Shooting Strangers

[MingLee]

Do you ask people when taking photographs of them? Before or after the shot? Normally i don't dare to ask nor point the cam straight into their faces, really miss out on alot of good shots. :dunno:

Then again, after asking, the person no longer acts natural.

haiz, this is such an amateur problem.

 

[denis]

i would do, act i'm shooting others thing when they didn't notice you then shoot and walk off, or, smile at them, when they don't mind then start shooting, or when you get their permisson wait awhile then shoot at them, coze that's when you can get their "most natural". or shoot at them when they didn't notice 1st capture the moments that you want, then act as if you didn't shoot at them, ask them can i take a pic of u, then you shoot again.

indeed, is hard to capture the moments. if you ask them, they will act unnatural.

 

[clive]

u have to mix both the sneaky method and the go upfornt shoot in the face method.

 

[nemesis32]

I think it's basic courtesy to ask. However, it may not be possible.

But do in mind that for kids, it's best to ask if the parents are aorund...

Asking may not be necessary if a smile/nod or implicit acknowledgement is obtained.

 

[Snake]

Do you ask people when taking photographs of them? Before or after the shot? Normally i don't dare to ask nor point the cam straight into their faces, really miss out on alot of good shots. :dunno:

Then again, after asking, the person no longer acts natural.

haiz, this is such an amateur problem.

Hi .. as for me, normally i will shot the pics without their aware.. as wat u said shot natural expression is more beautiful... but as long as u have good enough zoom lens and everything will be perfect.. :vhappy: But for my advise is if the ppl aware tat u are takiing them n they try to avoid.. PLS Stop immedate.. or else u get :hammer: :bsmilie:

 

[khairi]

yeah yeah yeah, Denis...that's what i always do, for now, ever since i tried street photography. And even if i get their permission to shoot, i'd talk to them first then take a 'pose' shot. this will help them become friendly with you...then talk to them again and again, simultaneously shooting what you want.

Sometimes to pretend that your cam 'seems to be faulty' is also a good way out. That's why, for street photography, i use a rangefinder. Cos to general public, such vintage cams are obselete, thus may or maynot be working.

The closest that I could get to my subject is abt 3m from my cam. That was really scary!!!! But hoping to be comfortable with a working distance of abt 3-6m. Cos my rangefinder lens is a 45mm/F1.7 prime lens, it's not that wide.

 

[khairi]

u have to mix both the sneaky method and the go upfornt shoot in the face method.

I agree with you Clive...this 2 methods are the basic but the hardest cos you need to be quick to get to the best position and snap.

 

[khairi]

Hi .. as for me, normally i will shot the pics without their aware.. as wat u said shot natural expression is more beautiful... but as long as u have good enough zoom lens and everything will be perfect.. :vhappy: But for my advise is if the ppl aware tat u are takiing them n they try to avoid.. PLS Stop immedate.. or else u get :hammer: :bsmilie:

he he...I used to do this...use a long lense then shoot...but dropped that idea totally now...cos i found 'Depth' missing in such shots unless if you've a good reason to use long lense.

 

[khairi]

here's a shot that i never bothered to ask, but pretended that the cam was faulty:

here's a shot that i really never bothered to ask:

here's a shot that I bothered to ask: He said,"Just shoot my boots."

 

[clive]

Sometimes to pretend that your cam 'seems to be faulty' is also a good way out. That's why, for street photography, i use a rangefinder. Cos to general public, such vintage cams are obselete, thus may or maynot be working. .

this is the classic "cheater" method :bsmilie:

The closest that I could get to my subject is abt 3m from my cam. That was really scary!!!! But hoping to be comfortable with a working distance of abt 3-6m. Cos my rangefinder lens is a 45mm/F1.7 prime lens, it's not that wide.

3m...yeah, agree that its rather close already. its somethign like when i was in harajuku shooting those people giving out advertisement tissue packs to people..but my status is over there is tourist...so can act blur and wow here wow there and thereby sneak in a few street shots but jp people.. they largely dont bother about u one lor..keke =)

 

[zaren]

Do you ask people when taking photographs of them? Before or after the shot? Normally i don't dare to ask nor point the cam straight into their faces, really miss out on alot of good shots. :dunno:

Then again, after asking, the person no longer acts natural.

haiz, this is such an amateur problem.

i don't ask people... but i show them i am there to take photos of the surroundings. then after a while they ignore me....

 

[khairi]

Minglee...if you use a digital cam...use Zaren's method...it'll be very effective to cool off unwanted tempers....better still, pretend that you are an environmental officer.

 

[quekky]

for some shots i got as close as less than 2m, but got 1 friend after seeing my pics ask me to get closer

 

[MingLee]

Woah, thx to everybody for the replies. I guess i just have to learn to pretend better.
Last time i tried to fake that my cam spoilt and this was what happened:

haha think i nearly got hammered. Lucky i ran away quite fast.

Cannot act as environmental officer lar, look too young lol.

 

[zaren]

Woah, thx to everybody for the replies. I guess i just have to learn to pretend better.
Last time i tried to fake that my cam spoilt and this was what happened:

haha think i nearly got hammered. Lucky i ran away quite fast.

Cannot act as environmental officer lar, look too young lol.

try this... with you left hand, hold your handphone to your ear. with your right hand casually raise your cam to chest level and take aim, while looking 45 degrees away. shoot and casually walk away...

 

[quekky]

try this... with you left hand, hold your handphone to your ear. with your right hand casually raise your cam to chest level and take aim, while looking 45 degrees away. shoot and casually walk away...

wah, uncle zaren, u must teach me more of your tricks

 

[MingLee]

try this... with you left hand, hold your handphone to your ear. with your right hand casually raise your cam to chest level and take aim, while looking 45 degrees away. shoot and casually walk away...

yar man. like a pro. Got hp props somemore lol.

 

[zaren]

wah, uncle zaren, u must teach me more of your tricks

here's another one you can try...

aim at an imaginary object above or next to your subject(s), then for a split second change your aim to frame your subject. shoot fast and casually walk away...

 

[Snake]

now she dont know.. :bsmilie:

now she know.. :sweat:

 

[adamadam]

He doesn't know

He still didn't know

After I took the second picture, he turned around to look what was behind him-when he turned around, I ran ran ran away! :bsmilie: