Street photographer or voyeur?

When I'm 'caught' I just smile. Sometimes I say something incredibly witty like 'damn, you caught me' and grin sheepishly and move on. So far, nobody ever tried to stop me or wanted to see the photo or whatever.

But sometimes someone I want to photograph notices me too early. Then I usually do not make the picture; it's gone anyway.

I do not feel like I'm intruding: they're in public, usually don't notice me, and when they do I try to make it a nice little encounter -- not an intrusion.
 
Last edited:
In that situation, I might stop taking photos after someone objected, but barring imminent serious bodily harm, I would never delete a digital shot & would certainly never hand over film.

ampguy said:
My suggestion is if you've taken a candid photo, even legally and in public, and the person, or their parent/guardian kindly requests that you erase or delete the photo that you too, is to apologize and to give them the roll of film in your camera.
Click to expand...
 
ampguy said:
My suggestion is if you've taken a candid photo, even legally and in public, and the person, or their parent/guardian kindly requests that you erase or delete the photo that you too, is to apologize and to give them the roll of film in your camera.
Click to expand...

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.
 
ampguy said:
My suggestion is if you've taken a candid photo, even legally and in public, and the person, or their parent/guardian kindly requests that you erase or delete the photo that you too, is to apologize and to give them the roll of film in your camera.
Click to expand...

I will make a mental note that I will not publish the corresponding photograph. Why give up the film with up to 35 perfectly legitimate pictures? The only people who can make me hand out a film are policemen.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Mike I agree with you. If I am 'busted' I smile and say hello. Nine times out of ten that results in a happy encounter.
 
Depends on whether the photo is worth taking.

I'm not sure why you feel that photography = intrusion. Just because someone notices you taking a photo doesn't mean they object or feel threatened. Often, people start smiling or mugging for the camera (e.g., Japanese & other E. Asian tourists often throw the peace sign), which can also ruin or improve a photo, depending on the situation.

Jamie Pillers said:
How do you react when someone on the street catches you taking their picture? Do you lower the camera and move on, or take it anyway?

And how do you react when you see the final image? Excited? Proud? Or do you sometimes feel like me... wondering why I'm intruding on people's lives and making a spectacle of them here on the web?

Apropos these thoughts, check out the "W/NW The Look" thread I just started.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
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
 
Trust me Jamie, the future is going to know what Oakland and Berlin in 2011 looked like, without you and Arjay harrassing a lot of innocent folks trying to just live their lives.
 
ampguy said:
Trust me Jamie, the future is going to know what Oakland and Berlin in 2011 looked like, without you and Arjay harrassing a lot of innocent folks trying to just live their lives.
Click to expand...

Largely because other people have been 'harrassing a lot of innocent folks trying to just live their lives'.

Why the automatic assumption that street photography = harassment?

Cheers,

R.
 
Only if Arjay and I get out there and blast away! :) We owe much of our knowledge of 20th century life to all those street photographers that have gone before us. :)
 
As the kids say: Word.

Is every person on the street now Princess Diana being chased by paparazzi? Puh-leeze.

Roger Hicks said:
Largely because other people have been 'harrassing a lot of innocent folks trying to just live their lives'.

Why the automatic assumption that street photography = harassment?

Cheers,

R.
Click to expand...
 
For me pictures where I've been spotted don't make it. I prefer candid, unnoticed, best of all something I hadn't noticed, a surprise!

As for voyeurism, I can't deny it, so I live with it. Some opportunities I choose to let go on the basis that this particular situation I shouldn't intrude on.

Just my two p's worth.
 
It depends on the situation. People making a spectacle of themselves on a city street looking for attention? I will photograph right up in their face. People just minding their business? I'll probably do it on the DL or not at all. However, generally I just don't like feeling uncomfortable. If I feel uncomfortable, I probably shouldn't be making the photo. That said, sometimes you have to get over this and just make the photo. It depends on the day, the moment, the person, the part of town, etc.
 
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.

Roger Hicks said:
Largely because other people have been 'harrassing a lot of innocent folks trying to just live their lives'.

Why the automatic assumption that street photography = harassment?

Cheers,

R.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
What Roger said above: your choice. If you feel like a voyeur, that is what you will project through expression and body language and that is then what you will be perceived as. Feel confident about what you do, and you will seem natural and confident to others.

+1 for
a smile and a nod goes a long way.
Click to expand...
As to
if someone doesn't want you to photograph them, why harass them and take it anyways? Is that art?
Click to expand...
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?

- N.
 
jsrockit said:
It depends on the situation. People making a spectacle of themselves on a city street looking for attention? I will photograph right up in their face. People just minding their business? I'll probably do it on the DL or not at all. However, generally I just don't like feeling uncomfortable. If I feel uncomfortable, I probably shouldn't be making the photo. That said, sometimes you have to get over this and just make the photo. It depends on the day, the moment, the person, the part of town, etc.
Click to expand...

Spot on! You really have to feel the situation out and just be as fluid as possible...its not easy that's for sure. I've had run ins with people from time to time never gave up anything, the roll of film or digital....I'll sometimes say I wasn't taking a photograph of you or make up something. I think its easiest in more crowded situations where you can blend in pretty easy. Its when there is not many people around can get tricky and you just have to go with your feel. I've photographed on the train not easy but you just have to work fast and be very decisive. Sometimes I lift to the camera to my eye make the picture put the camera down and not advance the film that can work.... Or just shoot from the hip always fun and unpredictable. Oh I've also had run ins with people when I wasn't even photographing people that's a whole other story.....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom