How to answer "What are you taking pictures for?"

[seroptics]

<p>Hello!<br>

I just have a quick question that a lot of you street photographers probably encounter. When you are out on the field taking pictures, you often receive that question "What are you shooting this for?". I usually say for my "blog". Thoughts? </p>

[Former P.N Member]

<p>1. Fun<br>

2. To justify the money I spent on equipment ;-)</p>

[Brad_]

>>> Thoughts?

 

It's usually one of two answers:

 

1) I'm documenting the city (San Francisco)

 

2) I have a SF-based photo blog and I think you'd look great (in it).

 

Having that question asked comes with doing street photography. I kind of expect that every once in awhile, though

I'm a little surprised I'm not asked more often. No one has ever complained about or challenged my

response. I also carry photos, cards, and photo journals I've produced with me - they're good ice-breakers.

[ukhov]

<p>That living on ease , usually I got -from what newspaper ?</p>

[katzpjs]

<p>In my case, while I was looking for a particular shot in a Seattle alleyway, the question was phrased this way, "HANDS OUT OF YOUR POCKETS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?!". The person asking the questions was from the Seattle Police Department and he had just driven his vehicle into the alley, stopping quickly and jumping out to face me. Following a few minutes of being lectured about prostitutes, drug dealers, drug users and other low-down types he said, "I believe you, go on".<br>

My response to his questions, "I'm looking for an interesting photograph of the old Smith Tower reflected in the rain puddles here in the alleyway".</p>

<div></div>

[hopalonghowie]

<p>My standard answer is "I'm documenting America and capturing the most interesting moments and people I see. The story will be left for you to write when you see the image." Then hand them a business card.</p>

<p>Of coarse my whole idea of good street photography is not being noticed the picture is being taken in the first place.</p>

<p>Case in point...One fine morning in Seattle's Westlake Park...They were clueless until I showed them the pictures.</p><div></div>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>"I love (your city here) and enjoy photographing (your city here) and it's wonderful people."</p>

<p>I'm thinking of having that printed on a t-shirt.</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>I tell people I need faces to put on naked bodies on the internet. I've never had anyone react badly to that, they just laugh.</p>

[frank_skomial]

<p>"for my blog" - may not play well with some people.</p>

<p>More and more the web is exploited for presentation of pictures that harm other people in some way. The safe way with your image is to stay away from any web blog, unless you are a celebrity and need some extra attention, good or bad pulicity could help...</p>

<p>I do not want to say names here, but as an example, some young actor was caught with a prostitute on Sunset or Hollywood Blvd. The publicity helped his carrier, and he became known and got some acting jobs.<br /> Interesting that the prostitute also got known, and offered some lucrative modelling contracts.<br /> But these are rather exceptions from the general rule. Number of people loosing jobs, or not getting jobs or contracts, is large, because of unfavorable web exposure.</p>

[Spearhead]

<blockquote>

<p> The safe way with your image is to stay away from any web blog</p>

</blockquote>

<p> <br>

Maybe think about something other than street shooting if you feel that way. The rest of us will go our way, even if you think it's unsafe.</p>

[leslie_cheung]

<p>Say nothing, a smile and a nod usually work for me. But it really depends on the situation...</p>

[leslie_cheung]

<p>On rare instances, I'd say, "I'll ya famous!" and move on. It's not really what you say, but *how* you say it...</p>

[steve m smith]

<blockquote>

<p>I'd say, "I'll ya famous!"</p>

</blockquote>

<p>What language is that?!</p>

[leslie_cheung]

<p>My bad, it's...I'll *make* ya famous!</p>

[steve m smith]

<blockquote>

<p>My bad</p>

</blockquote>

<p>And what language is that where you can own an adjective?!</p>

[leslie_cheung]

<p>ไม่เป็นไร, 聰明的屁股</p>

<p>Any more from you, Mr. Smith, and I'll make ya famous...in the Billy the Kid way;) </p>

<p> </p>

[User_2019667]

<p>Leslie that last entry is Fuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnyyyyyyy""<br>

John P.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>It's amazing, but some of us occasionally omit a word, and actually use expressions that are in common use in current English.<br>

Here is an example of <strong><em>pure</em></strong> English:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>616 Her Ęþelbryht Contwara cyning forþferde, 7 Eadbald his sunu feng to rice,.....<br>

[<em>Anglo-Saxon Chronicle</em>]</p>

</blockquote>

<p>No corrupt neologisms in this one.</p>

<p> </p>

[hopalonghowie]

<p>OK where the Hell is my Funk & Wagnell's when I really need it?</p>

[jodys]

<p>I have several stock responses, depending on the situation:<br>

1) I'm a tourist<br>

2) I'm an artist, it's what I do<br>

3) For my own enjoyment / for fun<br>

4) I'm a rare camera dealer trying out my wares (and show them my 1930s or whatever camera I'm shooting with)<br>

5) F*** off! (with or without a smile)</p>

 

[MarieH]

<p>Because your an amazing subject and need to be on my camera</p>

[fld]

<p>Just for fun, but why are you asking?</p>

[francisco_salaquanda]

<p>No need...do keep to the spirit of the genre, you really are supposed to take your shots unnoticed. Otherwise you get posed images that are no longer candids.</p>

[Norma Desmond]

<p><<<<em>do keep to the spirit of the genre, you really are supposed to take your shots unnoticed</em>>>></p>

<p>This may be how you see street and/or documentary photography, but it's not true for all. If people want to engage with questioners on the street, they are not breaking any sort of rule, other than one they may impose on themselves. Not everyone wants, needs to be, or can be unnoticed. It happens that people, with and without cameras, get noticed on the street and sometimes people ask what they are doing. Maybe these people are not sneaky enough for you, I don't know. But I think, like you, they are just doing their thing. Being noticed does not necessarily translate to getting posed pictures, though it certainly can. I've had many people on the street notice my camera and then go right back to what they were doing and ignoring me. If I ask them to pose, they might. That depends if I want something posed or not and doesn't depend on what genre I suppose myself to be shooting. I'm not shooting a genre. I'm shooting a photo, and what I want varies depending on the moment.</p>

[Brad_]

>>> do keep to the spirit of the genre, you really are supposed to take your shots unnoticed. Otherwise

you get posed images that are no longer candids.

 

Just an FYI... Candid does not mean unnoticed.