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Best Camera for "Street Photography"?
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Jul 9, 2018 07:09:32   #
rpavich Loc: West Virginia
 
BTW: Photographing people isn't a crime...even if they don't like it.

Stop being fearful.

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Jul 9, 2018 07:16:45   #
billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
 
rpavich wrote:
I don't see that as a downside at all and neither does Mr. Gilden. That's part of the aesthetic of the images he's looking for.

I only mention it to say that it's not ALWAYS about being unobtrusive and invisible and getting shots without a reaction.


It really comes down to doing what you are comfortable with. For me, I use the POLITE approach. I want something different. If I see someone who I consider unique, I will ask politely if I can capture their likeness. I am rarely turned down and get a wonderful smile INSTEAD of a frown.
Again, you have to be comfortable in your own skin first, then venture out in whatever method fits you best.

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Jul 9, 2018 07:21:02   #
berchman Loc: South Central PA
 
rook2c4 wrote:
I think a major downside to Gilden's method is that many subjects captured in the shots will have an obviously startled or annoyed look on their face - a typical reaction when a stranger jumps in front of you with a camera aimed at you. Besides, I'm not so sure many photographers actually have the nerve to pull off that kind of aggressive approach to street photography. I certainly don't.


Gilden is a big, tall, intimidating man. He also photographs in NYC where people are used to bizarre behaviors. Those two factors are why he gets away with doing street photography by holding a flash in one hand and the camera in the other and being in people's faces. Do you notice that he doesn't do this with burly, tough-looking guys?

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Jul 9, 2018 07:21:51   #
BJW
 
Silverman wrote:
I am interested in "Street Photography", although I feel I need advice from more EXPERIENCED "Street Photographers", especially the "DO's & Don'ts", and also a would a DSLR or P&S be more advisable.
I presently have a Nikon AFS-C DX D3300 with a 35mm, 50mm, 18-55, 55-200 lens.
I have read other Posts here at UHH, just would appreciate some "FRESH" insight and Advice on "Street Photography".


I have found that the ability to use zone focusing on your camera lens is one of the most helpful techniques in street photography. This assures that most of your shots will be in acceptable focus while you are shooting quietly and discreetly without the need to look thru the view finder, which usually puts the subject on guard thus ruining the candor of the shot.
I use a Leica Q, which admittedly is pricey, but I hear very good things about Fuji’s XT-2 or 20.

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Jul 9, 2018 07:26:21   #
pbradin Loc: Florida
 
Your D3300, at 24.2 MP, is a great little camera for street photography. I would think about a Nikkor 24-120 f4G if you want to go "high end" at almost $1,000. It has vibration reduction and is a "pro" quality lens. If you decide to go to a full-frame camera down the road, this lens will work on that, too. The other lens that I would recommend if you don't want to lose anything at the "wide end" is a Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-140 f3.5-5.6 ED VR lens. It will not work on a full frame camera if you go in that direction later. This costs just under $500. Each of these lenses is what is known as a "walk around" lens, meaning they cover the lens lengths that most people use the most. However, you already have lenses that cover these lengths and more. I would stay with what you have and carry that 18-55 and the 55-200 for street photography.

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Jul 9, 2018 07:28:42   #
camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.
 
In good light your D3300 and 18-55 lens can go a long way. I mentioned good light because I do not know how the camera behaves in low light.
If you want to go with one lens only the 35 mm lens would be a good choice. The article posted by Ron is a great guide.

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Jul 9, 2018 07:28:43   #
rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona
 
I've found the best camera I use for "Street Photography" is my Leica IIIf with a 35mm lens. Currently, I'm using a Zorki 35mm f/2.8.
--Bob

Silverman wrote:
I am interested in "Street Photography", although I feel I need advice from more EXPERIENCED "Street Photographers", especially the "DO's & Don'ts", and also a would a DSLR or P&S be more advisable.
I presently have a Nikon AFS-C DX D3300 with a 35mm, 50mm, 18-55, 55-200 lens.
I have read other Posts here at UHH, just would appreciate some "FRESH" insight and Advice on "Street Photography".

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Jul 9, 2018 07:33:53   #
pbradin Loc: Florida
 
I pretty much agree with DavidC1. You already have perfect lenses and a good little camera. I would keep the 18-55 with me, too, for wide angle stuff. You might get a circular polarizing filter for each lens, too.

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Jul 9, 2018 07:34:14   #
mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma
 
Check out Olympus and Panasonic micro 4/3s cameras. They are smaller, lighter, and, more importantly, inobtrusive. Olympus has the 5 axis internal stabilization which makes it ideal for hand holding in the street. Also a fully articulated screen which allows you to “check” your screen while taking photos.

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Jul 9, 2018 07:40:29   #
dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl
 
billnikon wrote:
When I did photojournalism (first street photography) I used a Nikon F with a Nikon 24 2.8 attached. We used the sunshine rule, f16 at a shutter speed that matched the ASA (today's ISO). For example, we used 1/400 sec. at f16 for ISO 400 tri-X film from about 10-2 PM then adjusted as the day went on. I would set my f16 and prefocus at about 15 feet and everything say from about 4 feet to infinity would be in focus, then I would just concentrate on expressions and emotions. Depth of field increases faster to the far end than the near end.
Today, if I were to do street photography again (which I won't because there is a different culture out their, folks see a camera pointed at them and they react, most times bad) I would use a 24 mm stopped down to at least f11 and again use my DSLR more as a point and shoot and concentrate on expressions and emotions. Again, the culture has changed. If I were at a Mermaid Parade at NYC I would not be so concerned, (the costumed parade goers expect it) but general on-the-street photography of people, those times have changed quite a bit from when I shot for newspapers in the 70's. Good luck and keep on shooting until the end.
Addendum: I shoot in NYC last year, if I saw someone that looked interesting I would ask if I might capture their likeness, I was turned down once in 20 attempts. But, I'm a good looking guy so I can get away with a lot more than most with the ladies.
When I did photojournalism (first street photograp... (show quote)


