Blue Spark Loc: Sandy Springs, GA

I travel with my camera a good bit and am wanting to get into candid street portrait photography. So yesterday I am riding in the back of my friends car when we drive by a nice outdoor cafe. There sits an interesting looking woman with her friend. The light is nice, the background is nice. I roll down the window and take a shot. I was trying to recompose and take another when the lady goes off on me.

I told her I thought she looked nice and wanted to take a picture, but that I would delete it ASAP.

So was my mistake to take the picture and then try for another or to have even taken the pic without permission first? I am thinking I should have taken my first pic and then just rolled up the window.

Despite this, I am going to continue to try and shoot people on the street. I just need some realistic advice.

Thanks.

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

While you are within your legal rights to take photos such as you describe you will find some subjects feel you’re invading their space and sense of privacy. When you run into situations as you describe simply apologize and assure them you have deleted the photo. Street photography just lends itself to these situations; you have folks who get nervous when someone is randomly taking their photo. They may be playing hooky from work or cheating on their significant other and are afraid of getting found out or a thousand other reasons they don’t want to be photographed. If you let these episodes bother you you’ll need to find a different area of photography to focus on.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Blue, that's just street. That's just how it is. Maybe you were too far away. Maybe your lens was to big. Street works best when you are there on the battlefield, in their faces. I would never use a telephoto, people feel you are invading their privacy. Maybe the hit and run from the car turned her off. Maybe the FBI is after her. I find that if I work like a gumshoe, I'm always suspect. Don't forget a lot of people are introverts.
Funny, when you shoot street, sometimes the street shoots back!
Good luck
SS

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

I know my ethics are different from some, but I try to never take a picture without asking permission first - unless it's of a crowd or large group. The only one I did was when I was photographing a building and a young women came up and sat down on the steps. She obviously wasn't going to move, so I shot anyway. It will be interesting to see the reaction of others.

greg vescuso Loc: Ozark,Mo.

I try to take street photography at little street fairs or such because most people that don't want there pictures taken in public stay away from these types of events.If you take street photography pictures from a car or van you really tend to look like a P.I or stalker.just my opinion

Bill Houghton Loc: New York area

I find acting like the casual photographer more often then not helps. I wouldn't try shooting anyone for a car. Car photography is like a hit and run, and often the photo's are garbage. I like to just walk down a street taking photos of buildings, side walks, anything and every thing. If by chance you see an interesting individual then go for it. More ofen then not if you ask they will be happy to accommodate. You might even offer a cup of coffee.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

You may need training in appropriate social behavior, not photographic advice!

No matter how you do it, you are spying on people. When they see that, you will get plenty of anger. Most will judge any middle aged man pointing a camera at attractive women they don't know as deviant behavior. Depending where you are, you might get arrested.

But, if you are going to take pictures of strangers, recognize that you are invading their privacy. The vast majority, world wide, are not going to like it. In fact, they are going to hate it.

That said, you should figure out how to shoot without being noticed. Once you are noticed, the photo will probably be bad as the subject is no longer relaxed or happy. Instead you'll get shots of anger directed at you.

I've not studied it, but so called "street photography" is often done with very wide lenses and fast shutter speeds. The camera may be pointed up and at the cafe's sign but the lens is wide enough to capture the interesting looking woman. If the lens is wide enough the "street" people will not sense you are getting them in the picture because they see you pointing it away from them.

Long lenses from across the street can work too. Try to hide in a shadow so you are not seen. Learn to see the shot first, then with your camera already set, quickly raise it for the shot and quickly put it down.

On a recent trip to Europe I shot with a small, high quality camera set wide, fast and at elevated ISOs. I put it on continuous and held it in the palm of my hand. It worked best upside down so I could get a finger on the shutter release. With the camera by my leg, it was unnoticed and I got some interesting perspectives. Although I gradually got better at getting it level, everything had to be corrected in Lightroom.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

My thoughts are if you ask permission you are not getting a street photograph. You are getting a posed photograph istead. Who knows what the lady at the cafe was thinking but surely a person has a right to photograph a cafe without getting screamed at.

Dennis

lightchime Loc: Somewhere Over The Rainbow

You may have a legal right to take the picture. The question is, do you have a moral/ethical right to be inconsiderate of your subject's wishes - no matter what the reason.

If you think you and your wishes are more important - just shoot away.

dooragdragon Loc: Alma , Arkansas

I feel uncomfortable including stranger in any photo without their expressed permission.
Last Saturday I went to the city lake where a Frisbee golf tournament was in progress ,3-4 members per team which I stood and watched awhile before getting my camera and taking a few photos (using the 18-270mm Tamron lens) of them throwing the frisbee while trying to include the frisbee in the shot.
While this was on public property and open to the general public , I still felt ill at ease doing so.
Someone sitting in the back seat of a car taking photos would make me suspect also.
Sometimes its hard to capture the moment or image before getting someones permission to include them in the photo.
By appearing in a public place does that automaticly give ones consent to be photographed ?
Is it illegal to photograph a farmer working in his fields , or someone on a construction site ?

Coker Loc: Havana, IL

Best Advice: Don't let the Man get'cha!

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Since this is the US you have a right (by law) to reasonable personal privacy*. This right does not apply in public spaces and cafes stores or whatever are privately owned so not public (exception: public event taking place in a private area).

Under that alone, you should not have taken the picture.

The other one reason is that taking 'candid pictures' of a person w/o their permission or knowledge is simply wrong.

As to:
It sounds more like you are trying to pick-up chicks than taking pictures!!! THAT is asking for trouble.

* Meaning that you can take pictures of folks at private location and events but that these pictures cannot be used but for personal stuff, no publication as an example. A big caveat: The person must not be the sole reason of the picture taking.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

No. Participating in anything does not implies a nullification of one's right to his/her image, EVEN for public figures.
Example:
A person within a crowd: ok.
A person highlighted in a crowd: NOT ok.

No, if it part of a greater 'picture'. If the person is recognizable, you need a release form otherwise you need to mask the recognizable features.

And, oh, yeah... If the person objects from the get go? Better not do it for any number of reasons including (at worse) getting shot! :shock: :mrgreen: :lol:

juicesqueezer Loc: Okeechobee, Florida

Just asking.......... and you are a lawyer and know the specifics about this type of infraction?

Mason Jar Loc: Mason, OH

Funny, there are as many incorrect answers in this as there are areas of geography or political influence. Just left a casual meeting with a highly respected attorney whose biggest detriment in life is that he is a personal friend to low-life's like me who own a camera and are capable every once in a while of taking a picture that is actually in focus to some degree. His advice is that any picture in a public place is construed as fair game. Go to a mall or a WalMart and you end up on at least one security camera! If there is reasonable expectation that the picture is salable as a celebrity shot, then get the release before you shoot. If you don't, you may have to sign away the rights to the photo. Even a famous celebrity photo is fair game for your own personal collection under the right (or wrong) circumstances. They are famous after all because we've all seen their picture! In the case of a minor, not a problem if the actual intent is for legit purposes!
I say "Be respectable, respectful and shoot people for a purpose" don't ambush people.