Street portraits

[kpenick]

I'm going to new York city next weekend and I want to work on my portrait skills. I always feel awkward taking pictures of people I don't know. Sometimes I ask if I can take their picture sometimes i don't. does anyone has suggestions on how to approach someone or how to take a photo of someone on the streets.
Thanks
Kelly


kpstudio blog

[Hill Country Hack]

I do remember seeing a couple of posts on this. I did a little digging but couldn't find it. What I remember is for candids the photographer with take them on the sly by first doing a prefocus while panning around, then just put the camera in the same location and fire away.

I saw a youtube video of a guy walking around town and when close enough to the subject, stop, raise the camera and click and move on all within a second or two. No lingering for the perfect pose/composition etc. Sometimes he would say hello or something of the sort.

I hope this helps.

[kpenick]

Yes, thank you. Just searching street photography on YouTube brought up alot of results.
Thanks!

[Ett]

What I do is I just take photos of people as I like. If they're facing in my direction as I approach them, I just sort or lift my camera half way and raise my eyebrows while looking at them, as if to say "can I take your picture?". I'm not going to lie, it takes some balls to get used to it. I was super uncomfortable in the beginning, but now I'm not phased in the least. Just be relaxed, comfortable, and have fun.

[SwissJon]

Or you could use a 500mm lens..

Nah, grow a pair, use 70-100mm, put your camera to your eye and click.. Decent bright day and a reasonable depth of field and you can do it fast.. Wide open lens and you'll take more time getting the focus spot on, which will leave you with some people giving you "the look", but really, it's a fleeting moment then the look is gone because you're pointing the lens in a different direction.. Only time it's really difficult is when a really hot membe of the opposite sex is in your frame.. Then I just feel like a stalker.

[BCampbell]

Portraits and candid are very different. For candid it's "The Fear". Just get over it.

The thing is, most people just don't care, and this goes double in NYC. You're more likely to get a reaction for being in someone's way and walking too slow than taking their photo.

In the very rare case that someone has a problem and confronts you, don't be evasive. Stand your ground and explain what you're doing, if they are still aggressive, just walk away. You have better things to do.

I find that using short lenses -- 35mm or 28mm (on full frame; I would go 20mm or wider on APS-C) -- are best. Yes you have to get closer. But I find the more obvious I am, the less people care or even notice what I'm doing. Conversely, the less obvious you are, the more suspicious you seem which will automatically put people on the defensive and start them questioning your intentions. I actually like using a flash just to make sure people know that yes, I just took a photo, and no I'm not trying to hide it because I'm doing nothing wrong.

You might also want quick reaction times, I like to zone focus and take the lens off AF. This means setting a narrow aperture, at least f/9, and focusing with the edge of the focal plane near infinity -- you'll have somewhere around 5-6 feet as your close focus with a wide lens.

But for portraits, if you see an interesting person just ask, if they say no just say thanks. If they ask why, be honest.

If you don't have answers as to why you want to take someone's photo or why you just took their photo, you shouldn't be doing it.

[Izzy]

Shoot with a nifty fifty. Most of the greats you are probably admiring shot with a 35mm with a distance of about 5-6ft.

[OsmosisStudios]

It's NYC: They wont notice

[Chip]

If you act comfortable and confident, then you'll be fine.

[JFeinbergPhotography]

Well I was in Central Park last week, and here is what I did:

For the most part, people did not know I was taking their candid until I was reviewing the shot. My single-lens camera does go to a good zoom, so I can if I need to, and usually I do to fill the frame.

I did have two police officers say that someone pointed me out and asked why I was taking so many pics of random people. I simply said I'm a student doing a project for a private portfolio. Snap, took their picture too! But they posed for it.

One girl calmly asked what I was doing, and showed her the 2 pictures I took of her (hair blowing in the wind, looked good.) Not only did she ask for my email so I could send her the pics, she "accidentally" wrote her number on it! (true story)

Othertimes, when I was taking pictures of the street performers, they were more than happy for the most part. Central Park is a great way to practice, very few angry people there as they go to relax. But if straight-on street like Times Square, then just be careful not to get your lens scratched by passer-bys.

I always have a photog buddy with me, and he will often stand against traffic of the people so they walk around him, and also me so I can get the shot, and vice versa.