Taking candid photos of people & children

It sucks that people are so crazy these days. I saw a perfect picture of two old men sitting on a bench looking at the ducks today and wanted to take the shot but all the damn parents and other people walking around me were already staring at me because I had a camera with a huge lens on it. Honestly, people do take candids of complete strangers and get their stuff published, from what I read, they take the photo approach the person and show them the photo and offer them a free print if they would sign a release. I'd stay away from little kids though, Catholic priest and Michael Jackson messed up candids for us in that area.

If it were me and I wanted to take kid pics I'd go to the parents, give them my card, tell them what I was doing, tell them if they wanted to see the photos they could check out my site. If they have a problem just don't shoot. People are obsessed with their children and I think if it were explained most people would love to be able to go see some pics of their children in a natural state. Kids are oblivious to most things once they start playing after you walk away from the parents they'll probably forget all about you and go on being kids.

One time late in the night, I was on NYC subway, as the train was pulling into a station, I saw someone getting up from his seat and got in front of me, as if getting ready to get off the train. he's facing away from me so I could see that he's got a camera and flash in his hand, holding it behind his back. but the old lady sitting right across from me, facing the guy, couldn't see it.

so the train door opened, the guy immediately whip out the camera and flash and snapped a shot of the old lady with full force of the flash and sprinted out the door, leaving me in amazement and the old lady in shock.

So yeah, running shoes.

^^wow....creepy much??

^ I think snapping that action would make for an interesting photo. lol.

I think the problem with the, "ask for forgiveness rather than permission," mentality is that a negative comment on-line is hard to erase and if it was my kids being photographed w/o my permission, I'd be a angry dog you'd have to shake loose!
In the end, integrity is all we have...why risk it?

~Gretchen

Think we are all getting a little more paranoid these days as the innocence of yesteryear has gone and the realities that there really are monsters out there makes front page news.

I regularly take candids of people and kids - but almost always of people I know or are friends of friends.

I fall into the category of someone who rarely wants pictures of people I dont know and would be uncomfortable being photographed by a stranger or worse having my children photographed. (I will often cover my face or look away if I am going to be in someone elses background).

There are weird ones out there who do not have good minds or innocent thoughts (case in point - http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=h_2zfPJACXY - he is within his rights but certainly inappropriate in his intentions).

If you really want to shoot candids - I would not do so while walking alone (for one thing you might need someone to watch your back). You might stick with larger crowds at parades and carnivals etc where there is more going.

That's a tough one my friend especially with kids. You can take candid of kids you know at family events. I wouldn't want to lock horns with some kids mother or father.