Tips for taking "street shots" ?

[andretan]

Hello all
I'm a newbie... using my old EOS 88 with 50mm f1.8 lens

I'm interested to take street photography... but want to know more tips about doing so.

As in how to take shots without other people noticing you, esp old folks.

And other tips are welcome too

Thanks
andre

 

[Larry]

if you really wanna take some nice street shots without the person noticing, you probably have to invest in a zoom lens, like a 100mm or more. 50mm 1.8/f is good for the job but you have to be pretty close up to take ny kinda details.

one trick i've tried is to pretend to take focus on something else close by, keep your other eye open on the subject you wanna take and when they're not noticing, quickly zoom in, focus and snap!!! then act blur... pretend you're taking something else again. so far it's worked (you just get some suspicous looks or dirty glares), even with a flash. well at least i haven't gotten beaten up for taking innocent pictures.

 

[Flare]

Well, it depend son what you are shooting tho... Sometimes, its nice to chat them up and even offer to print their photos... Personally, since i'm using a dc, I shoot from the hip very often. Or I just hold my camera, Look at every thing, put it up to my eyes very often so that people know I am shooting... If they don't like it, they'll move away. Then I won't shoot. Just smile a lot.

Here's a shot I took around China Town area... they are pretty ok of cameras.

http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5511

I'm kneeling right infront of him when I took this shot.

 

[andretan]

Originally posted by Flare
Well, it depend son what you are shooting tho... Sometimes, its nice to chat them up and even offer to print their photos... Personally, since i'm using a dc, I shoot from the hip very often. Or I just hold my camera, Look at every thing, put it up to my eyes very often so that people know I am shooting... If they don't like it, they'll move away. Then I won't shoot. Just smile a lot.

Here's a shot I took around China Town area... they are pretty ok of cameras.

http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5511

I'm kneeling right infront of him when I took this shot.

Wow. Cool

Too bad... I ain't using a DC... :dunno:

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by firefox13
if you really wanna take some nice street shots without the person noticing, you probably have to invest in a zoom lens, like a 100mm or more. 50mm 1.8/f is good for the job but you have to be pretty close up to take ny kinda details.

one trick i've tried is to pretend to take focus on something else close by, keep your other eye open on the subject you wanna take and when they're not noticing, quickly zoom in, focus and snap!!! then act blur... pretend you're taking something else again. so far it's worked (you just get some suspicous looks or dirty glares), even with a flash. well at least i haven't gotten beaten up for taking innocent pictures.

Actually, in my opinion (and probably the street pros), using a zoom lens and zooming in from a distance is NOT proper street photography. By doing this, you are more of an observer, or worse, a voyuer. You need to be a participant in order to get a good picture, that's why most shoot with wide angle lenses (50mm and below). The 20 to 28mm range seems to be a favourite. Shooting from the hip/waist is another favourite technique.

Regards
CK

 

[andretan]

Thanks ckiang, Flare and Firefox for the tips

 

[jamelaw]

i think StreetShooter shld come here give advice. he's quite gd in steet photography

 

[Larry]

with a handle like "StreetShooter", i would think so. hehheh.

 

[StreetShooter]

Actually I already did:

Tips for Ziploc on Street Photography