Share your secrets for being "invisible"

[Bosk]

I'm keen on doing more street photography in the future, but have so far found it to be very challenging. Sometimes the hardest part can be remaining inconspicuous to your subject, while still getting the shot.

So how do you go about being 'invisible'?

What's worked best for me so far is strolling up to a point close to the subject and pretending I'm trying to shoot an object parallel to them, then quickly focusing on their face when their back is turned or they look away, and finally having the shot properly framed and ready to shoot for when they turn their head back in my direction.

It's not a bad technique, but I'm very keen to learn other "stealth photography" tricks. 😎

 

[BrianShaw]

I borrow Harry Potter's invisibility cloak. Try it... it really works! 😉

 

[reub2000]

I usually try to get shots of people doing something that would distract them. Something like reading.

 

[dostacos]

I weigh 350 pounds and sit in a bright yellow wheelchair....ah what was the question again?

 

[Crasis]

Much as you would do with a wild animal, no sudden movements. Every movement must be precise, with a purpose, and most of all CALM!

If you look calm, nobody will care. At least, that's what I've found.

Also.. DO NOT dress like a ninja! Surprisingly enough, ninjas are noticed in todays society of.. well.. non ninjas. 🙂

 

[sfaust]

What's worked best for me so far is strolling up to a point close to the subject and pretending I'm trying to shoot an object parallel to them, then quickly focusing on their face when their back is turned or they look away, and finally

I basically do the same, and it works well. If they do spot you, take a couple steps right or left and re-frame on an object to one side. They usually think you are trying to shoot around them, and most will move out of your way 🙂.

I also do a lot of shooting where people are walking right toward you. Same principal works. Pretend like you are focusing on an object behind them. You can get a lot of shots with people looking right at you this way, and it adds to the shot.

 

[JoeFriday]

I'll agree with what Crasis says.. especially the ninja part.. I can't tell you how often I see ninjas at the grocery store or library

actually, the trick to being invisible is to just stick around and do nothing.. if you sit down on a park bench with a book, people will forget you're there after 10 minutes.. that's when you can start discretely snapping.. but do it very casually

another trick is to not look directly at your 'victims'.. focus on something the same distance away, or scale focus.. then casually pick up the camera and bring it to your eye while aiming at something else.. then just pan their direction and get the shot and keep moving the camera past once if they're glancing your direction.. if you don't make eye contact, they go back to what they were doing

 

[back alley]

i tried that cloak of invisibilty but my zeiss ikon made too damn much noise when i hit the shutter button and birds flew off startled and people started to stare at nothing.

joe 😉

 

[ddutchison]

I firmly believe that invisibility is a frame of mind.

actually trying to be stealthy may work for some but not for me. I find any attempt to be furtive in a public place seems to draw attention like crazy, especially in these hyper paranoid times. It certainly makes me feel uncomfortable, which is a serious distraction from the task at hand.

What I do find that works is simply behaving as if whatever I happen to be doing - no matter how out of the ordinary it might really be -is in fact the most natural and mundane thing in the world. Really, no no one seems to give me a second thought. Our culture has a strong inbred tendency to politely ignore any unusual behavior in others if it's non-threatening.

Also, dress slightly poorly, and above all else, blandly - some sacrifices do have to be made 😉

 

[MinorTones]

You need to be confident, nobody with a camera is ever invisible. Some people notice you and some don't.

I just act like I belong there with a camera to my eye and ignore the looks cuz i have a camera to my face.

It took me a while to get over feeling strange just taking random pictures of people, but when I had deadlines and a job on the line I got my act together.

Confidence is key really

-Mitch

 

[ErnestoJL]

Secrets for invisibility.... hummmmm
Most of them have been described in previous posts, however I think the most important thing you have to do is to have the camera prefocused (or scale focus @ f8) and exposure pre set to an acceptable value (B&W). If you want more, then a black camera may help also, but the most important thing is a quiet camera, one that doesn´t make birds fly when you shoot. And act naturally.

Ernesto

 

[wlewisiii]

If you look like you belong where you are and act like you are doing what you are supposed to be doing, 99% of the time people will ignore you. That's all it ever is. Confidence and hyperfocal technique can help, but sheer chutzpah is what will carry the day. If someone asks what you're doing ask them to pose 🙂 and I'll bet they will.

