the UK and probably US, from what I'm reading, most people are fine with street photography, though increasingly, photographing buildings and the police seems to get a bad reaction; you should make a formal complaint if you are hassled in a public place, since you are within the law if you are not taking in-your-face intrusive stuff. I have heard recently of rail enthusiasts being hassled. It's not acceptable, but if we say nothing, this kind of attack on our freedom will increase.<br> On a practical note, if you are trying to sneak pictures without people ducking out of the way or, worse, smiling at you, avoid using viewfinders. It's the action of holidng a camera to your face that alerts people, and this is especially so in sensitive places and the Third World. Use a compack camera on autofocus and shoot blind, or try using a bridge camera like the Finepix S series which has a fold-up LCD monitor - you then look down and people just think you're making an adjustment.<br> Needless to say, switch off any shutter bleeps to avoid drawing attention to yourself.<br> But as the picture of the cops above proves, after you've sneaked a picture, try the direct approach; many people love yto have their picture taken, and if you get results like the LAPD shot, it'[s worthwhile.</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteradownunder Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>There are no rules worth following and there are no limits not worth testing be @ one with what is there- whatever you do, you wont escape yourself anyway - if you are scared of people you will make scared of people shots - if you haven't got an eye - you will just make boring shots - if you haven't got the heart - you wont see anything anyway</p> <p>if you are shooting and people are willing participants in a shot - the shot has no edge - have never seen a set up shot that grabs me - the candid / voyeuristic aesthetic is missing it isnt jazz ..its POP music - and there is a difference.</p> <p>There is nothing wrong with any type of shooting you want to do candid isn't better than not - they are just different styles - explore the differences shoot the way you feel like shooting - there are no right or wrongs - there are only results - a pic works or it doesn't - no big deal.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipward Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>Adam.I shoot a dslr with a 17mm prime or a 35mm with a 28mm prime. My normal mode of shooting is to preset the focus at 10 feet and set the aperture to give me at least 125sec. I will adjust the ISO to give me a decent Aperture say 5.6 or 8 and i,m set to go.Depending on the situation i may shoot from the hip with the camera strap around my neck. My left hand resting on the camera top(this has the added benifit of reducing mirror slap noise) ,index finger on the shutter release.This way the camera is steadied and cuts down on the "shakies"and it does not look like I am not shooting.Now I can get quite close to my subject point the lens at them and even look in the other direction and get the shot.The other style I use is like Gary Winogrand(check out UTUBE). Keeping the camera at shoulder level in plain site.Then it is only a quick move to eyelevel,get the shot and back to the shoulder, it takes about 2 seconds.To most people watching it looks like you did not have time to take a shot. All of this takes lots of pratice and even afterwords you will still have lots of rejects.For pure NYC balls check Bruce Gildens video,he shoots like he does not gibe a damn what anybody cares!. NYC has got to be the best city for street candids I envy you.<em> I will be spending the fist week of Jan. their,watch out for the guy with his left hand over the camera top and say hello!.</em> Go directly to Times Square and act like every other camera toting klutzy tourist and blast away nobody will pay you any attention.Oh, and post your picks on Pn.This will give you a reason to continue to shoot.Good luck.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad_ Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>>>> That's why a Leica is good, because you can see outside the framelines, and the shutter does not attract attention.</p> <p>Dubious value. I see outside the "framelines" as is. And for shooting on the street, shutter noise is a way over-rated issue - nobody cares - and that's from shooting thousands of pix on the street with a loud shutter... </p> www.citysnaps.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanky Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>I've been using a 28mm prime for my F2 that I've been using quite a bit of lately. It's about as wide as I'd like to go. I was looking at a 50mm at the Bargain Camera show in Pasadena last Sun. but couldn't bring myself to purchase a lens I really don't know how much I'll use. I have a buddy who has a older non AI 50mm who said I borrow it for a day of shooting. I'll do that and see how I like it.</p> <p>Recently in downtown I stopped and began to take a picture of some Xmas trees in front of a store. The owner bolted out of the store and begain waving his arms around telling me I cannot take pictures. Rather then explain that I'm on a sidewalk and therefore can take pictures of whatever is in my eyesight I continued to shoot but told him to come out in the light a little more and to wave his arms faster. He didn't get the joke or just ignorned me I guess.<br> Lastly, as someone who works with the public, trust me on this one thing: Most people more then likely will not notice you taking pictures. Really, there is a large number of our population that just are too pre-occupied to to know where they are and whats's going around around them. While testing out a digital camera in a crowded Costco I walked up and down the cash register area snapping away at the crowds with the auto flash on and nobody batted an eye. Except for one lady actually who on my return trip down the front end stopped me and asked me if I work for the papers. She said she thought I did because I moved so quickly and gracefully through the crowd. She meant it in a nice way so I took it as a compliment. So don't worry and just get out there and shoot.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad_ Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>>>> Rather then explain that I'm on a sidewalk and therefore can take pictures of whatever is in my eyesight I continued to shoot but told him to come out in the light a little more and to wave his arms faster. <br> <br /><br> Ha!. That's great!</p> www.citysnaps.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad_ Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>OK, with respect to tense SP experiences, <a href="http://www.citysnaps.net/blog/?p=99">here's my most interesting and bizarre</a>, and even then, it wasn't a huge deal...</p> <p>Most people, 99%, say nothing. Some say "No." Others ask why you're taking their picture. Just not a big deal. You move on...</p> www.citysnaps.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_revi Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>Generally, when you approach your subject with the intention of stealing or sneaking the shot, or getting away with something, that vibe gets picked up real easy and the subject reacts negatively. Photographing in public is not a crime, and if you're not imposing too much it's often no big deal to the subject; like someone else said, interacting with the subject is not cheating. Successful street photographers always find a way to become part of the situation rather than come in from outside. Sometimes it's by becoming invisible, sometimes it's by becoming the guy sticking his camera into things. Be normal. A lot depends on the exact scenario at hand, of course - obviously sometimes people react negatively (or worse) to being photographed - it's not supposed to be easy all the time and you will need a thick skin to get some shots. Be impeccably civilized (not necessarily polite); you can be annoying up to a point, but any hint of the wrong kind of wierdness and you're toast. It's all about being right with yourself at the critical moments. This is a skill that can be learned, as well as somewhat of an art. The key is to pay attention inwardly. If you can do that, the tactics will come more easily. Sometimes you just don't belong, and you can't get a shot you'd like; sometimes the right thing to do is look away. Be OK with that.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack_welsh Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>As Mark said about "avoid using viewfinders" that could be why TLRs were (are) great at street shots. Being smaller, maybe a 127 Rollei, Yashica would be excellent! Just found a new way to use my 4x4.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah_fox Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>I'm new to documentary photography, but so far a technique I use for informal portraiture (something I feel I do very well) is paying off well for me. Not being comfortable with "sneak" photography, I do approach prospective subjects and explain what I'm about. After making certain they're comfortable with me taking pictures, I begin. I tell them I first need to take some test exposures and to please ignore what I'm doing. At first they don't, but after a few snaps and tweakings of dials and buttons, they drop their guard. I keep fiddling and changing settings, getting my real shots all the while. Then I tell them, "OK, I'm ready now." Then I take a few conspicuously posed shots that every subject seems to think I want. I usually stop there with the portraiture work, but for street photography I might ask if the subject minded if I took a few other shots that weren't posed. I would then take a LOT of shots, to the point that the subject would eventually start ignoring my presence and get back to whatever he or she was doing before I came along. In general, I've found I do better when I shoot a lot of frames. The subject eventually ignores me when I do this.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvy Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>a bit of politeness goes a long way as well as how you conduct yourself. i have also noticed that a well dressed good looking guy or girl can get away with a little more (perhaps a lot more) than a the average hairy and unkempt photographer!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie1 Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>I recenltly started shooting street photography. I like shooting in the worse areas, the street people. I have gotten a few very bad comments and looks that made me nervous and I had to leave and go back to the more populated streets to feel safe. I have considedered and will have a friend tag along next time for safety and comfort.</p> <p>I have read this post and have learned much from it today. I will use much of what is written here as all of the posts have someting in them that will be of great use to me.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ed_lusthoff Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>If I may throw in my two cents, not that I am a pro or anything. About a year and a half ago my wife to be and i went to downtown L.A. (the garment district) so I took my 300d and a 70-200mm just to have something to do while she shopped. Well if you walk around L.A. with a camera the illegals think that you are "immigra" and shy away. Just walking down the street people were putting their hands in front of their faces. Anyway, I did manage to get about 120 shoots off but out of that there were only about five that I liked. Two months ago my wife and i again went to downtown for a filming and as we stood outside waiting I was looking at the old 20-30's building and the great archtiecture these buildings have. There is sooooo much more to city life than the people (although the people do play a 90% roll in it) What is great is the old archieture backdroped by the new 100 story technology and modern archieture. During the Christmas break I hope to get back down there this time with me graflex. Talk about inconspicuous! That should draw a crowd. Not to mention the graffiti all over the place. So just go have fun and shoot,shoot,shoot. Ya'll have a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovcom_photo Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>I was at Union Station in Los Angeles a few months ago, and I was setting up a tight shot of my GF, a portrait of sorts, and some big guy behind her got all bothered, wanted to shove my camera into a certain part of my body...and the strange thing he was never in the frame, and after explaining this to him, and even showing him the LCD image, he would not be reasonable....perhaps he thought I was a PI or something...I don't often do street because too many angry folks around. I was just in Tijuana recently, and in this plaza, I raised my camera to my eye to shoot an interesting street vendor, and then some Mexican stranger ran up to me and told me in english that I could be beat up because there are lots of "maniacos" there. In retrospect, I see his point because these days there's a lot of organized crime having a bit of a war with the authorities. These days I prefer to look at the street images all you others make and post here. I think the street genre is very challanging and very difficult anyways...far more challanging then shoot a football game or other photographic genres, so I have a lot of respect for many of your shooters here.