The dangers of street photography

[Charles Hess]

Hello all, thought I'd stop by and share a little 'adventure.' Many of you here have ventured out on the streets to capture slices of life whether it be candids of people or simply oddities of everyday life.

This local street fellow saw me hanging around and wasn't sure what I was doing (looking through the viewfinder of my TLR). He started towards me rather quickly and shouted 'what're you doing, you better not be takin' my picture.' I smiled, said I wasn't, pressed the shutter (located on the bottom of the camera, same hand holding the camera from the bottom can also press the shutter), and walked away. I'm sure some of you have had similar experiences. Thanks. :-)

Rolleiflex TLR(circa 1954), Tri-X.

[dana m.]

Great shot Charles...and thanks for the background. This would be the very reason I don't do it...scares me to death.

[Greg McCary]

Yep. It has happened to me a couple of times. The guy looks mad. Be careful.

[jetrim]

Yeah, been there!
West Side Market

[Axle]

Excellent capture all the same! You did actually capture life on the street.

[Speed]

Street photography has never held a great appeal for me, artistically or otherwise. This is one more reason why. Also, I've lost track of how many stories I've read of people being arrested for taking pictures. So much for the land of the free...

Great capture Charles, and do be careful out there!

[gahspidy]

Charles, I agree with you that it probably has happened to most of us who have ever tried a few street shots.
I think it is probably much tougher today than it might have been years ago before the popularity of the internet and digital cameras. Years ago, there were not as many people running around with high tech equipment and no one on the street ever felt worried about someone posting their image on the web.
My feeling is that I bet the camera was a more respected and less intimidating equipment years back than what most people feel about them today.

[dana m.]

and then we have this website, which is a whole different story...lol
http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/

[Charles Hess]

Thanks, all. I agree that street photography is certainly more challenging than it was even 5 years ago, and photogs now have to steer clear of certain subjects that were once commonplace. :-)

[adina]

aww charles, i think if it came to it, you could have taken him. ;)

i'm glad to see you're still shooting. doing the glamour work still, or mostly street?

[reidsprincess20028]

This is an amazing picture!...I would love to do street photography,but im not brave enough!

[Charles Hess]

Thanks, reidsprincess ... bravery to do street photography is all in the mind. :-) If you Google 'street photography', you'll find a number of sites that offer tips, philosophies, etc., regarding street candids. Give it a try! :-)

Adina, hi. Not doing much photography at all anymore (still nagging health problems). I stopped shooting glamour a few years ago and it's all street photography now, still with film. :-)

[shootme]

Street Photography, I love it and this is what I do most. I've been stopped by people which can make it intimidating and I've been pulled up by the police, but I keep doing it. What I often do is make sure the subjects don't see me as it's the candid shot I'm after, I try to blend in. However I keep a pack of "business cards" (hobby cards) with me which has my first name, web site and my email (the one I exclusively use for photos). Often I will go to the person tell them I took some photos and offer them copies, 9/10, I get yes thanks. Just last week (the portrait shot I took "Audrey" Hepburn look alike; after seeing them she wants me to take some more, I of course agree. These to come hopefully late October. I guess we just need to be respectful of peoples privacy. The busker's I shoot I always ask beforehand and offer free (digital)copies. Cheers, S