street photography is embarrassing

kekaru

kekaru

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Alex
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I don't mean photos of streets lol, taking photos of people on the street can be... awkward, at least I find it to be, does any one else?
 
kekaru said:
I don't mean photos of streets lol, taking photos of people on the street can be... awkward, at least I find it to be, does any one else?
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Yes it can be; but you can get used to it, with practice (y)


MagicMynx said:
Nope. People stare at me and give me dodgy looks anyway, so it's nothing new if it happens when I'm out wacking a few notches on my shutter count. :LOL:
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Nothing dodgy, just that they think you're too pretty to fuss with a camera :p
 
If you feel embarrassed. you will look embarrassed, this is not a good look to have while shooting, you'll look guilty of something lol

Here is a little snippet that I wrote on my street photography site
As time goes on you will learn and understand how to read and react to personal space, you will be able to evaluate Proxemics, this is a value that defines distances for personal space.

For Street Photographers, Proxemics change in different social circumstances, walking through a park for example requires a minimum Proxemic value of 25ft, whereas at a fun fair or open concerts, people lower their threshold needs because they expect interaction with like minded people, yet the same person at a train station at rush hour, although lowering their Proxemic value to an intimate distance understanding there will be crowd contact, their social distance of violation is infinite.
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I started my street photography as a very nervous photographer. I just didn't feel right putting camera up and taking someones picture.

So I went to picadilly circus. There were so many people there it didn't matter. I had soon broken the fear.

My tips to get you started; go to an area where you dont know anyone, get into the crowd, hold the camera up but not quite at your eye - chin level I guess. So when you so go to take the picture it's not so obvious and it's quicker too.

Good luck with it and enjoy yourself!

Check this out for some inspiration, Joel Meyerowitz is a total legend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRTf_-ezAes&p=6E6A6F727BF9216B&playnext=1&index=11
 
A couple of pints beforehand soon sorts the nerves out.
 
NY is such a different environment to most UK cities (even London), so it's not surprising to me to see that he can get away with the kind of in your face photography he's famous for. If you did that in Bristol, odds on you'd get lamped, or at best a mouthful. I think that's why a lot of people who like to do what they think is 'street' stuff use long lenses - they can get shots from further away. That defeats the object in my opinion, as any connection is lost. So many images of people shooting others at such a distance, very boring.

This more like it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRBARi09je8&feature=related

(although if he did that to me, I'd probably have words!)
 
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py6km said:
I think that's why a lot of people who like to do what they think is 'street' stuff use long lenses - they can get shots from further away. That defeats the object in my opinion, as any connection is lost. So many images of people shooting others at such a distance, very boring.
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Load of tosh :thumbsdown:

135/200mm is a fantastic focal length for street shooting for me, but then so is 24mm, 50 or 70mm, getting in close will more likely make you lose your shot and **** people off. A knowledge of Proxemics really helps.
 
PerfectSpeed said:
Load of tosh :thumbsdown:
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How rude - entirely a matter of opinion.

PerfectSpeed said:
...Proxemics...
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Now that's tosh (possibly a matter of fact). One person's notion of what they consider to be close proximity to their 'personal space" (whatever that may be) will be different to another person's. You'll never know what that is, you can only guess.

Remember - "if your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough".
 
py6km said:
How rude - entirely a matter of opinion.
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It wasn't a personal attack son, relax.

Now that's tosh (possibly a matter of fact). One person's notion of what they consider to be close proximity to their 'personal space" (whatever that may be) will be different to another person's. You'll never know what that is, you can only guess.
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Wrong, we all live by tribal rules, even in today's society, tell Desmond Morris you disagree with his findings :cautious::LOL:

Remember - "if your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough".
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All my photos are good enough at my chosen FL, but then I'm a street shooter.

Grow some kid and post you shots.
 
No problem taking street stuff.:):shrug:
 
know people (feel the atmosphere around you, the time, weather, how many people are in the street walking, what are they doing, etc) and be confident.

can't shoot in UK ? - *******s.
 
I agree with the original OP, I find I get a bit anxious of confrontation - especially true when there are kids about. Bloody Daily Mail!

When I have done it, I generally take off the vertical grip and use a small lens like 50mm or the Minolta 135 f2.8 "pocket rocket". Also find the Sony 500mm mirror lens is good to avoid being intrusive, but the bokeh is quite odd with that lens - rings rather than discs.

I agree with the others above though that this is probably purely in our minds and we possibly just need to get over it; but it's easier said than done!
 
it's as easy as to start talking to a beautiful woman you don't know or to perform to live audience in theatre etc.
 
Well I wouldn't do street photography anyway. I live in Chav-Land... (Keighley)

I wouldnt take out my £2,000 kit infront of anyone here.

If I lived in a safer area, then yeah I'd do it but I'd probably get hassle from the police which I'm guessing happens alot with street photographers.
 
Adam, if you're sensible about where you shoot street photography in Keighley, it's no more dangerous than anywhere else. I've done some in the town centre, but not for a while as I've been at the studio too much.
There's quite a few decent vantage points in the centre, where you can be seen if someone happens to look that way but most of the time no-one actually notices.
 
