Street photography without pissing people off?

CropDusterMan · Jan 5, 2016

Cartier-Bresson was the king of street photography...granted, he did it during kinder and gentler times.

Here he is at work...floating about un-noticed. Graceful as a swan. Eve Arnold compared him to a ballet
dancer when he moved on the street.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60o8UHyiCS4

Be quick, respectful and personally, I avoid photographing kids most of the time, otherwise people will think
you are some lunatic...as a parent, I understand their concerns in todays world. When it comes to confrontation,
you can always be like Cartier-Bresson and move on to the next shot quickly.

Ken Nadvornick · Jan 5, 2016

jnanian said:
no i wasn't speaking in generalities.
i have been accosted with my camera ...
as i was working for a newspaper
and when i was on projects/doing my own work
i have been surrounded by a crowd of racists/bigots who threatened me
yelling in my face "A-rab go home" ( as well as other things ) ... in broad daylight at quincy market in boston.
a few years before i had my camera grabbed from me
by a drunk guy who wouldnt' give it back, and then he said he'd give it back alright, he' shove it up my --ss.
--- i took his photograph on the sly like you do/did.
on assighment a 240lb linebacker of a security guard was in my face
and threatened me for a long while if i didn't delete my assignemnt ( yes it was digital )
i had him talk to my managing editor who calmed him down, and eventually he let me go
not to mention other private security who has followed me around and harrassed me for
making photographs of people doing "street work" ... no, i am not speaking
in generalities, like you ... UNlike you, i have been making photographs for a living since the 1980s
and i have plenty of life experience and paid assignments to talk about,
and here locally on apug i have spoken up if i see something in the gallery that is low and disrespectful

one of the photographs i was referring to was one of stephen frizza's
he said it was a guy sleeping in trash ouside his building
and he either threw money at him ( it was next to him passed out ) or put a coffee
next to his body and then took his photograph in a heap of trash with a title like "morning coffee" ...
i suggested his do something productive and buy the guy a meal and what he did was in bad taste.
no i don't remember which one it was, there are plenty of people who photograph the homeless like that and it is sad and pathetic.
i would have linked to the photograph i am talking about but it looks like it has been deleted from his gallery.
other disrespectful images in the gallery i have spoken up about
include a model whose "professional" photographer jokingly refered to her as "another anorexic model"
yes, equally in bad taste, i am an equal opportunity commenter.
... and if you posted something as tasteless, just to get chuckles, comments and back slaps,
i would make a comment as well.

you don't disappoint as usual, you are too much ...

thanks for putting me in my place !
i really appreciate it. :munch:

I thought I was on your Ignore List...

What happened?

Ken

Jeff Bradford · Jan 6, 2016

Setting up the camera on a tripod in an obvious location keeps confrontation to a minimum. I point the camera, meter, focus, set up the release cable, and wait. Some people avoid me because they don't want to be photographed or because they don't want to "mess up" my photograph. Occasionally someone looks and smiles. Mostly, people ignore me. It also helps to have a second person on hand to watch the gear. The most difficult part is finding an assistant who will actually watch the gear.

Sirius Glass · Jan 6, 2016

My father would do street photography and he would ask someone if he could take there photograph. Then he would take his C330 with the 250mm lens [ok, technically since it is a TLR it should be lenses] and practically shove each lens up a nostril, I would see the look of horror on the subject's face. He also used the 80mm lens to do this, but the biggest eye pop was when he did it with the 250mm lens. That is why I do not generally do street photography nor portraits.

cliveh · Jan 6, 2016

Jeff Bradford said:
Setting up the camera on a tripod in an obvious location keeps confrontation to a minimum. I point the camera, meter, focus, set up the release cable, and wait. Some people avoid me because they don't want to be photographed or because they don't want to "mess up" my photograph. Occasionally someone looks and smiles. Mostly, people ignore me. It also helps to have a second person on hand to watch the gear. The most difficult part is finding an assistant who will actually watch the gear.

A second person? This is building into flash-mob street photography. Now there is a new concept for camera clubs.

pentaxuser · Jan 6, 2016

Iluvmycam said:
If your in the UK your pretty much fudged with self-defense weapons. But you can sill have a few puny options as listed in the link above.

