Street shooter come in

[Snappy99]

Just got into photgraphy . Found that i like street shooting and portrait .

But today run into some " trouble " of someone coming to me to ask me not to shoot at the subject as he say it rude not to ask permission. Actually he is kinda right that make it even harder for me to argue back even though i did do that He then ask me to delete the photo and i did that . But hor there is one photo that i really like ...tooo bad .

Any steet shooter to comment and share thier story.

Guess i will still continuse street shooting

 

[grumpy]

I don't think anyone has the right to ask you to delete any photos as long as you are in public space.

 

[night86mare]

you might probably get these incidents more in singapore and asian countries than europe from experience. but then again, maybe because i look like a tourist when i'm travelling there so people give chance. there is also some sort of mentality that it is alright to risk such incidents when you're travelling.. just laugh it off and return home, as opposed to meeting someone you might meet again. that's perhaps just me though; which is why i hardly shoot in london or singapore.

there *are* exceptions though, for most candid people shots i shoot first, and if they come and ask me about it, well, sometimes i have to lie, and i do it. it is also easy to do so because i don't think i have done anything wrong - it's not as if the image is derogatory, and most cases because of the use of ultrawideangle lens as preference, whether i did shoot was very dubious in the first place.

for street performers it's a different thing though, i'd usually ask, or at least "test the waters" but raising my camera and pointing it directly at them. if they say nothing then continue to shoot, sometimes they even bother to pose and smile.

there was once in rome i think, when i was trying to shoot this guy playing a violin, he stopped playing, glared at me and raised his middle finger.. :bsmilie: so i put down the camera and smiled at him, said sorry and walked off. if you respond nicely, people will normally handle it nicely too.

 

[Snappy99]

Guess these incident is part and parcel of street shooting...exciting but dangerous

 

[Raied]

i was walking at an underpass at esplanade where theres some ppl break dancin

me and my friend just stop to look (cam in hand) then one of them came up to me and said "hey take my picture!" then did a handstand so i snapped

great sport!

 

[lukesky]

Just got into photgraphy . Found that i like street shooting and portrait .

But today run into some " trouble " of someone coming to me to ask me not to shoot at the subject as he say it rude not to ask permission. Actually he is kinda right that make it even harder for me to argue back even though i did do that He then ask me to delete the photo and i did that . But hor there is one photo that i really like ...tooo bad .

Any steet shooter to comment and share thier story.

Guess i will still continuse street shooting

well if u have extra mem cards, u can always delete, swap card and continue shooting. then when u go home, just undelete the picture esp since it's one that u like so much.

 

[IsenGrim]

go learn some basic japanese or korean, den start sprouting foreign language when they come to u. =DDD ahahha just kidding.

i usually also quite scared to take people on the street. haha. for street performers... i think it will be nice if you dropped some $$ into their box/hat/can/...

once i took shots of 2 old men at vivo, they saw me, and i put down my camera and smiled at them. they apparently stopped and looked at the camera for me. den i walked over to show them the photos and they were smiling away. hahaha. quite fun.

and for public performances, i usually will ask for their email after their performance and offer to send them some photos. and who knows, they might help to publicise you. I offered to send a church some pictures and in turn was offered to shoot their event, and even their meusolum.

 

[sathea]

Take a look at these threads.

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=325672
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=299381
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=290650
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=326361
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=321590
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=299420

Do you think the photographer asked the strangers for permission?
How close is the photographer to the subject?

 

[bahibo]

i take photos of people quite often, if people don't like me to took photograph of them, i respect their will, it's not about legal or right, it's about respect. But of course, most will let me off or pose for me after hear explaination, you may reject if u find that the pic subject wasn't really them, they just happen to be there or some situations , but respect and u will be respected.

 

[dennisc]

We all will encounter some resistance sooner or later while shooting, especially in sardine packed Singapore where you will meet all sorts of characters. Part of the parcel, guess everyone is different we're merely the product of our genetic makeup. Not only on the streets, even in clubsnap as well :bsmilie:

 

[espion]

technically whatever can be seen in public is potentially a public picture, but there is such as right of arms too, ie enforce a higher right through the use of my arms and fists and palms, etc. Of course your right of legs can be a higher right than his arms too, if your legs are fast enough. but seriously you can get better - or maybe just different - pictures if the subject is engaged with you; but if you don't want to become an element or an influence in the picture - for good or bad - such as a couple embracing, then you need a telephoto

 

[Churchwolf]

I have started doing some street candids recently too. I love the different look you get in peoples faces and eyes when they are completely oblivious to a camera present. By law, you are completely in the right by taking photographs of individuals frequenting a public place, but there are a couple of things you may want to coinsider:

1. Always be open about what you are doing. This doesn't mean you should intentionally reveal yourself to your subject, but just don't act in a suspicious manner. Using an SLR makes you seem more "honest" because you aren't using a small, concealable camera, and makes you (to most people who don't follow photography) seem like more a "professional".

2. If somebody turns and looks at you as you take their picture don't try and hide what you are doing. When this happens I keep eye contact with them and smile, maybe waggle the camera a little to indicate to them what I was doing. If they look at me before I take the photo I will hold up the camera and make a questioning expression. 99.99% of people will respond positively to this. They will smile back, or perhaps pose for you. Indeed, many people seem flattered that you would want to take their picture.

3. Children are difficult. It is very important that you don't come across as threatening to the parents. If I am in risk of being seen by the parents I will ALWAYS make eye contact with them and establish if it is ok if I take the photo. Often, if they are okay with me taking the picture, I will approach them and offer to send them prints by email. Having a name card of any description makes these people a lot less suspicious, and often parents are very happy to accept. It is important with children that you pick your place approriately. For example: photographing the kids playing in the fountain in Bugis Junction is unlikely to raise any objection and is perfectly acceptable. However, photographing a child playing on its own with its mum or dad in the HDB park is likely to be a bad idea. Just think about what you would be comfortable with and work with that.

4. Finally, if somebody does raise an objection I always find it best to talk to them, not to run off. I am always open and honest about my intent and if somebody questions my activity I will explain to them in open terms that the scene caught my attention and that it interested me as a photographer. I will ALWAYS offer to delete the picture BEFORE they ask me to. Most people will respond to this positively, fequently expressing appology for the missundersanding or indiference. In the end, if they do tell you that they are uncomfortable with your pictures and ask you to delete them I always do it, and it appears to apease them a great deal.

In the end, you want to take pictures that YOU are happy with, and that strike a chord with your memory of the event. Even if you end up "winning" a fight with a subject and keeping the picture, it will forever be marred by the unfortunate circumstance that you went through to get it, and you won't be able to enjoy it. Anyway, I hope this helps you. Happy candids!

Here are two I took over the weekend:

(200mm, f/5.6, ISO100)

(200mm, f/5.6, ISO200)

 

[blive]

I have started doing some street candids recently too. I love the different look you get in peoples faces and eyes when they are completely oblivious to a camera present. By law, you are completely in the right by taking photographs of individuals frequenting a public place, but there are a couple of things you may want to coinsider:

1. Always be open about what you are doing. This doesn't mean you should intentionally reveal yourself to your subject, but just don't act in a suspicious manner. Using an SLR makes you seem more "honest" because you aren't using a small, concealable camera, and makes you (to most people who don't follow photography) seem like more a "professional".

2. If somebody turns and looks at you as you take their picture don't try and hide what you are doing. When this happens I keep eye contact with them and smile, maybe waggle the camera a little to indicate to them what I was doing. If they look at me before I take the photo I will hold up the camera and make a questioning expression. 99.99% of people will respond positively to this. They will smile back, or perhaps pose for you. Indeed, many people seem flattered that you would want to take their picture.

3. Children are difficult. It is very important that you don't come across as threatening to the parents. If I am in risk of being seen by the parents I will ALWAYS make eye contact with them and establish if it is ok if I take the photo. Often, if they are okay with me taking the picture, I will approach them and offer to send them prints by email. Having a name card of any description makes these people a lot less suspicious, and often parents are very happy to accept. It is important with children that you pick your place approriately. For example: photographing the kids playing in the fountain in Bugis Junction is unlikely to raise any objection and is perfectly acceptable. However, photographing a child playing on its own with its mum or dad in the HDB park is likely to be a bad idea. Just think about what you would be comfortable with and work with that.

4. Finally, if somebody does raise an objection I always find it best to talk to them, not to run off. I am always open and honest about my intent and if somebody questions my activity I will explain to them in open terms that the scene caught my attention and that it interested me as a photographer. I will ALWAYS offer to delete the picture BEFORE they ask me to. Most people will respond to this positively, fequently expressing appology for the missundersanding or indiference. In the end, if they do tell you that they are uncomfortable with your pictures and ask you to delete them I always do it, and it appears to apease them a great deal.

In the end, you want to take pictures that YOU are happy with, and that strike a chord with your memory of the event. Even if you end up "winning" a fight with a subject and keeping the picture, it will forever be marred by the unfortunate circumstance that you went through to get it, and you won't be able to enjoy it. Anyway, I hope this helps you. Happy candids!

Chuchwolf, good advice....:thumbsup:

 

[artyboy]

as far as street performances are concerned, its a free for all - they are PERFORMING, and in PUBLIC, sheesh... just like if you wear a green tophat with a red jacket, yellow socks & blue shoes in public, you're ASKING for attention! i do street photography alot and if i want candids then i use a long zoom and be discreet about it. most of the time, i can even get away with it with a 24-105 lens, esp in places with heavy human traffic. what i don't do is sneak pictures of people who are enjoying their own privacy - people chatting at the cafe, working people talking 'business' in the MRT, parents spending quality time with their children or people on their way to work/heading home. but people hawking their wares along the streets, trishaw riders taking a break (if they're resting, they won't notice you) or firemen rescueing a cat from the trees, thats open game. most of the time, when you zoom into someone within a crowd and they notice you, you'll be seen as invading their privacy. but if someone is drunk and lying next to a 7-11 store, damn... they're asking for it!