William

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

You cannot be invisible, and you do not want to 'steal' photos by sneaking up on people.

Have the camera set up just right, either adjust the exposure now (the light is not going to change in the next thirty minutes) or put it on 'A', and have the lens pre-focussed.

Then photgraph people smoothly, calmly and with confidence as if it's the most natural thing in the world. Smile, and say Thank You and move on, or continue as you wish. If they shake their head to say "No" just mouth "OK" smile and move on.

The exposure and focus do not need to be 100%.

When people say to me "Are you from the newspaper" (or similar) I reply "No, I'm a photographer" and carry on, they look a bit confused but don't feel threatened.

Smile, act confident.

Another thing, when you arrive someplace don't start taking photographs straight away. Walk through the area, have a coffee, read a newspaper, have your camera clearly visible and look like you are a normal person enjoying the day. You will be noticed and people will 'know' you later.

And just one camera, one lens and no fiddling with the controls and framing / reframing fiddling about. No camera bag, no photographers' vest. Spare film stuffed in a pocket. Keep it simple.

Start off with people 'on display'. Street market traders, newspaper sellers, street food sellers, street musicians and the like. Steer clear of people whose activities may be illegal or borderline. Construction workers who may be working illegally for example.

And go alone, any companion will drive you nuts saying "Take a picture of that guy" every few seconds.

 

[IGMeanwell]

You could always do the Walker Evans subway concealed camera with cable release..

personally I literally have a cloak of invisibility; I will not reveal the source of my purchase... only that the location was roughly in the Groom Lake vicinity

I figured that was the only real way to get people to look absolutely natural.

The only problem is that the camera has to be under the cloak for it to be invisible too, so I had to cut a whole just big enough for the front of the lens... so you aren't entirely invisible

plus the camera is audible... so I guess in essence I should have save my money on the cloak and purchase more lenses or something

The moral of the story your never entirely invisible; not being noticed is pretty much based on how well the person your taking a picture of can ignore you.

This fleeting story was brought to us by Amp energy drinks... because sleep is for the weak

 

[thafred]

I´m also starting out as a street photographer and fro my limited experience I agree with the above said

I just want to add that the thing that works best for me when shooting street is to "disarm you with a smile"
A lot of times I am unnoticed just by luck und often somebody else than the subject taken sees me but more than few just laugh when they see me taking a picture of a situation because I laugh (ok maybe the people take me as a looney but I had only very few complains 😉
when the subject I photograph notices they smile into the camera as a reflex alot of times (never recorded any because when they do I´ve taken the pic already)
a positive attitude is worth alot on the street imho.

 

[Stephan]

Much as you would do with a wild animal, no sudden movements. Every movement must be precise, with a purpose, and most of all CALM!

If you look calm, nobody will care. At least, that's what I've found.

Also.. DO NOT dress like a ninja! Surprisingly enough, ninjas are noticed in todays society of.. well.. non ninjas. 🙂

That's what works for me too. I've found one other technique which I find is the very best: take a wingman along and keep talking, if you're having a chat you can put a camera 20 cm from people's faces and just act like nothing has happened, no one will believe you've taken a picture 😀

Here's an example, taking with a canon 300D I'm afraid, but with the kit lens set to 18mm, so about 28mm equivalent:

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Search here for 'Chris Weeks'. There was a big discussion a few weeks back about his online book on street photography.

 

[rover]

A lot of good thoughts,

My main one would be to not try to be invisible. Just go about the your business undistracted and concentrate on making great exposures. If you get caught or make eye contact, a smile, nod and tip of the camera in a way of saying, "May I?" works most of the time.

The other times fire the shutter after the nod without bringing the camera to your eye.

 

[Sparrow]

A lot of good thoughts,

My main one would be to not try to be invisible. Just go about the your business undistracted and concentrate on making great exposures. If you get caught or make eye contact, a smile, nod and tip of the camera in a way of saying, "May I?" works most of the time.

The other times fire the shutter after the nod without bringing the camera to your eye.

Yep, and that still works when its you that’s the alien, try being the invisible white guy in Kenya

 

[FPjohn]

Obvious

Obvious

Hello:

If you are in full view* with a camera and seem to know what you are doing people will assent to having photographs taken. I try to take photographs only of people who tacidly known they are subjects. A small black camera helps.

yours
Frank

* Rover and others have also, above, made this point.