Street Photography tips? - DPChallenge Forums

03/19/2008 01:47:53 PM · #7

Good stuff.

03/19/2008 12:39:30 PM · #8

To revisit this thread because it is a subject I'm really interested in and interested in getting better at. I went out at the weekend to shoot around downtown Austin. These people all said yes or gave tacit approval to have their pictures taken when asked or approached. In most of the cases I'm 3 or 4 feet in front of them.

I don't remember anyone saying no or being unhappy about being asked. I did pay $1 for one of these. I still find it an uncomfortable process for me but I get far fewer people saying no, now. I wouldn't have taken any of these pictures a year ago. For some, I talked to these people. I told them I was a photographer. I told them what it was about them that I liked or was impressed by. Then I asked if they minded if I took a few pictures.

Others I just smiled and mimed with the camera what I wanted to do. They certainly aren't candids. They aren't the more traditional black and white street images either, or what appears in a 'purist' guide. But they are what I enjoy doing out in public, with people I've just met. It's what street photography means to me, right now.

Message edited by author 2008-03-19 12:45:14.

03/16/2008 06:29:03 PM · #9

I get it now.. This is the heart of the post. I'm different as I approach my Street Photography almost as if I were hunting. I go for long walks and to a lot of events. I have small magazine credentials and working in legal marketing with all those lawyers, I can talk when I need to. My life's journey helps me relate to many people from different backgrounds. I'm also bilingual. I also have a sense as when to back off. However, I'll go days or hours at an event without firing a shot. Sometimes I have to force myself to start shooting. After that I start to get a feel for it and will take a bunch of photos that if I'm lucky, I'll get ten good ones for the day and, if I'm rally blessed, one that's special. When it comes time to tackle the other types I'll prepare and meet the new challenges head on too. My best stuff is Here!

By the way, Gordon, Your Death Valley shots are really nice.

Message edited by author 2008-03-16 22:08:20.

03/16/2008 11:27:32 AM · #10

Originally posted by neophyte:

Originally posted by Gordon:
Yup, so I'm going all out to work in those areas I'm least comfortable at.

I don't get this comment.(unless it's sarcasm)

No, it wasn't sarcasm, but I did think you'd missed my point from earlier. For me, I'm most uncomfortable photographing people. Particularly at my most uncomfortable photographing strangers. Worst still in terms of being where I'm comfortable at as a photographer, is up close and personal, communicating with and trying to photograph strangers, working to elicit the sorts of reactions you see above in 30 seconds or less, trying to find good light, interesting backgrounds, all with almost no time to build trust or get past initial suspicions.

Some days I get really nervous about it, want to curl up and go home. Mostly though, I just get on with it and end up with pictures that I love, in part because of what it means I managed to move beyond.

For me, the longer range stuff or the unaware stuff, or even more typically stuff with no people in it at all is much easier for me to do. So I don't do much of that.

Art & Fear is a good book related to this topic. It talks about a whole lot of other fears, but in general I've found that if you carefully think about the things in life that are scaring you or you are afraid of, usually it gives the most opportunity for you to improve if you move straight towards doing those things. The other stuff that you aren't afraid of is the stuff you already know how to do, or comes easy or naturally to you.

Interacting with strangers, 3 feet from their face is about the least comfortable place for me to be taking pictures. So that's what I do pretty much all the time, for the last year or so. Hope that's clearer.

Message edited by author 2008-03-19 12:40:18.

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF

03/16/2008 10:46:48 AM · #11

Originally posted by Gordon:

Yup, so I'm going all out to work in those areas I'm least comfortable at.

I don't get this comment.(unless it's sarcasm)

Great article.

Originally posted by pawdrix:

Another good read

Steve, So what happened on the subways? I saw people taking photos when I was down there with you. Did they pass they law requiring a permit to take photos? Does everyone just ignore it?

Message edited by author 2008-03-16 10:47:26.

pawdrix

Nikon D700

03/16/2008 05:56:01 AM · #12

"...but isn�t it true that all good photography comes from a clearly defined personal vision? "

Street Photography in an Image-Filled Age

Another good read

Message edited by author 2008-03-16 06:23:23.

pawdrix

Nikon D700

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF

03/16/2008 05:33:11 AM · #13

[quote=Gordon] Found this today. Interesting groupings of types of street photography from 2point8.

perfectly brutal

everyone should read that piece before hitting the shutter.

03/16/2008 12:10:24 AM · #14

Found this today. Interesting groupings of types of street photography from 2point8.

and as an example on how the lens used may or may not change your perception or relationship with an image, this shot was with a 25mm lens (effective 40mm, so right around normal). How would it change taken with a 400mm so that the subject was the same size in relation to the frame ? How would your reaction change, do you think ? No different ?

Message edited by author 2008-03-16 00:54:49.

03/15/2008 09:39:28 PM · #15

Originally posted by neophyte:

I'm not good with studios or studio lighting. I'd like to get better at landscapes. But I'd feel unsure of myself in either of these situations. These are my photography hang ups. We all have our own style and likes/dislikes. We all have environments that we're more comfortable in.

Yup, so I'm going all out to work in those areas I'm least comfortable at.

03/15/2008 12:15:59 PM · #16

I kind of take Gordon's advice. At an event I usually have a place to put my stuff or I just use the truck. I keep my bag here and will usually pass through the event 3 times. Once with the 17-55, once with the 55-200 and then finally with the 50mm. The order really will depend on the time of day and the light. But only one lens at a time.

