What do we photograph on the streets?

[robgo2]

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28 minutes ago, pico said:

https://www.moma.org/collection/works/44586

 

Ah, now I get it. I am quite familiar with that HCB classic image, but I did not know its title. A friend of mine even owns a print. 

I'm flattered that my cyclist photo triggered that association in your mind, but there is otherwise a huge distance between the two images, and we all know which one is superior.

[Likaleica]

But the vision is there. Well done!

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(mono1+nokton50/1.5)

[colint544]

Leica M2, 28mm Summicron ASPH, Tri-X

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[robgo2]

15 hours ago, Likaleica said:

But the vision is there. Well done!

I can flatter myself to think that Cartier-Bresson might give my image a barely noticeable nod of approval unaccompanied by further comment. 😆

[jdlaing]

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Edited May 29, 2019 by jdlaing

[jdlaing]

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[hillavoider]

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[macmania]

Leica Q2

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Edited May 29, 2019 by macmania

[macmania]

Leica Q2

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[dancook]

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Q2 - London by Daniel Cook, on Flickr

[stephan54]

Tbilisi 

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21 SA 3.4 - M3 - Portra 160

[Stiopan]

Hi everyone,

Really impressed by the level of photos in this tread!!!! 🤩

I do not do a lot of streetphotography, I can not do it, I'm ashamed and do not dare to take people in pictures, so a little by default I take the streets, often without people.

How do you proceed?

S

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[farnz]

2 minutes ago, Stiopan said:

How do you proceed?

(I don't want to divert this excellent thread from pictures into a discussion on technique but to help out a fellow forum member I've added the following.  There are quite a few threads on this subject here.)

Some people (many people?) quite like someone taking their picture.  But until you start to take someone's picture you won't know although you'll know quite quickly if they don't want their picture taken because they'll turn away from you or hold their hand up and shake their head etc.  Respect that and move onto the next subject.

Don't be secretive about what you're doing because people will pick up on it, distrust what you're doing and reject having their picture taken.

If you ask "Can I take your picture?" the most likely answer will be "No." because that's the first answer people are conditioned to give.  But if you ask "Do you mind if I take your picture?" then "No." means they're happy for you to take their picture.  (Thanks to Erl for pointing that out to me some years ago.)

Pete.

[Stiopan]

43 minutes ago, farnz said:

(I don't want to divert this excellent thread from pictures into a discussion on technique but to help out a fellow forum member I've added the following.  There are quite a few threads on this subject here.)

Some people (many people?) quite like someone taking their picture.  But until you start to take someone's picture you won't know although you'll know quite quickly if they don't want their picture taken because they'll turn away from you or hold their hand up and shake their head etc.  Respect that and move onto the next subject.

Don't be secretive about what you're doing because people will pick up on it, distrust what you're doing and reject having their picture taken.

If you ask "Can I take your picture?" the most likely answer will be "No." because that's the first answer people are conditioned to give.  But if you ask "Do you mind if I take your picture?" then "No." means they're happy for you to take their picture.  (Thanks to Erl for pointing that out to me some years ago.)

Pete.

Thx Pete, many thx for your reply, especially if a bit off thread

I can see really good points here, especially the question tip! Must find something similar in French!

S

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[colint544]

I would echo what Pete says about not being secretive. It's surprising how receptive most people are to having their picture taken, or being included in a scene, if you are just open and honest about the fact you are taking a picture.

I went to a street photography exhibition a few years ago. It was pictures shot on the streets of the same city I work in. The angle the photographer had on the accompanying blurb was that he had been thumped and attacked quite a few times by his subjects. I've no idea what his approach was, but it's not something that's ever happened to me.

I was once photographing into the sun at Central station, just going for silhouettes and long shadows in the early evening sun. One of the silhouettes marched right up to me and demanded I delete the picture because he didn't want to be in it. I showed him the image on the back of the camera, just to prove that it really wasn't just about him, and deleted it according to his wishes. There was no problem.  

Have a look at this guy - I could never operate to this extreme, or indeed desire the sort of pictures he goes for, but he's a great example of what you can achieve by not being sneaky in your approach, and just really going for it.

Edited June 1, 2019 by colint544

[Le Chef]

We discussed the difference between “Street” photography and “Portraiture” on a photowalk last week. The guy in your post, Colin, gets close to portraiture. That’s not a criticism but you’re more likely to get people posing as opposed to just going about their business.

Acknowledging your subject in a less dramatic way is a courtesy whether done before as a nod to permission or after as a form of thanks. Certainly if you get a visual or verbal “no” you thank them and turn away.

i have also found that going lower, particularly with a wider angle lens, helps reduce the sense of intrusion. I have also found (and this is a bit psychological maybe) that going out with the mindset of being interested in the people who become your subjects changes the outcome. I like to think people are more receptive to someone who looks like a person they could strike up a conversation with.

A lot of this is probably blindingly obvious to experienced Street photographers, but for me it’s a set of reminders before I go out with my camera.

[colint544]

Good points. Yes - he's definitely doing 'street portraits'. It's not really my thing either, but I admire the friendly and open way he goes about photographing strangers who weren't expecting to have their picture taken.

I've certainly taken plenty of pictures of people who had no idea they were having their picture taken, but I've generally done it in a way where it was simply unlikely I'd be spotted, rather than in an overtly furtive manner.

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