Beagleman Loc: Indiana

Several years ago I went on a mission trip to Haiti and had some interesting and sometimes difficult experiences with my Minolta Maxxum getting shots of the locals. Some of the people resisted you taking a photo of them to the point of getting violent (they believed that you were stealing their "spirit" in the image), while others were happy to have you photograph them...if you paid them! And usually if you hinted that you would pay even a small sum, then EVERYONE wanted in the photo so they would get paid.

Meanwhile, one fellow (not with our group) took lots of photos at will with no problems at all. The reason was that he had an attachment on the end of his lens that looked like a lens hood, but actually it was a mirror that was aimed TO THE RIGHT of where he was pointing his camera! So, he could point his camera down the street to the front of him and actually be taking shots of people TO HIS RIGHT standing along the street without them knowing it!

I have never seen one of those "gizmos" since that time, but I would think it would be invaluable for street photography, or even taking pictures of children that get shy if a camera is pointed at them.

Have any of you ever seen such an attachment? If so, what is it called? And where are they sold?

Thanks so much for your help! I hope that among the vast resources of UHH someone is familiar with this attachment.

-----Beagleman

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Do s search- there was a thread here a couple of weeks ago with the same title.

Woops, wrong kind of right angle attachment.

Danilo Loc: Las Vegas

Click on this, I think this is what you're looking for. This one is threaded for 52mm, there's another for 37mm.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/614991-REG/Bower_VL152_VL152_52mm_Right_Angle.html

mooseeyes Loc: Sonora, California

And we wonder why photographers, as a group, are often looked upon with distain and mistrust???

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Well, it just goes to prove that you can take pictures of anyone as long as you use the right angle. :D

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Nice...

LouEllen

I don't really see the problem in this situation. When we were in Beijing, many of the people expected to be paid for photos. Besides everyone and their neighbor wanting in the pic if there was payment, the shots would all be posed and most would show those "Victory" fingers seen so often in China. Many photographers use a telephoto lens to accomplish the same thing. Do you disapprove to that?

I can see that this device could be considered an invasion of privacy. With that thought in mind, I would recommend you be very careful if you plan to use it.

Lou Ellen

rayford2 Loc: New Bethlehem, PA

It sure would be great to get those candid shots of the kids without the stupid looks and finger actions above heads.

farmerjim Loc: Rugby, England

'Cos people like you Mooseeyes tell other photographers to put their cameras in the dish-washer :-) :-) [Well it made me laugh, anyway.]
Seriously though we are often looked on with mistrust and it seems to be getting worse with security issues etc.
As for the right-angle attachment, I've seen them and they work OK for candid camera work but I'd never use one or be seen with one as it seems a bit sneaky and could be wrongly thought of as being a perverts tool.

berchman Loc: South Central PA

The attachment will significantly degrade the quality of your photograph because it's just a cheap mirror.

Beagleman Loc: Indiana

Well I got some discussion on the topic anyway. Thanks everyone for responding! I agree berchman, the photos probably wouldn't have very good quality. And Jerry, I knew you were clever...always got an angle on things! I haven't got a camera that would take such a device. I was just curious if one still existed.

---Beagleman

Robbie7 Loc: Northampton. England

Thats a long way round saying, you want to take sneaky shots of girls on the beach :-D If you want to get these shots of Peoples Spirits ;-) get a camera with a vari angle LCD or visit the gym put on a few lbs of muscle and dress like a Hells Angel. Failing any of these solutions, Use money, it suprising how quickly people sell thier beliefs for money..a bit like dogs and food. :thumbup:

Robbie7 Loc: Northampton. England

PS: You do realise that being seen to take a photo of the trash cans next to the life gaurds hut is going to look odd when you have a beautiful bikini clad girl at right angles to you a few yards away :thumbup:

GPappy Loc: Finally decided to plop down, Clover, S.C.

I had a right angle attachment for the view finder years ago that worked well for candid shots. It could be rotated so you could hold the camera and not appear to be taking a picture, as you were looking in a different direction than the camera lens. Now I'm wondering what I did with it.

Robbie7 Loc: Northampton. England

Hmmm Okay :-)