Attention Street Photographers

[c.cloudwalker]

When I shot street, I shot with a 35mm (close enough to your 10-20mm on a crop body) for several reasons: 1/ with a long/super long lens you'll seem like some kind of perv; 2/ the longer the lens the more space for other people to get into and ruin your photo; 3/ getting close to people allowed them to see me, after the shot most of the time, and led to meeting and chatting with some wonderful characters.

 

[raphaelaaron]

although buying a leica m6 with a summilux would do the trick, for now use the 50mm f1.4

because you want a fast lens, getting a soft bokeh at say 1/125 and above on a normally lit day - your subjects wont come out blurry and you'll get them in mid action when you snap.

in darker street settings, this is ideal as well obviously due to it being a low light lens.

 

[Jarmo]

I personally would go with the 70-200mm. I don't think neither I nor the subject would be comfortable with me right in their face snapping away.

 

[TylerF]

i use a 35 on a cropped sensor. love it.

 

[Ron Evers]

Being new to Canon FD I went out yesterday for my first serious attempt @ street shooting with a 28mm lens on my 2x crop body. I came home excited to see the pics on the computer & was crushed by how soft they all were. Turns out the preset was locked wide open so no mater what aperture I used I got f2.8. :x

 

[bentcountershaft]

I would probably use the 50 out of what you have. Like you said, the 70-200 could draw a bit too much attention if you're wanting to be low key like. I generally use my 85 1.8 for street stuff but it isn't something I shoot often.

 

[manaheim]

Some have already said it... depends on your level of nerve and how you want to interact with your subjects...

Me, personally, I don't want people to know I'm shooting them so I stay far away and either pretend like I'm shooting something behind them, or line up on something else until I know they are not looking at me anymore and flip back to them quick for a shot. My weapon of choice is a 70-200 2.8 VR2.

I know someone who does it with a 50mm, but he winds up talking to everybody. By and large, I'd rather not.

 

[Lambo77]

Thanks for the advice. Seems like its matter of having enough nerve to shoot close range or not. Ive tried going out and using my live view option, and pretending to be "looking" at my photos while actually shooting pictures, but the auto focus on my T2i is just too slow! I think i'll start with the 70-200 and build up the never for the 50. My stomping grounds is Washington DC, not everyone in that city wants to be "chatted" up by a photographer who just took their picture!! LOL.

 

[Stryker]

I think of a theme whenever I go out to do street photography. I ask myself what I want to shoot today. If Im going to do candid, sniping, and long shots, I bring a 70-200 f/4 IS USM. If Im going to talk to people on the street and do their half body or portraits, I bring a 50 f/1.4 USM. As a reserve lens, I bring the 10-22 UWA for wide shots. Planning ahead allows you to bring only the equipment you need.

 

[gsgary]

The 2 greatest street photographers shot with a 28mm on full frame

 

[c.cloudwalker]

My stomping grounds is Washington DC, not everyone in that city wants to be "chatted" up by a photographer who just took their picture!! LOL.

25+ years in DC and I never chatted up anyone. But the subjects often have questions when you shoot them and since I have no reason to hide what I'm doing (and I still get candids btw), I answer them. If I'm going to use their image, I feel that's the least I can do.

That said, it is up to you what you do but if you do enough street shooting, you will soon find out why interesting street shooters use normal to, even more often, slight wide angle lenses. Besides the 3 I mentioned earlier, there is a technical reason why long lenses don't work very well.

 

[GooniesNeverSayDie11]

One thing worth mentioning also. A UWA can be used in a sneaky way also. You stand near someone and shoot at a 90 degree angle or close to it, and they think you are aiming away, not realizing that such a short lens actually is picking them up in the frame also. Of course then you have to crop for composition.

 

[PASM]

While we're on the subject of SP..

With an RF or Zone focus camera, try the strap around the neck much shorter than maybe usual. A length where it can only just slip it over the head. Like this, the camera can be raised > frame > shoot quicker and less attention than if it's worn lower. Also, shoot from against the chest w/o using the viewfinder (or even without touching the shutter: self-timer, cable release)..or from the hip.

 

[Nubbs]

My stomping grounds is Washington DC, not everyone in that city wants to be "chatted" up by a photographer who just took their picture!! LOL.

25+ years in DC and I never chatted up anyone. But the subjects often have questions when you shoot them and since I have no reason to hide what I'm doing (and I still get candids btw), I answer them. If I'm going to use their image, I feel that's the least I can do.

That said, it is up to you what you do but if you do enough street shooting, you will soon find out why interesting street shooters use normal to, even more often, slight wide angle lenses. Besides the 3 I mentioned earlier, there is a technical reason why long lenses don't work very well.

DC for me as well. I just shoot. If somebody says something to me I answer. I have been cussed out and screamed at. But I do not really try to hide the fact that I am shooting. I shoot mainly with a 24-105mm gives good range for a lot of situations. i do want to get a 70-200 and sit far away at some of the monuments and get some real good candids. The only thing I really try to stay away from is shooting kids. Parents tend to be very protective.

This is just an opinion but I here a lot of people (not just in this thread) that say they just walk around with their camera on their side and they just press the button and kinda hope they guessed properly at framing the shoot. To me that's not Photography. Take your time and frame the shot make it worth it. If you get seen than so be it you get seen. Most of the time I will let the person watch me delete the shot if it calms them down.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

DC for me as well. I just shoot. If somebody says something to me I answer. I have been cussed out and screamed at. But I do not really try to hide the fact that I am shooting. I shoot mainly with a 24-105mm gives good range for a lot of situations. i do want to get a 70-200 and sit far away at some of the monuments and get some real good candids. The only thing I really try to stay away from is shooting kids. Parents tend to be very protective.

This is just an opinion but I here a lot of people (not just in this thread) that say they just walk around with their camera on their side and they just press the button and kinda hope they guessed properly at framing the shoot. To me that's not Photography. Take your time and frame the shot make it worth it. If you get seen than so be it you get seen. Most of the time I will let the person watch me delete the shot if it calms them down.

I've had a few people ask to be paid, lol. I handed them a business card, asked for their name and phone number and told them I would pay them if I ever sold the photo. Never got either name or number in return

Most people who say anything just ask why I took their photo, more out of curiosity than anything else I thought. Of course, it may have something to do with the gear. A SLR with a 35mm lens is fairly small and maybe less obnoxious than most DSLRs when you stick it in someone's face.

I agree with you where kids are concerned. We're way too uptight about kids in the US and it's not worth the hassle.

I also agree that there is no need to shoot blind although I have suggested it to some people here to help them get accustomed to shoot in the street but I'm now thinking that it is probably just getting them used to hide their shooting.

But, shooting blind, if done correctly, does not require a prayer. It's a technique that every PJ uses (or at least used when I was one) and it delivers fine shots with very little practice needed.