Street photography - Crop Sensor - Lenses and More

[Caps]

hello folks,


I've done some street photography here in the Wash. DC area and run into the same issues others do - skunk at the lawn party. No matter how polite or stand-offish I am the stinkeye persists.

I'm going to try tapping over the logos on the camera with gaffers tape and I've changed my Nikon strap for a black rapid. Mind you , I'm not trying to pretend I'm not taking pictures, I'm just trying to do so less obtrusively. I'm also looking for another prime for the task - maybe the 20mm or 24mm - both reasonbly priced and wider than my 35 1.8G. I was thinking about using the 20mm for hyperfocal focusing. Good/bad idea?

Anyway, I'm looking for experienced input....

Thanks again...

 

[DiskoJoe]

This is not the forum for discussion. This is a gallery for photos here. As for what you posted, How would tape or a wider angle lens solve any of the problems you vaguely discussed? Personally Ill walk right up to someone and take their photos and never try to hide it and Im not creepy about it. The not being creepy is the key.

 

[amolitor]

Are you pointing your camera at the people you're shooting? The 35/1.8 is wide enough that the camera should usually/often not be pointed *at* anyone.

 

[Caps]

Diskojoe

I looked for the proper place to post my comments about street photography and guessed at this area of the forum

gallery for sharing photos of the people in your life, from informal portraits & candids, to your home studio shots or street photography. Post for discussion and feedback, including general critique.

As someone that is new to photography and looking for helpful hints - you were neither helpful or insightful. If you can read, you see that I was trying not to be obrtrusive, not crouched in a parked car photography young women passing by. Please do not respond to any of my posts ever again. I don't need somebody like you to tell me not to be creepy - like telling a skater not to slip and fall down.
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amolitor
I shoot buildings, markets and crowds engaged in some activity. In this day and age people are generally (and rightfully) leary of anybody with a camera and I certainly have enough sense/couth/street sense not to jam a camera in somebodys face.

As a salesman, it's my job to understand people and to not to be "creepy". I was just looking for technics people use to blend into a given place and not blair - photographer.

I think I've opened a can a worms in area that is easliy misunderstood. Now I'm sorry I posted the subject.

If you go to B&H and other areas on the net, there are old photographers that give tips on everything including "street photography".


I was looking for some tips people use to go about it professionally.

 

[ralphh]

wow...

at least we can rule out scaring people off :lmao:

 

[Caps]

Ralphh....


I did come off a little harsh but....the guy says in essense....

you posted in the wrong place, you're unclear or "vague", you may be "creepy" and that he is such a God of photography the he just walks right up to mafia men and snaps a shot in inch from thier nose.....


bah

 

[ralphh]

Ok, so here's my take on what the problem might be and how you might fix it...

DSLRs are very conspicuous. You know this and therefor you feel conspicuous. Because you feel conspicuous, you look awkward and people pick up on this instantly subconsciously - you look like you're doing something wrong because you feel like you are, because you know you look like you might be etc, etc.

so either:

1) take a friend / partner / someone out with you. As soon as you're with someone you're less exposed, you'll feel less exposed, and you'll look less out of place, etc. If you friend also has a camera, even better, because if two people are doing the same thing, it can't be weird.

2) try a smaller camera - Olympus pens are excellent for this - because you look less conspicuous, you'll feel it, therefor look it, etc, opposite of vicious circle etc....

Once you get comfortable, you'll probably find you can go back out solo with DSLR and things will be better cause you feel better about it.

 

[Caps]

You make some good points ralphh.....thanks

The whole idea of tapping up the logos with gaffers tape leads into the body language/instant reaction idea. One guy claims he tested the idea with his Canon DSLR and watched the body language of the people walking by - he claimed the the tapped-up camera drew almost no attention. The idea is to take away peoples consciousness/unconscious reaction to a camera. This is marked difference from hidding what you are doing, its simply psychological aid.

Comfortable - what you said makes sense. In sales, if you are not completely confident and in charge of the sale, people can sense it - like dogs can smell fear.

 

[amolitor]

When I am doing this sort of thing, which isn't often, I try to not hold the camera to my eye for long. I am looking, thinking, looking. I might make a test now and then, framing objects up and so on. When I shoot anything with people in it, I am prepared, I know what I want and I raise the camera to my eye, click, and put the camera back down. Since the lens is rarely pointed straight AT someone, people don't feel that they were necessarily the subject, and the movement is quick enough that they may think I haven't even taken a picture.

It could be as simple as regional differences or dumb luck, and nothing to do with how I do it, but I have never gotten a "stink eye" reaction.

 

[ralphh]

you could also try pre-focusing by distance so you only need to put the camera to compose quickly and press the button rather than doing it all with the camera to your eye.. Primes really help with this as it's a lot easier to pre-visualize the framing..

 

[DiskoJoe]

Diskojoe

I looked for the proper place to post my comments about street photography and guessed at this area of the forum

gallery for sharing photos of the people in your life, from informal portraits & candids, to your home studio shots or street photography. Post for discussion and feedback, including general critique.

As someone that is new to photography and looking for helpful hints - you were neither helpful or insightful. If you can read, you see that I was trying not to be obrtrusive, not crouched in a parked car photography young women passing by. Please do not respond to any of my posts ever again. I don't need somebody like you to tell me not to be creepy - like telling a skater not to slip and fall down.

Youre wanting to hide what your doing. Dont.

"not crouched in a parked car photography young women passing by"

This comment really makes me think youre creepy. Dont be creepy and do street photography.

 

[Caps]

amolitor and ralphh...

thanks - read your latest posts...

I'm going to ask the admin to end this thread. I'm reallyshocked at the reaction to my questions. How on earth do the NationalGeographic photographers do their job capturing moments on the streets of theworld?
I don't care for clichés' but in this case "perceptionis reality" applies. Everywhere you look somebody is snapping photos/videousing smart-phones but whip out a DSLR and you’re under suspicion for somethingnefarious. Recently, my gf went to a rock concert and all cameras were ofcourse banned from the event. But as soon as the concert was over smart-phonefootage was on the web.

 

[amolitor]

"not crouched in a parked car photography young women passing by"

This comment really makes me think youre creepy. Dont be creepy and do street photography.

I confess that I don't see how this follows. He says that this is the kind of thing he avoids.

 

[pixmedic1 1]

it is just me, or have threads really taken a "worst case scenario" turn lately?
seems like we cant go more than 2 or 3 responses before it gets ugly.

 

[amolitor]

I assume it's my fault! I have this blog, you know.