being self conscious, not a good trait

jonbeeza

jonbeeza

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I have a free day today so I thought I would go into town, providing the weather stays good. Just a bit of window shopping and having a quick nose in both Jessops and Jacobs. I am thinking of taking my camera, and if I have enough ( male anatomy) courage, I am planning on taking a few photos while strolling along the busy city centre.

It's just that I feel very self conscious taking photos in a busy location, I am relaxed taking photos in a park setting. But snapping away I will be capturing people, and wondering if they will take offence? But I am going to give it a go.

I just wish I was hard faced without any morals :)
 
you are probably worried about people asking questions - so just tell them you're doing a project for the course you're on

imagine it's true

confidence is all in the mind and you can fool your mind by using imagery

:)
 
I can take photos while on holiday like my recent trip to Edinburgh but I just can't take photos in my home town I'm not talking secluded spots where the local yobs hang out but in the actual town centre.
 
sturisoma said:
you are probably worried about people asking questions - so just tell them you're doing a project for the course you're on
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People may not say anything to me, it's just they often frown and look angry, and you can see them thinking, did you just take a photo off me !




krisuk2008 said:
I can take photos while on holiday like my recent trip to Edinburgh but I just can't take photos in my home town I'm not talking secluded spots where the local yobs hang out but in the actual town centre.
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I know it is a funny one isnt it, or maybe we are just decent folk ;)

While typing this I was wearing a new cheapo pair of specks, and my missus just said I look like a professor. Maybe I should change my look, and have a look of a wacky prof, that way people will probably just think just another whacko and look the other way *** hmmm :naughty:
 
I have a photo somewhere of a building I was taking a pic of didn't see it at the time but once in Lightroom saw a guy giving me the two fingered salute lol
 
krisuk2008 said:
I have a photo somewhere of a building I was taking a pic of didn't see it at the time but once in Lightroom saw a guy giving me the two fingered salute lol
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LOL reminds me of me years ago, a person took a photo when I was passing, and I think I was caught in the shot. I was a little annoyed, mind you I was a youngster at the time, payback time ;)

I am going to dress down, really shabby with specs hanging off my nose. I hope I can just blend in. Getting ready to pop out and give it a try, that's if the rain holds off :)
 
create a compliment slip (doesn't need to be elaborate) with your name ie Dave Smith photography, an e-mail address and a phone number - preferably mobile, and keep a quantity in your camera bag or with you if out and about, if challenged you've got something to give them and gives you some credibility.
 
Leslie said:
Let us know how you got on and post some pics!
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Just a quick update, I did set off for town but my normal parking speck has now gone. The little side street I used to park is now a restricted area, parking restrictions everywhere! Took me ages to drive to the other side of town, by the time I got there it started to rain. The traffic was terrible, I gave up and went back home :bang:

A really wasted morning :crying:
 
I find it very difficult taking photos around people unless I am with fellow photographers, even at parks or beaches if there are too many people around I can feel very reluctant to take my camera out of the bag especially if there's alot of noise too, it can be very distracting. I kinda put it down to my being autistic and struggling with the possibility of attention for what I'm doing, when I'm with another or several photographers however I feel much more relaxed and find it easier to concentrate on the photography.
 
andrew720 said:
I find it very difficult taking photos around people unless I am with fellow photographers, even at parks or beaches if there are too many people around I can feel very reluctant to take my camera out of the bag
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Same here, it's the old safety in numbers thing ;)
 
Ive not really ventured out to take pictures yet, but I think when it comes to it, I will have the same problem, I suppose its just a case of get on with it to get used to it

I would really want to take both flashes, stands and umbrella's out to a quiet location, but think I would still be self-concious about people watching etc
 
I'm the same, very self-conscious when it comes to taking pictures of people, friends or strangers, so I rarely take my camera out with me.

So you are definitely not the only one to feel that way.
However when I go out to new places like London, I take lots of pictures of people. There is something about big cities which is more open to the idea of street photography. Little shire towns like mine dont, but I am open to taking my camera out with me to the local park and just sitting there and people watch and tog what I can without looking like a crazy person.
 
I already look like a crazy person :LOL: I don't care if people look nor do I worry about what they think, I'd only worry if they said something to me or about me. Maybe business cards would work tho - good idea, vista print do free ones :)
 
Being new to photography i feel exactly the same.
I feel like everyone is watching.

But i see people taking pictures all the time and don't really take any notice of them , i guess nobody is really that bothered by me either
 
You want one of these..........(y)
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V_mask.jpg
 
I went into Liverpool City Centre yesterday, I went to Jessops to have a nose and I took my camera. I just got the camera out of the bag and snapped away, nobody even noticed me. I did not point the camera at people but at buildings, and if people happened to be in shot, I just thought to myself so what ! Could not believe I could be so bold

I made a point of walking back home, so I could get the feel of walking about with a camera in my hand.

