skylinefirepest Loc: Southern Pines, N.C.

The closest that I ever had as a potential problem was one day several years ago when I was photographing a wreck scene for the highway patrol and a prison guard came over and told me not to take any pictures because his prisoners who were picking up trash on the side of the road would be in the picture. I told him to tell them to turn their backs if they didn't want to be in the pictures and that was the end of that. Several times through the years I've had people tell me not to photograph an incident for whatever reason and I always tell them to take it up with the investigating officer. I've even been threatened a couple of times...the funniest being on a wreck scene where an older male told a couple of the EMS guys and girls that he was going to take my camera away and beat me with it. One of the Paramedics told him that every official on the scene was a friend of mine and it would be extremely hazardous to mess with me. When they told me about it later I thought it was hilarious. I've also had family members ask for photos and I always oblige. I even have one woman that claims that I saved her son's life on a wreck near where I live...I remember the wreck but damned if I know what I did that would have saved anyone.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yes! I avoid people in general, whether I'm taking pictures or not. Most people are just looking for an excuse to argue and fight.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Me too, Jerry.

TimHGuitar Loc: San Francisco, CA

I started as a street photographer because I saw so many photographs by Henri Cartier-Bresson; he was my father's favorite photographer. I stated at age 16 and the above images was made in 1968. I'd still like to be able to capture moments like these every day if I had the energy.

pdsilen Loc: Roswell, New Mexico

People who are visible in the public eye have the same rights to privacy as any other American citizen, wheather their evedvours are in entertainment, politics, sports, or any other life situation thart puts them in the public eye. As far as I'm concerned, unless it's a crowd situation, unauthorized photos of any individual is a form of voyerism. and photographers who do this should be held legally responsible.

skylinefirepest Loc: Southern Pines, N.C.

So pdsilen...you don't believe that our lawmakers were correct when they said "public domain"???

steve_stoneblossom Loc: Rhode Island, USA

Great photos, Tim. A good friend of mine has had several books of his photography published; your style reminds me of some of his work from the streets of Italy.

steve_stoneblossom Loc: Rhode Island, USA

Several years ago, I was given the opportunity to be a 'second shooter' for a photographer friend whose spouse was out of town for a job they had taken. It was at that time that I learned that I am not comfortable getting right in peoples faces and taking pictures. Candids and posed shots did not bother me, I just found it uncomfortable getting up close to people and shooting.

srt101fan

Wonderful images!
Thanks for posting.

“Humanity is so much more than the sum of humans.” – Anonymous

Judy795

I love street. I try to use a shorter lens. I think women are questioned less. If questioned I would just act old and senile. Shouldn't be too hard.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

When I was street shooting in VietNam in the 60s, it immediately became apparent that for whatever reason, people generally did not want their pictures taken, so I did my shooting from a moving truck adjusting focus in real time with one hand, and changing aperture (match needle metering) with the other as we moved in and out of shadows at 20-35 mph and winding with my thumb. I can’t image how much easier that would have been with a modern AF camera in shutter priority mode with no film winding required.

steve_stoneblossom Loc: Rhode Island, USA

Not to mention burst mode!

User ID

Asking permission, in my experience anywho, produces more and better keepers than "candid stealth". I will not define "better". Lets just say its kinda like porn. OTOH, "more" is self explanatory.

User ID

I apply that to situations of "ordinary life". But I love street fairs cuz the festival atmosphere negates those ground rules. Essentially, photographing festival goers is not perceived as sneaky or threatening. The rules of privacy are altered.

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I dont need a major festival. The small crowd where a band is playing outside the record shop makes it ok to photo peeps I would not intrude upon just half a block away. "All politics is local" ... sometimes local is ultra local, like just 50 feet.
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Neither camera is more capable. But which one looks more intimidating ?

(Download)

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

One unpleasant experience should not turn your friend off to photographing PEOPLE unless he simply dos not want to photograph PEOPLE. That's too bad because there is a lot of people in the world and photographing them under various circumstances is interesting fun, rewarding and a great way to relate to our fellow Homo sapiens!

As a portrait photograher, I spent a lot of time photographing people, mostly those who wanted to be photographed and got paid well for it. I work as a press photographer fr a couple of years, I still shoot some weddings and events to this day, and even in my present commercial photography business, I photograph and deal with people on a daily basis.

So, If anyone is interested in photographing PEOPLE, on an amateur or professional basies, their PEOPLE skills are a prerequisite. In many circumstances, this requires a certain kinda mindset and personality. You can not change someone's personality and force them to do something that goes against their nature. If someone needs to force themselv on any kind of photography that goes against their grain, they are going to be nervios, preoccupied and distracted and those frames of mind will show in their resulting work.

Obviously, if folk come to you to be photographed or ask you to be photographed in an impromptu situation, there are no privacy issues. All one needs to do is known how to relate to the people, give directions and capture authentic expressions. Again, how you approach folks, relate to them, converse with them and gain their confidence and trust will influence your results.

As for street photography, candid work, shoot in public and private places- well, I am not a lawyer. Yet, believe me, I know and have heard all the legal technoboble about the expectation of privacy and everyone on a fair game in public settings. Nonetheless, if I am shootg on the street or any public place for my own personal work I a very careful NOT to offend anyone, "accost"foks with my camera, or do anthg that can be misconstrued as inappropriate. I would rather do simple things like asking permission, enlisting people's cooperation. talking to folks, and blending in with certain activities.

Lots depend on where you are and what you are doing. I have shot in places where the culture is such that artists and photograher are always out on the street, doing their thing, and nobody pays them much attention. In other places, cultures, circumstances, your actually harmless activity can be considered suspicious, clandestine, or outright illegal. You also need to know how to "read "people and get a feel of how they are going to react to your photographing them.

If I am working on location "officially" on a commercial assignment, I make certain I have all the written permissions, paperwork, security arrangements property and model release forms, etc. all in tow!

CHILDREN! I love photographing children at my, studio, in their homes, or out-of-doors- that are paid sessions and of course they are brought in and accompanied by their parents. I'm good at working with kids. My teacher was the grandmaster of children's photography, Google him, Photograhig Children by Joseph Schneider. Also, years ago, when I worked for a daily city newspaper, on a slow news day in the summer, the boss would send us to the parks and playgrounds. We would photogah the kids at the water park, the beach, playing in the schoolyard, etc, The parents would ask when the shots wor be published and they would call the editors and ask if they could buy some original photographs. Thesesdays, they will call the police! Sadly, nowadays, I would not be caught dead, with a camera, anywhere near a schoolyard or playground. There are enough bad guys out there so a guy with a camera can, in certain circles, be automatically considered a voyeur, pedophile and predator. If I am called in to shoot on such locations, I would need to be armed with all of the aforementioned documentation and accompanied by all the appropriate officials ON SITE!.

So, show friend this opinion. He is not an investigative photojournalist working in a war zone. If he can relate to folks and get along with them, he will do well. If he or anyone else wants to photograph a stranger on the street- ASK THEM! I have done that and I am seldom refused. If they refuse, I smile, thank them and go someplace else or ask somebody else. As I said, I am not a lawyer, and I do not want to need to hire one!