Shooting 'the streets/candids' - all the tips!

[Streetshooter]

poll...smoll...I hate voting......just read and learn...that's it....

by the way...just got back from the shore, made some nice images...not processed yet just to DNG...but I lost the hood for the 24-105.......bummer...must have fallen off when I wasn't noticing...I'm very careful about my camera but the hood is gone....$60.00 from amazon with next day shipping....bummer...later...don

[condyk]

OK, I started bullet pointing these and after the first page I realised that I was mainly just editing some of the fluff out. So, didn't see that much added value in continuing, so I'm not going to do it.

Also I'm not going to bother with a poll. People can work through and pick and choose tips as they like. A poll could lead to people thinking they need to do certain things to shoot street/candid shots rather than experimenting and just trying stuff out and finding what works for them.

So, let's get on with the tips ...

[Claire]

Since I started doing more street and urban photography I've been taking quite a few photos. They're not all keepers, and they're not all stunning candids and wonderfully captured moments. In fact, majority of the content is probably very everyday life boring and mundane stuff.

Before I only wanted to get the great candids and frozen moments. I aimed for the artistic stuff. Then when I began to shoot regularly I realised I should post the mundane stuff as well. After all, they do reflect how things are nowadays, at this time and age, as well as how everyday life is. So, I force myself to fire off shots here and there. Sometimes you end up with some great keepers!

[Streetshooter]

Claire.....unny you mentioned that way of working...it's the most justified...for the future...

years ago around 1970 I became aware that in the future, the images I made would have more interest in the future than in the present...the images I am talking about is a series that I have been doing for over 35 years...a survey of sorts of where my life is and has taken me...I never thought of the work as fine art or anything but survey work...it keeps me busy when nothing excites my vision and has made me lots of money...I have images of Philadelphia before the current historic renovation....

anyway...it's a great thing to do and keep busy photographically......historically...well, somebody has to do it....

we should start a survey here on the forum..very interesting idea.....hmmmmm don

[BottomBracket]

Originally Posted by Claire

.........So,out of curiosity,when you all are out shooting street/urban stuff,what do you find yourselves mainly shooting? Buildings? People? Crowds? etc. Do you see a pattern? Where do you like to shoot? Can we perhaps get tips on good type of places,or how to handle shooting in a certain situation/place.

l've found myself taking majority of shots in cafes and trainstations.

I have a set of subjects that I like to take pictures of. Street musicians, menidcants, hydrants, street art and greaffiti, interesting doorways, vendors, bikes, to name a few get me into camera mode. From these I expand into whatever looks interesting, it's an easy leap once you get into the groove. The key is to just take pictures of anything, and from all sorts of angles and compositions.

[elTwitcho]

Originally Posted by Claire

So,out of curiosity,when you all are out shooting street/urban stuff,what do you find yourselves mainly shooting? Buildings? People? Crowds? etc. Do you see a pattern? Where do you like to shoot? Can we perhaps get tips on good type of places,or how to handle shooting in a certain situation/place.

I walk around aimlessly. When I find something I catch myself looking at and that my attention is drawn to, I question myself why I found it interesting, and then how to capture that with my camera. I find our eyes generally already know what is interesting, it's just linking that process with the actual picture taking process that becomes tricky for some.

[condyk]

Originally Posted by elTwitcho

I find our eyes generally already know what is interesting, it's just linking that process with the actual picture taking process that becomes tricky for some.

Agreed ... there is a certain Zen to this AFAIC but our perception is most often part conditioned by what we're look for too. Being open to all possibilities is the aim I suppose, as well of not losing sight of what you specifically want to shoot. Not always neasy.

There is also our internal and very subjective beliefs which dictate what is acceptable in a given situation. I may see something of interest but then I also may feel it is not right to take a shot. Some will take a shot in any situation and that is OK for them.

Nouna hits on an interesting point about the mundain. History may give todays mundainity a coating of fascination. I have a little project recording the many changes around my area and a few days back I found a guy on pBase with a dozen or shots of the same area but taken maybe 30 years ago. Was fascinating for me to see.

[Sp00ks]

I love capturing images of children. No I am not a pedophile. They exude a brilliance that can be captured no where else. Not to mention you can catch them doing some really funny stuff. I've done most of this either on the street or sitting back unnoticed at friendly function. Let's face it, parents are very, very aprehensive about letting their children be photographed, and they should be.

I always carry a pen and paper with me. If I get "caught" taking shots of anyone on the street or if I capture a shot that I think is going to turn out really well, I will ask that person if they have an email address and offer to send them a copy of the image. I figure, A: they have every right to a copy of an image that they are modeling for (knowingly or unknowingly) and B: I think it is just a nice jesture.

This scenerio pretty much includes any shots I take of people. I have found parents and couples are most apprecative. Ofcourse there are people that are just belligerent about being photographed. In these cases I will show them that I deleted the picture.