I walked through a park one of the smaller ones that is pretty quiet, this was with the idea of taking some photos of the ducks or something. As I rounded a path I came across a very pretty girl sitting on a bench. We both made eye contact and I smiled to her, and she gave me one of the nicest smiles back. Before I could even stop myself, I blurtet out, can I take your photo. I was so surprised when she said, yes but of course.

I had a little natter with her, and it turned out she was a student from Germany. Just a pity I did not have the correct camera settings dialed in, it could have been a lovely photo, as her lovely smile was so lovely and genuine :)
 
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I know i havent posted any comment through this thread but just had a read through and wanted to say a really big congrats and well done.
I feel the same as you said you did, when heading out with the possibility of people in shots, but was happy to hear you had a good time out and even had the corrage to ask someone to be your temp model :LOL:
Now to get my camera gear outside myself i think.
 
Snipet said:
:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:
I know i havent posted any comment through this thread but just had a read through and wanted to say a really big congrats and well done.
I feel the same as you said you did, when heading out with the possibility of people in shots, but was happy to hear you had a good time out and even had the corrage to ask someone to be your temp model :LOL:
Now to get my camera gear outside myself i think.
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Hey no worries, you are welcome. (y)




jonbeeza said:
I walked through a park one of the smaller ones that is pretty quiet, this was with the idea of taking some photos of the ducks or something. As I rounded a path I came across a very pretty girl sitting on a bench. We both made eye contact and I smiled to her, and she gave me one of the nicest smiles back. Before I could even stop myself, I blurtet out, can I take your photo. I was so surprised when she said, yes but of course.

I had a little natter with her, and it turned out she was a student from Germany. Just a pity I did not have the correct camera settings dialed in, it could have been a lovely photo, as her lovely smile was so lovely and genuine :)
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I am really glad I did not take a sneaky candid of her, it's pretty hard to explain, but it feels like the photos I took of her, have more value or credibility or something :thinking:
 
It's stupid really, these same people most likely don't even know they've been on CCTV camera's, or just like with body-scanners wouldn't object anyway. Yet the second they see a camera, any camera, they freak out as if the photographer is from another world.

I've had the usual remarks such as 'there's always one', but imho I just let it pass because these same idiots don't realise that every time they see a picture in a magazine, newspaper, or book it meant someone had to go out and take it. I always turn a negative into a positive or at least try to. I just tell myself it's better to be looked weird at than be stuck in the house 24/7 turning into a quivering wreck.

Besides I don't know these people anymore than they know me, so I'm not their 'friend' or 'owe' them anything other than my time and patience.
 
RjLPhotography said:
idiots don't realise that every time they see a picture in a magazine, newspaper, or book it meant someone had to go out and take it. I always turn a negative into a positive or at least try toQUOTE]

exactly this ,all the pics people look at have been taken by someone with a camera .

thats called wet printing :D
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Got challenged taking pics of horses... apparently its frowned upon by owners afraid that they would end up being nicked.

Just delete the pics if requested.


As to out n about - if its a tourist spot, hover near other tourists and snap away...

Or see if you have a friend to converse with whilst out and about. If they happen to be well built, its an added bonus :D

Either that, or see if you can arrange or join in with a local meet.
 
Nice thing about working in Edinburgh city centre, people block anyone with a camera out their mind assuming they are tourist and about to get in their way. Can make crossing the road a bit dicey...
 
ecniv said:
Got challenged taking pics of horses... apparently its frowned upon by owners afraid that they would end up being nicked.
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Or if you take pics of cars, the cars could get pinched. Or maybe taking pics of buildings is dodgy also, well could be trying to get a good layout to break in. So deffo no good taking pics of people, well it could be a plot to abduct a person :LOL:
 
Have wondered whether a right angle finder might be useful for street photography - at least it doesn't look too obvious to people comig towards you.

Al
 
If you really don't want people to notice (which may make the shot more natural) then you can set a manual focus range from 2m to infinity and use a high aperture.
With a bit of practice you can take shots without even raising your camera. This is actually easier with a compact due to inherent huge DoF and more discreet size.

Other than that, speed helps. Practice quickly raising camera to eye, quick focus, take shot and then back down. Surprising how many people don't even notice you have taken a shot.
 
ernesto said:
If you really don't want people to notice (which may make the shot more natural) then you can set a manual focus range from 2m to infinity and use a high aperture.
With a bit of practice you can take shots without even raising your camera. This is actually easier with a compact due to inherent huge DoF and more discreet size.

Other than that, speed helps. Practice quickly raising camera to eye, quick focus, take shot and then back down. Surprising how many people don't even notice you have taken a shot.
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Over the last week or so I have gotten a litle bolder, and I am hoping I will get to the stage I wont care what others think ;)
 
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