Changing Street Photography Practice?

[otherprof]

I'm just wondering if anyone has changed their street photography practices because of changing social norms and/or increasingly frequent accusations of inappropriate behavior.

 

[Gary A.]

Not me. I still shoot street with two cameras and a camera bag over a shoulder. But then ... I'm too old to change.

I have noticed/sensed a definite change in people's attitudes from the film only days. In the film only days, people would look at your equipment and assume you were working, you were a professional and they were willing to let you work. Now, they look at you with resent ... assuming that you/the photog, think you're at the zoo shooting all the animals.

I found that I can still 'blend into the street' and shoot relatively freely. I still find that looking like a professional and acting professionally allows greater acceptance than shooting and looking like a tourist or a hipster.

 

[pixmedic]

I had to take the cameras off my shoes, but other than that its business as usual.

 

[jcdeboever]

I smile a lot. Some spots are better than others to shoot. It seems college towns are more agreeable, probably due to photog students. Big cities are different, more uptight people walking around. I don't concern myself with concealment.

 

[compur]

I keep some pepper spray in my bag.

 

[Fred von den Berg]

I don't do much street but have the feeling that people have become less and less tolerant of the practice. Generally I have a shoulder bag or rucksack along with me and, like Gary, think this gives me a certain amount of license,especially if I look as if I have a sense of purpose.

 

[dennybeall]

With most of the people with their phones up to their face texting and the remainder taking selfies the trick is to hold the camera up and shoot over your shoulder. You'll look just like the rest of them.

 

[earthmanbuck]

I'd really like to do more street photography, but I tend to feel too weird about snapping pictures of strangers. Nobody's ever confronted me about it, but I still get the sense there are too many eyes on me, and it discourages me a little. Maybe I need better camo.

 

[thedingo0099]

There is a strange dichotomy at work for photographers in public places.
Once upon a time, there were few photographers out there doing their thing. I'm talking 60 years ago when my Old Man would drag me through the streets of Sydney looking for something to do that didn't cost anything. Occasionally, a Street Photographer would appear before us and take a shot, but mostly our day would be spent feeding pigeons in the park or seagulls at the Quay.

With the advent of cheap cameras and digital mayhem, everyone and their dog has a camera. Tourism is cheap. Its expected that if you're out and about, you'll be fair game for a snap-happy I can't figure out how you can be private in a public space snooper. Such is life in the 21st century.
But even with the high risk of being caught unawares, people are becoming paranoid about having their ugly dial recorded for prosperity. Worse still, their privacy is supposedly invaded, although I can't for the life of me see how anyone can claim privacy infringement while standing in full view of the passing parade.

So, to balance the scales of recording the society of today for tomorrow and being caught up in an entanglement of sensitivity for one's fellow human (if that's your thing) here's some advice:
Abide by the law.
Be discrete.
Be polite.
Wear good shoes.