Discreet street photography with RF?

[varjag]

My guess is that some people don't like their photo to be taken simply because they see no convincing reason why they can be interesting to a casual stranger in his right mind. Thereby assuming that there's either something wrong with them (it is not unusual see people checking their clothes in such circumstance), or that the photographer is a weirdo 🙂

Having said that, my mode of work is very similar to what Bill has described. I never explain or ask a permission, not beforehand at least. But it is easy to notice that with bored or busy look people tend to recongize you less as a stranger and more like a person doing his job: not unlike roadworker or street sweeper.

 

[sleepyhead]

I guess I disagree with the "don't be sneaky / don't hide" philosophy - I think those are good rules for 95% of the time, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do to get a shot. Anyway, isn't shooting from the hip a bit sneaky?

HERE'S A VARIATION ON SHOOTING FROM THE HIP:

Something that I do on occasion in order to be discrete is to hold a small camera (like an Olympus XA) in the palm of my hand and to clasps my hands behind my back, as if out for a leisurely Sunday stroll. If I see something/somebody interesting I keep strolling past them. Then I pause with my back to them, but the camera pointed at them, and appear to be looking at something straight ahead of me, or at a shop window or whatever. Then I can take the picture (the XA also has the advantage that depression of the shutter button is imperceptible (less than a couple of millimeters throw). Then I either walk on and wind the film on once away, or bring my hands to my front, wind on, and put the camera back behind me. A big disadvantage of this method, of course, is that you can't choose your "decisive moment".

Another thing I did recently with my XA was to stand kinda rotated 180 degrees from my subject, hold the camera to my ear like a mobile phone and then rotate the 90 degrees towards the subject briefly in order to take the picture before rotating away again.

 

[bmattock]

Another thing I did recently with my XA was to stand kinda rotated 180 degrees from my subject, hold the camera to my ear like a mobile phone and then rotate the 90 degrees towards the subject briefly in order to take the picture before rotating away again.

I have done that with the XA, but recently found that the XA2, with it's zone focus, does a bit better job of that for me. The lens is slightly slower, but when you're shooting like that, you have to kinda go for a good DOF to make sure you capture the moment anyway, so f2.8 is pretty much out when shooting like that.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[bmattock]

Having said that, my mode of work is very similar to what Bill has described. I never explain or ask a permission, not beforehand at least. But it is easy to notice that with bored or busy look people tend to recongize you less as a stranger and more like a person doing his job: not unlike roadworker or street sweeper.

I entirely agree. One thing that dismays me about my post last night was that I was tired and apparently cranky - it may have come across that I am an 'in your face' sort of aggressive paparazzi or something. Not the case - as you described, I try to just keep moving, look like I know what I'm doing, give off the "Hey, I'm just doing my job" kinda vibe - and that tends to work well, just as you said.

If a person shoots me that unmistakable - "Don't take my photo" look then I don't. If I get a hairy eyeball from someone as I'm shooting them, the shot is probably blown anyway - but I'll put a 'sorry pal' look on my face anyway. Most people seem to accept that.

I mentioned the artist I had the run-in with because it made me mad - a painter who would deny a photographer the same freedoms she insists on for herself. Ironic.

And yes, I consider what I do to be 'art'. Maybe not good art, but that's a different discussion!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[simonankor]

After my experiences over the last week or so, I'd say... ride a bicycle! Certainly seems to make me invisible to car drivers! :bang:

Still looking for a camera I can carry with me while I'm working 🙂

 

[Little Prince]

Hey Vladhed made some great points. The Hawaiian shirt also souns fun. Maybe one can also try to hold their analog RFs at arms length as though looking at the LCD screen and taking the picture. It will be ridicolous if someone behind you looks at the sight though!

 

[Kin Lau]

my favorite lie is to say "i'm a student" or that i'm doing a project for a photo class. i can't help that i look like i'm in my 20s to most people so they just ASSUME i'm a student. it started because always asked if i was a student when they saw my camera. i just started saying yes. now, its a full-blown white lie.

It doesn't have to be a lie. You don't have to be in school to be a student, just consider yourself to be in a "online school" called RFF, and this month's assignment is "The letter A, and furniture". I think many of us can honestly say that we're (still?) students of photography.