camouflage

[noimmunity]

In the context of the RD-1, I raised a technical question about camouflaging the body to cover traces of being a digital camera (specifically the words "digital camera"). That prompted some questions about my motives. I thought it might be interesting to start a thread about camouflaging and dissimulation in general in the practice of photography, both by the photographers themselves, and in the subjects they photograph.

For the record, I generally don't take photos of people I don't know or with whom I don't have some kind of social relation preexisting the photographic encounter. I usually only photograph people at events in which I am participant, too. I often use the RD-1 in tandem with a film camera. People look at my RD-1 and are super curious about a digital camera that mimics analogue. Sometimes I would like to cover up the words "digital camera" on the top plate just to make it less of a conversation piece...

Sometimes I get a thrill from showing people what a weird concept camera it is...a digital masquerading as a film camera. And sometimes I like to fold the LCD away and shoot as though it really were film...and to have people being photographed think as much...

Reflecting on this idea, I realized that the entire genre of "street photography" is specialized around photos of strangers, and for this reason many photogs prefer dissimulating their actions (typically through black camera bodies, blacked out red dots, wide angle lenses that can be pointed away from subjects, etc...). In addition, camouflage is an important part of social identity particularly for various kinds of religious, ethnic, linguistic, and gender minorities.

So, this isn't so much a chance to turn on the lights and take off everybody's mask, but rather to discuss masks and their usage...

[Gumby]

Gee, I thought you got a few really good answers. Black electrical tape is how they do it in Hollywood.

As far as camouflaging goes, though, I don't personally feel the need nor do I engage in that kind of activity. If someone I'm taking photo of acts like they don't want to participate, then I stop and move on. If someone is curious about my camera I either engage in conversation with them or apologize that I don't have the time right then to chat and quickly explain what kind of camera it is.

[BillP]

Many years ago I had a book on magic, written by Robert Harbin. In the foreword, he gave this guidance:

"Do what is not said
Say what is not done
Do not do what is said
Do not say what is done"

This is a simple technique called "misdirection". At it's most basic it consists of shouting "Look up there!". Once your audience's attention is distracted, you can do what you want.

I think that there is an element of this in successful street photography. The misdirection is in appearing to be part of the scenery, not of interest, not taking a picture.

There is a variant of this, summed up best by Douglas Adams in one of the Hitch-hiker's Guide books. The SEP field. SEP here stands for "Someone Else's Problem". This is a bit like hiding in plain sight. Here, you do something that is not welcome to the onlooker; they then blank you out. Try rattling a collecting tin, or saying "Can you spare any change?" and see how people react.

All that said, I actually have no problem dealing with the curious. A polite - and short - conversation with lots of smiles lets the inquisitive go away again with a warm fuzzy feeling. Remember that you are an ambassador for photography; give a good impression.

Regards,

Bill

[georgef]

I often find myself walking in...interesting... areas in the middle of (or near by) the night, dressed in black to keep low key; white letters on a lens or camera body stand out clearly when shouldered.
I am 6-2, 240 pounds and look like a bouncer so I have not been threatened yet, but I have seen time and time again people take notice of the camera being there.
There are situations where being able to downplay a camera is a good idea. Taping the letters works very well.

On another note, I went to a camera swap here last month, with many vendors dealing in RF equipment, and did notice a different attitude when they thought I was carrying a Bessa film body than when they realised I had the RD1. Thats for another topic though he he

[dee]

My M 8 , even the Digilux 3 and L1 , are sufficiently non-DSLR like to be a camouflage in itself - I think that people are less put out than by a familiar black blob with a long lense pointing at them .. indeed , I am convinced that a chrome camera now hides in plain sight , in that it is seen as eccentric , vintage , and largely unthreatening - with 4/3rds , too , a discrete Rokkor 45mm f 2 pancake becomes a useful 90mm from afar !

[williams473]

I think too much is made of the letters on the camera or black versus silver etc. I think people react as much to the well known pose of a photographer with a camera being pointed at them as white lettering or what brand the camera is. Everyone in the developed world knows when a camera is raised to someone's eye and the business end is pointed at them, there's a good chance a picture is being made of them. Maybe having a black camera or blacking out lettering makes the photgrapher feel like he or she is less obvious, but it's the gesture of taking a picture that gets noticed.

If you want to be more low key, try a twin lens reflex on the street - I find the act of looking down onto the ground glass is much less confrontational. Heck, half the people don't even know a TLR is a camera! I've had people think I was surveying land when taking their picture... The quiet leaf shutter makes it a great street camera to use for sound too, even in tight quarters. I don't care what brand your rangefinder or SLR is - in most cases you have to point it at someone and hold it there a moment - we're not fooling anyone even with an all black camera. I've used a number of types of cameras on the street, and I find that the TLR makes it so much easier to be low key -- just keep looking down, composing, snapping - and the subject really never knows if you took their image or not.

[gnashings]

Originally Posted by williams473

I think too much is made of the letters on the camera or black versus silver etc. I think people react as much to the well known pose of a photographer with a camera being pointed at them as white lettering or what brand the camera is. Everyone in the developed world knows when a camera is raised to someone's eye and the business end is pointed at them, there's a good chance a picture is being made of them. Maybe having a black camera or blacking out lettering makes the photgrapher feel like he or she is less obvious, but it's the gesture of taking a picture that gets noticed.

If you want to be more low key, try a twin lens reflex on the street - I find the act of looking down onto the ground glass is much less confrontational. Heck, half the people don't even know a TLR is a camera! I've had people think I was surveying land when taking their picture... The quiet leaf shutter makes it a great street camera to use for sound too, even in tight quarters. I don't care what brand your rangefinder or SLR is - in most cases you have to point it at someone and hold it there a moment - we're not fooling anyone even with an all black camera. I've used a number of types of cameras on the street, and I find that the TLR makes it so much easier to be low key -- just keep looking down, composing, snapping - and the subject really never knows if you took their image or not.

I strongly second that - TLR's are great for this type of thing, you can even shoot sideways, makes little or no difference to you (for that matter upside down or by holding the camera out over a ledge and pointing lenses down with the gg pointed at you. Plus - their box square nature makes them wonderful for make shift support in low light, which leads me to another point - I don't think there is anything closer to a tri pod when no tripod is in sight than a well braced TLR on a neck strap of a guy leaning against a wall.

And as to the guy who thinks that being 240 lbs and "looking like a bouncer" prevents people from messing with him... well, I think you're delusional - you simply are either lucky or have never really ventured anywhere that rough. Or you're just such a nice person that to know you is to love you - hey, it could be. Chances are that when you step out of the sandbox one of the big kids will beat the crap out of you and take you toys. No one is too big for that, and its foolish to put yourself in danger under the assumption that you look tough enough.

[ClaremontPhoto]

I'm considering an Olympus mju V for my next street camera.

Polished metal.

It's me, not the camera that people see.

It's me who needs to fit in.

[MickH]

Originally Posted by ClaremontPhoto

I'm considering an Olympus mju V for my next street camera.

As the ad says: "Exclusive metal design that is sure to stand out at parties", subtle it ain't!

I'm with Mr 473 above, there's something about using a TLR that "feels" different, possibly the lack of eye-to-eye contact that makes the photog. believe within himself that he is less obtrusive rather than actually not being noticed.