I have only just read this thread but I was puzzled by what you meant in the two sentences above and in particular the phrase "in the U.K. your pretty much fudged with self defense weapons".

It may be that "fudged" and its meaning is key here but I do not know what it means. I think you are saying we are at an advantage here in the U.K. compared to other unspecified countries but I am not sure. Can you expand on what that means?

Thanks

pentaxuser

cliveh · Jan 6, 2016

CropDusterMan said:
Cartier-Bresson was the king of street photography...granted, he did it during kinder and gentler times.

Here he is at work...floating about un-noticed. Graceful as a swan. Eve Arnold compared him to a ballet
dancer when he moved on the street.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60o8UHyiCS4

Be quick, respectful and personally, I avoid photographing kids most of the time, otherwise people will think
you are some lunatic...as a parent, I understand their concerns in todays world. When it comes to confrontation,
you can always be like Cartier-Bresson and move on to the next shot quickly.

Here is another one, with some images I have never seen before. Every one a gem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SHyDkNagzU

ManicPixie · Jan 13, 2016

I've been lucky here in Switzerland so far. I shoot with Rollei TLRs more often than not and these cameras being extremely quiet definitely helps. I also try to dress cute and appear as whimsy and as nonthreatening as possible.

Xmas · Jan 13, 2016

pentaxuser said:
I have only just read this thread but I was puzzled by what you meant in the two sentences above and in particular the phrase "in the U.K. your pretty much fudged with self defense weapons".

It may be that "fudged" and its meaning is key here but I do not know what it means. I think you are saying we are at an advantage here in the U.K. compared to other unspecified countries but I am not sure. Can you expand on what that means?

Thanks

pentaxuser

Think he means you are not even allowed a skien doo unless you also have a kilt and sporran.
Some events they frisk before entry.

Open carry is legal in several states.

twelvetone12 · Jan 13, 2016

ManicPixie said:
I've been lucky here in Switzerland so far. I shoot with Rollei TLRs more often than not and these cameras being extremely quiet definitely helps. I also try to dress cute and appear as whimsy and as nonthreatening as possible.

Yeah I think here in Swiss people are quite cool. I always photograph in the streets here with my noisy F3 and no one seems bothered. But when I was in New York this summer it was the same, maybe I am lucky!

removed account4 · Jan 13, 2016

twelvetone12 said:
Yeah I think here in Swiss people are quite cool. I always photograph in the streets here with my noisy F3 and no one seems bothered. But when I was in New York this summer it was the same, maybe I am lucky!

over the border in france it is similar.
i was doing street-stuff in besancon a handful of years ago
with a graflex slr and a gal came out of building and exclaimed
"oh, vous êtes une hallucination ! " and then a guy let me photograph
him and his dog as he told me about his zeiss lenses and nice german cameras
in ri its pretty laid back too, i guess they are used to RISD students and their cameras
so most don't take notice.

ManicPixie · Jan 13, 2016

twelvetone12 said:
Yeah I think here in Swiss people are quite cool. I always photograph in the streets here with my noisy F3 and no one seems bothered. But when I was in New York this summer it was the same, maybe I am lucky!

We're both lucky, it seems. Some even approach me to ask about my camera.

I went to Milan 2 weeks ago and people were also cool with it.

twelvetone12 · Jan 13, 2016

Well TLRs are quite cool indeed I'm going to Milano Friday, I hope I will not be beaten up if I take photos!

TheFlyingCamera · Jan 13, 2016

I spent two weeks in Florence and Rome recently with my Rolleiflex and had no problems, and quite a few positive encounters. Two Swedish women talked with me about it as we shared a table in the Capitoline Museum cafe, a good three or four folks said something about it at the Castel Sant'Angelo, a father and son on the Rome Metro chatted with me, and I got plenty of positive nods and smiles in Florence. The Italians seem to be pretty camera-friendly as a whole, especially in touristy areas. I wouldn't worry about it.

Yamato · Mar 9, 2016

Also there is a trick that it worked exceptionally well for me: when people question you, tell them that you are doing a project "One day in <insert_city_here>'s citizens" or something like that, where you want to portrait the daily lives of the people in that city for a project at your university (or if you are too old for being at the university, then for a Magazine). Think about it before leaving house, so you dont doubt in front of them.
They wont question you, or at most they will just ask you to delete or not use the photo. You can just write down in a paper "frame 12, delete". They will feel better.
Basically, be kind, calm and give acceptable explanations about what you are doing. And agree with them, even when you think otherwise.
Sometimes even sharing details like it is a vintage project, using film, a 50 years old camera, etc... they will feel even glad to help you.

Also, I carry with me some visiting cards that I printed myself, so I can hand them out to give that "professional photographer" image that is imposing and even respected.

As mentioned before, I also agree that a rangefinder or even a compact camera is your best bet. It is silent, not intimidating, lightweight, small... everything is advantages. Remember that some photographers used small point&shoot cameras for their jobs, such as Moriyama Daido.
And I would avoid photographing kids, since today's world is not 50 years ago world.

Good luck.

sodark1828 · Jul 17, 2017

Well, it depends. If you tried to take a wide angle, where shouldnt be any problem. But if you tried to take them on close range :

1) Try to focus on the object first
2) move your camera to other way and keep looking THAT WAY (even when they're not noticing your presence)
3) back to the object and snap
4) try not to get in their eye contact

derek andrews · Sep 19, 2017

Jesper said:
Using a TLR with a waist level finder is often perceived as less threatening than using a camera at eye level.
They are more likely to ignore you than if you are carrying 2kg of SLR.
In my experience old and "funny" looking cameras will make people more relaxed around you.

Has anyone else used one of the Olympus xa series of cameras. They are tiny black cameras with the lightest and quitest shutters you can come across with a 35mm f3.5 zuiko lens. I carry mine with the wrist strap. I set it to middle distance or to close-up and just bring it up to eye level to take a photo. Nobody has EVER noticed I have taken a photo, because they never hear the shutter.

Old-N-Feeble · Sep 20, 2017

Just my opinion...

Back when I photographed people occasionally, I always asked if they minded me taking their photo. "Yes" means yes and "No" means no. I consider it the socially polite and correct thing to do. Of course, that only works for small groups. Crowds are fair game.

Laurent · Sep 23, 2017

ManicPixie said:
I've been lucky here in Switzerland so far. I shoot with Rollei TLRs more often than not and these cameras being extremely quiet definitely helps. I also try to dress cute and appear as whimsy and as nonthreatening as possible.

I'm afraid I can't dress "cute" ;-) but agree on the TLR. Even in Paris' underground, which is definitely NOT a friendly or cool place, I could photograph people as close as 1m away without being noticed ever, and without trying to hide.

Dali · Sep 23, 2017

Old-N-Feeble said:
Just my opinion...

Back when I photographed people occasionally, I always asked if they minded me taking their photo. "Yes" means yes and "No" means no. I consider it the socially polite and correct thing to do. Of course, that only works for small groups. Crowds are fair game.

I somewhat agree with you. Politeness would commend to ask before to shoot but IMO this is street portrait, no more street photography.

Dali · Sep 23, 2017

Laurent said:
Even in Paris' underground, which is definitely NOT a friendly or cool place, I could photograph people as close as 1m away without being noticed ever, and without trying to hide.

A challenge due to the lack of light!

removed account4 · Sep 23, 2017

maybe its just me but part of me is facinated by street photography
and part of me thinks it is extremely creepy ..

bvy · Sep 23, 2017

Dali said:
I somewhat agree with you. Politeness would commend to ask before to shoot but IMO this is street portrait, no more street photography.

This. It's not candid if you go around asking for permission. Whether it's right or wrong, polite or rude, is certainly debatable, but we're talking about two different things.

Laurent · Sep 23, 2017

Dali said:
A challenge due to the lack of light!

Not really: wide open (f/3.5) and 1/15 sec is OK for ISO 400, at least in the coaches. In the corridors it's darker, but on the platforms and coaches I usually get good results with that.

Dali · Sep 23, 2017

Laurent said:
Not really: wide open (f/3.5) and 1/15 sec is OK for ISO 400, at least in the coaches. In the corridors it's darker, but on the platforms and coaches I usually get good results with that.

1/15 sec picture? I guess you wait for the coach to stop at a station to shoot. While moving and shaking, it is a different story...

Street photography without pissing people off?

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