Overcoming fear

[navilluspm]

Dear Mr. Pierce,

I love taking pictures, and I love looking at street photography. I am somewhat of a novice. I want to get into street photography, but I am afraid. Everysingle time I attempt it, something bad happens. Eg. My first attempt: Walking downtown, a security guard from Northwestern Mutual yelled at me for taking a picture of a garbage can that was on their steps - claiming that the Northwestern logo would be in the picture and it would be copyright infringment. (And I am not kidding about his excuse).

My second attempt was at an open air mall. While I was taking pictures of a child playing in a fountain with his mother (and the two did not seem to care that I took the picture) a security guard again told me I was not allowed to use the camera because the stores do not want their displays and merchandise photographed by the competition. (I could not believe this one, especially since I was not near a store.)

My third attempt was taking picture of a mansion on Lake Drive in Milwaukee - a man ran out of the house and yelled at me for "casing out the joint." When I tried to calmly explain that I was just taking a picture of the architecture of his house and that my 40 year old Yashica Electro would in no way be able to case the joint from such a distance (I was shooting from the sidewalk across a rather large front lawn) he got even angrier.

Everytime I try street photography, I am met with resistance. Is it always like this everytime a person does street photography? What are some tips you can give me to over come my fear of street photography? How can I approach a stranger and have them allow me to take their picture?

[d_ross]

This is sadly the world we live in now. Even as far away as here in New Zealand this is slowly becoming an issue, and I don't think that historical experiences with documentory photography will help. the days of HCB etc are not the days of now.

We should look at it as a challenge, perhaps the social-political issues we face now are to us like the challenge photographers in the past had with lesser equipment.

WE now live in a very insecure sociaty that is either scared of being photographed or scared the photographs you make are in some way going to harm people or because we are such a commerce driven sociaety today they want a piecet of the action. The challenge is to photograph what we are now. That means we have to develope new approahes to street photography. we shouldn't shy away from it but find a way to shoot it. it will never be for us like it was for HCB's lot.

[Bill Pierce]

Originally Posted by navilluspm

Dear Mr. Pierce,

I love taking pictures, and I love looking at street photography. I am somewhat of a novice. I want to get into street photography, but I am afraid. How can I approach a stranger and have them allow me to take their picture?

No question about it. Street photography is more difficult than it ever was because of the resistance, i.e. downright hostility. Here are a few thoughts on starting.

Shoot at events that attract a lot of other photographers - street fairs, tourist spots, e.t.c..

Use one small camera.

Don't spend a lot of time. Shoot and move on.

If somebody looks up, subject or otherwise, don't avoid them. Smile, wave, ask them how they're doing and wear your best "You've got to be kidding." look when they tell you can't shoot. But don't argue. Just say, "Your the boss." Do not say, "You are an insecure asshole." If appropriate, strike up a conversation.

If need be, don't raise the camera to your eye. Shoot from the hip with a small camera. After awhile your framing will be pretty good.

(Even when you are raising your camera to your eye, you should know what the frame will cover before you quickly look through the finder. I am told that Bresson brought that camera up to his eye and had it down again faster than any of us.)

When working without looking through the viewfinder, those visual accidents are often more interesting than those produced by your sense of composition. When God gives you a really good shot, don't rat Him out. Claim it as your own.

One other thing that you can do is very simple. Tell the stranger you are an avid photographer and would like to take his picture. It won't be candid, but it can be very good.

[BigSteveG]

Sorry to hear about your bad experiences. I think the resistance is largely based on your shooting style. I'm able to take plenty of street shots and not have to take too much flack. Here are few ideas:

Don't ask for permission--just Be aware---learn the art of anticipation!
Pre-focus so you'll catch the shot.
Stay aware of chaging light conditions---adjust your meter accordingly
Work with one focal length until you can use it without looking through the VF.
If some one gives you attitude--just move on!!!

[jky]

"Work with one focal length until you can use it without looking through the VF"

This really simplifies the process of framing resulting in only spending a small amount of time raising the camera...

[navilluspm]

Thank you very much for the advice - Mr. Pierce and every one else who contributed.

[marke]

Hey, you're in Milwaukee? Me too. I shoot street in downtown Milwaukee about 2-3 times a week. Why don't we meet sometime and try it together. I'll probably be out there Friday afternoon, about 1:00 pm, and shoot for a couple hours.

