Street Photography - A Lesson Learning

Street photography is definitely challenging, which is frustrating and also what's good about it. I'm motivated by the fact that my "hit" rate is very low, so if I want to get anything good I have to keep at it.

Spyro, thanks for sharing that link to Stan Raucher's work, I really enjoyed many of his shots.

When I first started shooting in the Metro I would only frame through the viewfinder when I was sure that my subject wouldn't notice me (sleeping, for example), though I got so many poorly framed throwaway shots that now I always look through the viewfinder. I do like it better this way, I feel more engaged (even if it means getting the occasional dirty look).

I agree that efficiency is key. The moment you hesitate is going to be the moment that someone notices you or the scene changes or that what you found so interesting is gone. There are a series of excellent YouTube videos of Jeff Mermelstein at work, and one thing he says I definitely take to heart: "You don't want to think too much, you just want to take pictures".

Simon, thanks for the excellent thoughts. I agree that part of the process is finding out what you're comfortable with. Situations on the street change so quickly and that is part of the thrill, as you said. You could be feeling uninspired or thinking about things going on at work or home or a million other distractions one minute, and then the next minute you see a great subject or situation or a really nice bit of light and everything changes.

Thanks for the kind words about my work, also - it's not where I want it to be, and I've taken a LOT of pictures to just get that small sample, but I think I'm "seeing" things well, which is a good thing. Half the battle I think is having your eyes open with the camera in your hand with the right settings appropriate for the light. Then, when things start to happen, you're ready to go.

I took a look at your RFF gallery and I really enjoy your work, also.
 
Land Sharking

Land Sharking

I always thought that street photographers who like to 'steal kisses' were creepy.

Sexual deviants who wear pointy hooded sweat shirts to cover their faces like the fin of a shark and come up from behind on a young lady to grope her and then swim on down the street are called 'land sharks'.

I love street photography. I only shoot where folks are comfortable with it, and almost always I introduce myself and strike a up a conversation with my subjects. Usually, I get a good show for my efforts, and most of all I get to meet some very interesting people.

I love people. I wouldn't have it any other way!
 
Maybe I am creepy. I'm okay with that. However, I don't do any leering, and I also don't do any groping as you suggest. I just try to make interesting pictures of people having candid moments in public. I find that most people I photograph don't notice, or if they do they don't care.

If you like to introduce yourself and speak to your subjects before shooting that's fine, more power to you! When you do that, you get a picture of someone who knows they're about to be photographed, which inevitably changes things in ways I find unappealing.
 
Hi 35mmdelux - I think you're right. That's my usual M.O. (shoot and move on) but sometimes with musicians, artists, preachers, etc. I will try to get more frames out of it (for one thing there are many more framing possibilities than with other types of subjects, and I've found that they usually won't mind).
 
Thanks for the read! I read interesting comments as well.

I find it helps to genuinely smile and not be stealthily at all. I also liked James Nachtwey in the film Christian Frey made about him, he simply went up to people and shook their hand before retreating and continuing photographing. Gary Winogrand kept nervously fiddling his M4 and people probably thought he was just test driving it, so no one was alarmed. Saw that in a YouTube clip.

Normally I make sure I look clean but am wearing an old military coat with some extra gear stashed in the pockets, a belt bag with expensive stuff for extra safety. At times, when the weather got hot, I simply carried two cameras in plain sight and left the old empty coat in a cafe or a restaurant. I returned later, asking for it. Since it's old nobody wants it and I always got it back.

The bit about trying to get out of your comfort zone and developing yourself as a street photographer is my greatest challenge when it comes to shooting street, Sometimes I cannot even begin to focus, compose and expose, because I'm too chicken to take the shot at all.

In the end I think work gets easier once people see you're not evading them, by looking at them, working close up etc.

Street shooters with long lenses are the real chickens, I keep telling myself 😉
 
Last edited:
A very intriguing read, indeed!

It's a proven recipe for any street-photographer; a friendly smile. Often it helps to make some pre-photo-contact, like a little smile, a small gesture. To use the words of Rene Burri;"The magic door will open"
The main reason I switched from a bulky digital D300 to an 'old school' M4p for street work is it's friendly appearance. When youre subject feels raided, it's bound to get ugly.
 
Last edited:
Bogotron said:
Hi 35mmdelux - I think you're right. That's my usual M.O. (shoot and move on) but sometimes with musicians, artists, preachers, etc. I will try to get more frames out of it (for one thing there are many more framing possibilities than with other types of subjects, and I've found that they usually won't mind).
Click to expand...

Yep, they are in public for a reason... to show off.
 
20090717010005_200707_01.jpg


20090717010425_200807_01.jpg


20090717005632_200702_01.jpg


20090717005320_200701_02.jpg


20090717004843_200612_08.jpg


20090717004658_200612_04.jpg


There were taken a couple of years ago but count me in among the creeps. Never looked in the finder - rarely even looked at the subject at the moment of exposure. Sometimes, going up in escalators (like picture #1), I just shot whoever was behind me, not knowing at all what I had captured until later. Makes me think of this quote by Magnum photographer Gueorgui Pinkhassov (from Magnum Stories):

"Good photos have come when I least controlled the situation. The process reminds me more of fishing than it does of shooting. I look through the lens; I create my composition – banal, boring. Get tired, get distracted – click and success. As though the photographic angels, upon whom it all depends, had begged, 'Don't look through the lens, let us work in peace.' Sometimes I have not even recognized my own photographs."
 
