How do you do street photography?

Question

How do you take pictures of people without being intrusive.. And how is the shoot from the hip done? Should I use those SLRs with big lenses so people can't tell if I'm shooting or not?

Answer 1

Use the SLR. The best and easiest one to use is the Pentax K-1000: a camera I wish Asahi Pentax would bring back to consumer sale.

You can go with a zoom, where you can stand quietly and shoot from distances where nobody sees you. Or you can just aim and stand there for a bit of time, eventually the folks around you will ignore you and maybe you'll capture some candid moments on film.

And I'd also use chroma black and white film....or put on a sepia lens filter to get that "street" look to your pictures.

Answer 2

I love photography myself, and I take pictures of random people all the time. I never really thought about doing it without being intrusive, I just do it. If I see someone who inspires, I just take the shot at that very moment and I don't think about it too much. Then, I go home with all these great shots. If they inspire, take the shot. If they notice, smile, a smile goes a long long way, and then walk away. No big deal.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

"Shoot from the hip" means a picure taken without the time taken to focus, expose or make any settings. It's the kind of photgraph taken with the simplest cameras, like the disposable ones.

A professional photographer often takes light readings, sets up lights, reflectors, etc. He has many settings and adjustments on his professional level equipment to assure only the best, perfectly exposed and focused images. He/she is a pro. These images are his craft, and they need to be perfect to compete and to sell.

All this hardware, care and settings take time, sometimes several minutes or more BEFORE the first shot is taken.

So called, "street photography." as opposed to studio photography, means that much of this preparation and care is eliminated. Shots are often done with available light, or only with the flash attached to the camera. Images are taken quickly, sometimes with the subjects moving, sometimes with the subjects not even aware that they are being photographed.

Shooting from the hip sounds pretty casual and haphazard, but even the pros make preparations to assure a greater percentage of "money" shots.

For example, when I used to shoot at auto races, I prepared myself for a long, hot day by making sure I had all the supplies and equipment with me and ready. Water, snacks, hat, two cameras, (wide angle and telephoto zoom) and pockets and cases of enough film to make a couple of hundred exposures. I had all this on me and immediately available.

I had my exposure speed and apreture setting already set for the lighting conditions, with my hand on the arpreture ring constantly clicking up and down as I passed through sunlight and shade and clouds passing over. As I paused at a likely spot, I'd find a spot on the road to focus on and waited.

When a car of other subject appeared, all I had to do was lift the camera to my eye and snap the picture. (like a quick draw gunslinger, shooting from the hip)

I got into an easy habit and routine, literally dropping one camera, picking up the other as needed.

Your efforts need not be that complicated, but I mention all this to illustrate that if you make what preparations you can, you can acheive greater success, and with much less wasted effort. For instance, if you will be working with even a modest digital camera, you can place yourself at a good vantage point. Set your camera's exposure and focus by taking a quick snapshot of the sidewalk where you expect your subject to be. Then, when your subject walks by, you just have to point and shoot.

Street photography is a matter of being quick and ready.

Yes, you can get a lot more candid shots by using your zoom lens at its maximum. A long lense is helpful, if you can get one, but it's certainly worth the practice until you do get one.

I also suggest that you will get better results by using the viewfinder to frame your shots, and not the screen. The view finder will show you better what the print looks like. If you are not already doing that, get used to it.

Another advantage of digital cameras is that you don't have to worry about wasted film. When in doubt, take the picture. Don't wait for the best opportunity. It may never come. Shoot, shoot, shoot! Carry plenty of extra batteries and get an extra memory card.

Go nuts! Have fun!

Answer 5

I love street photography! Where ever you are in the crowd depends on the privacy of the person. If you are distant enough that they won't notice you go on and take the picture! I've done it plenty of times at sporting events downtown, carnivals, etc. It definitely captures the moment in time rather than a "set-up" pose.

Answer 6

Yes... yes you should use a camera that has a good zoom that way they don't even know you are there.

I personally wish I had enough $$$ for a digital SLR camera ... man that would be sweet.

OR you can get a high quality camera that is like mega small, so most people who aren't paying attention right by you wont be distracted in the shot.
;-)

I know I don't pay attention, unless I'm board or alert.

Answer 7

You will have to develop an eye within a eye you have to enjoy doing this with a passion. Don't worry about being intrusive, just remember that each picture that you shoot will have to tell a story that does not need words in order to explain it, to the people that are seeing it for the first time. What you are seeking creates a very difficult task master to deal with. Besides being a difficult task to undertake, but it can be conquered by what your third eye see. the hours that you will have to put in whew, Please have good luck in your future endeavor. P.S. what you use will not be as important and what you feel when you start shooting.............................. Also stick with black and white until you develope that eye....................

Answer 8

As a photographer myself there are so many ways to do street shots. Improvise camera angles,zoom angles depending on your subject matter. But the street can be photographed in a merimount of ways; it all depends on your subject matter. People can be done at far off angles depending on your lens but for candid closeups I reccomemend a zoom lens. So you wouldn't appear intrusive.

Answer 9

most street photography I've heard about involves a SLR or smaller rangefinder, usually with just a wide angle lens w/ a somewhat fast aperture. no flash, fast film for existing light photography
Yes, idea is to not let people know your taking pictures.. ..these cameras help. Helps if you get autofocus lens to speed up the picture taking.

Answer 10

There are alot of good answers already. And one of the best way is to use a telephoto lens. But here is how I like to do it.

I goto the area I want to take pictures in, and start taking pictures of random things. I would let as many people see me doing it as possible. Pretty soon, they would get used to me, and it wouldn't matter who I am shooting.

Answer 11

I prefer to take pics of people when they know I am taking pics. Your results may be more intriguing because your subjects are looking at the camera. I used to be a photojournalist. It's so much more rewarding to go up to people and talk to them and then ask if you can take their picture. If I don't talk to somebody, I just shoot. People usually don't even realize you are taking a picture (everybody has a camera these days), they are so absorbed in their own moment.