Street photographer or voyeur?

[Roger Hicks]

again I am referring to taking photos of people who do not wish to be photographed, and aware that they are, and give some indication.

Sure, and I can only think of one tine I did it, about 35 years ago with somene selling the Socialist Worker on the streets of Bristol. He was so in-your-face that I couldn't resist returning the compliment. He was really pissed off. Tough.

Likewise, if someone complains afterwards, like the loony bat out of hell who descended from a caravan to ask in banshee tones if I was photographing 'her property', I point out that taking pictures in public is perfectly legal. In her case I also pointed out that I couldn't tell what was 'her property' anyway. Actually, the very corner of what may have been her car was in the corner of my pic (of the central facilities at a municipally-owned rural French caravan site, for a travel site -- her caravan certainly wasn't in shot) but we are not obliged to temper our lives to suit the mentally ill. I doubt it's happened ten times in ten years, and usually, I won't publish the picture.

I will however give more than a nod to ndnik's Yes sometimes that is how art is made. A lot of art is social commentary that is not flattering to many of its targets. Also think of political theater, cabaret, and comedy. Remember Spitting Image in the UK? The Daily Show in the US these days?

Cheers,

R.

 

[Tompas]

(...) people who do not wish to be photographed, and aware that they are, and give some indication.

Such people would not make interesting subjects anyway, would they?

 

[kbg32]

You have to be a bit of both.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Nicely stated.

 

[xxloverxx]

If me being noticed ruins the photo, I stop. Otherwise, I carry on. Thinking too much distracts me.

 

[GSNfan]

It is very simple, if you feel what you're doing is wrong, invasion of privacy, whatever you call it then don't do it because that doubt and hesitation will show in your face and body language, making people feel nervous and suspicious because they'll smell the lack of confidence and doubt in you from a mile away.

There is nothing ethically wrong with street photography as long as its done with "good will".

 

[surfer dude]

Better yet just hand them your entire camera, give up photography. Write poetry as a creative outlet. Nice poems - about birds and love and stuff. Never make anyone feel uncomfortable again.

Chris - best comeback to a ridiculous comment I've heard in a long time!

Shouldn't we first be asking ourselves why we are interested in doing street photography in the first place? If it is because we want to perve or make people uncomfortable, then we really should be questioning our motives and trying to be a better person.

However most people don't do it for that reason. Therefore, what is the reason? Jamie a few posts above said

This is always the moment that I hope to avoid. But when it happens I try to pull out the "sense of humor" and, if it seems like they REALLY want a serious explanation, a brief description of my 'project' (often made-up on the fly). But in the end, I suppose I'm the type that gives in and deletes the image. If I'm using film, I offer to send them the negative. At this point I've never had anyone ask for the entire roll... yet. :-o

Why would you be out shooting people in the street and have to make up a reason for doing so? Why not go out to shoot once you have a good reason to do so. Now the reason doesn't have to be for the benefit of humanity - perhaps you need some people shots to balance your portfolio or perhaps you really want to accomplish an aspect of photography that you find difficult. Whatever. My own basic ethical consideration would be that I am out there taking photographs for a reason and am prepared to be honest and forthright about that to people who may become my subjects. Why else would I be there?

The only other thing I'd add is that sometimes we all feel inertia about dealing with people, and if that happens to be the case it is perhaps best not to be out there doing street photography. Wait until the mojo is back.

 

[Lax Jought]

28mm: street photographer
85-200mm zoom: voyeur 🙂

haha I like this philosophy.

 

[sig]

Sometimes it is also useful to ask yourself 'If the person on the other side of the camera was my wife, mother, father, husband, kid, myself would I like that this photo was taken?'

 

[Arjay]

I think some of you guys have very strange ideas of what street photography is about.

I never found it a worth while pursuit to photograph people in embarassing situations.

 

[Sparrow]

I think some of you guys have very strange ideas of what street photography is about.

I never found it a worth while pursuit to photograph people in embarassing situations.

Really!!

 

[Roger Hicks]

Sometimes it is also useful to ask yourself 'If the person on the other side of the camera was my wife, mother, father, husband, kid, myself would I like that this photo was taken?'

...and if not, what are they doing in public? And what is your objection?

We all look silly sometimes. The chances of being photographed are minimal, but if it happens, all you can do is shrug and smile. I literally cannot imagine saying "You can't take my picture {or that of any relative]", though perhaps if e.g. I had just had a motorcycle accident and was lying in a pool of blood I'd be a bit pissed off if someone tried to take my picure instead of helping. Or maybe I wouldn't: maybe their 'help' would be as deficient as their personality.

What does anyone lose by being photographed? This whole issue seems to me to smack of a juju box stealing your soul.

EDIT: And if the copper above couldn't laugh at that picture, he shouldn't be a coppper!

Cheers,

R.

 

[Arjay]

Hehe, that's a good one, Stewart! Funny, but IMO not really embarrassing.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

<cheeky>
I think that everything should be made illegal, just to avoid the off-chance that anything might offend someone.
</cheeky>

 

[Sparrow]

Copper standing outside a sex-shop, is just asking for it I really ... and if folk are being embarrassing, well its hardly my fault

 

[sig]

...and if not, what are they doing in public? And what is your objection?

We all look silly sometimes. The chances of being photographed are minimal, but if it happens, all you can do is shrug and smile. I literally cannot imagine saying "You can't take my picture {or that of any relative]", though perhaps if e.g. I had just had a motorcycle accident and was lying in a pool of blood I'd be a bit pissed off if someone tried to take my picure instead of helping. Or maybe I wouldn't: maybe their 'help' would be as deficient as their personality.

What does anyone lose by being photographed? This whole issue seems to me to smack of a juju box stealing your soul.

EDIT: And if the copper above couldn't laugh at that picture, he shouldn't be a coppper!

Cheers,

R.

Roger, just my personal view.... I would not take a picture of a person drooling on the street because of a heart attack, because if that happened to me, my mother or in general everybody I would not like it to be photographed. You on the other hand feel differently, all the power to you.

Objective? None, it is just something I would not do. Feel free to call me crazy (Btw, what do all those crazy homeless people do in the public, they should not be there in the first place, why can they just not go home?).

 

[Sparrow]

Photographing the homeless eh, always a tricky one 😀

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

I've been asked by some homeless people to take their picture. I've never posted those photos, but some want to (have their photo taken). Most of them, of course, expect some sort of compensation, but there have been some who are apparently amused and do not even ask for anything.

Not everyone is the same. And not everyone should be treated the same way if that treatment is demeaning.

It is unfortunate that abuse of privileges lead to them being poster cases for banning them.

 

[sig]

I had no intention in changing this to a shooting the homeless tread, I believe that has been discussed a lot before.

All I wanted was to give my 2 cents about feeling comfortable about your street photography. And I feel comfortable when I can say to myself 'I would not mind it this photo was taken of me'....

 

[Keith]

I've never really been able to decide if shoving a camera in someone's face (figuratively speaking 😀) is a justifiable action ... whether it's the shooter's legal right or not. Because of this I have no real desire to indulge in street photography though I do appreciate it's merits when done with talent and a good eye ... which at least ninety percent of the time it isn't IMO.