asked a stranger if I could take her picture today..

[Renzsu]

I'm quite comfortable just taking candid street pictures of people, even if they 'catch' me doing it.. but for some reason I never asked someone if I could take their photo.
Today I saw a girl standing on one of our city squares wearing some interesting coat and with a great smile.. I just had to ask her if she would mind if I took her picture.. she even made a nice smile for me
I'm now seriously thinking about doing a 50 strangers project or something like that, to get over my hesitation.. Has anyone here ever done something like that? Any tips? Maybe you even got them to model for you at a later stage?

Anyways, I was quite proud for a moment haha, I'll post the photo when I get this roll done and developed

[hans voralberg]

Print out some business card, or Flickr card to hand out to people so at you can send them the scan and raise the possibility of modeling at a later stage. The best thing I found is to approach with a smile and be polite, that's all. Or hang out at photo meets and workshops, the model are practically stranger, and they'll be willing to get acquainted

[Renzsu]

Yeah right now I only have business cards as a designer, not photographer.. I need to have some made for sure!
As far as my approach, yup that's how I did it.. being super polite and with a smile. I half expected a weird look and a no, but instead got a smile back

[zenlibra]

I had a set of MOO cards made through Flickr, pretty inexpensive and good quality as well. Sometimes during street events like the Halloween parade or jazz festivals people would ask me to take their picture but I want to be able to ask strangers sometime.

[bmattock]

I have business cards that I had made by VistaPrint (www.vistaprint.com). Very cheap. I put the URL of my Flickr account and my email address on it. It says "Your photos can be viewed here: " and gives the URL. I hand them out whenever anyone asks me "What are you going to do with these photos?"

As to asking for permission to take a photo, I do it from time to time, when it seems appropriate to me. Other times, I don't bother. I don't need permission either way, and if I ask and am turned down, now I feel like I should not take the photo, so I ask sparingly.

[Ming The Merciless]

Normally I don't ask but when I do , I get various responses from "sure", to "what is it for?", to "No." When they ask "what for?", I usually say that I'm an artist or that the way the light was shining on them was lovely, or something of that nature. It usually works. I never say anything about Flickr or the web since I'm not sure they would be so agreable to having their face posted on the web by some stranger.

[Renzsu]

Thanks for the card tips guys, going to check that out tomorrow, appreciate it
About the why of asking.. in this case I really wanted a shot of her looking straight in the lens.. I wouldn't have gotten that shot if I had done it by jumping in front of her with the camera to my eye.. well maybe, but it would certainly be followed by a rude remark (Amsterdam after all).

[vdonovan]

I always ask. It's part of my photographic process. I'm not an outgoing person and it was difficult at first, but now I find it very rewarding.

Most people say yes with good cheer. It helps to have an answer to the question "Why do you want to take my picture?" Even a phony excuse helps break the ice. "I'm a photographer and I'm doing a project of people on the streets of X. It might be in gallery Y next year."

My newest technique is to carry an old Polaroid camera loaded with Fuji Instant film. Just opening the camera attracts people. When I offer to take their picture with it, they are always excited. So i shoot with film and then cut a Polaroid for them to keep, or shoot two 'roids, give them one and keep one. This has been very rewarding, both personally and photographically.

I don't carry cards, but now I have some stickers with my name and website that I put on the back of the Polaroid.

Here's some drunks on a street in Malaga. Not the kind of guys I would normally feel comfortable talking to, but I ended up spending half an hour chatting with them and I got a great pic.

[robert blu]

Sometimes I ask people permission to take a picture of them. It is interesting to create a kind of relationship. When the answer is why I explain that having reached the age of retirement I'm doing what I always desired, which is taking a photography course and the assignement is to take pictures of people in a public place. Most of times people has a positive attitude about, of course it is necessary to have a good explanation (you are smoking an interestin cigar or I see the colours of the sea in your eyes etc etc). Of course this is no more street photography as it was intended, I like to think of something different, I call it street portaits. The negative side is that if I ask permission to public the picture in internet most of time the answer is no: people are afraid of any trick.
robert
PS where I live is necessary to have permission to public pictures of someone, at least this is the theory...

[wgerrard]

Has anyone found that a business card turns off someone because they think their photo will be used for commercial purposes?

[Bob Michaels]

Originally Posted by wgerrard

Has anyone found that a business card turns off someone because they think their photo will be used for commercial purposes?

I carry nicely made engraved black on white cards with my name, address, phone, e-mail and website address. Nothing else. I leave it up to the current conversation to cause the recipient to assume I am either a photographer, male escort or just socially adept.

I find that giving some my personal information goes a long way to diffuse any concerns anyone may have about me. Since I am hiding nothing, it helps to make that apparent.

[Renzsu]

Sorry to dig this back up, but I finally got round to scanning the film, so I thought I'd post the shot I was talking about. I kind of missed the focus on her eyes, but it's not too bad for a shot where I was a bit too nervous to take my sweet time to get it right haha. Not sure if it's wide open or at f/2.. next time I'll try f/2.8 to make sure the focus isn't too critical.. oh and give my card.

[Popum]

An interesting variation on this is to ask them to take a picture of you after you've taken a picture of them. Of course, if you're using a complex or expensive camera, you might want to carry a point and shoot to let them use.

[SolaresLarrave]

I see the train and the bicycles... and brings back memories of my 2008 Amsterdam trip. Where in the city was this photograph taken?

Thanks for posting!

[Renzsu]

Originally Posted by SolaresLarrave

I see the train and the bicycles... and brings back memories of my 2008 Amsterdam trip. Where in the city was this photograph taken?

Thanks for posting!

Hi Fransisco, thanks! This was taken on the Leidseplein, to be honest not really one of my fav. spots in the city, but it's good for people watching since it's almost always a busy spot

[Mr_Flibble]

I see why you thought it a good idea to ask her, Renzsu.
Very pretty indeed.

"Can I take your picture?" = best pick-up line ever

[raid]

I also would suggest not to scare people off by a business card. A slip of paper with your name and your email address may work better.

[yanidel]

Take the shot then ask ...
otherwise people act.

[lemalk]

I am torn on this subject.

First off, congrats to Renzsu - it isn't always easy to ask someone for their picture.

Yanidel has a point though - sometimes it's about capturing the essence of the "uninterrupted" moment; people going on about their lives.

But sometimes I wonder, "If this person is interesting enough to photograph, why aren't I interested in talking with them and making a human connection? Am I just taking instead of giving? Is that selfish?"

[Chris101]

Oh that's a great picture Renzsu! The 'Sgt Pepper' jacket is perfect counter to her totally modern look, and, at least at this size, you nailed the focus just fine. And she's even off center!

[Renzsu]

Originally Posted by lemalk

I am torn on this subject.

First off, congrats to Renzsu - it isn't always easy to ask someone for their picture.

Yanidel has a point though - sometimes it's about capturing the essence of the "uninterrupted" moment; people going on about their lives.

But sometimes I wonder, "If this person is interesting enough to photograph, why aren't I interested in talking with them and making a human connection? Am I just taking instead of giving? Is that selfish?"

lemalk, thanks man and I see your points. I do take candid pictures as well when I'm on a photowalk.. most of my pictures are, actually. But in this case I was more interested in just capturing her, I had the feeling she wouldn't mind if I would ask so I just did it. She was just standing and waiting there, I didn't think a candid picture would add much and I wouldn't be able to get her to look at the camera (well maybe if I just took the shot, but I thought that would be rather rude). It doesn't always have to be about being candid I think

[Renzsu]

Originally Posted by Mr_Flibble

I see why you thought it a good idea to ask her, Renzsu.
Very pretty indeed.

"Can I take your picture?" = best pick-up line ever

Haha, I guess that's true, although I wasn't thinking of that when I took the shot.

Originally Posted by raid

I also would suggest not to scare people off by a business card. A slip of paper with your name and your email address may work better.

Anything is better than nothing I guess, next time I'll have to make sure I bring at least something with my contact info/flickr stream on it.

Originally Posted by Chris101

Oh that's a great picture Renzsu! The 'Sgt Pepper' jacket is perfect counter to her totally modern look, and, at least at this size, you nailed the focus just fine. And she's even off center!

Thank you!

[Chris101]

I usually just say "no" to anyone handing me an unsolicited card, without reading it or asking them any questions.

[yanidel]

Originally Posted by Renzsu

lemalk, thanks man and I see your points. I do take candid pictures as well when I'm on a photowalk.. most of my pictures are, actually. But in this case I was more interested in just capturing her, I had the feeling she wouldn't mind if I would ask so I just did it. She was just standing and waiting there, I didn't think a candid picture would add much and I wouldn't be able to get her to look at the camera (well maybe if I just took the shot, but I thought that would be rather rude). It doesn't always have to be about being candid I think

This reminded of the shot below I took a few months ago. I saw the girl and discretly positioned myself in front of her. I had to wait like 5 seconds before she rose her eyes but as soon as she did, click. I don't think I could have had this expression had I asked her permission and the ensuing acting. And lucky me, I even got a smile afterwards.

[julio1fer]

Has anyone here ever done something like that? Any tips? Maybe you even got them to model for you at a later stage?

Craig Nelson, of Nelsonfoto fame, did a beautiful series on strangers. He shot Fuji instant film and even got every subject to pose in a bar environment.