Nh3
Well-known
The first day I picked up my camera and went for street photography, I was petrified. I had my Nikon F80 and I went early morning to Downtown Toronto. The skyline was hazy and light was pretty boring but I went anyway. Not many people were on the street but I took out of my camera and started shooting. But at the same time I was feeling incredibly self-conscious and afraid that I will be approached by someone... Anyway, my pictures from that day were all terrible and I actually hated the experience. I thought that pictures are not worth putting oneself through such an uncomfortable situation... I also felt let down by myself.
Sometime passed and then there was a Jazz festival in Toronto so I decided to go there with my camera and take some photos. I was also aware that I'll feel self-conscious again and might hate the experience but I decided to go anyway. Again i took my Nikon F80 with me and this time a Digital P&S as well... I reached the stretch of the road where the festival was held and went and sat there waiting for music performances to start. I had not even taken out my camera out of the bag yet. Once again I was self-conscious. I sat for sometime and then decided to drink a shot of espresso; I bought the espresso and sat outside of the cafe watching people walk by. As I sat there I realized that I'm truly pathetic and a coward. I thought about how I sit there thinking about all these images that I have in my head and capturing them, I thought about how I read and study the old masters and yet I’m so useless when it actually comes to taking photos... Well, there and then like one of those 80's sports movies I suddenly got psyched up and said 'screw this!' took out the camera out of the bag and stood up, a girl from the cafe was standing outside and giving samples of a new drink, she was really cute so I said can I take your picture, she said yes and I took a single picture of her, thanked her and walked on.
Then I started shooting like I was possessed. I would go right were musicians were performing and take their pictures, and photograph anything that I felt drawn to. Soon I was making people stop and pose for me. I run out of film so I took out the digital P&S and started taking photos. That night I came home at 3am and I was totally exhausted yet euphoric. The pictures from that day were not great but they have great emotional and sentimental value for me because that was the day that I overcame my fear and took the plunge.
Anyway, now I can go downtown during rush hour and photograph people point blank. That’s not my favorite type of photography but just because I can, it gives me a lot of confidence... I also have no fear of 'authorities', let them stop me. What they're going to do really? Intimidate, check my id, ask stupid questions, delete my photos, there is nothing they can do because I know my rights, I know what I should and should not photograph and I’m not a criminal or a terrorist or a pedophile so I have nothing to fear... even if they stop me I'll go to the same place again and finally they'll get used to me.
Anyway, the reason I posted this thread was to encourage you all to go out and shoot and deal with the consequences later. Fearlessness is essential to a photographer. And even if you're not fearless, like me learn to pretend and act fearless, trust me it works.
Go and stake your claim on the streets, the more photographers are out there the more people will get used to them and the same applies to the powers that be.
Cheers,
Edit: the title should be how I overcame self-consciousness... opps.
Sometime passed and then there was a Jazz festival in Toronto so I decided to go there with my camera and take some photos. I was also aware that I'll feel self-conscious again and might hate the experience but I decided to go anyway. Again i took my Nikon F80 with me and this time a Digital P&S as well... I reached the stretch of the road where the festival was held and went and sat there waiting for music performances to start. I had not even taken out my camera out of the bag yet. Once again I was self-conscious. I sat for sometime and then decided to drink a shot of espresso; I bought the espresso and sat outside of the cafe watching people walk by. As I sat there I realized that I'm truly pathetic and a coward. I thought about how I sit there thinking about all these images that I have in my head and capturing them, I thought about how I read and study the old masters and yet I’m so useless when it actually comes to taking photos... Well, there and then like one of those 80's sports movies I suddenly got psyched up and said 'screw this!' took out the camera out of the bag and stood up, a girl from the cafe was standing outside and giving samples of a new drink, she was really cute so I said can I take your picture, she said yes and I took a single picture of her, thanked her and walked on.
Then I started shooting like I was possessed. I would go right were musicians were performing and take their pictures, and photograph anything that I felt drawn to. Soon I was making people stop and pose for me. I run out of film so I took out the digital P&S and started taking photos. That night I came home at 3am and I was totally exhausted yet euphoric. The pictures from that day were not great but they have great emotional and sentimental value for me because that was the day that I overcame my fear and took the plunge.
Anyway, now I can go downtown during rush hour and photograph people point blank. That’s not my favorite type of photography but just because I can, it gives me a lot of confidence... I also have no fear of 'authorities', let them stop me. What they're going to do really? Intimidate, check my id, ask stupid questions, delete my photos, there is nothing they can do because I know my rights, I know what I should and should not photograph and I’m not a criminal or a terrorist or a pedophile so I have nothing to fear... even if they stop me I'll go to the same place again and finally they'll get used to me.
Anyway, the reason I posted this thread was to encourage you all to go out and shoot and deal with the consequences later. Fearlessness is essential to a photographer. And even if you're not fearless, like me learn to pretend and act fearless, trust me it works.
Go and stake your claim on the streets, the more photographers are out there the more people will get used to them and the same applies to the powers that be.
Cheers,
Edit: the title should be how I overcame self-consciousness... opps.
Last edited:
Rick Waldroup
Well-known
Good for you!!!
Sometimes all it takes is just getting off your butt and shooting, like you did.
I do a lot of street shooting and I use a combination of a candid style and sometimes I engage my subject head on. It works for me.
Sometimes all it takes is just getting off your butt and shooting, like you did.
I do a lot of street shooting and I use a combination of a candid style and sometimes I engage my subject head on. It works for me.
chikne
Well-known
Cool. Shoot first and ask later =)
dazedgonebye
Veteran
Drink heavily.
manfromh
I'm not there
I gotta get some of that magic esporesso.
Great story! Im usually very self-conscious aswell, but sometimes get those bursts of confidenece.
Or sometimes I just try to withdraw from the surroundings (get in the zone), and take pictures without paying attention to the people who are not in front of my camera. I guess listening to music while shooting would help, but I haven't tried that.
Great story! Im usually very self-conscious aswell, but sometimes get those bursts of confidenece.
Or sometimes I just try to withdraw from the surroundings (get in the zone), and take pictures without paying attention to the people who are not in front of my camera. I guess listening to music while shooting would help, but I haven't tried that.
anoldsock
Established
The way you put it, makes it really simple, stop over analyzing, and go do it. Great story.
FrankS
Registered User
Thanks for sharing. I feel similarly shy shooting on the street.
meltedARTS
parallax to the max
It helps if you dress like a ninja.
FrankS
Registered User
Think like a ninja, move like a ninja!
