photographing strangers

thebaz · 30-01-2007 12:27pm #1

Personally i think "Lonliness" is the best photograph in the boards best of 2006 challenge -- excellent capture of sadness -- don't know who took it , but it captures something special and sad.

Today an old man with bruises and cuts and a similar sad expression walked past me , i had camera , but did not have nerve to photograph someone looking in desolute pain -- should i have snapped him anyway , should i have asked (the moment would probably have left , and it would have become posed ) ?

Fajitas! · 30-01-2007 12:34pm

It's up to yourself...Sometimes I just don't take a photo, but it's moreso on moral ground than anything else...

I shoot from the hip a lot...

melekalikimaka · 30-01-2007 12:36pm

Fajitas! wrote:

I shoot from the hip a lot...

:rolleyes:

thebaz · 30-01-2007 12:43pm

Fajitas! wrote:

It's up to yourself...Sometimes I just don't take a photo, but it's moreso on moral ground than anything else...

I shoot from the hip a lot...

But do you think its acceptable to snap someone you don't know without asking ? or is it ok to be paperazzi about it and just snap some unknow and hope he doesn't respond ?

The same question could be asked if you see Bono walking down the streets of Dublin or in a restaurant ?

FreeAnd.. · 30-01-2007 12:46pm

no harm in asking or if the moment is there snap and then ask if it was alright. Most times people just dont care or are a little bemused. The loneliness photo was taken with a 50mm up close and the guy didnt even notice. It was passing on the street so not even a chance to ask. I seen this guy again the other day and his face was pretty bet up, I had the camera in the bag but was out in town and didnt bother taking it out - it definitely didnt seem appropriate then as i was with a few people and it would of looked like i was taking th P*ss if i went up asking if i could taken his picture...I'll just wait until i see him again and im on my own..

Fajitas! · 30-01-2007 12:54pm

Well it's a public place, so legally, your free to do what you want.

Some times it mightn't be worth taking the photo, like if it would get you in trouble, or possibly upset someone else.

I don't think it would be nice to have someone taking a photo of you when your down on your luck...but then again, I'm guilty of that myself.

Covey · 30-01-2007 1:05pm

thebaz wrote:

should i have asked (the moment would probably have left , and it would have become posed ) ?

Not neccessarily so.

I take loads of street photography, sometime just shoot, sometimes ask beforehand or even afterwards. Not a great deal of difference between the shots.

Just one rule, always respect who your taking and if they say no, don't take it or delete the pic.

T.

thebaz · 30-01-2007 1:14pm

FreeAnd.. wrote:

no harm in asking or if the moment is there snap and then ask if it was alright. Most times people just dont care or are a little bemused. The loneliness photo was taken with a 50mm up close and the guy didnt even notice. It was passing on the street so not even a chance to ask. I seen this guy again the other day and his face was pretty bet up, I had the camera in the bag but was out in town and didnt bother taking it out - it definitely didnt seem appropriate then as i was with a few people and it would of looked like i was taking th P*ss if i went up asking if i could taken his picture...I'll just wait until i see him again and im on my own..

Congrats on "lonliness" --its an excellent capture , and got my vote --- just annoyed i didn't snap today at that moment , similar destitude/pained look -- i think its important to capture shots of misery and pain as there is a lot out there in the Celtic tiger , that gets hidden beneath the gleaming wealth -- without being heartless as Fajitas says .

DadaKopf · 30-01-2007 1:17pm

It also depends what you're going to do with it. If you're going to publish it, good practice is to ask permission. People can actually sue, so if you're going to be displaying it anywhere, it's best to have a model release form. I think this is especially the case when it comes to children.

It's grand to take a photo beforehand, then ask them. Although I suspect many Magnum photographers never asked permission. And now those people are dead so it doesn't matter. Hmmmm.

I suppose ask yourself one thing: if you were leafing through a book, or clicking through flickr, and saw yourself on a stranger's account, in a vulnerable state, how would you feel? And would you mind people look at you after you're gone?

I had a dangerous experience once. Was photographing a tree, afterwards I realised there was a person behind it, enjoying the last of the summer sunshine. So she got up, marched towards me and abused me for taking a picture of her, invading her space. She just kept shouting, accused me of stealing her 'self' etc. etc. That, and having my camera stolen outta my pocket two hears ago has basically made me a more meek, non-street photographer.

Where can I see 'Lonliness'?

magicbastarder · 30-01-2007 1:30pm

you only need a model release form if the photo is going to be used in a commerical context.
editorial (i.e. journalistic) and artistic photos are OK if taken on public ground; if on private ground, you have to have the permission of the landowner.

sometimes certain 'public' areas can be off limits to photographers, e.g. courthouse steps, if memory serves.

DadaKopf · 30-01-2007 1:58pm

Hospitals etc.

Covey · 30-01-2007 2:27pm

The IFSC unbelieveably.

T.

Morlar · 30-01-2007 2:51pm

Covey wrote:

The IFSC unbelieveably.

T.

Can you remember where you read/heard that ?

magicbastarder · 30-01-2007 2:52pm

you might find that the IFSC is actually private land, and that you need the landowner's consent?

peter1892 · 30-01-2007 4:21pm

www.radiantvista.com did a podcast on this very subject whcih some of you might find interesting:
http://www.radiantvista.com/archive/podcast/22/

I've taken a lot of photos on the street (Dublin & elsewhere), but mostly of buskers (in which case I'd chuck a euro or two into their hat/guitar case/etc. anyway). for many people (myself included) it's hard to just go up to random strangers & ask them if you can take their photo.

The 'Lonliness...' photo is really good street photography, it got my vote.

MartMax · 30-01-2007 8:06pm

Covey wrote:

The IFSC unbelieveably.

T.

From my knowledge, a friend who used to live in IFSC was leaving the country, so he was around shooting some photos (for memories i guess), a security personnel asked him to stop i.e. no photos pls....

magicbastarder · 30-01-2007 10:33pm

the guard may not have had any authority to back up that claim.

Backtoblack · 30-01-2007 10:52pm

I was in this cafe before xmas, reading a book & listening to my headphones when I realised that this guy was taking a picture me.... - it "weirded" me out.. I was a bit annoyed, there were other people in the cafe and it just seemed a bit strange.. so I got up and moved to another table around the corner, put my head phones back on & carried on reading. When the guy was leaving he came over to me, looking angry, and said some brief few words to me which I didn't even hear because I was listening to music and he walked off.
Very strange!
Personally I would prefer to be asked.. but thats just me!

30-01-2007 11:06pm

mart_max wrote:

From my knowledge, a friend who used to live in IFSC was leaving the country, so he was around shooting some photos (for memories i guess), a security personnel asked him to stop i.e. no photos pls....

It's probably the first area in ireland that would be targeted by terrorists.
They wouldn't want too much of the infrastucture on the net for people to analyse,I wreckon.

Fionn · 31-01-2007 12:23am

i've experienced peeps doing the hand before the face thing while out with my camera! i've also had strangers come up and ask to be photographed..
So i guess you have to evaluate each situation.
only two weeks ago in a local nite spot a bouncer came up to me and demanded i put the camera away. Some people get paranoid when a camera is produced! go figure!!
:rolleyes:

photographing strangers

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