Even the town center is overgrown with them. Its easy to spot them. Just sit at the cafe in the center for an hour and watch for them. I was sat there once with my girlfriend and noticed 2 groups of them... about 4 or 5 times?
For some reason they like to walk around in a circle in the center. Plus the security in Keighley is laughable in comparison to Bradford, and obviously Leeds.

Probably the only way I would actually take my camera out in Keighley is if I was with a group.

However...
Thinking about it I would like to take my zoom up onto the multistory carpark. Seems fairly safe up there and could get some decent shots on Cavendish Street.
Theres sometimes some skaters hanging around beneath it but they usually get told off, and its a little late in the year.

-

By the way Laura, some of your photos arn't loading properly on your Portfolio.
 
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py6km said:
NY is such a different environment to most UK cities (even London), so it's not surprising to me to see that he can get away with the kind of in your face photography he's famous for. If you did that in Bristol, odds on you'd get lamped, or at best a mouthful. I think that's why a lot of people who like to do what they think is 'street' stuff use long lenses - they can get shots from further away. That defeats the object in my opinion, as any connection is lost. So many images of people shooting others at such a distance, very boring.

This more like it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRBARi09je8&feature=related

(although if he did that to me, I'd probably have words!)
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A little intrusive if you ask me. Not a fan of his work either.
 
Street photography just takes some balls to get started. Sinking a couple of beers before you go out, or going in a group may help.

I eased myself back into it when I moved to Hong Kong a couple of months ago, to get a feel for how people react. It's easier here, people are used to having no personal space, and as most people live 99% of their waking lives on the street, it's a great hunting ground.

Oh and there's no P****-paranoia whipped up by the media...photographers are *everywhere*, way more than London, and most of them are dripping in full-frame bodies, 'L' grade glass, or lovely old MF/rangefinders.
 
PerfectSpeed said:
Load of tosh :thumbsdown:

135/200mm is a fantastic focal length for street shooting for me, but then so is 24mm, 50 or 70mm, getting in close will more likely make you lose your shot and **** people off.
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I'd argue that the wider you go the easier it is to get up close, because due to the the wider FOV you can make it look like you're pointing the lens somewhere else. I also agree that a long focal length generally makes for less involving photographs in an urban environment since you're going to be compressing the perspective when you use a longer focal length. You'll also look like a creep if you're pointing your telephoto lens at someone across the street.

Anyway, a few tips:

- Be confident. If you aren't naturally confident, pretend to be.

- Memorise a reply if someone comes up to you and asks what you're doing. Say it's for a personal/school project or that you run a blog, or that you're taking photos of your neighbourhood so that your kids can see where you grew up. If you can deliver that reply with confidence then you'll come across better. Nothing says 'whoops, I've been caught!' better than spluttering and stumbling.

- Know your rights as a photographer.

- Dress appropriately.

EDIT: Expose yourself to as much street/documentary photos as possible. You'll get a better idea of what works, what to look out for, and most importantly you'll keep yourself inspired. I suggest looking at Severin Koller's blog - his street work is fantastic.
 
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Especially white ankle socks.:LOL::D:naughty:
 
py6km said:
This more like it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRBARi09je8&feature=related
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I hope you're joking! More like how to be a t**t! If someone did that to me they'd be extremely lucky not to have their equipment smashed on the ground! Photographers may have rights and all but I believe the subject should also have the right to have time to get out of the shot if they don't want to be in it! What he is doings extremely rude and he's just asking for someone to give him a good punch to the face!

Saying that I am not a violent person at all :p, I just feel very strongly about manners!
 
The right to have time to get out of the shot? As soon as anyone reacts to the camera the moment is gone for me.

I'm not a fan of Gilden's methods or work particularly though.
 
I never had the confidence until I started doing my photography course. They would tell us to bring our cameras in one day and then give us a brief and we had to go on our way and it helped as well because we were in groups. To be honest no one was looking suspiciously but a few were looking "intrigued" as you would though if someone was taking a photo near you and you'd look to see what camera/lens combo etc. I've quit my course now but I left with that street smarts/confidence and I shoot without worry/fear.
 
I'm not sure that there is anything particularly wrong with Bruce Gilden's method of photography as anyone who walks along the street has probably already likely had their image captured hundred of times on CCTV.

Also he usually only takes one shot of each person rather than hanging about taking several shots (which you get with CCTV).

On scale of "annoying" things on a typical street i'd say it ranks pretty low.

Far more annoying things are:

People with clipboards who say "could i have 2 minutes of your time?"
People who walk slowly 2 or 3 abreast who block the pavement
People with noisy kids
etc etc
 
SLRist said:
So if blending in and making people at ease involves leaping about like a clown wearing a burglar suit, he's got the right idea.

If he leapt towards me, I'd run in the other direction...
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Don't forget, he is invisible :cautious: :wacky: :LOL:
 
i really really want to have the confidence to do it but i cant bring myself to.

i just end up looking shifty.

my camera isnt exactly discreet either.
 
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