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_lovelace Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>Leica M6 with 50mm Summicron works fine for me. Can't get much more unobtrusive than that.</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbm Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>Man, it's a free country, despite the goofy atmosphere of the last eight years. Just go out there and blast away.<br> Sometimes, being confident, standing up and just hitting it and letting the subject know you are taking their picture works well.. Do what the situation demands. Be social and just start talking to people as you walk up snapping a few photos. <br> When you need to blend in, blend in. Use a moderately wide angle lens, fast film (or settings on your digi), f8, and set the focus to 10 feet. That way you'll capture a serious depth of field and a wide scene and only need to think about pressing the shutter. Learn the angle of view of the lens you have on the front of the camera; you can imagine a viewing "cone" coming out of the camera to aid mentally in your shoot from the hip compositions.<br> And have fun. That's why you do this. There is very little I have done in the pursuit of fun that hasn't made me nervous at first: bike racing, snowboarding, skiing, lovemaking, cooking...and now photography. The nerves are part of the fun.<br> I put some of my "streetish" photos below...some I took making eye contact with a subject, others from the hip.<br> Best of luck to you.<br> Cheers,<br> Jay<br> <a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/8380967">http://www.photo.net/photo/8380967</a><br> <a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/8380971">http://www.photo.net/photo/8380971</a><br> <a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/8363684">http://www.photo.net/photo/8363684</a><br> <a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/8036079">http://www.photo.net/photo/8036079</a><br> <a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/7234697">http://www.photo.net/photo/7234697</a><br> <a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/7336248">http://www.photo.net/photo/7336248</a><br> <a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/7306441">http://www.photo.net/photo/7306441</a><br> <a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/7306430">http://www.photo.net/photo/7306430</a><br> <a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/7306437">http://www.photo.net/photo/7306437</a><br> <a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/7167211">http://www.photo.net/photo/7167211</a><br> <a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/7306432">http://www.photo.net/photo/7306432</a></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photo_galleries Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>I preset exposure (with aperture at f5.6 or so) and preset focus at 10 feet. In the beginning, the toughest part was mentally measuring 10 feet when someone happens to be walking by.<br> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3127/2697513192_856a1da2a4.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="400" /></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_love2 Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>Many interesting techniques and process's listed. I too love to shoot the street, especially at night. I normally use my Nikon F80, trix 400 and a 24-85mm or 50mm lens. I have no problem in asking for permission to shoot, sometimes they say no..but who cares..there is usually something just as interesting around the corne. I also have had great success in going into a bar with a $10 bill, picking a barstool, asking the bartender who would trade a free beer in exchange for me taking shots. The $10 will buy 2-4 beers, depending on where it is, and I can usually finish off a roll or two before the beers are gone. I push the trix to 1600, and get some really neat shots. Everyone is happy..they get a free beer, I get some great atmospere shots, and the bar owner will usually put the pictures up for others to see. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert goldstein Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>I have used both stealth techniques and friendly engagement of the subjects. Both can work, but you are far more likely to get truly candid shots if the subject is unaware of being photographed. I will sometimes shoot from waist level without any pre-framing in the viewfinder. This creates a certain randomness in the resulting images that I find interesting and exciting.<br> Rob<br> P.S. John Lovelace,<br> Great shot.</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uhooru Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p><a href="http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00R/00Rsma-100075584.jpg"><br /> (Shooting poverty and hardship also requires some sympathy with bthe subject -- 750 x 1000 photo) </a><br> Maybe it does. I took one recently, and I thought if I had any real sympatico I wouldn't have taken his picture as I generally feel that unless you are doing a real series on street people and homeless where you really engage..that shooting them is a cliche....but in this case, I took the snaps anyways..as I was a little moved by how pathetic he looked...It just makes me curious as to how he got there..</p> <p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3030/3112194415_f317e6a04d_o.jpg" alt="" /> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3078/3112194267_96f55df3db_o.jpg" alt="" /></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uhooru Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 <p>BTW, that's the leg and foot of a very famous P.net photog...</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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