Here's some ofmy work:

http://http://www.pbase.com/marke

[jbf]

Originally Posted by nikonhswebmaster

11) do not promise prints to anyone you will never do it, and it makes enemies.

I have to say that in my case this is not true. When I promise prints I always deliver. It has made me many a friends and opened up many connections with people to talk to when in need of info or help when working on my personal work.


Your rule should be, "If you are offer prints to someone, follow through. If you dont intend to give them prints in the first place or have a feeling you will flake out, then do not offer."

[gavinlg]

Some gentle advice - never take pictures of children without first asking their parents for permission. Even then I wouldn't do it. It's wading into dangerous territory.

[jky]

fdigital: I was walking with a camera near a wading pool, which happened to have a classroom full of children enjoying the cool water, when I was told by their aides that I not take a picture... I had no such intentions....

[d_ross]

I like that picture nikonhswebmaster

[d_ross]

Isn't it terrible, considered being sinister in some way for carrying a camera jky!
perhaps you should have taken photographs

[d_ross]

On a serious note though, At Bondi beach in Sydney Australia you are not allowed cameras on the beach, period!

[d_ross]

and what a shame that paranoia is going to rob the future of so many photographs of our time!

[ruben]

Hi Navilluspm,

You have entitled it "Overcoming Fear". It seems to me this thread is mixing two different situations. If a representative of authority tells you no pics here, you smile and don't make the pic. You have no choice (*)

But if you walk around with a feeling of fear, as if at any moment an enraged big dog is going to jump on you this is a different issue.

For this purpose solely, I think I have a good idea. Pick two of the biggest cameras you have, and walk around with them wherever you go, be it the university, work, shopping, etc

Furthermore, one of the two will be at your chest. You will not use the cameras but get used that common people, vigilants, mafiosos, CIA, and all what you have around will notice you. During the process you may start finding photo opportunities in which you are not much visible to your subjects.

Or better said, you will distinguish between people tensioned by your cameras, people interested in your cameras, and people that don't look at you at all. This third last group will be your starter, but latter.

Do this exercise without firing your cameras for some month or two, until you get used to the first and second group, really feeling deep in your bones you have overcomed fear from them.

I strongly oppose to hide cameras for the obvious reason that one day you will be caught, and then what ? Secondly because you will be adapting (yielding) to fear instead of overcoming (fighting) it.

Cheers,
Ruben

PS: while i own the copyrights for the exercise, the very issue of showing your cameras was directly told to me by a great street photographer. He tought me to show around: I am a photographer and I am going to take pictures.

(*) Unless you prepare yourself beforehand for the meeting and take care of having got the pic before the smile.

[d_ross]

what is the story that goes with that shot ?

[d_ross]

I was in sydney around this time last year and I'm pretty sure I heard the bylaw was initiated, not sure how it's being enforced though.

[d_ross]

I agree Rubin facing up to it is the answer.

[d_ross]

Thanks, its an interesting shot that also stands alone without the story. the whole worlds a bloody crime scene these days

[Peter Klein]

Ruben: I'm curious what the attitude towards photography is in Israel. After all, Israel has been dealing with terrorism for a long time, much longer and more frequently than the U.S. or most of Western Europe.

Do the police tell people not to take pictures on the street? Is there the same issues of people not wanting to be photographed in public? Is there the level of paranoia about photographing children we find in the U.S. or the U.K.?

--Peter

[ruben]

As a very gross generalization, if you are a foreign press photographer, you are an ally of the enemy, handy for anyone's vendetta with the understanding of the authorities. Press photographers distinguish themselves by their big bazookas. They are just out of the law, and right now the Brittish Governments is negotiating for the trial of an Israeli soldier who shot to death a Brittish photographer in the Gaza Strip 3 years ago. Many Israeli photographers have been shot and injured at the Occupied Territories.

But if you, like me, go around within Israeli reckognized borders with two canonets or two kievs, people will be just get interested in these oldies, and there are no restrictions within malls, shops, central bus stations, buildings and airports. All these excluding X-ray machines and personel everywhere.

No paranoia, no problem with taking pics of children, although here I am rather tactfull.

Cheers,
Ruben

[jjcha]

Ruben is exactly right.

To give my take on it (and it's less mature or thoughtful than his) just take the photo and stop being so scared. If police, security guards, or other people raise a fit, just be polite and move on. There are plenty of other places to take photos.

But at the end of the day, if you want to do street photography, you will get hassled by police and security guards. You will get dirty looks from people you photograph. You will likely get people very angry at you or at least obviously very displeased you took their photo. It's just the statistics -- no matter how stealthy you try to be you will get caught. And sometimes some of your subjects or bystanders really, really won't like it.

If you can't deal with that, then maybe you should limit your street photography to public events, like parades and the like. But otherwise, it goes with the territory. Be open and comfortable with what you're doing.

Again, if anyone gives you a hassle, move on. Arguing about it is rarely worth it.

Seriously, what right does anyone have not to have their photograph taken in public?

Best regards,

-Jason

Postscript: Rereading this post, I realize the tone can come across as fairly hostile -- and that's not right (nor is it my point). I think you should be hostile to your own fear, don't get me wrong. But don't have an attitude of hostility towards people you photograph or bystanders (including police or security guards). This comes across in your body language, and the better your body language, the more likely you'll get better photos where your subject knows you are there or taking a photo of them. Just don't let yourself be your own worst enemy when it comes to photographing people in public. That's what you should be hostile towards.

[dim]

Something that might also help is a trick a friend told me:

Carry some of your photographs with you. In case you will be stopped you can explain, by showing them, what are you doing. The more "artistic" the best.



I don't do very much street photography but i had the same fears with you. An exercise i did was the following:

I had to shoot every ten steps. Never mind the framing, the composition, the focus, all the technical stuff. Just press the button every ten steps in something you see interesting. (You may also use the "hyperfocal distance", sorry i don't know the English translation from Greek, in order not to waste totally your film).

The first day i had to finish only one roll. The second two, the third three. Then mind about the technical stuff before the shot, while walking.

I've noticed that most of the people didn't care about me. Some gave me a look like saying "what a fool, what is he doing anyway?", but i was walking and didn't bother to ask me anything. I had no problems.

Something i've learned from this exercise was that, for me, the "eye contact" is crucial in order to understand if you can take the shot or not.

When too close try do "eye contact", look the "subject" in the eyes. Then you'll know what to do or not.

And always be fast. Not shoot and hide. Don't hide at all. Just be fast.


Let me also quote some HCB words that might be helpful to all us novice to street photography:

"..be there,
don't think,
forget yourself,
don't search..."

P.S. Also always have in mind that you don't do something "bad". If you do then is shows.

Hope it helps,
Dimitris

[nico]

There are many good suggestions here that worked well for me right now (I have short experience anyway).
It's good idea shooting with other friendsthat shares the same hobby, I do it and it makes me feel less "lonely" knowing I can count on someone would help you explain what's going on in case it would be needed.
I do not take photo of kids often but when I do I want to be sure that my girlfriend is near me, smiling and talking with me while I'm shooting: it makes everything clear without any explaination needed.
Be relaxed, I avoid to go shooting when I'm nervous, and be always smiling. I always says "thank you" or"cheers" when somebody noticed me taking his picture.
Sometimes, taking some street portrait, I don't move fast at all, I take my time to focus, set aperture leaving the time to the subject to tell me "no" if he/she notices me in that case I accept the deny smiling.
Some other times asking before is the best (only) way.
Right now I've been shouted just once and politely being told not a several time: I consider myself lucky . I just hope that the situation also here in Italy won't get worse ...

[mike goldberg]

I just happened onto this Thread. Things have sure changed for me since I quit PJ for health reasons 20 years ago. The Nikon F2 with 35 & 105 Nikkors were my basic tools. Then, what if I needed the 24 or 200... or flash? And, my right shoulder ached from the weight of the camera bag.

Funny thing, the M2 now with me for 35 years, always went with me. And the M2+35/2.8 combination were used more than all other cameras combined. A dozen, or so, years ago... Ruben turned me on to the Oly OM-1. Aha!... lighter and quieter than Nikon SLR. And, it was another system to build on.

I want to appreciate Ruben's comments on street photography in Israel. It IS relatively easy to photograph here, so long as I lower my camera if someone objects, and am not capturing anything militarily sensitive. Even as a working pro, my best work was on assignment... usually doing human interest stories.

Finally, some so-called "primitive" types believe that you are "taking" their soul when you take their picture. So long as I feel that I am not "taking" anything, rather I am creating and willing to share, then all is well.

Cheers