Street photography: With prior permission or candid?

[peterm1]

I cannot recall ever asking permission. When I photograph I am almost always just photographing people - rather I am photographing people doing stuff. Asking permission changes behaviour and buggers up the shot most times. Usually so much that I can no longer see the point of taking it.

But I am respectful. I do not take shots of people in embarrassing situations and if someone notices me and signals or asks me to stop I do.

 

[Elektrojänis]

It seems that some people see photography as a form of "performance art". That is their choice, of course. Others wish to observe quietly and capture their observations to share with others.

I think that's a bit steep. I think there is more shades between the two extremes, and while it is probably relatively easy to get near the extremes, it is probably impossible to be just on either of those extremes. On one hand photographer is allways at least partly an observer. If he isn't he probably isn't a photographer any more. On the other hand it is quite impossible to be anywhere and not influence your surroundings at all.

And no... I'm mostly observer myself (even if I dont really photograph people that much), but I think there are other ways to make good photographs and shades between the extremes too.

 

[candidcameraman]

Just do it...

Just do it...

When you ask the moment's gone - If you think too much, the moment's gone, when you hesitate - the moment's gone...

The moment it clicks is when you anticipate what will happen, it is a little bit like shooting at a moving target 500 meters away, you don't shoot where you see your target is - you shoot where it will be in a moment...

And to be honest - it is one of those thread I find interesting at first then - someone mentions Henri Cartier-Bresson and the acronym HCB and I just tune out...

A little bit like shooting street, if you talk and think about it too much you ain't doing it right - just do it - once you've done it for a minimum of 10 years at least 5 days a week, for a good 15 hours a week - then come back and talk about it, you will not have as many questions just a few observations and a much better understanding of people, how they react, how they behave - you can anticipate and see the moment just before it happens - in the course of doing street you will realize 99% of the people you photograph are totally oblivious to you, if you only knew how little other people though of you, you wouldn't even ask this question...

You have to realize there is no right or wrong way to doing street photography, whatever floats your boat may just sink mine, to each his own.

On that note I'll grab my camera and go for a long walk.

One of those moment you can't ask and replicate in the same way once asked...

 

[kxl]

I don't have any set rules, I'm just trying to make good photos. Many people put rules into place before their photography is ready for rules. Rules, before you are ready, just give you an excuse not to make photos. To learn to see, you need to make mistakes and try all types of photography that interest you.

I do candid, I do posed, I do still life, I do "urban" landscape, etc. Whatever I'm in the mood for... the only constant is that I'm roaming the streets looking for things that interest me photographically. There is no one way to do things unless you are great at what you do and are content.

Yup, totally agree.

 

[jsrockit]

When you ask the moment's gone - If you think too much, the moment's gone, when you hesitate - the moment's gone...

What happens if you aren't interested in THE moment? 😱

 

[candidcameraman]

What happens if you aren't interested in THE moment? 😱

Then I just move on... No need to ask about it or even think let alone dwell on it - the more I do street the harder it gets to find interesting moments 😉

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

And no... I'm mostly observer myself (even if I dont really photograph people that much), but I think there are other ways to make good photographs and shades between the extremes too.

Of course.

There are far more than 50 shades of grey in human behaviour. My estimate is 6 billion and rising rapidly.

😀

 

[Bob Michaels]

When you ask the moment's gone - If you think too much, the moment's gone, when you hesitate - the moment's gone...

That's it, 99% of the time.

 

[DNG]

I don't ask to take a photo. You never will get "The Moment" if you ask... never.

I don't disturb the area around me as I walk downtown looking for "The Moment".

I carry my camera on my neck... plainly seen...if a close person doesn't won't a photo of them... they move away or shield their face...

I look ahead for a potential opportunity... I get more keepers that way.

I don't delete or hand over film... it is mine, and taken legally "ON and IN" public property!


I will take candid photos of children, 90% of the time the parent's are close by, or in the photo

Squat Shoot candid as I walked by... I saw them ahead of time and had a few moments to decide on how I would take the "1" photo op.
The kids having different expressions was the "Luck" HCB talked about.

Candid: Monument Circle: Indianapolis, IN 9-1-2012 by Peter Arbib, on Flickr

 

[colyn]

I do a lot of "street" shooting and have never had any problems except for a single instance last year in which I was the one who called police.

If I were to be asked to delete or turn over my film I would not do so..

One thing I noticed last week in Boston, police asked people to provide copies of their images from the marathon instead of forcing them to turn over what they had..


dancing_in_the_street_1 by Colyn's fotografs, on Flickr

 

[CloseContax]

Street photography is an immensely complex discipline, and the decisive moment contains thousands of variables, most of which exist in their ideal kaleidoscopic state when people are completely candid. That is why I never ask permission. Most people don't mind. Occasionally, I will get a great photo when someone notices: for instance, a person looks at me and gives me a thumbs-up in the .5 seconds it takes for me to pass them on the sidewalk. That spontaneity, too, would have been lost if I had asked.

That said, I take every step to ensure that I don't look like a creep. I don't go out street shooting wearing hoodie and sunglasses with a huge telephoto lens -- as if I were trying to spy on people. I try not to spend too much time photographing one subject and becoming noticeable. I don't chase subjects. I try to be as casual as possible while remaining efficient and emotionally detached from my subjects.

I've only been approached about my pictures twice in the past year. Both times, I was actually not photographing the people who approached me. I was adjusting settings in my viewfinder or actually photographing someone else. In those situations, I try to have a friendly conversation, and usually they don't ask me to delete anything. When it comes down to it, I think a large part of successful street photography is a balance between being confident and being invisible.

 

[DNG]

snip.... When it comes down to it, I think a large part of successful street photography is a balance between being confident and being invisible.

Totally agree... (even with stuff I deleted.. this last sentence is good observation.).

 

[noisycheese]

I don't ask to take a photo. You never will get "The Moment" if you ask... never.

I don't disturb the area around me as I walk downtown looking for "The Moment".

I carry my camera on my neck... plainly seen...if a close person doesn't won't a photo of them... they move away or shield their face...

I look ahead for a potential opportunity... I get more keepers that way.

I don't delete or hand over film... it is mine, and taken legally "ON and IN" public property!


I will take candid photos of children, 90% of the time the parent's are close by, or in the photo

Squat Shoot candid as I walked by... I saw them ahead of time and had a few moments to decide on how I would take the "1" photo op.
The kids having different expressions was the "Luck" HCB talked about.

Candid: Monument Circle: Indianapolis, IN 9-1-2012 by Peter Arbib, on Flickr

This is how I approach street photography, too.

After all the hours I have spent analyzing my approach, I cannot for the life of me see wher it could possibly be misconstrued as unethical treatment or exploitation of my subjects.

Exploiting your subjects, treating them with disrespect, maltreating or disrespecting them in any manner is the very definition of a fool's errand IMHO.

No good can come of it, no benefit can be attained. Quite the opposite, in fact.

 

[bohdan]

But is there something wrong in being a part of the story?

I think that more or less we are allways a part of the story no matter how much we try to just be observers, if not because anything else but the fact that we live on the same planet (and usually there is a bit more to it too).

No, I wouldn't say anything is wrong with it. I just don't think it's the point.

On one hand, the interaction between the artist and subject are very important in the case of portraits. To me, that's where some of the best magic can happen.

There are degrees of interference too. I am a scientist. Living across the earth and observing has an immeasurable impact on the photo/subject. It's like the butterfly flapping its wings very far away. It will impact that weather system miles away...but very very very little.

Bohdan

 

[sepiareverb]

When will people get over this notion that making photographs on the street is a problem for anyone? It is a perfectly normal thing to do. I can see Eisenstadt now: "Sorry to interrupt, but I'd like to get a photo of you two kissing like that, would that be OK?"

Hand over the film? Really? Anyone would do this? That's called robbery.

 

[jsrockit]

Then I just move on... No need to ask about it or even think let alone dwell on it - the more I do street the harder it gets to find interesting moments 😉

So you think the only photo worth making is one with a moment? 😱

 

[jsrockit]

When will people get over this notion that making photographs on the street is a problem for anyone? It is a perfectly normal thing to do. I

How is it normal when it isn't a mainstream activity? Most people are not getting into other people's business with a camera on a daily basis.

 

[sepiareverb]

How is it normal when it isn't a mainstream activity? Most people are not getting into other people's business with a camera on a daily basis.

It is far more pervasive today than ever before- look at how many cameras the Boston guys were seen on. It somehow becomes a 'problem' when it is an individual doing it? Why?

By eliminating all but mainstream activity we are doomed to a world where the lowest common denominator becomes the only acceptable course.

 

[jsrockit]

It is far more pervasive today than ever before- look at how many cameras the Boston guys were seen on. It somehow becomes a 'problem' when it is an individual doing it? Why?

It depends on intent. I guess I was speaking more to the genre of street photography, not with regard to cellphone news photography. Most street photography is not chasing the news of the moment. The average joe (who is not news worthy) is not used to being photographed the way a street photographer photographs them.

By eliminating all but mainstream activity we are doomed to a world where the lowest common denominator becomes the only acceptable course.

I agree. However, you said street photography is perfectly normal when a lot of the general public does not feel the same way. It doesn't need to be normal though.

 

[zauhar]

How is it normal when it isn't a mainstream activity? Most people are not getting into other people's business with a camera on a daily basis.

There are many people walk around with cell phones in front of their noses, literally the whole time they are on the street. I have no idea what they are doing with them. It does not seem a common practice for bystanders to demand to see whether or not they were just photographed or included in video.

However, you are correct, being OPEN about your activities is not a mainstream activity. ;-)

I generally try to take photos without asking, but my experience is that if you even glance at some people they suddenly become nervous as cats. I am trying to develop attitude, style and strategies to do better. When someone does notice that I have a camera, I do ask them if I can include them in the picture.

I agree with the comments above that this is mostly a matter of your own psychology, and how it affects your demeanor. I don't think there is any solution except to take more photographs.

Randy