Results 1 to 9 of 9

Taking picture of strangers

This is a discussion on Taking picture of strangers within the General photography forums, part of the Photography & Fine art photography category; Hi guys, I find it very difficult to take picture of people on the street. The problems are two faced. ...

  1. #1
    Yisehaq's Avatar
    Yisehaq is offline Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Ethiopia
    Posts
    977
    My Photos
    Please feel free to edit my photos
    Critiques
    Critique my photos anywhere in the forum

    Default Taking picture of strangers

    Hi guys,
    I find it very difficult to take picture of people on the street. The problems are two faced.
    1. Will it be fair to take picture of people sitting in a cafe or waiting for a taxi without thier consent? In what condition will that be okay?
    2. The other thing is if you get their consent to take their picture most people will be a camera concious and they will ruin the mood they were in.

    Please share your experience. May be we will have cultural difference but just wanted to hear your opnion on that.

    cheers,

  2. #2
    tomorrowstreasures is offline Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Midwest - USA
    Posts
    1,940
    My Photos
    Please ask before editing my photos

    Default

    Yisehaq - I can so identify with what you are saying. Last summer, I tried my hand at that - I was at a festival in West Virginia, US - there were some girls dancing to the music - just a neat shot. I was about 100 feet away from them. I had a little sony cybershot - so not even a big lens or camera - they "caught" me. They stopped dancing, then were looking right at me and making me feel like I was intruding on some very private moment and started acting very put off. ...It was embarrassing. Then, there was a man that had the coolest tattoos and rings galore... i finally worked up the nerve to ask him if I could photograph his arms and hands - which he allowed but that shot was rushed and not what i wanted. so, there you go, one with permission, one without, neither worked. I want to try again, but feel so invasive doing so.:(
    *sigh*..

  3. #3
    jjeling's Avatar
    jjeling is offline Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Toledo,OH
    Posts
    1,578
    My Photos
    Please feel free to edit my photos
    Critiques
    Critique my photos anywhere in the forum

    Default

    I have always pondered this same thoughts. While at one hand, it seems like there is a problem with it, the poparazzi does it all the time. I assume it is legal, but prefer not to do it in that fashion. Since they just want a snapshot, creativity means nothing to them. I have only tried this in New York, but I generally used a telephoto lens. It kept me far enough away so that the subject didn't even know I was there, and it also helped isolate them. In one rare occasion, I took a picture of a man sleeping on a bench with a 55mm lens, but he was sleeping so I did not care too much. Sometimes it does feel weird doing that, but if you can pull it off without them knowing, it seems to work a lot better. You can keep the tone of the image without them ruining it, and you do not have to worry whether or not they care. In todays world, there shouldn't be much of a problem with it. With the government taking our picture to keep tabs on you vs. a few creative images from a photographer, shouldnt be much of a problem.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/28054853@N08/


    Photography is more than just taking a picture and freezing the action, or leaving the shutter open. It is more than orchestrating the image with the stroke of a brush. Its the realization and explanation that reality is an isolated experience in which only a specific individual can comprehend during any given time period. - Your Truly!

  4. #4
    Marko's Avatar
    Marko is offline Administrator
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Montreal, QC. Canada
    Posts
    14,870
    My Photos
    Please do NOT edit my photos
    Critiques
    Critique my photos anywhere in the forum

    Default

    The laws on these things vary from country to country. I believe it's legal to take a picture of anyone but selling the image normally requires consent.

    These things are so tricky. I CAN tell you that if you ask someone if you can take their picture, most people are flattered and say yes....but then the mood is sometimes ruined. (On the plus side you can get in much closer and feel more comfortable)
    If you want take the shot without asking - then ethically you may feel bad but you get the spontaneous shot. One suggestion might be to take the shot then tell the person you took it and send them a copy by email....
    - Please connect with me further
    Photo tours of Montreal - Private photography courses
    - Join the new Photography.ca Facebook page
    - Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/markokulik
    - Follow me on Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/111159185852360398018/posts
    - Check out the photography podcast


    "You have to milk the cow quite a lot, and get plenty of milk to get a little cheese." Henri Cartier-Bresson from The Decisive Moment.

  5. #5
    Ben H's Avatar
    Ben H is offline Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    496

    Default

    We've talked about this here before I think. Personally, I'm uncomfortable taking candid shots of strangers without their consent, it feels like an invasion of privacy.

    In the UK, if it's in a public place, it's "legal", just doesn't seem very polite or respectful.

    I was at an event on private property which was essentially a Christmas kids party - I was there to document things, but if I was taking specific pictures of kids doing various activities (eg having their faces painted) rather than general crowd pics, I would almost always be involving the parents - for instance, I might shoot a few pics of the kid, and then make conversation with their parents, either let them know what I was doing, or generally make sure they were ok with what I was doing - it also helps to show them some of the pics you're taking so they can be dazzled with how great their kids look.

    If possible, I like to give the parents the opportunity of being able to get copies of the pics, preferably free of charge, as an extra bonus.

    If you are on the level, and seem trustyworthy and not like you are talking pics for questionable purposes, and are happy to involve the parents/subject, then I've found most people are fine with it.

    In some cases, if I felt the shot was *really* worth it, I'd take the candid, then probably approach the subject afterwards, although this hasn't happened yet

    I also feel rather more comfortable at an "event" taking shots of people (say, a festival), rather than on the street on elsewhere in more "normal" life.

  6. #6
    Mad Aussie's Avatar
    Mad Aussie is offline Moderator
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Brisbane, Qld, Australia
    Posts
    14,098
    My Photos
    Please ask before editing my photos

    Default

    I've recently gone through all this and joined the Australian Institute of Professional Photgraphers (AIPP) in order to get access to the right information and become an accredited photographer, which takes time.

    The short story in Australia is simple.

    There is no right to privacy that protects a persons image.

    Unless a person is in a place where they can expect a 'reasonable level of privacy' such as a toilet, shower, bedroom, fenced backyard for example, then it's legal to photograph them as long other laws aren't broken.
    For instance, take a photo of a celebrity scratching his danglies and he can claim that you have damaged his reputation and therefore sue you for defamation.

    However, if you are planning to sell your photo, and unless it's completely unpractical to do so, a model release should be sort if the photo contains a person(s) that is/are obviously the main subject of the photo.

    Long story short, I can legally stand on a public footpath and take a photo of anyone in their front yard working on their car or BBQ'ing (sunbaking topless might be pushing the privilidge) and there is no law to stop me here in Australia.

  7. #7
    Barefoot's Avatar
    Barefoot is offline Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Aiken, SC
    Posts
    2,401
    My Photos
    Please do NOT edit my photos
    Critiques
    Critique my photos anywhere in the forum

    Default

    We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are. -Anaïs Nin

    http://barefoot.pixu.com/

  8. #8
    Yisehaq's Avatar
    Yisehaq is offline Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Ethiopia
    Posts
    977
    My Photos
    Please feel free to edit my photos
    Critiques
    Critique my photos anywhere in the forum

    Default

    Thanks guys, its good to know its the same all over.

  9. #9
    merman is offline Member
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Guelph
    Posts
    66

    Default

    i shoot alot at skateparks that are crawling with people, i like to keep a pen and pad of paper to exchange email adresses, plus its a really cool feeling to take a great shot walk up to the person and introduce yourself and say "Hey i got a great shot of you, heres my email" people generally get pretty stoked about it.
    at the same time no one likes emabarassing shots of themselves, be careful and respectful.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36