Taking Photographs of a Stranger and Giving them the Photo

[ornate_wrasse]

I went to the Japanese Garden here in Portland last week and was taking some images using a Rolleiflex camera loaded with Ilford Delta 3200 film. I shot the roll at 1000. I struck up a conversation with a friendly woman who was a volunteer at the exhibit of Japanese dolls. After we'd engaged in friendly conversation for a few minutes, I asked her if she would be willing to pose for a few pictures and she was agreeable. I developed the film in the darkroom and one of them came out quite good, I thought. So I made an 8 1/2 x 11 print. She had given me her email address so I could touch base with her after developing the film. I was thinking of just mailing her the print. I am not at all interested in getting compensated for this.

Has this kind of thing ever happened to anyone before? If so, did you have any negative experiences as a result of sending a print to a stranger?

Thank you.

Ellen

 

[Doug]

Hi Ellen; Yes, this was my usual practice during an environmental portrait project over several years. The subjects mostly worked at businesses around town and were easy to track down later. Sometimes there was no direct contact; for instance in once case I'd made a shot of a lady sitting at a table outside a juice bar, and I just left the print there hoping she'd get it the next time she came in.

I'd use the automated print-order machine at the local lab, with my edited scans on a card in a card reader. I'd order 5x7 color prints, and later go around distributing them.

I felt that this was not only a nice gesture, but it would tend to make it easier to shoot them again sometime. Maybe even at that same time, taking a shot of them with the print in hand. I didn't make a big deal about it. Nevertheless, I found that people generally didn't want to make a career posing for me, so the opportunity was limited anyway. Still, giving a print is nice I think.

Oh, and I did email a photo to a street-market vendor in Hawaii, at his request. As it happened I ran into him again several years later at the same location and was glad to find he'd gotten it ok.

 

[MPerson]

Yes, I do too. If they are interesting or it will be obvious that I am photographing them then I always engage them and explain why I think they would make the image interesting.

I have some printed cards with my web site, email address and always offer them a print or a digital file and that they should contact me. I find this works every time if I put them in charge of making contact and they have a choice. Some people get suspicious if you ask for their contact details. I always leave the ball in their court.

Only had one person not interested in a print. The act of taking someone's photo appeals to the vanity in everyone and piques their interest. Some of the best ones I did a few years ago were very large doormen/bouncers at pubs and nightclubs - they were so vain! 😀

 

[nikon_sam]

Our daughter rides horses and at the Barn where she rides there are others who ride there too...I go with her and normally I will have a camera...
When I get a nice shot of someone riding or even just their horse, I'll make a few prints for them, find out who they are or just give it to them when I see them...
I have never had a bad or negative experience in doing this...most people are very thankful when you hand them a nice photo...

 

[vdonovan]

I do this all the time. This summer I travelled in Spain with a modified Polaroid camera. I would shoot two pictures of people and give them one. It was a nice way to meet people and I got some nice pics:

 

[kmerenkov]

Once I photographed a couple and they asked for my contacts. Never called me back or anything, I feel alright.
Another time I told I will share a photo via facebook (as a person was asking) and didn't do it. I didn't like the photo and just couldn't share it. Feel bad about it 🙂

 

[Mr_Flibble]

I've taken a Speed Graphic with Polaroid back to some events. Taking pictures of vintage cars and motorbikes. A few times people noticed me using polaroids (Like you can miss someone using an SG in public!). They asked if I could take their picture and sell them the polaroid. No problem at all, I usually charge them a Euro or two, to break even on the film 😉

Apart from that, I don't do much street photography.