Walked in to town and back today, taking portraits of strangers...

M

MomentCapture

Suspended / Banned
Messages
483
Edit My Images
Yes
5.jpg


28.jpg


12.jpg


44.jpg


31.jpg
 
Last edited:
Some good shots, not really candid, which is my preference but I like them.
 
Thanks, it's nice to receive positive feedback, because sometimes it's hard to know if your on the right track. :)
 
I love them! This kind of street photography really interests me. And it's a brave/outgoing/friendly person who can walk up to strangers and ask them to let you photograph them, let alone get them to laugh on camera like that last lovely shot you just posted. So all in all, I think these are great. A really nice, honest approach to the community and town you're in. Perhaps, though you could have gone for some tighter, big close-ups on people's faces, just to vary things a little (instead of them all being head and shoulders style shots, unless you specifically set out to do that).

Personally I think that shot of the people at the bench in black and white is the weak link though and somewhat lets the other shots down. Some really nice work here though, well done! :)
 
^^^

Thanks Tinite, I like the one on the bench but I agree in that it isn't my favourite.

Looks like I deleted some when I ran out of bandwidth, so here is some more.

32.jpg


19.jpg


38.jpg


25.jpg


13.jpg
 
Last edited:
You are so brave! What exactly do you say to the people, and have you been rejected? Do you offer them copies of the pictures?
 
Wow...sounds great. I've done vox pop interviews for documentaries before which I guess is in a similar vein, but perhaps a little easier. I must give this a try...Do you think having an assistant (holding a reflector/flash) would put people off at all?

Thanks for that detailed reply by the way! :) Very interesting.
 
-halli- said:
Genius. :) I wish I had the guts!
Click to expand...

It's scary for anyone, you just need to prepare your self first, i.e. memorize what your going to say so you can concentrate on the quality of your delivery, and then later on when you get better you can be thinking about your composition while you approaching.

I didn't think I was very nervous on my first approach until I went to write the image number on a business card to hand over to the stranger, and my handwriting was terrible as my hand was trembling.

After about 3 approaches though, it's like a light bulb goes off, and it soon becomes really fun instead of scary, it's just something you need to force your self to do to begin with.
 
tinite said:
Wow...sounds great. I've done vox pop interviews for documentaries before which I guess is in a similar vein, but perhaps a little easier. I must give this a try...Do you think having an assistant (holding a reflector/flash) would put people off at all?

Thanks for that detailed reply by the way! :) Very interesting.
Click to expand...

I personally would go out on my own, if your worried about the light I personally would just wait for a fairly overcast day.
I generally tried to keep the interaction very fluid with no awkward pauses, and trying not to make a scene as best as I could.
It might be intimidating for the average member of the public to have more than one person approach them with 'large photo gear'.
You could try it though, as I guess you don't know unless you try...

The only things I took with me were my D7k+grip+strap and my 35mm 1.8 + pen & paper.
 
Last edited:
MomentCapture said:
I personally would go out on my own, if your worried about the light I personally would just wait for a fairly overcast day.
I generally tried to keep the interaction very fluid with no awkward pauses, and trying not to make a scene as best as I could.
It might be intimidating for the average member of the public to have more than one person approach them with 'large photo gear'.
You could try it though, as I guess you don't know unless you try...

The only things I took with me were my D7k+grip+strap and my 35mm 1.8 + pen & paper.
Click to expand...

Interesting...I've always thought that if I was going to do this, 'looking pro' might actually help by lending you a certain legitimacy i.e. you're not just any old person taking a photo, you're that most sacred of things, a photographer!

(And sorry for going a bit off-topic here on the criticism front)
 
As long as you give your subject a legitimate reason for taking their photograph it doesn't matter, I would also say taking allot of gear would put you at a disadvantage.

The main thing is confidence, people are much more likely to go along with what you say, if they trust your direction.

Also be prepared for when they ask you about the project your doing etc etc. as some of the people will be very interested, for instance some people I could have their picture taken in under 20 seconds and that would be the end of the interaction, and others liked to chat for about 5 mins.

Something more interesting, was a few people wanted to buy their picture...
 
Just love these - really cool. I would try to stick to one style of processing rather than changing, that way they look more like a set. Great work though, keep it up!

The mono's dont work for me. Oh and wondering why you chose to mono the two you did??

Overall, I really like!
 
Rich_Ellis said:
Just love these - really cool. I would try to stick to one style of processing rather than changing, that way they look more like a set. Great work though, keep it up!

The mono's dont work for me. Oh and wondering why you chose to mono the two you did??

Overall, I really like!
Click to expand...

Thanks Rich.

I just felt the images didn't really suite colour, especially the one of the woman.
It's strange though as I have had a couple of comments similar to yours, and a few comments saying that image (of the woman) was their favourite.

So it seems like a subjective thing, although I do like your idea about keeping them looking more like a set.
 
