using a 'big' lens

sanmich said:
My personal experience is that size and type of gear do matter.
It's not only size, but what people think you are doing, and what you will use the pictures for.
I have shot with a F-801 with a 28-85 zoom, and my pictures were crappy.
The speed and all the bells and whistles of the AF was useless because the speed of people around me was much greater, all thinking that I am a press photog, or an IRS surveyor, or any function they would not like to use their pictures.
I moved to a leica and a FLAT 35mm and it was like magic. Nobody was taking me seriously.
I was certainly not invisible. Quite the contrary, I was trying even less to be "Stealth" and it worked!
And I notices that it has a great deal to do with the flatness of the lens, because with a flat lens, you can focus on something at the right distance, and then give a slight turn in the camera, and shoot the right picture ridiculously close to people. The subject knows that you are taking a picture, but it works just like if he thinks "I'm not really sure in what direction it's pointed" and it is just enough so that in 99% of the cases, even if you are very obvious in the landscape, you just pass under the "suspicion radar" of the usual folks.
Now of course, if you are into "street portraits", a 300mm is not a problem...
But really, shooting street photography with the 35mm 1.2 seems a serious handicap to me.
the 28 f/3.5 seems to be at the opposite of the "aggressivity" scale.
Just my 2c...
Click to expand...

Hi Michael,

Just what I have found...

Cheers,

Juan
 
Gregory,

I'm certainly not judging your photography, but your pictures are not the classic type of street photography, often combining a large enough/readible subject in situation, with a full landscape.
You may or may not like the style, but for this style, there is no way around being close with a normal/ wide, moving fast with generating the minimum of "waves" around

And BTW, I do like very much #1 and #3

Best
 
It may depend on where you live. I find that since the advent of digital nad the Internet people are much more hyper about having their photos taken. A while back I shot a picture of a truck making a delivery to the corner Starbucks. A guy crossing the street with a takeout chased me into another cafe and told me it was illegal to take his photo. I told it wasn't and that I was not taking his pic anyway. He left. He was in the shot and I used it on my blog. I was using a tiny Minolta G400. I have had construction foremen come up to me and said I could take pix but please don't show the faces of the workers.
A friend who had a Canon G9 had no problem shooting a group of chess players in a park. When he showed up with a DSLR, they got upset.

I have found that there is no problem at public festivals and such although it's best not to shoot kids without permission.

There is no doubt that a DSLR will attract more attention than a P+S.

There is no hard and fast rule.
 
Last edited:
I think the difference might be the effect of 'pointing' it at someone. the bigger the lens, the clearer it is where you're pointing it; people on the street don't know that the smaller lens might do the same thing as the big bertha grinning at them. at least that's what I felt when switching between my 1.2/35 and very compact 3.5/35 or 2.5/35.

still love my 1.2/35 for street, 'tis all good =)
 
Just a thought on using large telephotos and subject reactions. I remember photographing at the horse track many years ago. I was using a Pentax 800 F4 on the 6X7 camera. So anyways, at one point I noticed that even though I was quite far away, just pointing the lens at the horses made some of them really jumpy. In fact, I would have to say some were really freaking out. So between races, I went to the bathroom (even photographers have to pee) and my girlfriend at the time who was assisting me pointed the lens/camera at me. And I was shocked to see what looked like a one-foot eye looking at me. Can't blame the horses, I would also freak out if a huge eye was looking at me. It's weird how people and animals know when they are being watched.
 
Last edited:
sanmich said:
Oh, and yes, I think there is a huge difference between a regular camera that obstructs half of my face, and the body language used with a waist level camera.
Click to expand...

Interesting point, I do feel much more comfortable with a TLR on the street than with a rangefinder camera, not to speak of a SLR. Body language came to my mind also. Raising a camera to your eye can look quite like raising a gun. I don't like that, especially in the street.

The magic of the waist level finder makes me feel much more comfortable and laid back.

But again, what works for me does not necessarily need to work for you.
 
Last edited:
I never had a problem until last weekend with a recently acquired chrome M5 and black Summicron with vented hood. I raised it it my eye to get a reading of the pavement cafe ahead of me, when a guy steps out of a shop into my path, little son in tow. "Did you just take a picture of me?" "No" I said. "I have to ask you as I really would like to know." At this stage I recognized him as a former work colleague and I think he recognized both me and the silliness of his position. "You can ask, and I have answered and it's the correct answer but there's no way for you to know." He didn't argue further, having by then perhaps also realized that this was a film camera. Years of M2 and M6 at weekends with never a challenge and one meter reading with an M5 and I was in the firing line.
 
Richard G said:
I never had a problem until last weekend with a recently acquired chrome M5 and black Summicron with vented hood. I raised it it my eye to get a reading of the pavement cafe ahead of me, when a guy steps out of a shop into my path, little son in tow. "Did you just take a picture of me?" "No" I said. "I have to ask you as I really would like to know." At this stage I recognized him as a former work colleague and I think he recognized both me and the silliness of his position. "You can ask, and I have answered and it's the correct answer but there's no way for you to know." He didn't argue further, having by then perhaps also realized that this was a film camera. Years of M2 and M6 at weekends with never a challenge and one meter reading with an M5 and I was in the firing line.
Click to expand...

