Night Street Photography Challenges (e.g., …am I gonna get shot?)

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Mr_Toad

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Hi, All,

I’ve read loads-o-threads about the interpersonal and legal challenges that photographers experience in shooting street subjects, especially in the urban jungle.

May I ask RFF’ers for their experiences, thoughts, advice on street photography at night? 😕

Decades ago, I learned people have a far more negative reaction at night, when being photographed by a stranger. Is it even worse in today’s troubled times?

Thank you for your thoughts,

Robt.
 
hey Rob

I'd say the biggest factor is where you live, city and neighbourhood. The second is your attitude, or how you come across to others.

I assume you know your backyard pretty well, so only you know where's the best place to hang out, the times, when it's time to leave or how much "risk" you're willing to take in a certain area.

The other is a personal thing and one that's difficult because you're dealing with strangers most often and the default attitude today seems to be suspicion. I'm still working on this but you have to look like you know what you're doing, appear confident, non confrontational. Realize you're doing something a little odd, when I attract some curious looks I usually smile or chat, be ready to answer quickly to questions like "what are you doing, what for, why are you here, where will this end up" etc



To share my personal experience, I'm lucky to live in a pretty safe city. I can go out pretty any time of day or night and don't feel particularly threatened (but also, I'm white, speak the language fluently with no accent so...). On the other hand people in my town tend to be very reserved, sometimes distant, lots of raised hands and frowns, rarely a real confrontation though so that's my challenge.

Hope this helps
 
Hey Rob,

I'm kind of new to street photography (returning to photography after a bunch of years away)and used to live in Salt Lake. I'm in Sacramento now and have some of the same questions you do.

Here's what I've come down to - but still subject to change as I grow. I think the availability and suitability of a particular area probably are effected by the presence/absence of night-life and legal/illegal activity. In other words (just me thinking here) if there is a legitimate legal reason to expect some level of civilized activity in an area then you'll probably be safe. So for instance if you're in Sugar House or the 9th & 9th area, and there's still a place open to get coffee and the nightlife is still churning - I'd feel good.
But if you're down by the rescue mission at 3am or someplace in West Valley at 4am... Maybe not so much.
You want people with character - not necessarily people with warrants. =)

Again - my opinion - those of us that live in "quiet sleepy towns" are at a slight disadvantage. Absent a healthy vibrant nightlife, maybe what we're left to shoot may be thugs and vagrants. Partly kidding.

The other piece is how much you personally are "plugged in" with a particular sub-culture. As an old guy there are probably places that I wouldn't feel comfortable that my 25 year old son would feel just fine. I'd be afraid they take my crappy looking M2, and he'd be fine with his 5d Mk3. Over time I hope to broaden my experience but I expect that its best (safest) not to make that jump too large or too fast.

One last thought - consider not going out alone. Take a shooting partner, or just a companion. Safety in numbers?
 
I agree with Lauffray, it all depends on where you live and the area where you are shooting. I do go out frequently in the spring and fall times to shoot at night because it gets darker sooner.

As long as you are aware of your surroundings and aren't confronting people Im sure you'd be fine.
 
Thanks everybody for your feedback!

Sonny's point about bringing a companion are in line with my plan...to bring my two friendly doggies (on a short leash), since they already go everywhere I go. Maybe they will distract folks while I get the pic.

Robt.
 
After considering location, consider time of night -- do you plan to shoot at 7pm or midnight? The former is probably more acceptable to the general public. But location does come first.
 
Night? Like real night? Or just at dark?

Places I visited mostly have zero people at night on the street, but few racoons.

kf-1-6.JPG


With exception of LV Strip, where it doesn't matter if day or night.
 
OP, I carry non lethal weapons.

I am also a very good stealth doc photog with 46 years experience.

nsfw

http://dewallenrld.tumblr.com/

But things still happen. Been socked in the jaw with my own cam, had flash broken off at the hotshoe, kicked, hit, stuff thrown at me, etc.

If your timid, shoot flowers or birds.

I'm 61, I can still shoot like hell.

nsfw

http://familyicp.tumblr.com/

First rock concert I went to in 40 years.
 
I began my night street photography this season by taking pictures of a young soap box preacher on an avenue crowded with folks wandering from bar to bar. I was by myself, and I didn't use a flash - just the High ISO settings on my Fuji X-T1.

The results weren't very interesting, but the process was fun, and no one was injured in the making of the pictures.
 
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