55-200VR 3.5-5.6

50mm F1.4

17-55 2.8 (This one wouldn't have happened without the influence of e301 and Pawdrix...Thanks Guys)

What Gordon's last post said made me finally understand his positon. (pardon me if I'm a bit thick) I'm not good with studios or studio lighting. I'd like to get better at landscapes. But I'd feel unsure of myself in either of these situations. These are my photography hang ups. We all have our own style and likes/dislikes. We all have environments that we're more comfortable in. And I admit sometimes I get an image, unknown to the subject or subjects, and feel like the cat who caught the canary and perhaps a bit "sneaky". I'm ok with this. I accept that there are some who wouldn't be. Lesson learned...

Message edited by author 2008-03-15 12:23:55.

03/15/2008 11:44:20 AM · #17

Originally posted by e301:

Something makes it very hard NOT to have an opinion about 'street' photography; I truly meant to keep most of my last post on-topic, and surely failed. The truth being, I don't have any advice for taking people's pictures in the street without their permission. I just do it.

e

I think because it is off in the uncomfortable space of working with other people, usually strangers. Gets in to all sorts of hopes and fears and social conventions. All the stuff you personally project on to other people, what you think they think, how you think they'll react, which is typically wildly inaccurate. (Nick's comments about the punks in London is a fine example of that sort of projection, or Thomas' description of downtown LA as a no-go area of drug addicts and asylum rejects.

These characterisations may or may not be true, but they are good examples of the sorts of fears you can project on to people out on the street. So street photography has a lot of hang-ups and opinions attached. That's street photography in all forms, long lens remote viewing, consenting street portraiture, classical wide angle or normal lens candids, shooting from the hip or whatever. We've all come up with our ways of dealing with or avoiding or confronting those fears or concerns about affecting the scene. Not changing what we see, or getting involved and ruining the moment.

Probably if there were no people involved and no personalities being captured, we wouldn't have all these opinions. Mind you, landscape photographers can get up in arms about moving a can of coke, or not and macro flower photographers get bent out of shape about breaking a blade of grass or removing dirt. Everyone gets passionate about defending or defining how they do it. I think part of the path to getting good is getting more passionate in your belief that your way is the best way to go - that's what that commentary on commentary link earlier was about. As an artist, you probably should try to dismiss vast swathes of approaches in photography as 'bad' where bad means 'not for you' really. It helps you work out where your focus is, at least for a while. It probably isn't useful trying to convince other people that your way is the one true path, on the internet. Hopefully I've not been doing that here :) If so, I didn't mean to. It isn't the one true path at all, all it would be is the path you decided to follow. The other paths are all equally interesting and valid, just not for you.

That and street photography is harder to do if you are carrying a bag of lenses, so picking one and sticking to it is a better way to go - but there I go again defining how I think it should be approached.

Message edited by author 2008-03-15 11:46:44.

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO M.Zuiko

03/15/2008 10:38:19 AM · #18

I mix it up. Sometimes I ask but sometimes I shoot first and show them after. Sometimes I don't show them. I use both a 50mm and a 55-200. But the Fact that I submit to many of the local motorcyle and car newpapers and magazines makes it easier. (By the way three of my photos and and article I wrote about a charity MC ride came out in "Metric Roadbike Magazine this month!)I made up and ID and carry my card with me. I'm not advocating any of these methods, but they work for me.

Message edited by author 2008-03-15 10:38:33.

e301

03/15/2008 04:15:18 AM · #19

Brad

Olympus OM-D E-M1

03/15/2008 12:24:56 AM · #20

nm

Message edited by author 2008-03-15 02:52:13.

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D

03/15/2008 12:16:29 AM · #21

Originally posted by Gordon:

I stand corrected.

Louis

Nikon D800

03/14/2008 11:36:34 PM · #22

This is a completely fascinating conversation. If I were to give advice, I would echo what Gordon has already said. If street portraiture is what one is after, be engaging, be genuine, be restrained. Use 85mm. I struggle with the same issues Gordon has (and notably Keith Carter, one my favourites) and have in fact only taken a few successful street portraits. Here are examples... the first guy wound up becoming a member here after I told him about the place (he's not active though).

[thumb]494479[/thumb] [thumb]504172[/thumb] [thumb]504193[/thumb]

Message edited by author 2008-03-14 23:37:04.

Quasimojo

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

03/14/2008 11:32:31 PM · #23

Originally posted by Gordon:

Just do it.

And when you're Just Doing It....Keep Doing It... i.e. either double tap each shot, or even short bursts. Sometimes you just don't have the luxury of framing so machine gunning it can help...but focus can be a pain so muck about with focus modes to see what works.

N

Quasimojo

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

03/14/2008 11:29:07 PM · #24

Originally posted by Gordon:

I wonder if the police would have bothered stopping you with a shorter, less white lens and a point and shoot ? :) People react differently to different types of camera - with suspicion to long lenses and someone on the far side of the street, usually with amused acceptance to someone with a smaller camera, more obviously involved. There's times when neither is welcome too, of course.

Sure, big white lenses are threatening and scary for some unknown reason, but in photography terms the subject is unaware so it's irrelevant imho.

Which was the film where the line was "guns for show, knife's for a pro"...Lock Stock? And in Leon there was comment about snipers being easy and the last lesson being the knife. Point being that anyone can shoot a long lens down a street and it takes more skill/cunning/balls/chutzpah/cojones to get close, but you can still capture the images you want to with either method....it just depends on the situation imho.

I plan to shoot a nice cliche shot of the punks in Camden one summer day. In my world that's a long lens assignment..I don't care how lovely they are and how misunderstood blah blah...they bite...nay even feed on people like me. Other times it's really easy and it's almost a case of stick the camera right in their face and go for it. But just can't see why one is good and one is bad....the results depend on the photographer not the focal length...

N