You are raising a very good point about in-the-finder light reading. I think it is actually a problem.
Nikon F/ F2, or Leicameters have this huge advantage that you can measure and adjust the camera as a separate operation, and then, bring the camera to your eye, focus, compose, and shoot.
Much shorter, and much less fiddling.
Why oh why don't the M6 or MP offer a light reading on top of the camera.Yeah, yeah, I know the answer...plain ugly:rolleyes:
 
What a long thread! All I know is FL and camera size doesn't really matter as long as I'm comfortable with gear and don't spend too much time adjusting it. Be it all-around 40mm or 17mm, they all work, just different way. I find that loud mirror slap (yes, those 17mm are on SLR) isn't limiting at all, as long we don't speak about silent museums or gallieries. Slap completes gestalt (can't feel that with digital compacts, I'm too shy to enable mousefart-like shutter sound on them :D)

Walk, watch, change exposure as light changes, keep lens prefocused, watch, release shutter, walk, watch. If camera has meter reading in VF I raise it to eye, compare readings with my feeling of light, and thus it looks like I'm constantly taking pictures, or framing.
 
Last edited:
I think personality and the way you move is more important than camera choice... most people notice me in NYC... with a Leica, with a Nikon, with a P&S... I'm a 6'2" bald guy. The Leica works best for me because people seem to like the camera... i.e. I get friendly comments about the camera (perhaps, an icebreaker at times).
 
The Big Lens/Camera issue is real. It's why I sold my beloved Leicaflex SL and now shoot a tiny Leitz CL. I seem to be invisible w/ the CL. The yin and yang of a big lens is that it is much more noticeable to people (why is he pointing that thing at me?), and yet you can stay much further away and get a shot. I came to believe that a big lens or camera is noticeable no matter how far away I get, but the little camera is unnoticeable no matter how close I am, within reason.
 
Nikkor AIS said:
Look Juan, how many opinions do I need? Isn't that the point of these discussions? Clearly my opinion differs from yours. So be it. We don't have to think the same. It seems you're trying to set the discussion to support your opinion and I'm working mine. If you think small cameras help you, good for you. Whatever blows your hair back and gets you out shooting.

I'm not saying that it doesn't matter. I'm saying that it makes no difference. The fact is, it takes guts to raise a camera and photograph a stranger. I took this one 20 years or so with a tiny little Rollei. I still remember that my heart was pounding in my chest when this lady looked up and the camera went click.



I think the thing that I want to frame is that not everyone with a big lens hides behind trees trying to be sneaky (not that I've never done that). Nor do I think just because a photographer "chooses" to use a large lens it makes him or her the centre of attention on the street. It's been my observation that it's more about how you carry yourself on the street and do the act of photography than the equipment you carry. But that's just me, and my experience of shooting over the last 20 years with all kinds of cameras around these parts. I'm sure it's different in other places. But I do what works for "me." I'm sure you're the same.





I used to shoot with a 4X5 Speed Graphic on the street. There is no hiding that thing. It's a camera, I'm a photographer. If it makes a difference to you, fine. To me it's all the same. Street photography.
I don't change as person going from one camera to the other. Why should it matter? Granted, I'm not saying that the people I'm shooting are not aware of the fact that I'm going to take their picture. But it's not like I live in New York where there are hundreds of people on the street. If I see anyone walking I'm lucky. Most people drive everywhere. Even to the store for a cold drink.

If you want the truth, most people are now in the malls. And shooting in their is tricky, being private property with security and whatnot. Not that I don't bend some rules now and again.



The fact is, I love shooting strange-looking people. And the best way I've found to do that is ... any way I can. And to me I can make whatever camera I happen to be using ... work.









Click to expand...
great rant and great shots
 
Hey Joe,

I noticed that you use a red grip in your speed kit, but not in your slow one. Maybe that's the difference ? Looks like a great grip though ...

For a more philosophical answer: in most "street photos" that I like, the subject(s) have noticed the photographer anyways and are interacting with her/him. Big or small lens doesn't matter then really, IMO. Being comfortable is a different matter.

Roland.

Roland.
 
Well, that's the reason I use rangefinders. A small (black) camera and lens, and people either don't notice you, or don't take you seriously. SLR with big lens attracts unwelcome attention, including (in one case) the Gang Unit of the local Probation Department. (It's a long story. I won't go into it here.)
 
ferider said:
Hey Joe,

I noticed that you use a red grip in your speed kit, but not in your slow one. Maybe that's the difference ? Looks like a great grip though ...

For a more philosophical answer: in most "street photos" that I like, the subject(s) have noticed the photographer anyways and are interacting with her/him. Big or small lens doesn't matter then really, IMO. Being comfortable is a different matter.

Roland.

Roland.
Click to expand...

the red grip is mostly covered by my hand...:angel:
 
"For a more philosophical answer: in most "street photos" that I like, the subject(s) have noticed the photographer anyways and are interacting with her/him. Big or small lens doesn't matter then really, IMO. Being comfortable is a different matter."

good point Roland......
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom