Who else is too chicken to...

The next two weekends will be packed for me, three actually. The next two will involve a couple of the largest country fairs in CT and UConn's openning Football game. And then there will be family events and the such.

I am looking forward to the fairs for my next real tests in street photography. These will be more events with crowds so I am sure I will be more comfortable the way denishr is saying.
 
Re: Street photography shyness

Re: Street photography shyness

denishr said:
I'm also somewhat reluctant to do street photography - have similar problems with obviously pointing the lens at strangers.
However, these days I have a perfect opportunity for a "cure" of a kind. For a week or so, there will be a street festival held in my home town, complete with street performers, clowns, people walking around in historical costumes, stalls with demonstrations of traditional arts and crafts, etc.
The city streets are packed, and *nobody* pays any attention (or objects) to photographers. In fact, the people (particularly those in historical costumes) actually expect to be photographed. A heaven for aspiring street photographer! Also, a perfect occasion for some practice.
If everything goes well, I hope to have a whole presentation done in a few days.
So, my advice - use opportunities like these, with public performances, etc., where people expect to see others with cameras, and are less likely to object to being photographed. This way you can build up some confidence :)
Click to expand...

Denishr

Excellent advice. There's also the "Columbo" method, that I have taught to a few other's, while overcoming their shyness. Seem's to work rather well.

Russ
 
Re: Re: Street photography shyness

Re: Re: Street photography shyness

Russ said:
Denishr

Excellent advice. There's also the "Columbo" method, that I have taught to a few other's, while overcoming their shyness. Seem's to work rather well.

Russ
Click to expand...

You mean... asking people how much they paid for their shoes ? :D
 
I'd like to hear the Columbo method too. Is that wearing a rumpled unbuttoned overcoat, chew soggy cigar, drive run-down old Peugeot, seem not too bright? :)

On photographic at public events, that sure does offer some opportunities. I just burned a roll of film at the Farmer's Market this morning...

But another good approach that I've used is to snap people I encounter in the course of their job. Plumber, shoe repair, insurance agent, sales people, etc. They are kinda stuck in "don't offend the customer" mode, can't escape, and besides they probably recognize you as harmless anyway!
 
Doug said:
But another good approach that I've used is to snap people I encounter in the course of their job. Plumber, shoe repair, insurance agent, sales people, etc. They are kinda stuck in "don't offend the customer" mode, can't escape, and besides they probably recognize you as harmless anyway!
Click to expand...

Be carefull with that approach around construction sites. The union guys and/or contractors might take you for an inspector (safety or else) and give you quite a hard time. I never shoot construction sites. I don't want to risk my camera...
 
And this insurance geek has made plenty of deals by saying no... the customer isn't always right.
 
rover, there's an invaluable skill you may want to work on: hyperfocus and hipshooting. If your glass has a DOF scale, meter first, adjust your settings for the lowest tolerable shutterspeed and set the smallest possible aperture. In some sunny and not so sunny days, you can get away with f8 and 1/60. Align the infinite mark in your lens with the furthest distance (a bit past your possible subject) and shoot from the hip... or chest or whatever.

I've set my camera at 2.5 meters (or its equivalent in feet) and done hip shots with a wide angle. I'm slowly getting better at aiming the camera... and it also saves you time!

I wish you better luck than I got today! It's the big town fair in my town, and the day turned out to be gray, ugly and wet! I'm back home too early, after having done only 10 or 12 shots! :(

Sorry, I'm not a happy guy...

Good luck, rover!
 
Marc Jutras said:
Be carefull with that approach around construction sites. The union guys and/or contractors might take you for an inspector (safety or else) and give you quite a hard time. I never shoot construction sites. I don't want to risk my camera...
Click to expand...

That is quite a different experience from mine here in Holland. I'm almost living in a construction pit and I often walk by, aim the CL or Bessa at the works and the workers, and have NEVER been challenged, scoulded, or approached in any way.

Besides, what can they say or do? They work in public view; often are paid for by my tax money; inconvenience me with their road blocks, dust and noise; and if I were an inspector they'd better cooperate.
 
Around here, they've been associated with the mob for a long time and the culture is still persistent. Government inspectors are safe but all private investigators hired by insurance companies are not appreciated. Especially those taking pictures of workers who are supposed to be incapacitated and fraudulously keep working. Contractors not respecting safety rules are not friendly either.

It depends on your local situation.
 
Well, I took some of the advice given here and went to our local Farmer's Market this morning. I went to this soap/perfume booth, complenting her products - Then said "And you look very nice today, do you mind if I take your picture?" She said yes, and I got this great smile :)
I'm kinda shy naturally, so putting the camera out front gives me a reason to approach that's not threatening.
 
RML said:
That is quite a different experience from mine here in Holland. I'm almost living in a construction pit and I often walk by, aim the CL or Bessa at the works and the workers, and have NEVER been challenged, scoulded, or approached in any way.
Click to expand...

But Amsterdam is always one big construction site :) At least it has been in the almost 5 years I've been here...
 
PC, you're right. Especially now with the construction works in progress for the North-South metro line things are getting from bad to worse. And constant road and bridge reconstructions don't help much either. :)
But it's good for the local economy, good for the future accessibility of the city, and no doubt has other benefits as well. IMO it's better to live in a place where change occurs than a place that stagnates.
 
Same happens in Barcelona, when it's not the new metro line it's the four new tram ones, or then they decide to open whole streets to fit new optic fibre cable only to remember after it that they forgot to fit the new gas pipes, open it again, etc.

Seems Madrid is even worse though, when Danny DeVito visited it some months ago he said 'Great city, but hope they'll find the treasure soon!' :D

And as for shooting, these two supervisors completely noticed me aiming then with the Canon but decided to fully ignore me, sure they had nothing to hide ! :)
 
Last edited:
Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, London, Brussels... I think every major city must keep upgrading, reconstructing, redesigning, etc itself continuously to remain interesting for tourists, companies, and its citizens. Of course, it's a major hassle to constantly be stuck in traffic, have to mind your steps everywhere, and have to live with the noise and dust and mud but, boy-oh-boy, it creates some very nice photo opportunities. And with the rains we have had in the past week the puddles of water have grown to such a size that at least the cyclists have to go through them. Now that creates some nice slow speed action shots. And I'm still looking around for a good spot where people will have to walk through the water as well... and the best changes are near construction sites.
 
Well, here are some results from my trip to the Fair. These were taken at the Woodstock Fair in CT.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom