Funny thing happend on my photowalk yesterday

[ibcrewin]

Yesterday was pretty nice here in NYC. So I went for a lunch time walk down to Dag Hammerskjold plaza by the UN. Wednesday is farmers market day and there's an art installation right now.

So I walk around taking pics when this guy, who is eating lunch, says to me "are you taking a picture of us?". To which I reply " No, you're not that interesting!" With a smile of course. Then I approach them and say I'm taking pictures of these statues. (statue sitting on the bench next to them). So he's obviously uneasy at this point, and I start talking to him about the art, where he's from, where he works. It's funny. I would have known waaay less about him if he didn't speak up!

This kind of gave me a new perspective of street photography. Actually engaging in your subject after taking their picture. I might be getting punched if i'm not careful, but it sure gives me a new found confidence. I have 18 shots left on the roll before I develop it, but I'll be sure to post them when I get to them!

 

[Thardy]

Did you get more portraits after engaging him in conversation?

 

[ibcrewin]

You know, I didn't. I was on my way back to the office and I was thinking that I should have!

 

[ddutchison]

So good to read a positive post about street photography for once.

 

[willie_901]

I enjoyed your report. Spring is a great time to get outside and mingle.

When Winogrand was asked how he responded when subjects asked: "are you taking a picture of me? ", he replied something to the effect of "By the time they ask it's usually over." In a video a group of people asked him what he was doing (he was obviously photographing them and others) and he said something about, "I'm just trying to survive."

This is quite different from Bruce Gilden's typical responses.

 

[menos]

This is a very nice thing to do.
Only a few days ago, it happened to me, that I got a shot, I would have never taken, if I would not have been approached by an old man, sitting right next to my actual subject of interest.

I have been interested in a group of people, spending some time in the morning sun light next to him - the shots, I envisioned didn't turn out, the way, I wanted, but I got him. In the talking (a friend helped with that as of my poor Chinese), he expressed interest in getting his portrait, unfortunately, it turned out, he doesn't even have an address.
I made prints and plan, to find him, when I get back to this alley way. It is strange - it somehow seems important to me.

I find getting engaged with the subject after the shot very important. It not only gives you a story around the scene/ subject, but can give something back for what you took.

 

[dll927]

I remember one time when I was strolling around taking pictures at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles. There was a children's playground in one section, and when I was walking around, here comes this hag that tells me she doesn't want me taking pictures of her kid. As if I knew which one was hers!! I informed her I wasn't interested.

I suppose nowadays the sheer number of people carrying cameras puts a lot of people on edge. We probably in some circumstances have to watch which way we point the thing, especially if it's anything more than a 'point & shoot'.

 

[back alley]

anyone watch 'castle'?
it's a t.v. show about a writer that follows these cops around so that he can be inspired for his next book. (a comedy)...anyway...he sometimes wears a bullet proof vest that says 'writer' on it (as opposed to 'police')...maybe we should get some that say 'photographer' on them and maybe the over-protective moms out there will leave us alone...

 

[greyelm]

Will one of these do?

http://photographernotaterrorist.org/shop/

 

[Snowbuzz]

This is nice to hear. People love to have their pictures taken in Jamaica. Here's one that turned out to be a portrait! And yes, everyone got a print. 😉

 

[Keith]

anyone watch 'castle'?
it's a t.v. show about a writer that follows these cops around so that he can be inspired for his next book. (a comedy)...anyway...he sometimes wears a bullet proof vest that says 'writer' on it (as opposed to 'police')...maybe we should get some that say 'photographer' on them and maybe the over-protective moms out there will leave us alone...

That show can go from being quite reasonable to being completely lame at times ... sometimes it just makes me cringe.

Beckett (Stana Katic) is pretty hot though! 😀

And she's a canuck! 😛

 

[35mmdelux]

Yesterday was pretty nice here in NYC. So I went for a lunch time walk down to Dag Hammerskjold plaza by the UN. Wednesday is farmers market day and there's an art installation right now.

So I walk around taking pics when this guy, who is eating lunch, says to me "are you taking a picture of us?". To which I reply " No, you're not that interesting!" With a smile of course. Then I approach them and say I'm taking pictures of these statues. (statue sitting on the bench next to them). So he's obviously uneasy at this point, and I start talking to him about the art, where he's from, where he works. It's funny. I would have known waaay less about him if he didn't speak up!

This kind of gave me a new perspective of street photography. Actually engaging in your subject after taking their picture. I might be getting punched if i'm not careful, but it sure gives me a new found confidence. I have 18 shots left on the roll before I develop it, but I'll be sure to post them when I get to them!

I say take the snap and move on. Forget the therapy session.

 

[dfoo]

Personally I find it interesting to talk with all sorts of people on the street... its not like a zoo you know.

 

[MC JC86]

Personally I find it interesting to talk with all sorts of people on the street... its not like a zoo you know.

Definitely. Sometimes talking to someone will lead to a discussion that makes a photograph that wasn't that great by itself, somewhat interesting.

Rolleiflex Automat Tessar F/3.5 T
Tri-x @ 400 in D76

While walking around Lancaster, PA I passed this dude. He stopped me to talk about my Rolleiflex and Bessa, we talked for a bit and while doing so I snapped his picture.

It turns out he's homeless, oddly enough he had an F3HP with MD-4 and 28 f/3.5 in his bag. (shows how much the value of film some 35mm equipment has decreased 😉)

Again, wouldn't be anything without a bit of back story.

In general I find conversing with people makes me a lot more comfortable getting the shots I want, either at the time or later on down the road.

 

[RanceEric]

The funniest things happen on photo walks... Walking around Philadelphia after midnight for my 21st birthday, we narrowly escaped the path of a tranny fight on a side street! luckily I had my S3 in hand!

(funny how the lens flare was rainbow)

 

[nikon_sam]

On Monday I was working in Los Angeles and as always when I head out there I took a camera with me so I can go walk around downtown and look for something to shoot...
I was still in Union Station when this guy sees my Nikon and asks if it's a film camera...I say is there any other kind...we talk for a bit and he mentions that he normally carries a camera to shoot while walking around...an M6...I asked if he visits RFF and he said that he has but isn't a member...we talk a bit more and then I headed out...The End...

 

[Paolo Bonello]

I took a photo last week of a homeless guy / busker playing some strange looking instruments with lots of cables and sockets everywhere which were probably found on the street. he had drawn quite a crowd but when I was about to walk away he opened a pouch and pulled out a broken handycam and pretended to film me with the lens cap on. The ironic thing was that nobody really noticed that the music kept playing while he was pretend-filming me. Very funny scam I thought. I gave him the thumbs up and moved-on laughing to myself at the scam that I had just discovered.

 

[PCStudio]

Re : RanceEric [" Walking around Philadelphia after midnight " ]
Baltimore worst or better ? ;-

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Here is a "hands-free capture "
girls were positive - no pictures were taken 🙂))

 

[RanceEric]

Re : RanceEric [" Walking around Philadelphia after midnight " ]
Baltimore worst or better ? ;-

--------------------------------------

Here is a "hands-free capture "
girls were positive - no pictures were taken 🙂))

Hahaha.. all depends on what part of Philadelphia you're walking around.. This was in the "Gayborhood," so normally not a scary place to walk around after midnight.. wait.. I take that back.. It might be a scary place to walk aroundafter midnight, but normally not unsafe* 😉

Nice photo btw