[Sean-Mcr]

Helen Levitt captured kids on the Streets of New York in a way that few ever have, if at all. You should get "Cross Town" it's a beautiful book by a truly gifted artist

It's a shame that you had to say that "you're not a paedophile" you shouldn't have to say that, media driven head lines ect has people scared. Sells papers of course

[Calzinger]

I have a bit of a problem when I shoot candids. I don't know if it's down to my fear of being noticed and then confronted, but I find myself with a lot of shots of people from behind or from the side, rarely from head on. I hardly attempt to take a picture of a person from right in front of their face. Though I would like to, let's face it, it's difficult to not be noticed.

The times that I have nailed a shot of someone from head on is when I shoot while walking, taking the shot in no longer than one second. Once I stand aside and set up a shot, I become noticed and the shot disappears. For instance, I was at Central Park a few days ago and wanted to take a picture of someone from the side, but she apparently saw me and turned around, back facing me. Lucky enough, she ended up laying down to read a book, which made a fantastic shot. Not the original one though.

If I'm doing a shot from head on, is it absolutely essential to be extremely quick in taking the shot? By "quick", I mean a total setup and shooting time of three seconds or less. I know I could be more agressive, and I know I should have been, but I still fear hostile confrontations which could easily happen in a place as diverse as NYC.

If someone clearly doesn't want their picture taken, for example like that gal who turned around, should I apologize? walk on and look for another shot? or still try to take the shot if it's even possible?

[Claire]

I think many times I end up taking shots of people from the back or side, but it gets quite boring eventually. So, I just shoot from the hip and cross my finger that the framing is ok. Or I just bring the camera up really quickly and if I see the persons looking at me, I may move around and pretend I'm looking for some other subject to shoot. Then back to the original subject.

If the person doesn't want his/her picture taken, then I just move.

[Sean-Mcr]

A boring shot from the the front is as equally as boring as a shot from behind, or side or any other way Chris. It's a simply a matter of time before you'll get the idea out of your head that them noticing you is cause for concern.

Your city is diverse, your city city helped put this genre on the map. It has been one of the pillars of this art. The diversity of your city is one of the very reasons why you should be out there capturing it. Know that Chris, and have faith in what you're doing and it will show in your photographs

[I Simonius]

Originally Posted by condyk

Ok, here is the aspiration:

To get more people out shooting 'the streets/candids', doing it better than they have before and also enjoying shooting more than before.

Here's the process:

If you're a 'streets/candids' type shooter, all the time or just now and again, then drop in a tip or a load of tips here. I don't want pointless discussion about 'what is PJ, what is street, what is urban, what is candid, etc' - do that somewhere else. Lets just focus on delivering tips and let the punters, including all of us here, learn from them.

Remember the aspiration KISS!! If you don't agree then start your own thread

Who's first - and examples are optional?

1.6 crop is best as the 85mm gives small canids lens of 135 - just right , but keep the 50mm handy too

I find if I use the iPOd too people take less notice of me, at least I don't hear them objecting

[condyk]

Originally Posted by Claire

I think many times I end up taking shots of people from the back ...

I think you're just after blokes bum shots Nouna man But I agree that this is a big deal for street shooting, especially (maybe specifically) for we sensitive flowers who don't like to offend

Anyway, I am still 'practicing' my approach to these situations (sh*t, I usually shoot wildlife for Gods sake!!!) but I decided that being in a busy place and ignoring the people streaming by, other than the person/people you want to shoot, can work very well. This will take effort initially, but after 'testing' this idea I know people walking by don't care about me/you standing there with a camera.

Second, scan long distance for interesting types but pretend you are looking and shooting elsewhere if they look towards you. As they pass you can continue to look as if you are shooting ahead.

Third, I now carry a bit of paper and pen and if I really want to shoot someone and they challenge me I will offer to email a shot to them, or burn to CD and send it (very cheap). Of course, I will also delete if they ask me to.

[Claire]

Originally Posted by condyk

I think you're just after blokes bum shots Nouna man But I agree that this is a big deal for street shooting, especially (maybe specifically) for we sensitive flowers who don't like to offend

Third, I now carry a bit of paper and pen and if I really want to shoot someone and they challenge me I will offer to email a shot to them, or burn to CD and send it (very cheap). Of course, I will also delete if they ask me to.

I think the whole offering to email, burn a CD and send the photo to them if they challenge you is a good plan. Same with the deleting. I have thankfully never been challenged apart from being asked to leave a McDonalds.

And no, I am not trying to shoot male bums. Sorry, but that's not exactly the first thing I look at when checking out a guy (yeah, yeah, there goes your whole image of me as some glamour/nude-crazed male hunter). I actually put eyes and a nice smile as my main point of focus for attractiveness. Faces my friend, faces.