Not where you should be. (& a brief intro ;)

garboui · Jul 3, 2008

Hell, i guess ill first introduce myself here. I have already posted a couple pics in the photo assignment threads but ill give a bit better brief background to my "forumsona." I'm a post secondary student currently. Photography has always something that i have had a toe or two in. It all blew up as a full hobby near the beginning of high school when i started shooting B&W and dusted off my dads old darkroom equiptment. When university started photography took somewhat of a back seat as money was thin (processing/consumables) and time was just sparce. I still got out and did some shooting now and then with whatever digi P&S i have had over the years. The P&S thing just didnt quite do it for me after starting off with SLR's and almost exclusivly shooting with an SLR i always felt very limited by the P&S and would often result into a "why bother" situation as im not going to get the effect that i want to achieve. There was also some video action somewhere in between too but editing was taking up waay too much of my time.

This brings me to the present now. I have "rekindled" in a sense my passion and love for photography with the purchase of a DSLR as of recent, my 20D. Having the control of a SLR back has brought back the fire inside to go out and seek out 'those,' shots. Being on dital now has also given me an interesting and fun learning curve with post processing.

I think its now time to make my post title relavant. With my re lit passion for photography I have been doing alot more street walking looking through my mental viewfinder looking for 'that,' shot. Sometimes though to get the right angle or where the interesting stuff is i find myself in strtange niches around the city. By strange niches i mean a spot or place that gives the sense that you are almost certainly tresspassing or being in not quite the appropriate place and its only immanent that someone will be barking up your a** to GTFO.

Anyone else have this feeling when they are shooting? This excludes blatant trespassing like in railyards.

Tyjax · Jul 3, 2008

I dunno, but I lean toward photojournalistic/ urban shots/architectural shots. Ergo, I have come to sort of associate that feeling with the possiblity of getting a good shot. I dont like it but I kinda live with it. Oh yeah, I climb fences, scoot through holes and occasionally wear hobo clothes to blend in...

garboui · Jul 3, 2008

Its at least reassuring that im not alone on this one. as the other day i was balancing on the top of a cable box peering through some vines to get a shot. i was up there for a little while too to wait for this opportunity shot. When i was getting back down the people on my side were giving me strange looks like i was some sort of spy/perv or something.

bigalbest · Jul 3, 2008

I totally identify with you, I'm constantly being told to take my camera and gtfo. It doesn't really bother me though, and I'm thinking of getting a more discreet camera so I can take it to another level. Keep it up, photography is not a crime.

Mike_E · Jul 3, 2008

Let me know when you start walking the drainage ditches to see the real bones of the city.

Till then take two earplugs and hit it again in the morning.

craig · Jul 5, 2008

Of course we have all been there. And I do not know how to tell you that you will never get "that shot", but that is a whole other story. Personally I feel that until some one is yelling at you, waving a gun or whatever; you are fine.

I mean to say that I have been in the gnarliest locations and situations. Generally people did not care or I had to explain my self. Either way I got some amazing shots. And that is really what you are after. Be brave. If you are even slightly scared then I would consider studio photography.

Love & Bass

Alpha · Jul 5, 2008

Try shooting street photography in a gang-run part of the ghetto and having to talk/buy your way out of getting jumped by crackheads. Now that's an eye opener.