getting over the shyness

[amberskies]

I'm not really a shy person, but I have this problem. When I am out and about with my camera, I'm a little embarassed/shy about certain things. For example, today I was in a mall and there was a great area where the sunlight was streaming through the windows, people sitting around drinking coffee, and trees and flowers. It was great and I so badly wanted to take a few pics but I was too shy, with so many people around, and I knew that I would be conspicuous, taking pictures of mall flowers. And I was definitely too shy to ask permission to take anyone's photo (there were several people that would have made great photos).

How do you get over that? Do you just bite the bullet and do it?

[InvisibleBlack]

Im in the same boat... far too worried of offending anyone.

Pat C

[jeremyjp]

Same here.

One thing I have done recently, which has helped, is join a local photo club group. I joined through meetup.com but there are also groups through flickr and other sites.

Having gone on some photo walks and trips with the group, including public places, it is much easier when there are a big group of you taking pics. I have also found that having gotten more comfortable doing it in the group, it has helped me a bit with getting over the solo shyness. There's a long way to go with that though.

me too, not because im worried about offending, but because i dont like attention drawn to me, just makes me feel funny

[sk66]

You're not alone. I started a thread about this a while back....it had over 80 replies...

[amberskies]

Originally Posted by sk66

You're not alone. I started a thread about this a while back....it had over 80 replies...

awesome! I'm not alone! lol

[Swisstony10]

I recently emailed the management people at the newly-opened shopping centre near to where I live, and explained that I'm wanting to add some more interesting pictures to my portfolio, and they were extremely helpful, arranging a pass for me to wear so I wouldn't get bothered by security and stuff.

Now, I normally feel a bit self conscious when I'm out in public taking pictures - so apart from in obvious places like the sea front and the beach and stuff, I tend not to do it too much - but wearing a pass hanging from my jacket somehow made a difference.

You can see some of the results by following this shameless attempt at self-promotion - Retail therapy
All of these shots were taken with long exposures, so I wasn't just snapping, I was using a tripod, setting up shots, using a remote release, and standing around for ages for each picture. For one of them (the one that's taken from ground level), I was practically lying on the ground for ten minutes to take it - and even then, nobody really gave me a second look.

I know it sounds like a crazy and fairly lame thing, but having a pass on my jacket that said I was there taking pictures with the blessing of the management gave me more confidence than I normally have. In fact, I'm going back tomorrow when it's going to be busier, to get some more interesting shots with people in.

You could maybe try doing something like that - ask the management people in your local mall if they'd let you take some pictures. Offer to let them use any pictures that turn out well for their own promotional material if they want. At worst, they'll say no, and you'll just have to take snaps as and when you can, and at best, you'll make a useful contact in their management department..

Russ.

[SusanH1970]

Last month was my son's school chorus concert. Obviously, just about everyone there was taking pictures and/or video, but every camera I saw was either a cell phone or a point and shoot they just held up while sitting. I was the only one with a DSLR, and at first I felt kind of weird about being the only parent that was moving around to get the right shots. When I realized that no one gave a damn what I was doing, because they were busy watching their children, it helped me relax. What made me relax even more was that one of my pictures got published in our local newspaper.

As far as stopping along the road to take a shot or two, I haven't tried that as of yet, but I don't think I'd have too much of a problem with it. I've seen other people doing it and never gave it a second thought.

Asking strangers is probably where I'd be the most shy. I don't know if I could do that!

[amberskies]

Well I just read through all 9 pages of that other thread. It's fascinating.

So I am issuing myself a challenge, and welcome any other shy peeps to join me:

- in the next 7 days I will take some photos in a place that makes me really uncomfortable (like a mall).
- in the 7 days after that I will ask at least one stranger for permission to take their photo.

anyone else want to take on the anti-shyness challenge?

[Kieran2009]

Some of you may have come across it but there is a group called 100 strangers on Flickr. At present I am only a follower of the content but thinking that for many reasons it would be a great project to pursue. One participant in particular, Mark Emery, I think I got that right is who I have followed.