siewsphone
New Member
I hope it won't become your last piece of work. :devil:
How do you approach Strangers if you want to take photo of them?
- Thread starter Wai
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I hope it won't become your last piece of work. :devil:
Just hang your camera on your neck with the wire release in your pocket. And hope and pray that the lighting is sufficient to aviod shakes and the camera is pointing in the right direction. or hang camera by your side, look else where then shoot from hip. (Noone is likely to suspect someone holding to his precious camea)
why not you try and if u can take some shots at them?
i tried using timer, and then put my camera in a bag and shoot from an opening from my bag.....but so many watcher with tattoo on their body.....so i went to one floor higher (in sim lim) and tried to shoot from there...but there were some watcher loitering around there....so in the end never take any pic of them
Thanks Roy!
Last week, i tried to take some photo of children eating at Mac....before i even take the shot, i think the bright AF assist lamp turned on and shone at the two kids...
then they get so angry...pointing finger at me and question why i am taking thier picture....they were below 10 years old anyway....luckily their mum went to buy something...else i may be kenna wacked by their mum....
on the same day, there was a huge group of sec sch student in Mac...and they were so noisy...shouting with vulgarities and misbehave themselves in sch uniform (splash each other with drinks)....i almost wanted to take a few pic and send to their school...but too bad, i dun think my camera can record voice...so i think there will be insufficient evidents to make a complain....
O
Olympus2000
Guest
KamWai, whoever that has done that probably cannot ever reply to you. LOL...:bsmilie:
Kit
Senior Member
What has sharing and caring got to do with unwillingness to be photographed?
You guys must understand that there is a certain of risk(strong word?) involved in taking people. Not all people wants to be in your photos and occasion strong reactions are not unexpected. Be real. Its not only happening in Singapore alone. It happens everywhere, including here in Australia. These generalisation statements about Singaporeans not being friendly is totally baseless. It comes down to the individual subject.
Regarding photographing those selling pirated stuff, would you be happy if you were photographed breaking the law? Nobody's stopping you from doing that but you have to bear in mind the possible consequences and sometimes they can be very ugly, possibly violent.
iamkinglee
New Member
Perhaps there are laws protecting onself from being photographed. But I guess it voiced down to individual to make a smooth happening instead of a comflict. For me. I just snap, since I know I will find an excuse if being confronted, If all else fail. Just smile and say thanks or sorry. Nothing to it.... it's all in the perception u bring across to the john-doe/jane-doe.
iamkinglee
New Member
Oh.. one more thing to add... Dresscode or professional outlook will help in certain way.
iamkinglee
New Member
No problem at all.. they just give me a look, a stare a frown or a smile and moves on.. All these because I keep holding a smile on my face after taking the shots. Besides, now I'm using this super small camera.. no one figured what hit them till it's over.
Totally agree! Don't beat the normal Singaporeans as being unfriendly and such. U really have to depend on the situation. When you take a pic, there must be some meaning behind it. I can't appreciate taking pics of pple sleeping in the street, or couple sitting on a bench and such. What's your point? Unless you want to do a photo story about a town or lifestyle of pple over there. Or there's some compelling attraction regarding the scene/subject. For eg, taking pics of kids playing with fountain water in Bugis is all right cos the parents knew it's a big public area and their kids are "open" to many eyes. You can't accuse anyone of pointing his lens at the kids.
Or if there's some "pre-agreement" that photography is ok, like street performers in touristy loations or you personally approach the sunject for permision.
Else to me, other street photographers are just trigger happy wanting to test their courage or how brave they are in approaching total strangers rather than thinking about the aesthetics and meaning behind his picture.
Take pics of pple selling illegal VCD? For what? 1 person occupying 2 seats in MRT? Do you intend to send it to a press to complain? Are you a photo journalist? If not, for what? Just for the thrill isn't it? (No offence... juz what I feel.)
As Kit says, try doing that in Australia or some parts of Europe and US. On a mild side, you get told off. Else you get your camera snatched away, smashed on the ground or worst, you'll face the possibility of getting hurt. No joke.
M
Midnight
Guest
No one else here has mentioned this, but how about setting up a tripod to take your street photos?
Even if you're using a high shutter speed and the tripod is completely superfluous, I find that people will ironically tend to be less camera-shy if the photographer is using a tripod. Maybe it is because a tripod immediately gives the impression that you are more than just the average point & shoot photo newbie... some people may even think you're a professional and deliberately enter your frame in hopes of appearing in some magazine or newspaper (like those people who wave at pro video cameras--of course, this may not always be a good thing). I guess it will help if you're using a physically imposing lens, but even with my puny compact digital camera it does seem to make a difference. This psychological effect is pretty interesting.
It probably applies more to large crowded public areas like shopping centres and all that, though. It might seem a lot more suspicious if you set up a tripod in a deserted alley or in a quiet residential estate. :dunno:
Even if you're using a high shutter speed and the tripod is completely superfluous, I find that people will ironically tend to be less camera-shy if the photographer is using a tripod. Maybe it is because a tripod immediately gives the impression that you are more than just the average point & shoot photo newbie... some people may even think you're a professional and deliberately enter your frame in hopes of appearing in some magazine or newspaper (like those people who wave at pro video cameras--of course, this may not always be a good thing). I guess it will help if you're using a physically imposing lens, but even with my puny compact digital camera it does seem to make a difference. This psychological effect is pretty interesting.
It probably applies more to large crowded public areas like shopping centres and all that, though. It might seem a lot more suspicious if you set up a tripod in a deserted alley or in a quiet residential estate. :dunno:
Belle&Sebastain
Senior Member
also looking confident try to ignore the stares from passer-bys and you will stand a better chance to shoot without been 'attack' or stare at!
iamkinglee
New Member
About taking such shots.... what's the objective? Unless the subject is really extrememly ugly or extremely beautiful..... or doing some extraordinary...
Nevertheless, I see what I like , I snap. Never have problem so far.
Nevertheless, I see what I like , I snap. Never have problem so far.
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