Shooting people on the street: Creepy? Confrontational?

The main challenge, I think, in this kind of photography is how will you capture normal people living their normal lives doing normal routines. The ideal solution of course is to use a long telephoto lens. But if you have none, well, it would depend on your subject. As they say, different strokes for different folks.
 
I always start a conversation with them or tell them that I am an amateur photographer who wants to join a contest and I ask if he/she is willing to be a portrait model. When he/she agrees, I go on chatting with him/her thus making him/her comfortable with me. If she's underage, I always get her email but tell her to ask her parents if they agree. I always bring with me copies of photo model release forms. Eighty percent success rate with my approach.
 
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I'm very nervous to do this!! If someone I didn't know was taking my photo out in public, I think it would make me a little uneasy. The few times I tried street shots I felt like I was being very intrusive. I wish I felt more comfortable doing it...I'd love to shoot more street shots!!

Of course.....the downfall in my case is that I live in a smallish town...it's just not THAT crowded....not easy to blend in....or be descrete!! You are right there. LOL!!
 
I agree with coreduo. Talk to people. I do this myself, and most people agree to be taken pictures of. And you might meet some interesting people too.
 
I agree with coreduo. Talk to people. I do this myself, and most people agree to be taken pictures of. And you might meet some interesting people too.

The number of egocentric teenagers (with their parents' approval), ladies and gentlemen are plentiful. One does not ran out of them.:mrgreen:
 
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Unfortunately and generally, the instant you communicate with someone .. the moment and the look you were after ... is gone.

Gary
 
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I use a tilt screen and a 28mm to 200mm lens.

skieur
 
Avoid confrontation? Easy. Stay away from any city in the USA. Seriously the stories I hear, the abuse that happens, here in Australia people are too slack to give a crap. The only people here who get worked up about anything are drivers. But even then this is a country where a cyclist will start mouthing off at a truck driver to learn how to drive with no resulting casualties.
 
I don't like telling people I'm taking their pics - it makes them give awkward poses and ruins the 'natural-ness' of the moment.

However if the pic is good, I usually talk to them afterwards. If they don't want me to keep it, I'll delete it. If they're happy, it's all good. (One of my friends would exchange contact details, in case he sells the pic and has to get their permission)
 
Well there are a few things you can do, here's what I do

if I can, I try to be in a place where it's normal to take pictures, any kind of popular event can do the trick.


otherwise, I use my 55/200 zoom and I try to be in a place where I'm not easily seen or notified. Once I get spotted by someone, I move.

the key here (to me) is the speed

the faster you take your photo, the better, so usually I compose the photo before I take it.

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take care if you take photos of kids, and try and have a very diplomatic explanation in case you get caught, people don't like when someone takes pictures of their kids.
 
When I was in school we had to do a street photography assignment. All I did was put the camera around my neck and took pictures while walking up and down the streets of Georgetown. I never stopped walking and the camera never left my stomach so it didn't really attract any attention from anyone.
 

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