Timmy P
Established
Sydney CBD seems pretty ok to me for street.
I did get this look once
But this guy wasn't in a photo, but after I spotted the dirty my way I did snap his photo :-D
I do get fairly close to people as well and have slowly been getting into the "walk right past me" kinda shots instead of lurking behind. It's not as bad as you think. I always hold the camera after the shot so it looks like I was photographing something else, or I just look past them. Either way I've gone in the city quite often and never, ever once had a problem.
Like I said, keep holding the camera up after the shot, and look through them afterwoods. Works like a charm.
You can check out some more street stuff on my blog if you wanna see how close "close" is http://www.theleakinglightbox.blogspot.com/
PS: Or you could just snap the stray dogs around your area, like this one nearish the CBD at Kings Kross ;-)
Hope it gets better for you mate,
-Tim
I did get this look once
But this guy wasn't in a photo, but after I spotted the dirty my way I did snap his photo :-D
I do get fairly close to people as well and have slowly been getting into the "walk right past me" kinda shots instead of lurking behind. It's not as bad as you think. I always hold the camera after the shot so it looks like I was photographing something else, or I just look past them. Either way I've gone in the city quite often and never, ever once had a problem.
Like I said, keep holding the camera up after the shot, and look through them afterwoods. Works like a charm.
You can check out some more street stuff on my blog if you wanna see how close "close" is http://www.theleakinglightbox.blogspot.com/
PS: Or you could just snap the stray dogs around your area, like this one nearish the CBD at Kings Kross ;-)
Hope it gets better for you mate,
-Tim
Thardy
Veteran
Pherdinand said:
It's like another old saying....when you repeat something often enough people believe it's the truth.
marke
Well-known
ruben said:
What a wonderful statement, Ruben! I'm going to use this as a daily reminder to myself!
ruben said:
Oh, how true this is.
ruben said:
I remember a quote by an artist that I read as a child. I probably will get it wrong, but I hope the message will be understood. And if anyone is familiar with the quote, PLEASE feel free to correct me.
In descibing an artist and the place he/she needs to be when in the process of creating: "Needs must be it a virgin, void, without form or thought"
In a sense, as ones who wish to create, we must see the world afresh, as Ruben stated. And to photograph the people we encounter on the street, we must see them as individuals, offering nothing short of compassion.
marke
Well-known
Timmy P said:
Yes, yes! I've been doing more of that myself. I might plant myself in a walkway where there is little room for people to get any further than a few feet away from me as I shoot (unless they want to run into traffic, and I haven't lost one yet!
). This is where my Summicron 35/f2 or my Voightlander 25/f4 come in handy.minoltist7
pussy photographer
I think about make my own business card.
Print there something like "a photojournalist", or "member of the art photo group" (existing, or non-existing). So, if people ask for a photographs of them - I'll give them that card.
BTW, I gave my phone and e-mail couple of times - nobody called
Print there something like "a photojournalist", or "member of the art photo group" (existing, or non-existing). So, if people ask for a photographs of them - I'll give them that card.
BTW, I gave my phone and e-mail couple of times - nobody called
dee
Well-known
Could I just say some things never change ? Taking photos round and about will always be controversial for some - but having ASdee , I never thought about it - and maybe this is thething - if you stop to '' think '' , then you lose the confidence , [ or unawareness ? ] , but I know that I lack street awareness anyway , but I am still here .
I find that waist level shots with any camera are discrete , it does not atke too much practise to focus 1st , and guess framing , but that's obvious anyway .
dee
I find that waist level shots with any camera are discrete , it does not atke too much practise to focus 1st , and guess framing , but that's obvious anyway .
dee
sanmich
Veteran
""Personally, I often find the opposite to be true. Instead of lurking and trying to blend in, say in NYC, it sometimes helps to look like a tourist -- because tourists are expected to take photos. I guess by doing what is expected of you,it makes you less conspicuous, and makes people less apt to wonder "What the he** is this guy doing?"""
I think that's the point: you should give a good answer (not verbally of course) to the people that will wander what are you doing.
I use the following:
1- It is important the person is not sure you are taking a photo of him personally.
2- If it is obvious that you are taking a picture of that person , it helps to check that you are not giving the impression that the person is important but the situation.
If I cannot take a picture of someone without him knowing that he and his face are the only subject, I don't shoot. I think situations like this normally yields such an astonishment or sometimes anger from your subject that the picture will be a mess anyway. So why bother and face (justified) people's anger.
But the real strengh of RFs is in being very "not-directional" and allowing a great deal of doubt in the subject's mind about what exactly you are shooting.
In all situations, being nice and sensitive to people's feeling helps. Any sign that the person is unwilling to be photographied and my camera is down....
Just my 2 c
Michael
I think that's the point: you should give a good answer (not verbally of course) to the people that will wander what are you doing.
I use the following:
1- It is important the person is not sure you are taking a photo of him personally.
2- If it is obvious that you are taking a picture of that person , it helps to check that you are not giving the impression that the person is important but the situation.
If I cannot take a picture of someone without him knowing that he and his face are the only subject, I don't shoot. I think situations like this normally yields such an astonishment or sometimes anger from your subject that the picture will be a mess anyway. So why bother and face (justified) people's anger.
But the real strengh of RFs is in being very "not-directional" and allowing a great deal of doubt in the subject's mind about what exactly you are shooting.
In all situations, being nice and sensitive to people's feeling helps. Any sign that the person is unwilling to be photographied and my camera is down....
Just my 2 c
Michael
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Finder
Veteran
I have never really had a problem. I walked around Tokyo for a couple of days doing some photography with a 4x5 view camera. I only got approached once and they were sadly disappointed the camera was not made in Germany.
Steve Bellayr
Veteran
I posted a response to this issue on another thread not long ago so forgive me for repeating myself. About a month ago I spoke with an attorney. He advised that while on a public space an individual has no expectation of privacy. They can be photographed with immunity to the photographer as long as you do not obstruct their passage.
FrankS
Registered User
Finder said:
Japan has got to be one of the best places on the globe for street photography.
Finder
Veteran
FrankS said:
I have no argument there.
FrankS
Registered User
I absolutely loved the time I spent living and working in Japan about 20! years ago. Unfortunately, my photography had not yet evolved into taking many people pictures. I was still into things and nature rather than street. My loss.
wintoid
Back to film
Here in the UK, the BBC is running a series called "The Genius of Photography". Last week's episode (due to be re-run on Monday I think) showed a photographer I didn't know called Joel Meyerowitz using a Leica M6 on some busy streets (New York?). He was taking candids, right in people's faces, and it didn't seem to be a problem. I found it fascinating viewing. I will probably watch the re-run just to see this again.
Highly recommended if you have access to the BBC.
Highly recommended if you have access to the BBC.
FrankS
Registered User
wintoid said:
Yes, I've seen part of that on a youtube video. You have to remember that he was supported/surrounded by a video crew recording his street photography. He is good, but it's easy to be so bold and confident if you are playing the role of street photographer for a vedio crew, rather than just doing it on your own.
R
RML
Guest
Csab', I think you hit the nail on two heads at the same time.
First situation (where people come and go, and you just happen to be there) is where people see and "don't care". They have too little time to stop and "stare".
Second situation (where people still come and go, but where the regulars start to get used to you after repeated visits) is where people stop taking notice after a while.
Still, I think that shooting out in the open is the best way to go, though not necessarily the easiest. Either people pass you by without giving you much thought, or people let you do your thing because you've become part of the scenery.
First situation (where people come and go, and you just happen to be there) is where people see and "don't care". They have too little time to stop and "stare".
Second situation (where people still come and go, but where the regulars start to get used to you after repeated visits) is where people stop taking notice after a while.
Still, I think that shooting out in the open is the best way to go, though not necessarily the easiest. Either people pass you by without giving you much thought, or people let you do your thing because you've become part of the scenery.