[Thanks to Imaging Resource]
Overcome Your Fear of Shooting Street Photography, free ebook.I think that dealing successfully with strangers, whether in photographing them or in other contexts, a very important ingredient, well two really, is 1) knowing that you are doing nothing wrong, and showing it in your body language. 2) Being open and friendly. This of course ties in with the first one. People who have a bad conscience about what they are doing are usually acting defensively or antagonistically. If you are open and friendly, people will come into your space without automatic suspicion.
Also, be chatty. Start talking about some aspect about the subject or photos, or your camera. People probably won't be interested, but actually the more geeky your chat is, the better, people will get bored and will conclude that you are a harmless eccentric.
As in the rest of life, being attractive probably helps. If not, if you're a dude - be big and intimidating.
ReplyDeleteBig and intimidating would be the last thing you want to be. May get you a photo, but not a very good one. Subjects should be relaxed.
ReplyDeleteHaha ! I like the last geeky strategy.
ReplyDeleteI guess that works more for men photographers. But lady photographers are less scary. :)
Yep.
ReplyDeleteSome clever photographers ally themselves with a woman to contact potential models in the streets.
Big and intimidating would be the last thing you want to be. May get you a photo, but not a very good one. Subjects should be relaxed.
ReplyDeleteIncorrect. It would make people less likely to challenge you. Also it's ridiculous to say it can't be a good photograph if the subject is aware of being photographed. I can tell you're a real newbie.
Well, I was kind of joking. About the second part anyway. Obviously being good looking is going to make everything easier. I mean, Ted Bundy's success was due to his looks. And if you're a woman it makes it possible to get away with almost anything.
ReplyDeleteI was a very successful street photojournalist for 30 yrs. The secret is to move and act as if you are taking photos as a business - act professional. Shoot quickly, don't fiddle with your camera, just raise it, shoot, and lower it. Move on quickly. Don't make eye contact before or after shooting, it's establishing a personal relationship people mind, not the shutter clicking.
ReplyDeleteSounds right, thank you.
ReplyDeleteI doubled my income by photographing nude amateur girls. I found most young and not so young women want to try it at least once, or to record their beauty for later. A cold approach never worked, but a casual conversation leading to asking, did. First modeling prints, then the 2nd time, paying me for them. However, women now are paranoid, so one has to be extra careful about asking. So are officials and store owners about photographing in public. Terrorists and men shooting up skirts, you know.
ReplyDeleteYou were maybe looking for a pervier blog.
ReplyDeleteThis is where street photography and boxing overlap - the best approach is "stick, stick, and away."
ReplyDelete