I need your opinion on a little project im planing

Manuel Madeira · Sep 25, 2022

Hey guys, I love photography and Its one of my passions, probably the biggest passion i have, but lately I have been a bit tired of photographing the srteets and people I already know and those basic thing, I need to meet now people to photograph, sometimes I look at someone at the streets and I think to myself: "God I really wish I could spend a day just shooting and portraying that person" and I really do. The thing is, i formulated a plan, I would print this business cards containing my contacts and stuff and offer them to people I find interesting on the street I would explain I'm a guy(20y/o) who likes to take pictures and that they caught my attention and if someday they want their photos taken or model, to contact me for a free photoshoot and i would offer them the photos for instagram or whatever they wanted them for(I dont want to make money while im still learning and I just do it for passion) I would tell them they could bring friends and it would be in public places so no weird stuff. I've been thinking about this to because i want to meet new people to and get out of my bubble and start learning how to interact more with people and I think it would be a fun experiment.

jtk · Sep 26, 2022

Wonderful idea. Do it. Don't count on developing friendships that way.

It does take more guts to actually talk with people you may want to photograph than to avoiding personal contact with the pretense that one is a "street photographer."

Daniela · Sep 27, 2022

Your plan sounds good. You'd give people a chance to think about it and help them feel safe. Another thing that might help put people at ease is to provide your own social media contact so people can check out your work. Good luck!

Steven Lee · Sep 27, 2022

Someone suggested this to my ex and it made her really uncomfortable. I suppose it was mostly because of HOW the proposal was presented. Idea is fine, but presentation is everything. Presentation = perception. You don't want it to be the creep who's trying to get women into his apartment. Maybe offer a well-known public place for a photoshoot, show the samples of other people, basically add as much specificity as possible to remove vagueness and reduce the possibility of misinterpreting your intentions. Or just start with men.

Manuel Madeira · Sep 27, 2022

jtk said:
Wonderful idea. Do it. Don't count on developing friendships that way.

It does take more guts to actually talk with people you may want to photograph than to avoiding personal contact with the pretense that one is a "street photographer."

hey, thanks for the reply and for the incentive, I will go for it with the correct mindset thanks for the advice

Manuel Madeira · Sep 27, 2022

Daniela said:
Your plan sounds good. You'd give people a chance to think about it and help them feel safe. Another thing that might help put people at ease is to provide your own social media contact so people can check out your work. Good luck!

Thanks a lot for the reply, advice and incentive I will do that!

Manuel Madeira · Sep 27, 2022

Steven Lee said:
Someone suggested this to my ex and it made her really uncomfortable. I suppose it was mostly because of HOW the proposal was presented. Idea is fine, but presentation is everything. Presentation = perception. You don't want it to be the creep who's trying to get women into his apartment. Maybe offer a well-known public place for a photoshoot, show the samples of other people, basically add as much specificity as possible to remove vagueness and reduce the possibility of misinterpreting your intentions. Or just start with men.

Yeah, thats my biggest problem, trying not to be weird XD, but as I said, It would be in public places and possibly with their friends arround everything explained, no creepy apartments XD, but thanks for the advice!!

Pieter12 · Sep 27, 2022

As an alternate to having sample photos on your phone, you could carry a small binder album with 4x6" prints to share with potential subjects. I would also suggest not approaching minors.

Manuel Madeira · Sep 27, 2022

Pieter12 said:
As an alternate to having sample photos on your phone, you could carry a small binder album with 4x6" prints to share with potential subjects. I would also suggest not approaching minors.

ohhh yeah, I will do that, And dont worry I will definetly no aproach minors, I will be carefull

koraks · Oct 18, 2022

jtk said:
Wonderful idea. Do it. Don't count on developing friendships that way.

Agree with the first part, not really the second. Years ago I did something comparable; some of the people I met have become good friends of mine. Evidently not everybody meshes well with just anybody, but there's no reason why you couldn't click with someone through this route.

koraks · Oct 18, 2022

Manuel Madeira said:
trying not to be weird XD

Nothing wrong with being weird. But if in reality "interesting people" equates "attractive girls/boys", rethink your plan. If your motives are pure, you can get through this alright. If they aren't, your plan WILL backfire at some point.

jimmelcher · Oct 18, 2022

If I am ‘street shooting,’ I try to always carry a few home-made ‘business’ cards that give my socials. I hand these out so the subjects can see I work intentionally and openly. I have to say, though, handing out the card is not a cure-all. Attitude and presentation matter much more.

As for the project, why not get a friend to volunteer as your first subject? Then your little carry-along album could be of a project in progress. I would also recommend hiring a model for one of these shoots. Plan ahead for that shoot, and try to structure it so you are doing a series of environmental portraits of her normal day, if only for an hour. You will learn a ton doing that, I bet.

warden · Oct 18, 2022

Manuel Madeira said:
Hey guys, I love photography and Its one of my passions, probably the biggest passion i have, but lately I have been a bit tired of photographing the srteets and people I already know and those basic thing, I need to meet now people to photograph, sometimes I look at someone at the streets and I think to myself: "God I really wish I could spend a day just shooting and portraying that person" and I really do. The thing is, i formulated a plan, I would print this business cards containing my contacts and stuff and offer them to people I find interesting on the street I would explain I'm a guy(20y/o) who likes to take pictures and that they caught my attention and if someday they want their photos taken or model, to contact me for a free photoshoot and i would offer them the photos for instagram or whatever they wanted them for(I dont want to make money while im still learning and I just do it for passion) I would tell them they could bring friends and it would be in public places so no weird stuff. I've been thinking about this to because i want to meet new people to and get out of my bubble and start learning how to interact more with people and I think it would be a fun experiment.

Outstanding idea! You've got a good start and I agree with the others that are suggesting carrying samples and limiting your activity to working in public places. All you need is one person to say yes and you're off and running. Please share some pics when you can!

snusmumriken · Oct 18, 2022

Manuel Madeira said:
Hey guys, I love photography and Its one of my passions, probably the biggest passion i have, but lately I have been a bit tired of photographing the srteets and people I already know and those basic thing, I need to meet now people to photograph, sometimes I look at someone at the streets and I think to myself: "God I really wish I could spend a day just shooting and portraying that person" and I really do. The thing is, i formulated a plan, I would print this business cards containing my contacts and stuff and offer them to people I find interesting on the street I would explain I'm a guy(20y/o) who likes to take pictures and that they caught my attention and if someday they want their photos taken or model, to contact me for a free photoshoot and i would offer them the photos for instagram or whatever they wanted them for(I dont want to make money while im still learning and I just do it for passion) I would tell them they could bring friends and it would be in public places so no weird stuff. I've been thinking about this to because i want to meet new people to and get out of my bubble and start learning how to interact more with people and I think it would be a fun experiment.

The bit that sounds difficult to me is where you would approach your subjects. On the street, 99 people out of 100 won't stop for even 30 seconds. Ask any pollster. So if you can think of places where people might be more relaxed and approachable, I suspect you would engage more people.

A chum of mine set out to make portraits of all his work colleagues. He is very eloquent, sensitive and persuasive, but even for him there were a lot of barriers to overcome. The results, though, were outstanding. To some extent those great results brought down the barriers of reluctant sitters, but it's getting the first subjects that must be difficult. Personally, I couldn't persuade any stranger to do anything more than tell me the time. So good luck!

Pieter12 · Oct 18, 2022

snusmumriken said:
The bit that sounds difficult to me is where you would approach your subjects. On the street, 99 people out of 100 won't stop for even 30 seconds. Ask any pollster. So if you can think of places where people might be more relaxed and approachable, I suspect you would engage more people.

A chum of mine set out to make portraits of all his work colleagues. He is very eloquent, sensitive and persuasive, but even for him there were a lot of barriers to overcome. The results, though, were outstanding. To some extent those great results brought down the barriers of reluctant sitters, but it's getting the first subjects that must be difficult. Personally, I couldn't persuade any stranger to do anything more than tell me the time. So good luck!

There are cultural differences. The OP is in Portugal, maybe people are more relaxed and approachable than in the UK. It also depends on the size of the city or if he's working on the outskirts or in a small town or village.

gone · Oct 18, 2022

I agree, it's a cultural thing. As a Southerner in the U.S., we're basically trained from birth to be friendly and outgoing. And that works exactly as it should down there, and in a few other places like Hawaii.

But here in Tucson, Portland, San Diego, quite a lot of places actually, you're going to be ignored if they don't know you. That includes even a "Hello" on the street. I think it's a bad way to live and can't wait to leave, but the people here are into it, it suits them.

If I were the op, I'd set up a table in a Saturday market or weekend street fair. People are more casual and relaxed at those things.

warden · Oct 18, 2022

momus said:
I agree, it's a cultural thing. As a Southerner in the U.S., we're basically trained from birth to be friendly and outgoing. And that works exactly as it should down there, and in a few other places like Hawaii.

But here in Tucson, Portland, San Diego, quite a lot of places actually, you're going to be ignored if they don't know you. That includes even a "Hello" on the street. I think it's a bad way to live and can't wait to leave, but the people here are into it, it suits them.

If I were the op, I'd set up a table in a Saturday market or weekend street fair. People are more casual and relaxed at those things.

Good advice there. I like that table idea. I have found in my professional life that people are more comfortable when they approach you than the other way around, and nothing on Earth beats an inexpensive folding card table and a smile to help that along.

As for southerners in the US, well I agree. I lived in the south for ten years after spending all of my early years in Ohio and Michigan. I had no idea that when you greeted a southerner with "How you doin'" that you should probably pull up a stool and be prepared to hear a story. It's a decent way to live.

Sirius Glass · Oct 19, 2022

snusmumriken said:
The bit that sounds difficult to me is where you would approach your subjects. On the street, 99 people out of 100 won't stop for even 30 seconds. Ask any pollster. So if you can think of places where people might be more relaxed and approachable, I suspect you would engage more people.

A chum of mine set out to make portraits of all his work colleagues. He is very eloquent, sensitive and persuasive, but even for him there were a lot of barriers to overcome. The results, though, were outstanding. To some extent those great results brought down the barriers of reluctant sitters, but it's getting the first subjects that must be difficult. Personally, I couldn't persuade any stranger to do anything more than tell me the time. So good luck!

Using a pollster is not a good example because many people will automatically dismiss one.

Marcelo Paniagua · Oct 19, 2022

Suggest you bring your most pro looking camera Something that scream you are a photographer.

I need your opinion on a little project im planing

Manuel Madeira

jtk

Daniela

Steven Lee

Manuel Madeira

Manuel Madeira

Manuel Madeira

Pieter12

Manuel Madeira

koraks

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koraks

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jimmelcher

warden

snusmumriken

Pieter12

gone

warden

Sirius Glass

Marcelo Paniagua

I need your opinion on a little project im planing

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