A funny story.....

[Big John]

Funny story: I was at the Madison, Wisconsin "Art Fair on the Square" and saw this woman selling t-shirts. I walked up to her and asked her permission to take her picture, which she kindly obliged me with. I thanked her and started moving on and was about 30 feet away when a man came rushing up to me .

"Hey, you were just taking pictures of my wife!" he said

"Oh no", I thought to myself, this guy's really angry.

"But I asked her permission first", I stammered as I stood there awkwardly.

"I know", he said "I was just hoping you could send me a copy of what you took."

We went back to where his wife was working, we exchanged e-mail addresses and I even took a few photos of him with his wife together, as well as this couple and one of their friends! He was very kind and seemed very grateful.

This has really fueled my desire to keep shooting away at interesting people on the street and share my meager talents as best I can.

I hope you like these, I think she had a very bright smile that was really eye-catching! I played around with them in photoshop elements 3 before sending them out. As always, comments and critique are welcome.

[Cleo199]

I think they're both very well done. I especially like #2.

I still don't have my nerve up to take pictures of people. Especially up close. I was talking about this today when i was downtown. I told my kid "If I had that rebel, I could put a lens on it and take shots of people a block away and they wouldn't know" Oh well, at least I still have the dream.......

[Rigrider]

The first shot is very good. The second one I think you may have over done it in PS, but tha'ts just my opinion.

Keep up the good shooting.

L8r,

[Big John]

It took a long time for me to get comfortable asking people to pose foer me, but I found the best results were not when I was using a long lens, but rather when the person being photographed was fully aware I was there and became part of the process. I like to chat with the people first, to kind of break the ice. The whole time we are talking they see this big camera and flash around my neck, which I think gets them ready for when I ask them permission.

What about everyone else? How do you approach strangers when you want to ask them permission to take their picture?

[krmaven]

Beautiful photos of a beautiful woman! Who is the person in the reflection in her glasses in the first photo? I admire you for having the courage to ask permission to take the photo -- I don't have the nerve to ask strangers. Therefore, I miss taking some very good shots. Maybe one day I'll work up the nerve!

[Andy_T]

Beautiful images (although a part of me thinks you overdid the 'lens blur' in the first image just a bit).

I like the 'glow' effect, it's still subtle. And yes, she is very pretty. That always helps :wink:

Thanks for sharing :D

Best regards,
Andy

[Andy_T]

I was talking about this today when i was downtown. I told my kid "If I had that rebel, I could put a lens on it and take shots of people a block away and they wouldn't know" Oh well, at least I still have the dream.......

Haha ... have I got a link for you:
Telephoto is for cowards (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=62845&highlight=telephoto+is+for+cowards)

Best regards,
Andy

[Big John]

Thanks for your replies!

krmaven: The person reflected in the glasses is an customer buying a t-shirt off to the right of her, but you can also see my flash(and me) in her reflection!

Andy and Rigrider: I agree with you about maybe being a little overworked in photoshop. The silly thing is I am still learning and I just get so excited when I see the results of an effect that I don't always know when to stop!

[Big John]

Here is more of a straight-forward shot of the couple tgether. Much less photoshopping and a bit more of a snapshot, but they were both very friendly.