taking street photography photos w/ 35mm lens makes subjects mad

[smoke665]

No, that's just New York

There's a little bit of it in every large city, but it might be a little worse in NY. The thing I found interesting was if you tried to initiate eye contact with someone, they would quickly avert their eyes.

 

[limr28 1]

No, that's just New York

There's a little bit of it in every large city, but it might be a little worse in NY. The thing I found interesting was if you tried to initiate eye contact with someone, they would quickly avert their eyes.

Maybe, but it's not like it has gotten "worse" since 911. It's always been that way. New Yorkers just don't make eye contact out on the street very often.

And I use quotation marks around "worse" because I don't care to judge the behavior. It's different behavior, not better or worse than the behavior in other cities. Actually, when I travel to other parts of the country, I quite frankly find the need to constantly smile and acknowledge random strangers on the street to be stressful and exhausting.

 

[waday]

Like @limr said. I wouldn't consider "no eye-contact" to be the end all answer to personalities, or any type of negative connotation. It's just something that's not done, because people have places to be and there are literally millions of people in the City. It's quoted that 8 million people ride the subway every day.

When driving, if you don't take your chance, you'll be passed. It's not that drivers are less courteous, or meaner, it's that there are so many cars that you have to go when given the chance. That chance is usually a second or less. You want to change lanes? Put your turn signal on, and merge in. No one is going to hold your hand while doing it. We're all adults and treat each other like it.

NYC isn't a zoo, and it's not "scary". It's a city full of people, normal people, like you and me, just trying to live their lives.

The wife and I frequent all the time (the wife grew up in Brooklyn and still has family there). People hold doors open, apologize when bumping into you, stand to the right on all escalators to let people walking up the escalators to walk past on the left, and let people get off the subway first before trying to enter.

Rarely do I make eye-contact or say hello to people in my own neighborhood in the suburbs of Central PA, let alone in a city with millions of people. Walking through Target? I don't say hello to anyone, why would I? We live in close proximity, we're not friends. I do wave and say hello to direct neighbors; I'm not an as5, and I like my neighbors. The same happens in NYC. It may not seem like it to visitors, but those who live in NYC know the people living on their block, living in their building, and thus are courteous to them as you are to your neighbors.

 

[smoke665]

I wouldn't consider "no eye-contact" to be the end all answer to personalities, or any

Not by any stretch, I just said I found it odd that there was a different persona on the street then when "inside". Inside the people were very friendly and open. Met some great people there.

I quite frankly find the need to constantly smile and acknowledge random strangers on the street to be stressful and exhausting.

LOL, you'd really be exhausted in the south!

 

[Braineack]

i do my best to avoid talking to people in public, nothing good ever comes from it.

 

[limr28 1]

LOL, you'd really be exhausted in the south!

I was! It's why I won't live there again

 

[table1349]

Like @limr

NYC isn't a zoo, and it's not "scary". It's a city full of people, normal people, like you and me, just trying to live their lives.

Apparently you don't go to the Vinegar Hill area much. As for a zoo, yep New York City is a zoo as is the whole east and west coast. As for normal people, we do not have a naked cowboy with a guitar, a naked cowgirl or anyone like this person wondering around anywhere near here.

 

[limr28 1]

Like @limr

NYC isn't a zoo, and it's not "scary". It's a city full of people, normal people, like you and me, just trying to live their lives.

Apparently you don't go to the Vinegar Hill area much. As for a zoo, yep New York City is a zoo as is the whole east and west coast. As for normal people, we do not have a naked cowboy with a guitar, a naked cowgirl or anyone like this person wondering around anywhere near here.

Then stay out.

 

[table1349]

Like @limr

NYC isn't a zoo, and it's not "scary". It's a city full of people, normal people, like you and me, just trying to live their lives.

Apparently you don't go to the Vinegar Hill area much. As for a zoo, yep New York City is a zoo as is the whole east and west coast. As for normal people, we do not have a naked cowboy with a guitar, a naked cowgirl or anyone like this person wondering around anywhere near here.

Then stay out.

But sometimes it's interesting to go to the zoo to see all the weird and exotic critters they have there.

 

[jcdeboever]

i do my best to avoid talking to people in public, nothing good ever comes from it.

That's unfortunate.

 

[limr28 1]

Like @limr

NYC isn't a zoo, and it's not "scary". It's a city full of people, normal people, like you and me, just trying to live their lives.

Apparently you don't go to the Vinegar Hill area much. As for a zoo, yep New York City is a zoo as is the whole east and west coast. As for normal people, we do not have a naked cowboy with a guitar, a naked cowgirl or anyone like this person wondering around anywhere near here.

Then stay out.

But sometimes it's interesting to go to the zoo to see all the weird and exotic critters they have there.

How about cooling it with the insults?

 

[smoke665]

I never found it a zoo, "interesting" maybe. Generally stayed at the old St. Moritz or The Plaza and did a lot of people watching during down time. I prefered the St Moritz because of its proximity to Columbus Circle which was always interesting. Never knew what or who you might see. Enjoyed so many fine restaurants and shows, lot of memories. The 911 attack struck home as I'd entertained there many times. Now I'd probably need to take out a 2nd mortgage for a trip.

 

[table1349]

I never found it a zoo, "interesting" maybe. Generally stayed at the old St. Moritz or The Plaza and did a lot of people watching during down time. I prefered the St Moritz because of its proximity to Columbus Circle which was always interesting. Never knew what or who you might see. Enjoyed so many fine restaurants and shows, lot of memories. The 911 attack struck home as I'd entertained there many times. Now I'd probably need to take out a 2nd mortgage for a trip.

I'm thinking that this would require about a third of the state to accomplish here.

 

[DanOstergren24]

I personally have too much anxiety to take a stranger's photo without asking first or without having been hired to photograph an event. Perhaps you should dress more like a confused tourist and people wont be so shocked that you took their photo?

 

[Kenneth Walker]

I find having an articulated screen a bit of a bonus on my Panasonic....most of the time people don't know you are taking a shot, even if they have registered your presence. I find I can sit sideways on to the subject, camera in my lap, with the rear screen folded out. here's a favourite.....