Jeff Mermelstein Repost

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wontonny

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Someone posted this link with the Jeff Mermelstein videos and I was so motivated to go out and take pictures in the same manner as he does, in your face in the middle of the action street shooter. I went out for a try today and it's incredibly hard....how long did it take you to get over the anxiety of shooting in front of people? I just try to think, 'go ahead and take their picture...after you press the button they cant so sh*t about it' but it's a lot more than that...

Part 1a: http://youtube.com/watch?v=uuXcm35m50Y
Part 1b: http://youtube.com/watch?v=-vhWLEBimLg
Part 2: http://youtube.com/watch?v=RXdE9yU5IM0
 
Fascinating videos to watch! I was thinking about the way people disrgard his picture taking in their faces, and think that this would only work in some big cities like NY or Tokyo where either people expect tourists with cameras or they are too afraid to become engaged with strangers. In a small town, every person you do that to is going to stop you and demand to know what you are doing/what you will do with the pictures.
 
FrankS said:
Fascinating videos to watch! I was thinking about the way people disrgard his picture taking in their faces, and think that this would only work in some big cities like NY or Tokyo where either people expect tourists with cameras or they are too afraid to become engaged with strangers. In a small town, every person you do that to is going to stop you and demand to know what you are doing/what you will do with the pictures.
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Yes, but I also think that he has such short interactions between the people he photographs. He's there for the length of time it takes to expose a picture, then gone. It also helps that if someone is looking at you funny, just ignore them and they'll go on their way. I dont think anyone has time to go after him because he's already moved on to the new photo as well as people in New York seem busy and dont have time to go after him but just have a look and then go on their way. The problem most of us have probably is that we spend too long of moments standing there thinking of exposure, focus, and compostion. Thats probably what makes people bothered, because they feel that you're bothering them for too long. So keep it quick, if you dont get it, move on to the next one!
 
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Fascinating. Just fascinating. It does take a special person to take photos the way he does. But the results are just spectacular. I will try to be more brave in the future.
Eric
 
Yes, I originally posted the link. I had the same reaction as everyone here.
I think part of it just going and doing it without thinking too much while your out there. Concentrate on great images and know in your own mind that your not out there "hurting anyone" as Jeff says in the videos. Just get lost in the shooting and know you only have the best of intentions and you'll be fine.
 
I could do this in NYC (though my picures may not be as good), I could not do this in my small town without being challenged by almost every person, regardless of how fast I was. I can preset esposure and zone focus, so as not to fumble with the camera. I maintain that it is the environment that is critical.
 
FrankS said:
I could do this in NYC, I could not do this in my small town without being challenged by almost every person, regardless of how fast I was. I can preset esposure and zone focus, so as not to fumble with the camera. I maintain that it is the environment that is critical.
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True enough Frank. Being in NYC has to help one blend in to the surroundings.
 
I'd love to nominate some of my favorite street shooters on RFF to post their advice. There are some great street shooters who attend RFF. I think their advice and stories of their experiences could make for some fascinating and valuable reading.

I agree with Frank. I can't help but think that the environment is a very important factor. However, Jeff is so purposeful and so obvious that I can't help but think that the passers-by assume that he's a pro shooting on assignment and is there for a legitimate reason.
 
J J Kapsberger said:
However, Jeff is so purposeful and so obvious that I can't help but think that the passers-by assume that he's a pro shooting on assignment and is there for a legitimate reason.
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I suspect that's more a "big city" than "small town" thing as well. And being perceived to be a "pro" has its own downsides. Last Sunday I was trying to photograph Little Corellas in a park, with the long lens on the dSLR. Lots of people wanted to chat with me, ask questions, give advice, have me take their photo etc. I tried to be nice, and all, but I also wanted to, well, take some photos. One kid was especially persistent and really distracted me for a while (thankfully his parents dragged him away, eventually).

Another disadvantage of SLRs and big white lenses when there are people around. Much better to use something unobtrusive and if possible be not noticed or at least be seen as "someone with a funny old camera" rather than being seen as all electric and so "therefore" professional. (Not that I don't love my dSLR for all the things it is good for.)

...Mike
 
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I really do think that being in a big city makes it easier. Mermelstein even mentions it in the video that he doesn't think he can do what he does anywhere else.

I'm in San Francisco and had some days where I'm bold enough to be in someone's face. Watching this video makes one even bolder and I actually tried it the other day in Chinatown. Most people really didn't care what I was doing but I did get some looks that you just shrug off. I tried to photograph unique looking people, and for myself, drawn to older people. One aspect could be that they are "safer" but I find them more colorful.

One important aspect not to be overlooked is your familiarity of the surroundings. I contstantly go to the same area because I know what to expect and maybe Mermelstein does the same. You just become familiar with the ebb and flow of the environment, what areas & people to avoid and where to hang out for a shot. In other words being street smart and aware.

I don't know if anyone has tried it but I sometimes photograph with an ipod in my ear. I don't do it often but sometimes you just zone out when listening to music and shoot away without a care in the world.
 
agi said:
I'm in San Francisco and had some days where I'm bold enough to be in someone's face. Watching this video makes one even bolder and I actually tried it the other day in Chinatown. Most people really didn't care what I was doing but I did get some looks that you just shrug off. I tried to photograph unique looking people, and for myself, drawn to older people. One aspect could be that they are "safer" but I find them more colorful.
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I tried that in Chinatown when I went and all I got were people running away from my camera...hahah
 
Jeff Mermelstein taught the first intro to photography course I took at the ICP about 10 years ago. At that time he was using Canon T90s and FD lenses for his commercial work, and a very nice LHSA M6 with 28mm and 35mm lenses for his personal work. The joy he displayed in using that M6 makes it hard for me to imagine he'd give it up entirely.

He told me once that it sometimes gets his adrenaline pumping when a subject on the street gets angry and accosts him. But he keeps smiling and doesn't argue, and he's never been beaten up yet. 😉

::Ari
 
Mermelstein's work is great. I especially like No Title Here, which I bought on a whim as a remainder. One of the few books that I go back to again and again. Highly recommended.

Sure you can say "I can't do pictures like that here in my town" but I'm sure if Mermelstein (or Parr or Gilden) showed up and took some photos, they'd look about the same as his NYC photos. It can be done. Just depends how much confrontation you're willing to deal with.
 
Andy Kibber said:
Sure you can say "I can't do pictures like that here in my town" but I'm sure if Mermelstein (or Parr or Gilden) showed up and took some photos, they'd look about the same as his NYC photos. It can be done. Just depends how much confrontation you're willing to deal with.
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I guess you're right. I have opened a discussion about stealthy street shooting techniques in this thread, and apart from seriously good advice, I also recveived harsh criticism.

My summary of my experimentation: It's not entirely about technique, but in part also about psychology. Once you actually start shooting, you gain confidence. The more confidence you have, the more others will perceive what you do as completely natural.

I started out hiding my shooting activity and now, I increasingly do it in a more open way. What made the difference - it's being confident.

In the last two weeks, I took about 1200 shots on the Munich Oktoberfest, out of which about 500 were proper stealth shots. The rest was open photography.

Did people mind? Most didn't. Out of the approximately 700 potentially problematic situations, I had just one person ask me to delete the picture I had taken of them (I'm glad it wasn't a keeper anyway).

Does it help to be 'street wise'? It sure does. I know my ways around fairs, and I know which people or folks in certain situations might react angrily when photographed. Thus I avoid shooting them.
 
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What makes me wonder is if this video had not been uploaded on youtube, would Jeff still be famous. Not to mention had it not been for that video of Gilden on youtube would he still be so famous etc...


I bet a lot of money that anyone who makes a decent video of how they shoot and in the process they say abstract things about photography will be famous -of course as long as they create a blog and a gallery along with it.
 
ebino said:
What makes me wonder is if this video had not been uploaded on youtube, would Jeff still be famous. Not to mention had it not been for that video of Gilden on youtube would he still be so famous etc...


I bet a lot of money that anyone who makes a decent video of how they shoot and in the process they say abstract things about photography will be famous -of course as long as they create a blog and a gallery along with it.
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Mermelstein and Gilden were published, working photographers long before YouTube. Gilden's been a member of Magnum for nearly a decade -- the most famous photo agency in the world! Magnum probably didn't bring him on because of an internet video.

I bet a lot of money that you could find hundreds or even thousands of videos on YouTube of unknown photographers talking about how they shoot and their deep thoughts about photography. A good chunk of them would have blogs and galleries too.
 
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