I sometimes ask "Do you mind ? ".
It always seems to work.
Nobody has said no ,as yet.
Othertimes I shoot from the chest but I never like the result.
 
I'm no photographer but I'd like to share this story with you guys. Let me know your thoughts.

6 months ago, whilst coming back from London, I was on my way to St. Pancras from North London using undergound/train. Anyway, it wasn't very busy that evening. I saw this woman crying - i could see her eyes filled with tears. I felt really really bad. For a moment I thought I'd go as she was just 2-3 yards away from me and ask her if I could help in any way. But then I thought may be she lost someone close quite recently and had some very bad news. The death of someone can make you that kind of sad, especially of that nature.

Did I do the right thing?

As a photographer would you take photo of such a person?
 
I try to look obviously past the people I am actually photographing. Most are oblivious or are convinced I am shooting something in the distance. Others apologize for getting in the way. I always say, "No, no, thank you, you're not in my way," and they keep walking or doing what they otherwise were doing.
This tells me that I own a countenance that is either very intimidating, or utterly harmless ... 🙂
 
I'm physically unable ot walk great distances, nor am I skilled enough to walk, frame, compose and shoot quickly, and come up with a great image. But I do believe I have captured some decent street photos (posted on my site). Here's what I do:

1) I scout a location were there is a "buzz" just waiting to be captured on film.

2) I pick an unobtrusive spot -- not in the center of that buzz, but not too far from it. I usuallly shoot with a 35mm lens but sometimes a 50mm.

3) I stay at that spot for some time (10-20 minutes), checking light and exposure, undestanding the foot traffic, etc... until I am no longer outside the street scene, but part of it.

4) As a former basketball player, I am very confident in marking a 15-ft distance. I also know what kind of DOF I have to work with at given apertures for a 35mm and a 50mm. So one technique I use is to manually "trap focus" at 15 ft.

5) I start shooting. At this point, since I'm already pretty much part of the scene, no one pays me any attention.

The above takes a while and requires some patiet. it's not for everyone, and I am NOT saying it's the only way or the best way... but it is MY way.
 
Last edited:
Hey Bogotron, thanks for the great read. Based on your portfolio I would say you have nothing to be discouraged about. I think what is important is that we do what we are comfortable with. Like buzzardkid said, there is James Nachtwey who always has a connection, and interacts with his subjects, and Garry Winogrand who looks like a nervous wreck when hes shooting (at least in the youtube videos). They both come up with excellent photographs, with two totally different techniques. So next time someone says something that bothers you, use the Bruce Gilden method: tell them they dont own the street, and keep going.
 
Jaques H said:
Please do not change default colors for text.

Jaques
Please clarify: I wrote the message in a word processor (black text on white background) and copy&pasted to the reply frame; then changed the colour of the text to white . If I had left it in black it would be almost impossible to read (I and many others use a black background).
Is there a recommended colour for the text ?? What is your sugestion ?
Thanks in advance
Joao
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Interesting techniques. I've employed the "looking past the subject" myself - I'll occasionally take my shot and then keep my eye in the VF for a moment as if there was something beyond them that held my interest. I guess it depends on the situation.

Looks like you and I occasionally have a similar workflow, kxl. I'll often do something similar to what you described around metro stops in the late afternoon, when there is both great light and a lot of people going in and out. Both a great time and a great place to shoot. Some very nice images you have on your photoblog.
 
kxl said:
I'm physically unable ot walk great distances, nor am I skilled enough to walk, frame, compose and shoot quickly, and come up with a great image. But I do believe I have captured some decent street photos (posted on my site). Here's what I do:

1) I scout a location were there is a "buzz" just waiting to be captured on film.

2) I pick an unobtrusive spot -- not in the center of that buzz, but not too far from it. I usuallly shoot with a 35mm lens but sometimes a 50mm.

3) I stay at that spot for some time (10-20 minutes), checking light and exposure, undestanding the foot traffic, etc... until I am no longer outside the street scene, but part of it.

4) As a former basketball player, I am very confident in marking a 15-ft distance. I also know what kind of DOF I have to work with at given apertures for a 35mm and a 50mm. So one technique I use is to manually "trap focus" at 15 ft.

5) I start shooting. At this point, since I'm already pretty much part of the scene, no one pays me any attention.

The above takes a while and requires some patiet. it's not for everyone, and I am NOT saying it's the only way or the best way... but it is MY way.
Click to expand...

I've been trying something similar lately as I think it works better for shooting in the single street downtown area of the local one horse city that I live near. Basically I find a place that's having a slow day and order a soda or a coffee then just sit there sipping my drink and watch and wait for an interesting situation to occur then try to capture it.
 
Bogotron said:
Interesting techniques. I've employed the "looking past the subject" myself - I'll occasionally take my shot and then keep my eye in the VF for a moment as if there was something beyond them that held my interest. I guess it depends on the situation.

Looks like you and I occasionally have a similar workflow, kxl. I'll often do something similar to what you described around metro stops in the late afternoon, when there is both great light and a lot of people going in and out. Both a great time and a great place to shoot. Some very nice images you have on your photoblog.
Click to expand...


Thanks. Same here: late afternoon, good foot traffic and good light (when the sun's not too harsh) is a recipe for a nice afternoon.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom