Non-Intrusive Shooting?

[peterb]

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For truly unobtrusive photography (sneaking as you put it) "silence is golden". And you don't get a camera any more silent than the Digilux 2. Which is truly one of its great strengths.

 

As for not drawing attention while shooting. to be really unobtrusive with it, the camera is large enough that with the lens shade mounted, I've found that I can aim the thing reasonably well toward subjects continuing to do their own thing undeterred and fire quite stealthily with either the camera held off by my side or hanging from the strap (using the strap to steady the thing) while apparently looking elsewhere.

 

I've also found that with a 'finder' attached, I've been able to achieve the same thing if not even more accurately with my Lumix LX1 (also the LX2, D-Lux 2 and D-Lux 2 which are all the same bodies). I think the finder plus the lens allow for some mental triangulation with the subject that helps your off the eye accuracy.

 

It takes some practice at first but if you can pick up the knack it's quite useful for what you want to do with it.

[polossatik]

I've found that I can aim the thing reasonably well toward subjects continuing to do their own thing undeterred and fire quite stealthily with either the camera held off by my side or hanging from the strap (using the strap to steady the thing) while apparently looking elsewhere.

 

I have the same thing with my old p&s ( canon ixus 500 ). I'm so used to the framing of it that i can literally shoot pictures backwards or totally "blind" and frame it almost everytime correctly.

Of course, this is a full automatic situation wich is not what you always desire

 

so now i'm trying to master to have a "eye" for A/S settings

[ChrisC]

Will - I still have my Christmas brain cells working badly and I have only just remembered a fantastic book that had a considerable impact on me when I started studying photography seriously. If you can get access to a good library of photography books, find East 100th Street by Bruce Davison published in the mid 70's [and forgive me if there iare errors here - the book has been a long time marinating in a fuzzy memory].

 

As I remember the story, Bruce Davison wanted to start a new project and chose a tough street in Harlem [?] New York which bears the title of his book. Rather than work with a small rangefinder, he opted for a large format camera and tripod to signal to locals that he wasn't sneaking or being covert. The end project is a masterpiece, and the large format photographs classic examples of subject and photographer at ease with one another. The point being that the size of the camera had less to do with the accomplishment than the quality of Bruce Davison's attitude.

 

Throughout the history of photography there are many great photographers who have used large format cameras in subtle and unobtrusive ways, and prior to the invention of the small format camera there was little alternative. I hope this helps, and good luck.

 

..........................Chris

[nemeng]

I've done quite a bit of candid people photography over the years, sometimes in places which are quite photo-hostile (supermarkets, department stores, Sydney beaches...).

 

Have used all kinds of cameras, even a Hasselblad + 45-degree prism + monopod (ahem - only outdoors!).

 

Basically: try to keep the camera away from your face as much as you can; learn how to judge focus distances by eye and... Be Confident.

 

What I think cripples a lot of tyro candid photographers is anxiety. And there's only one way to lose it - practice, practice, practice.

 

Links to some of my work:

 

1. 4020 Φ Sydney Unposed

 

2. 4020 Φ Sydney Unposed (Hasselblad) (the 'Blad sub-set of the above)

 

3. 4020 Φ Fullscreen VRs (Quicktime VR panoramas, includes a photojournalism section).

 

Some people recommend you "engage" with your subjects, ie. strike up a conversation or pretend to make friends... Purely a matter of taste of course, but I strongly disagree :?)

[carstenw]

You could also check out "Shots from the Hip", Johnny Stiletto. I had this recommended to me on either this forum or FM when I asked a similar question, and it is a great little book. You might have to look for it second-hand among Amazon third-party vendors or some place else.

[jelderfield]

A strategy I like to employ on the streets of NYC and other cities I've shot in - Chicago, London, Philly, etc.: Pick your spot, let's say a busy street corner - say Times Square or maybe a open air market. Get your camera ready - aperture, speed, focus, etc. Stand in the middle of the crowd of people you want to shoot, put the camera up to your eye and start shooting. Let people move around you - this is your spot, your place to be - you are doing your thing. If people want to be in your space in front of the camera then that is their decision not yours. They can duck away if they want to.Keep shooting with the camera up to you face - shoot a whole roll or a whole card.. Take a break, repeat. Doing this, I don't think anyone ever asked me to stop or tried to stop me. Good luck.

Jonathan Elderfield Photography

[khanosu]

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Jonathan, I enjoyed the pictures on your site.

 

Fururkh