I always have regrets....arrhhhh!!!

[molested_cow]

I love street photography. Photographing objects are easy, but photographing people aren't with the fear of offending them. There are moments when you really want to capture a moment, but you know for sure that to capture it at the angle you want, it will probably be offensive. For an example, a crowd crawling over a mat spread on the ground gambling away on the street. I really wanted to stretch my camera over them and snap a "bird's eye view" of the crowd over the gambling game, but I know I'd probably get beat up.

Fine. I can let go that one.

Or walking down a red light district where girls stand around, almost perfect for a model shoot. I wanted to capture them with the neon signs, but also know that I'll probably get beat up by their pimps or something.

FINE! I can let go that one too.

Then on the same street, there were food vendors(serving Johns after their night out) and there's this guy with a sausage grill mounted on his motorbike. The alley is dim and on the grill hung a dim light bulb. The vendor stood behind the grill, his face lit by the light bulb. The high contrast meant the smoke from the grill is clearly visible, with the high gloss red color from the sausage also hanging on the side to really help to pop the scene.

I thought," Damn that would have been a great portrait!"

But I just kept walking and walking... didn't have the guts to either go snap a shot in his face or ask for his permission.

Then I spent the whole night thinking about how awesome that shot would have been, but it's an opportunity missed forever.

 

[robbins.photo]

I love street photography. Photographing objects are easy, but photographing people aren't with the fear of offending them. There are moments when you really want to capture a moment, but you know for sure that to capture it at the angle you want, it will probably be offensive. For an example, a crowd crawling over a mat spread on the ground gambling away on the street. I really wanted to stretch my camera over them and snap a "bird's eye view" of the crowd over the gambling game, but I know I'd probably get beat up.

Fine. I can let go that one.

Or walking down a red light district where girls stand around, almost perfect for a model shoot. I wanted to capture them with the neon signs, but also know that I'll probably get beat up by their pimps or something.

FINE! I can let go that one too.

Then on the same street, there were food vendors(serving Johns after their night out) and there's this guy with a sausage grill mounted on his motorbike. The alley is dim and on the grill hung a dim light bulb. The vendor stood behind the grill, his face lit by the light bulb. The high contrast meant the smoke from the grill is clearly visible, with the high gloss red color from the sausage also hanging on the side to really help to pop the scene.

I thought," Damn that would have been a great portrait!"

But I just kept walking and walking... didn't have the guts to either go snap a shot in his face or ask for his permission.

Then I spent the whole night thinking about how awesome that shot would have been, but it's an opportunity missed forever.

So, introduce the hookers to the gamblers and then when they are done "getting to know" each other take them all over to the sausage guy and buy them all some food. Then next time your out you know everybody and they won't beat the crap out of you for taking pictures. Lol

 

[The_Traveler]

Ain't that the truth.

This kind of photography is difficult for all sorts of reasons and each person has to solve the problems in their own way.
I switched to a much smaller less obtrusive camera for exactly that reason, sacrificing ultimate image quality for inconspicuousness and the chance to get those shots.

 

[ronlane]

I went out by myself yesterday on a walk and was feeling uncomfortable myself because I was going to be walking around with a camera and gear. But then I realized that most people don't care and are in their own little world and aren't worried about me. I will admit that the only pictures of people that I took yesterday were from a distance but that was because there really weren't many people out doing anything.

 

[The_Traveler]

And I still back off of shots just because...................

 

[kathyt]

What are you scared of? Rejection? The worst thing they can say is no. Just ask.
Last Sunday I had a senior session, and this older gentleman and his dog rolled up in this beautiful car. He just happened to park in the perfect spot, with the perfect lighting, and with the top down. So what did I do? I asked him if he would mind if we used his car for a prop. Not only did he let us use it, but he threw me the keys in case I needed to "move it." Then he took his dog for a walk. It never hurts to ask.

 

[480sparky]

What are you scared of? Rejection? The worst thing they can do is slice your throat and take your gear so they can pawn it all for their next fix. ........

FIFY.

 

[Robin_Usagani]

I do this all the time after wedding. Things I wish I did.

 

[kathyt]

What are you scared of? Rejection? The worst thing they can do is slice your throat and take your gear. ........

FIFY.

What does FIFY mean? I am not on trend with all the abbrevs.

 

[480sparky]

What does FIFY mean? I am not on trend with all the abbrevs.

Fixed It For You.

 

[The_Traveler]

What are you scared of? Rejection? The worst thing they can say is no. Just ask.
Last Sunday I had a senior session, and this older gentleman and his dog rolled up in this beautiful car. He just happened to park in the perfect spot, with the perfect lighting, and with the top down. So what did I do? I asked him if he would mind if we used his car for a prop. Not only did he let us use it, but he threw me the keys in case I needed to "move it." Then he took his dog for a walk. It never hurts to ask.

Your situation is so diametrically different from the one the OP is describing that it almost boggles my mind that you can make that comparison.

What if you were in a tough section of town with expensive camera equipment and you were thinking of trying to catch a candid picture of a drug dealer making a sale? How would you feel about exposing yourself in that situation?
That's street photography.

 

[kathyt]

What does FIFY mean? I am not on trend with all the abbrevs.

Fixed It For You.

Oh, got it. I wasn't even close.

 

[kathyt]

What are you scared of? Rejection? The worst thing they can say is no. Just ask.
Last Sunday I had a senior session, and this older gentleman and his dog rolled up in this beautiful car. He just happened to park in the perfect spot, with the perfect lighting, and with the top down. So what did I do? I asked him if he would mind if we used his car for a prop. Not only did he let us use it, but he threw me the keys in case I needed to "move it." Then he took his dog for a walk. It never hurts to ask.

Your situation is so diametrically different from the one the OP is describing that it almost boggles my mind that you can make that comparison.

What if you were in a tough section of town with expensive camera equipment and you were thinking of trying to catch a candid picture of a drug dealer making a sale? How would you feel about exposing yourself in that situation?
That's street photography.

My conclusion is still the same. I would use a longer lens and not ask, or ask for permission. If this is the type of photography that one would want to do then it is sh*t or get off the pot. There are always other things to shoot if this isn't something someone is comfortable with. I would think it takes a certain personality and level of confidence to do street photography. Am I right?

 

[amolitor]

Baldwin Lee did a multi year project with a 4x5 camera in the 1970s. He'd first stop at the police station, explain that he had expensive camera equipment, and ask what areas of town to avoid. Then he'd go there. His approach was to be polite, amiable, and to move along when asked to stop taking pictures. It probably helps that he's asian, neither black nor white, and was working in the south. Still, the ideas are broadly applicable.

Bad guys are not actually that bad, it turns out. They mostly prey on one another. The idea that the Bad Sections Of Town are a death trap is almost always wrong.

 

[molested_cow]

I hate long lens. It's just me, my D700 and my 50mm.

Also, there's no way you can snap a decent pic in a dark alley in the middle of the night hand held with a long lens, and run for safety!