Last edited:
Love em

No 1 is my favourite, but I think the subject helps

Agree that the B&W's don really work

Would hope you carry on and put some more up

(y)
 
MomentCapture said:
I just felt the images didn't really suite colour, especially the one of the woman.
It's strange though as I have had a couple of comments similar to yours, and a few comments saying that image (of the woman) was their favourite.
Click to expand...
Yes its my favourite (though agree that it maybe doesn't go with the rest as a set) and I think the mono works for it.

Thanks for a bit of explanation about how you went about this - taking good photos of people is as almost much about people skills as photography, and you seem to be good at creating rapport and connection with your subject.

I've recently enrolled on a course so now I have the 'I'm a doing a project for my photography course' line - as you say as long as you explain to people, most don't mind. Not that I'd have the nerve yet to try random strangers in the street yet!
 
This is a well good idea! I'm really tempted to go and do this myself....
 
Cool shots. Some kind of theme to unite them, however, would really make them interesting - I.e. Accompanying photos of their wallet/bag contents, or some kind of unifying theme. Otherwise they're just random shots of people, and don't really have much more to them. Good shots though!
 
It's strange because in general I'm not a shy person, in fact I'm very outspoken and confident. However the first few times I went out taking pictures in the city centre I was so nervous my heart was almost jumping through my chest.

Some time later I arranged to go on one of the TP Liverpool meets and after things had broken up and I was strolling back home through the city centre I wondering into the middle of the Liverpool Gay Pride Parade. I started snapping away and suddenly my nerves went, I was stopping people in colourful outfits and I even managed to slot myself in between the pro toggers at the front of one of the stages ;-)

The results didn't hold a candle to these shots but it was great fun.

Nice shots and very nice approach!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Went out with my 50 1.8g today...

1.jpg


3.jpg


Btw I did get permission from the below singer, I pointed to my camera, lifted my thumb, and he nodded.
A gave a card to his mate sat on the floor, so he could get a copy from my website.

30.jpg


18.jpg
 
Last edited:
pretty extreme tactics just to get photos... you could at least their numbers as well.
 
I like all of these and reading how you have managed the process of photographing strangers is very interesting. Good work(y)
 
i really really really like these photos and the style in which they are shot. But one thing has been playing on my mind.

I know you tell the people you are taking there photos for a project, but do you tell them that you are using their photos on your business website and in your portfolio, and thus promoting your business? Infact, the stunning girl is the opening picture on your portrait, wedding and lifestyle site.

Im sure they wouldn't mind, but a project and a "business" are two very different things in my eyes...

Not trying to put a downer on the thread at all, just airing my slight concerns that have been bugging me since i first viewed them...
 
Last edited:
^^^
Now I give them my business card and direct them to my website.
A few actually ask what I'm going to do with them, and I just say I'l be uploading them to my website as well as my blog when I start one.
 
Gomas said:
pretty extreme tactics just to get photos... you could at least their numbers as well.
Click to expand...

I guess you fail to see the point to this, and firstly what's extreme about stopping someone in the street and asking to take their portrait?

Also the point your missing, is this is basically a marketing strategy and a way to develop an interesting portfolio, already today I had someone inquire about me shooting their wedding, and another couple hinting they may know someone who's looking for someone to photograph their wedding, as well as a few emails within hours from the people I have photographed this afternoon requesting their free 'watermarked' portrait that will likely be uploaded to their facebook with my web address in the bottom right corner?

At the end of the day, if you want your photography to take off, you need to get off your backside and 'make it happen', I hope you see the point to all this now...
 
Last edited:
Went out again later this afternoon with the intention of seeing how far I could take this if I found the right subject, unfortunately on two separate instances today, I had a heckler who either heckled me or my subject.
The first heckler was stood outside a pub and likely had a few drinks, he accused me from across the street that I was trying to chat up a pair of hairdressers washing their shop window towards the end of the day, this made the subjects a little withdrawn, but I did manage to turn the situation around and put the subjects at ease and get a few nice shot's.

The second instance ruined my shot though, as the heckler actually made a few comments to my subject instead of me this time, it was a shame as I literally got this girl to do a big star jump in the middle of the street, as well as do a 'catwalk' down the middle of the high street, unfortunately the heckler got in before I could ring off a few good frames, although I wasn't happy with my light anyway.

Below is what I managed to get...

16.jpg


24.jpg
 
Last edited:
last 2 are great natural expressions wonderful shots dont think iwould have the bottle
 
Darkstar said:
last 2 are great natural expressions wonderful shots dont think iwould have the bottle
Click to expand...

Thanks, but you'd be surprised, the hardest part is making the first few approaches. The second time I went into town I felt much more comfortable, I was even able to approach groups of youths who were dead against having their photo taken except one, so I took his shot and showed the others, and they said "wow, you'v got a really great camera" then 'most' of them were eager for a group shot.

8stranger.jpg


7stranger.jpg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top