I agree. My first was an old Kodak 35 back in 1958 (my grandfather gave it to me). It was a love hate relationship with the camera. It forced me to learn to estimate f/stops and shutter speed. ISO (ASA) was whatever film you had loaded... I usually had ASA200 or Kodak Tri-X as they were common and easily processed in my darkroom (for newbies to photography a darkroom was the closet, 1/2 bath or other location where you could completely darken to take exposed film out of the 35mm cassette and roll it onto a developing reel for you developing tank, then after putting the film in the tank, you could turn on the lights.. pour developer into the tank and gently rock it back and forth for a few minutes.. then pour it out.. add stop bath, rock again... pour out... then fixer. Once the film was fixed, you had a 35mm strip of film that was 20 or 36 exposure that was no longer light sensitive and you made contact sheets (or you could just hold the negative up to the light and examine for decent shots). EVERYTHING from this point on was done under safe lights.. the orange/yellow lights in a darkroom If you made contact sheets, you had the film cut into 5 or 6 shot lengths so they easily fit onto the enlarger. Once that happened, you adjusted the enlarger for the size of blowup you wanted (this is where you cropped the image to take a 5x7 or 8x10 enlargement out of a shot that was blown up to 16x20 or so... and greatly depended on pixelization (the silver iodide dots that make up the image). You put your paper into the paperframe, exposed it for x number of minutes... developed it, examined it and then re-enlarged it for adjustments... dodged areas to lighten or whatever...(NOTE: these are all adjustments that are easily accomplished digitally in Lightroom and other computer processing programs) Once everything was done, you had a black and white print.. Color prints, while being a similar process was much longer and more involved.. Now, with Lightroom (and other software) we can digitally process B&W and Color images in minutes that once took hours and it is done without hundreds (or thousands) of dollars worth of darkroom equipment, chemicals, running water or taking over a closet or bathroom (or having a darkroom in the garage or basement piggybacking hot and cold water from the supply for the washing machine). All you need now, is a digital camera (film camera are rapidly becoming endangered) a decent computer, internet hookup is nice, and digital storage. Printing images is a chore if you send images to a printer as it is time and money... plus you have to verify that the image you sent was properly printed.. but many did that when they used a developing/printing service.
As for street photography, I like using my DX Nikon D7100 with a long lens (for distant shots and it intimidates some of the idiots that want to walk in front of you) and I use my Nikon D610 with a 50mm lens for general street shots... I also carry an 18-70mm zoom for the D7100 as it gives me the ability to frame shots better). Yes it's a lot of weight but it isn't any different from me going out into the nature trails etc. and shooting. By the way, I have a cell phone with (they claim) a very good camera in it. I almost never use it.. the images (compared to my D7100 and D610) are not great and while Lightroom is available (I have it on my cell) for cell phones, its images are lacking. The phone is JUST carried for communication or for that shot that you just couldn't easily get with a DSLR.. and yes there are instances where that is necessary.

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Jul 9, 2018 07:52:48   #
millman221
 
Lots of good ideas here. I shoot a lot of nyc streets, my M6 is body of choice with either a 40mm (yes 40) or 50mm prime.

IMO rangefinders are in general quieter then slr/DSLR. I shoot 80% bnw film and develop myself. Film bodies usually even quieter in general.

Get comfortable w what you have, and consider reading, learning, and shooting a few thousand exposures to learn a bit then decide what's right for you.

I usually don't look through viewfinder of my M6 (yes it has one) and zone focus at about f8, and have 80% hit rate on decent focus. I should also say I've shot close to 10,000 exposures w my gear and am comfortable using it without looking at it.

And yes, people in nyc are more accustomed to seeing cameras, however many people don't like a camera shoved in their face.

I like the suggestion to not be afraid, and would add don't be stupid. Ymmv.

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Jul 9, 2018 07:53:03   #
rpavich Loc: West Virginia
 
berchman wrote:
Gilden is a big, tall, intimidating man. He also photographs in NYC where people are used to bizarre behaviors. Those two factors are why he gets away with doing street photography by holding a flash in one hand and the camera in the other and being in people's faces. Do you notice that he doesn't do this with burly, tough-looking guys?


Yes he has.

He's done it all over the world. Check out some of the videos of him doing it other places.

I'm not advocating for his approach and arguing against other ways...I just mentioned it. If folks like some other approach...great!

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Jul 9, 2018 08:58:38   #
47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range
 
For street photography, I rely mainly on my Canon S100 and/or occasionally a Canon G16. Only downside is the small sensor. I enjoy both for their discreteness.

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Jul 9, 2018 09:11:45   #
davyboy Loc: Anoka Mn.
 
Silverman wrote:
I am interested in "Street Photography", although I feel I need advice from more EXPERIENCED "Street Photographers", especially the "DO's & Don'ts", and also a would a DSLR or P&S be more advisable.
I presently have a Nikon AFS-C DX D3300 with a 35mm, 50mm, 18-55, 55-200 lens.
I have read other Posts here at UHH, just would appreciate some "FRESH" insight and Advice on "Street Photography".


PANASONIC LX 100!

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Jul 9, 2018 09:59:15   #
zzzynick Loc: Colorado
 
The one you own

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