what happens when you get caught photographing strangers...

[shayallen]

I always just smile and they almost always smile back and if they still look concerned I tell them they are beautiful! Down here in the south most guys get uncomfortable with me telling them they are beautiful and run away! At 6'4" and 270lbs I have had very little trouble... If anyone persist I plan on telling them I work for George W Bush and we will be in touch! 🙂

 

[Aziz]

I always try #6 first (Smile). Flattery always seems to help. But if things become aggressive, unless you have a Holga, the camera makes a nice defensive measure 😉

 

[steamer]

Good point, well made😱 In my, very, very limited experience of Japan they would as likley apologise for getting in the way or thank you for letting them pose. Courteous doesn’t cover it ime

Spot on Stewart
I didn't mention it before because I thought nobody would believe me, but they did in fact say thank you.

 

[btgc]

Once I impulsively snapped picture of woman in luxury car, she were talking by phone. So what? She pursued me whole block, arguing why I took picture of her and snapping me with cameraphone and mentioning mighty friend of her. This gave me lesson - if I use camera on street, I try to go for pictures and avoid snapshots to justify pain which can follow.

Problem is that good part of pictures later appear snapshots and vice versa 🙂

 

[.ken]

you should've told her you were a private eye working for a secret client who is having her monitored 🙂

One person actually came up to me and kept asking who I worked for and why I was taking pictures of him (even though I wasn't)... I think he got suspicious when he saw me move into the shadows. I was of course shooting a prime lense and I wanted to get a wider shot so I had to back up into the shadows LOL.

I didn't know I had to be "working" for someone to take pictures in a public place... maybe he thought I was a "suit"

 

[btgc]

I had similar idea - probably she were on way to lover or what, and thought I'm hired by husband or guy#1.