Street Photography Techniques

[Allen Herbert]

<p>2</p>

<p>"or because the photographer is simply afraid of being physically close to the subject area"</p>

<p>For some it might ,Ray. Personally i like the option of a zoom. Think about it ,you see a really interesting photo opportunity but you are too far away. Okay, you can dash across the street avoiding the traffic..and then it is gone. These cult ideas about real street photographers only use wide angle lenses, shoot in BW, and use a Leica are..well, guess.</p>

<p>There are no right or wrongs ,no special magical styles or cams...... it's just about getting the photo whatever it takes.</p>

<p>Sneaky fast techniques ,interaction with the subjects, staged.....all roads lead to Rome so the saying goes.</p>

<p>Bottom you see an interesting photo opportunity,you point the cam ,and press the big button. If you are too scared to do that in case someone might get you...then,street is not for you.</p>

<p>It's really that simple.</p>

[Allen Herbert]

<p><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=299288">Barry Fisher</a> <a href="../member-status-icons"><img title="Subscriber" src="http://static.photo.net/v3graphics/member-status-icons/sub8.gif" alt="" title="Subscriber" /> <img title="Frequent poster" src="http://static.photo.net/v3graphics/member-status-icons/1roll.gif" alt="" title="Frequent poster" /> </a> , Dec 23, 2008; 07:39 p.m.</p>

[35mmdelux]

<p>I bought a new/used F6 and 20-35mm AFD and its bigger than my MP. I did a trial run with the F6, snapping a few shots in a crowd to see what kind of attention I would get. Well, I got no attention.</p>

<p><br />I do not interact with the subject except to smile occasionally. My cameras are programmed (F6) or preset (Leica) and if it involves people I take the shot quickly and with confidence. If people see you nervous or hiding something they will become suspicious and your done.</p>

<p><br />During the few times Ive been acousted by security, I dont argue with them or take it personally. They dont know but what they have been told to do. Ok, whatever.</p>

<p><br />My people fotos are not about getting head on mug shots. I include people as an accessory to the bigger scene. I try to avoid rear end shots unless of course its some spice chick worthy of such capture.</p>

[juans eye]

<p>I don't know if its been said, but in this modern age of our "live view" helps :)<br>

Bresson shot with a Leica not just because of its quality, but also for its size. A good point and shoot will get you lots of shots that an SLR may not.<br>

/bing</p>

 

[josephbraun]

<p>Street photography is all about attitude. If you go into a situation, hesitant and fearful, that it what you'll see in your shots.</p>

[j_y1]

<p>"Great big professional DLSRs with 24-70 2.8 AF-S VR etc... mounted are at a distinct disadvantage here - at least mount a small, normal to wide prime lens if a DLSR is what you're shooting with"<br>

A friend in Vancouer, B.C. whom I had a photo walk with over the summer uses a 30D w/ 17-40mm f4 lens (surely not the largest, but definitely bigger than a prime).... sometimes he uses a flash.<br>

...he's not at a disadvantage...<br>

He's still unobtrusive - people know he's out taking photos, not necessarily of them, but don't really react to it until after the shot was taken.<br>

To each his own I guess....</p>

[j_y1]

<p>"because the photographer is simply afraid of being physically close to the subject area" - Ray<br>

...no choice but to move closer if there's only a 35mm lens on the box...</p>

[ndt_photo]

<p>Know your rights and carry a copy of them with you in case of intimidation. That will give you peace of mind about any confrontations that may pop up. </p>

<p>Also, carry some sort of ID that proves you are in photography as an art form, be it a business card with your website and name (photographer listed as profession of course!) </p>

<p>Carry release forms so you can think commercially - approaching someone you just photographed with the form is much more pro then disappearing around the corner. You can get their name & email address for starters, and a phone number if they would like to know if your image is going to be used for any commercial purposes. Some people think it might be cool to be featured in an ad... others may not. Then at least when you get home and start sorting through images you know the bounds within which they may be used.</p>

[jdrose]

<p>Just do it. If you are on public property, Bryce Canyon or the municipal subway, you are OK. They may hassle you but they can't stop you.<br>

You may only have one chance to capture the candid, don't be shy, make the decisive moment count.</p><div></div>

[jdrose]

<p>The day is so done. Another trip home</p><div></div>

[spanky]

<p>Hmmm...I guess I'm one of the few that likes to focus each shot on it's own. I guess this is because I like seeing exactly what's going to be captured thereby giving me another chance to decide if I want to take the shot at all.</p>

<p>As for silence my RZ is certainly louder then my F2 but even in a quite subway train nobody seems to hear the "ka-thunk" sound when the shutter is pressed. I'll be going to church tonight with my lady friend and will bring along my F2. I'll take some on-the-sly shots light permitting.</p>

[edwin_mendoza]

<p>I put my zoom at widest angle and shoot from the waist in AF. I takes a little practice but the results are great.</p>

[wentbackward]

<p>Philip Maus - Great shot! Great lighting.</p>

[35mmdelux]

<p>Perhaps; but both my Leica and Nikon F6 focus so fast its just not an issue. Street shooting has to be second-nature. if you take too much time you'll miss the decisive moment. Best - P.</p>

[HarryBaker]

<p>I've found this discussion fascinating and informative. I like Street Photography and, like most of you, probably have loads of books about H C-B, Winogrand, etc.etc. Most of their images were shot at probably a very much more relaxed time. In the UK, at present, street photographers are having a bad time with over-zealous hobby-bobbies (Police Support Officers) who regard anyone with anything but a P&S as a possible terrorist threat. Amateur Photographer has been lobbying sympathetic parliamentarians to try to get some order into the chaos. I think matters are a bit more relaxed in Continental Europe where I do most of my street stuff. I have found that if you work quickly and 'target' individuals or groups who are already interacting with each other then you can do so unobserved. I've posted some I took recently.</p><div></div>

[HarryBaker]

<p>Ferrara again. These men are discussing something!</p><div></div>

[HarryBaker]

<p>Rome</p><div></div>

[HarryBaker]

<p>Outside the cafe</p><div></div>

[tonmestrom]

<p>that's damned fine work Harry</p>

[roger krueger]

I mostly shoot stealth, pre-focused, from a neckstrap, behind my left arm, shot with a cable release, FF + Leica 19/2.8 when

there's enough light for EI 3200-f2.8-1/100, 24/1.4 when there isn't. Usually shoot the 19 at 3 ft., 24 at 4 ft. I find this gets me

past the AF-point encouraged tendency to center everything, and my sense for "about 3 ft." is a lot faster and more reliable

than AF in low light anyway. And after a while you get a pretty good feel for where something this wide is pointed.

 

When I do shoot from the eye I find I get a lot of hostility with my big 1dsII whereas my funky old Mamiya Universal just

makes people chuckle.

 

<a href=" title="Del Mar Fair #6 by Roger_Krueger, on

Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3288/3056697162_9897c11937_b.jpg" width="700" height="462" alt="Del Mar

Fair #6" /></a>

[vivek iyer]

<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3221/2973829743_e0af6e5749_o.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="531" /><br>

<em>10.5mm 180deg fisheye.</em><br>

<em><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3235/2895627847_0f21be6de4_o.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="653" /> </em></p>

<p><em>A Tilt/Shift lens, specially configured for street.</em><br>

<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2351/2765950097_c997141aaa_o.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="536" /><br>

<em>Infrared with an IR cam</em> .<br>

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3291/2698902227_a164eb9c79_o.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="689" /><br>

<em>Telephoto zoom.</em><br>

<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2101/2053237539_20621f4445_o.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="536" /><br>

<em>Telephoto with shift/tilt function.</em><br>

<em><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3161/3055960197_ec1f0cf6c2_o.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="675" /> </em><br>

<em>An f/0.95 lens, wide open (not a random snap!).</em><br>

<em><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/201/475664969_63b87b514e_o.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="715" /> </em><br>

<br /> <em>False color Ultraviolet capture.<br /> </em></p>

<p> </p>

[ivan_augenwasser]

<p>if you havent seen it and if it hasnt been the one reason to become a photographer, check out the movie blow-up.</p>

<p>head on with big cameras. and if you dont feel like doing that try something like a vivitar 35EM</p>

[robert goldstein]

<p>I'm interested in how stealth photographers release the shutter. I usually steady my camera with my left hand at waist level and place my right thumb on the shutter button. This, I feel, is less obvious than using my forefinger. Are there any remote shutter release devices that can be operated from inside a pocket?<br>

Rob</p><div></div>

[stephen_asprey2]

<p>I'm sorry, but I just do not agree with stealth street photography.<br>

I'm going to make a few enemies here, but to me it's gutless and goes against all we have learned from the greats going back 60 years. And if you do get accosted by someone and bashed over the head, then don't come on here and say that SP is too hard. Ypu were being sneaky, weren't you?<br>

I have never been abused or even spoken to harshly and its because I am proud to be taking photographs in the street. My subjects invariably come up to me and I say that the scene was beautiful. I give them my card and they can email me and I send them a copy of the shot.<br>

I have a personal heritage in professional photography going back to WW1. My father and going back three generations. They were proud of their art and were paid handsomely for it. All my grandfathers glass negatives are in our National Archives. He would turn in his grave if he read some of this. He did candid photography with a 10x8 box camera on a massive tripod.<br>

Photography is all about capturing an incident or scene and rendering its beauty or interest to the world. If you want to skulk in the shadows, afraid to show that you value recording a scene with the participants in it, then go be a PI and take shots through peoples bedroom windows.</p>

 

[peteradownunder]

<p>Stealth is another way to say - "candid" buddy - if you are using a ding bat telephoto- THAT is gutless and also guaranteed to deliver crapola boring shots..</p>

<p>Allen Herbert if I am using my 21mm I dont see anything that I can't use my 21mm for..understand ?? why woudl across the street if I cant shoot it in teh first place? - but it ok you can use any zoom zoom you like - I tried using them for years off and on ..truth is they make sucky street shots.</p>

<p>The fifty is till the shooter's lens and always will be - no wide angle distortion tricks and no zo0m zoom effect either - I have developed some sympathy for a 28 on full frame - only because the 28 'cron is so perfect.</p>

<p> </p>