dim
Member
Something that might also help is a trick a friend told me:
Carry some of your photographs with you. In case you will be stopped you can explain, by showing them, what are you doing. The more "artistic" the best.
I don't do very much street photography but i had the same fears with you. An exercise i did was the following:
I had to shoot every ten steps. Never mind the framing, the composition, the focus, all the technical stuff. Just press the button every ten steps in something you see interesting. (You may also use the "hyperfocal distance", sorry i don't know the English translation from Greek, in order not to waste totally your film).
The first day i had to finish only one roll. The second two, the third three. Then mind about the technical stuff before the shot, while walking.
I've noticed that most of the people didn't care about me. Some gave me a look like saying "what a fool, what is he doing anyway?", but i was walking and didn't bother to ask me anything. I had no problems.
Something i've learned from this exercise was that, for me, the "eye contact" is crucial in order to understand if you can take the shot or not.
When too close try do "eye contact", look the "subject" in the eyes. Then you'll know what to do or not.
And always be fast. Not shoot and hide. Don't hide at all. Just be fast.
Let me also quote some HCB words that might be helpful to all us novice to street photography:
"..be there,
don't think,
forget yourself,
don't search..."
P.S. Also always have in mind that you don't do something "bad". If you do then is shows.
Hope it helps,
Dimitris
Carry some of your photographs with you. In case you will be stopped you can explain, by showing them, what are you doing. The more "artistic" the best.
I don't do very much street photography but i had the same fears with you. An exercise i did was the following:
I had to shoot every ten steps. Never mind the framing, the composition, the focus, all the technical stuff. Just press the button every ten steps in something you see interesting. (You may also use the "hyperfocal distance", sorry i don't know the English translation from Greek, in order not to waste totally your film).
The first day i had to finish only one roll. The second two, the third three. Then mind about the technical stuff before the shot, while walking.
I've noticed that most of the people didn't care about me. Some gave me a look like saying "what a fool, what is he doing anyway?", but i was walking and didn't bother to ask me anything. I had no problems.
Something i've learned from this exercise was that, for me, the "eye contact" is crucial in order to understand if you can take the shot or not.
When too close try do "eye contact", look the "subject" in the eyes. Then you'll know what to do or not.
And always be fast. Not shoot and hide. Don't hide at all. Just be fast.
Let me also quote some HCB words that might be helpful to all us novice to street photography:
"..be there,
don't think,
forget yourself,
don't search..."
P.S. Also always have in mind that you don't do something "bad". If you do then is shows.
Hope it helps,
Dimitris
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