street photography confrontation

I've had people say something to me twice. Once, at the remembrance day ceremony I actually was shooting for a school assignment (what're the odds?). I took a picture, this women burst through the crowd shouting at me asking if I had just taken a picture of her kids. I said yup, and just walked away.

Second time, I think I was about 14, it was within 3 weeks of owning my first "real" camera and I was taking pictures of a classic VW parked on a city street. The owner (a women, about 50) comes tearing out of her house and starts screaming at me about how I'm going to photoshop a bunch of naked girls driving
over one of the main bridges into downtown here. She was crazy, I assured her I wasn't going too and walked away.
 
stuken said:
The owner (a women, about 50) comes tearing out of her house and starts screaming at me about how I'm going to photoshop a bunch of naked girls driving over one of the main bridges into downtown here.
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Please post that picture... it sounds interesting! 😀
 
I've had more confrontations while actually being on assignment for a newspaper or client than I've had in street photography.
If someone got really bent out of shape I would just hand them my business card and say; "Call my editor. I've got to get back to work now."
So maybe carry around a business card from a fake magazine? 😀
 
I was confronted earlier this year while street shooting in San Francisco. I was standing outside a store (my wife was shopping inside), and framed three guys standing on the sidewalk a short distance away. Although I didn't press the shutter (it wouldn't have been a good shot) and turned the camera way, they took offense. I walked into the store, they followed, and demanded to know why I was taking their picture. I told them (truthfully), that I hadn't taken their picture, walked away, and they left the store.

On other occasions when I was confronted by only one person (there have been a few over the years) I've simply walked away. But I'm also working on my hip shooting and hyperfocal focus technique, so as not to be as noticed.

That said, I like the responses of Roger and MikeL above (although the line about trying out a new camera when you're shooting w/ a Canon P may strain credulity).
 
I'm in the Dave School

I'm in the Dave School

I always pass them a business card and try to promote my work. The shoe is quickly on the other foot and they go from agressive to passive. Nobody wants to be sold anything!
 
FrankS said:
It hasn't happened to me yet, but I worry about when it does.

Questions: "What are you doing? Why are you taking a picture of me? What are you going to do with my picture?"

Inappropriate answer: "I'm a photographic artist attempting to illuminate the human condition by capturing the sublime in the banal in a slice of life street scene that you happen to be an integral part of. If I get something good, I'll post it on the internet to share with my friends at RFF."

How do you/would you answer those specific questions if confronted by a somewhat angry/aggressive type who presses for answers?

"I am within my legal rights to do so," sounds rather defensive. I'm looking for a more positive spin that normal folks could understand and accept.

BTW, I'm 50 years old, so saying, "I'm a photo student at the college doing an assignment," doesn't fly.
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"I'm a photographer. This is what photographers do. By the way, would you mind signing this release?"
 
FrankS said:
... BTW, I'm 50 years old, so saying, "I'm a photo student at the college doing an assignment," doesn't fly.
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I'm 54, and I am a college student, often working on photo assignments. It works every time.
 
One thing that I pretty much try to do is carry your camera with you everywhere you go. People soon to come to know you as that guy about town with a camera. Use your camera to strike up conversations. I saw a guy washing his car at a car wash and walked up to him and commented on how nice his car was. Next thing you know I have a photograph and now he knows who I am. I have come to know some of the homeless the same way. I was uptown and this homeless dude wanted some change and I told him it would cost him a photograph(smiling at him the whole time). At first he said "hell no" but at the end I got my photograph and he got a dollar. Now I can get a photo any time I want one. A good idea that I stole(with a few additions of my own) but is a good one, is going uptown and making a portrait of the stores owner around it's environment. I think this would make a good photobook idea, (or blog) and be a way to preserve some of the towns history. Get to know people in the area you shoot and don't just be known as that stranger with a camera.
 
"did you just take my picture?"

"yes"

"why?"

"for art" or "it was an interesting moment" or "I'm sorry, I won't take another"

Having a contact - even if its just a very generic card with only a telephone or an email address, is a nice thing to offer, to show you're on the up and up.
 
I usually tell them I just like to have some people in my pictures.

sunglasses2.jpg


Or that I'm just checking out an old camera, which is often true.
 
FrankS said:
Best response so far is, "I'm jsut taking pictures," but what if the offended keeps pressing for answers. The best way to win a fight is to avoid it.

"What are you doing? Why are you taking a picture of me? What are you going to do with my picture?"

How would you respond?
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Just say the person happened to walk in the frame hahaha
 
How about this response:
"No speak english!"

Or Garry Winogrand's response:
"I'm not taking pictures of you, I'm taking pictures of myself!"
 
There have been several threads like this about the fear of photographing people in public.

I think people react (or not) to your demeanor. If you have some fear, unease or guilt about what you are doing, you probably project some of that in your actions and people respond accordingly. On the other hand, if you look like you are having a good time, openly doing something harmless, people don't feel threatened and generally don't pay much attention. And if they do, it's much easier to just wave it off with a smile or laugh.

I have to ask though, If one feels uncomfortable shooting in public, is it possibly because they feel it is wrong on some level? And if one feels there is something wrong in it, why would they even want to do it?

If it makes you feel uneasy, you don't have to do it. If you feel compelled to do it anyway, then as the saying goes, "Suck it up".

I'm not trying to be rude or get into anyone else's personal psychology here, just wondering out loud about why there seems to be so much fretting over this.

Cheers,
Gary
 
Roger, I think the idea is not to act secretively around people, but rather openly and naturally. That's actually my approach.

There's something we should change about our going arounds doing street: we're not "stealing" or "capturing", but rather documenting life in the streets (vendors, buyers, people going about their business). Since I don't see myself as a hunter of images, I carry my camera very openly and if I want to photograph someone, I simply put it in front of my face. If they see me and shake their head, I lower it and that's all, no photograph taken. If they don't do a thing even if they saw me, I trip the shutter and then thank them. Usually I get a "you're welcome" from a person who is slightly surprised at having been thanked.

Sometimes, I shoot a glance asking for authorization. More often than not I get a smile and that's it.

Nothing makes things better than going to a place where lots of mommy photographers go. In Chicago, Millenium Park is about the best place on earth to shoot candids. Everybody has a camera, and they're having a good time too!
 
SolaresLarrave said:
Roger, I think the idea is not to act secretively around people, but rather openly and naturally. That's actually my approach.
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Dear Francisco (and also Gary),

I'm sure you're both right. Look guilty, and people will assume you are guilty. It's like dogs 'smelling' fear. I don't think they do. I think they react to your whole demeanour -- especially running away! That's why I was so uncomfortable with the phrase 'sneaking around'. I don't sneak around. I go out and take pictures, usually with a big smile to indicate that I'm enjoying myself. No 'sneaking' involved.

Cheers,

Roger
 
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