How to grow your balls in Street Photography?

[85mm]

How to grow your balls in Street Photography? by Thomas Leuthard

A lot of people like street photography nowadays, but most of them cannot really approach people because of a lack of balls.

"Street Photography is 80% balls and 20% skills." - Eric Kim

Eric is absolutely right with this expression. It's mostly about having the guts to approach people in the streets taking their photo. But how can you grow your "balls" or better said improve social skills?

I would say you start asking people to take their portraits. There is a 100 Strangers (100 Strangers) project going on on Flickr! Start there and take your first 100 portraits asking strangers. Then you have the skills to convince people and also the outdoor portrait skills. Having these skills, you now go out again and to the same thing without asking.


I saw this man and knew I have to take a photo. He didn't say anything, but it was a bit difficult to approach him.
Nikon D90 - 50mm - Distance unknown

I don't like to ask and I never do, except someone has already seen me and I still want to take his portrait. Then I have to ask to get the shot. But all the other times I don't. Sometimes people yell at me, but this is not really a problem. You can still talk to them, telling them what you do and delete the photo, if you really have to.

Most people are afraid to take a photo of a stranger in the streets just because they think, these strangers could yell at them, could beat the shit out of them or break their camera. I do this for about 2 years now and sometimes go really close. I was just in New York and had not a lot of problems. Sure, there were people yelling at me and there were 4 black skinned people standing around me, but I managed to solve these "issues" without a problem.


This guy yelled at me in Italian. I was walking away and that was it...
Nikon D90 - 50mm - Distance 4.9 ft (1.5m)

There is also a dependence between the focal length of your camera and your balls. Generally I tend to say that

"The shorter your focal length is, the bigger your balls have to be…" - Thomas Leuthard

Meaning that street photography is easy with a large tele lens, but it's get harder when you have to make a candid portrait of a stranger with a 50mm lens. Maybe you can start with a tele lens, but you should get closer over time. Furthermore it's also important that people look into your camera. This makes it even a bit harder to approach people. But this is more about your technique on how to approach people.


He didn't say anything at all. Nikon D7000 - 85mm - Distance 6ft (1.8m)

All I can say is that you have to get used to it and you can practice it. It's much worse that you think it is. And don't think it's harder in your city than anywhere else. Maybe in a foreign city you feel more comfortable than at home. But I can say, it's not easier in bigger cities. It's more or less the same everywhere. The only tips I can give you and you could help are the following:

- When you look like a tourist, it might be easier
- When you shoot at tourist places, it might be easier
- When you use a big camera, you look like a journalist (= more questions asked)
- When you use a small camera, you look like a tourist (= less questions asked)
- Pretending to shoot something else, is an easy way to disguise
- There are certain techniques to make a candid shot easier
- Preventing eye contact with your object helps not to get uncovered


He didn't say anything at all. Nikon D7000 - 85mm - Distance 5.9ft (1.8m)

"When your balls are bigger than your camera, you are ready to go out to the streets." - Thomas Leuthard

There are more examples available on Flickr!

[Blitzkrieg]

Everything you say seems to be ok and true but come on,
why do you insist in cropping the top of their heads out of the portraits?
Apart from this I really like all the shots you posted!
N.

[funkygeezer]

I have to say I went to take photographs of the Trooping the Colours In London this weekend after that, I had lots of memory and battery left so decided to try my hand at street photography and although using a 300 mm lens I was pleased with peoples lack of reaction, it seems nobody really cares and if spotted I simply smiled and said thank you, although most were far enough away not to hear they could read my lips. That coupled with a simple nod and I was on my way again.

It seems infact people dont seem to mind at all, I am looking forward to using a smaller lens on my next trip out.

[KiMoOoZ]

Great pictures and you are totally right !

[Angel_A]

I think they are interesting images and I can appreciate that they wouldn’t have the same candor if you had asked permission to take the photo.

This said I have to ask you; don’t you feel this is a bit of an invasion of privacy?

I, for one, wouldn’t be very happy to have someone profiting (and I don’t necessarily mean financially) from the use of my image without my prior consent. I might feel differently if it was incidental (for example a street scene that I happened to be in) but an up close and personal portrait in which I am the subject would be a different story.

Personally I would ask you to delete the image but maybe you feel that if the subject doesn’t say anything this implies consent?

Please don't feel I am attacking you, I am just interested to know your thoughts.

I've been wanting to go out to my local market to do some shots but aside from being shy I am also concerned about taking liberties with people there; so as you can see I am genuinely interested in this

[webindiainfotech]

Originally Posted by 85mm

How to grow your balls in Street Photography? by Thomas Leuthard

A lot of people like street photography nowadays, but most of them cannot really approach people because of a lack of balls.

"Street Photography is 80% balls and 20% skills." - Eric Kim

Eric is absolutely right with this expression. It's mostly about having the guts to approach people in the streets taking their photo. But how can you grow your "balls" or better said improve social skills?

I would say you start asking people to take their portraits. There is a 100 Strangers (100 Strangers) project going on on Flickr! Start there and take your first 100 portraits asking strangers. Then you have the skills to convince people and also the outdoor portrait skills. Having these skills, you now go out again and to the same thing without asking.


I saw this man and knew I have to take a photo. He didn't say anything, but it was a bit difficult to approach him.
Nikon D90 - 50mm - Distance unknown

I don't like to ask and I never do, except someone has already seen me and I still want to take his portrait. Then I have to ask to get the shot. But all the other times I don't. Sometimes people yell at me, but this is not really a problem. You can still talk to them, telling them what you do and delete the photo, if you really have to.

Most people are afraid to take a photo of a stranger in the streets just because they think, these strangers could yell at them, could beat the shit out of them or break their camera. I do this for about 2 years now and sometimes go really close. I was just in New York and had not a lot of problems. Sure, there were people yelling at me and there were 4 black skinned people standing around me, but I managed to solve these "issues" without a problem.


This guy yelled at me in Italian. I was walking away and that was it...
Nikon D90 - 50mm - Distance 4.9 ft (1.5m)

There is also a dependence between the focal length of your camera and your balls. Generally I tend to say that

"The shorter your focal length is, the bigger your balls have to be…" - Thomas Leuthard

Meaning that street photography is easy with a large tele lens, but it's get harder when you have to make a candid portrait of a stranger with a 50mm lens. Maybe you can start with a tele lens, but you should get closer over time. Furthermore it's also important that people look into your camera. This makes it even a bit harder to approach people. But this is more about your technique on how to approach people.


He didn't say anything at all. Nikon D7000 - 85mm - Distance 6ft (1.8m)

All I can say is that you have to get used to it and you can practice it. It's much worse that you think it is. And don't think it's harder in your city than anywhere else. Maybe in a foreign city you feel more comfortable than at home. But I can say, it's not easier in bigger cities. It's more or less the same everywhere. The only tips I can give you and you could help are the following:

- When you look like a tourist, it might be easier
- When you shoot at tourist places, it might be easier
- When you use a big camera, you look like a journalist (= more questions asked)
- When you use a small camera, you look like a tourist (= less questions asked)
- Pretending to shoot something else, is an easy way to disguise
- There are certain techniques to make a candid shot easier
- Preventing eye contact with your object helps not to get uncovered


He didn't say anything at all. Nikon D7000 - 85mm - Distance 5.9ft (1.8m)

"When your balls are bigger than your camera, you are ready to go out to the streets." - Thomas Leuthard

There are more examples available on Flickr!

really nice pic and nice old mans i like

[ravncat]

Originally Posted by Angel-A

This said I have to ask you; don’t you feel this is a bit of an invasion of privacy?

I think legally, we're not supposed to expect privacy in public - it's a different situation than if he were photographing on private property - say like in your back yard.


Also - shots at the supermarket - bit of a different story there - as the supermarket is privately owned, you'll have to get permission from the store itself - many stores don't permit photography - asking will get you a yes or a no - if you ask, see if you can talk to the manager, take a portfolio with you to show and explain what you are doing (better chance of a yes)

(EDIT) I misread that - at the local market - its a bit fuzzier there, depending on who owns the land, check with management to see if photography is permitted

Or - take photos and be stealth about it - if you are found - put the camera away and leave... If you go this route - go to a store you don't shop at...