Street/Candid/Discreet Photography: its perks and pitfalls

[macmackie]

I love street (candid, or whatever you want to call it) photography. I think it’s probably one of the most riveting and mesmerizing forms of photography. Unfortunately as captivating as it is to look at, an underlying drawback is ever present. The subject most often ignores this drawback as present and probably most photographers turn a blind eye to it as well.

As I look at these beautiful works of art, I can’t help but have this gut feel. What if the subject doesn’t want to photographed? Regardless if the subject lets the candid shot pass, it’s still a yearning worth talking about. Are we as photographers violating their privacy? Personally I’m not a 100% comfortable shooting street. But I do love seeing those photos, standing in awe and coveting that I could have done that shot.

I’ve been to events where (weddings and such) wherein obvious covers and shooting are done for remembrance sake. I’ve encountered an instance that one gentleman, a guest at the event specifically commanded the official photographer not to shoot him candidly. The photographer courteously obliged. Long story short, that gentlemen later on loudly complained that the photographer shot him or he think the photog shot him especially because he was shooting people who are near him.

Like it or not, there will be people in our way who are like that. People who will be very possessive for example who thinks they own the event you are shooting. How do photographers handle them? What about those paparazzos who lurk and hunt their subjects? This Nussenzweig v. DiCorcia article probably summarizes what I feel. Although that wiki article is pretty much unbiased, I can’t help but feel for the subject whose portrait was used to earn money as an artwork of the photographer who shot it without him knowing. Beautiful as it is, it's still the subject's face on it. And the court ruling in favor of the photographer adds to my personal bias to the subject’s sentiments.

As photographers, where do we draw the line between respecting people’s privacy and artistic expression?

While at it, these are some of my candid work, hoping that as I post this, I’m not violating a basic rule of humanity which is the right to privacy. It's lame and not as beautiful as Simon Hoegsberg but I'm working on it.


Binondo Beggar


Mang Ramon's Sellers


Ondoy's stricken victims


Bora honeymooners

[fuge]

heres mine...


Dine Out




Masarap Ang Bawal

[cnight]

any tips for street shooting in manila? what gears to use? what things to avoid?

[imabs]

thanks for sharing your thoughts on street photography, macmackie.
since the day when i was a photographer for Philippine Collegian, there was mixed emotions of being guilty of shooting people especially the beggars on the side walk. i asked myself, why do i shoot these people? for what purpose and for what theme?. Photography is used for revealing realities of human conditions. without overcoming that guilt. realizing my purpose, that is to bring a message through photos, that emotion was gone and my purpose was clear. as an artist, i never mind of what people will react if i shoot randomly, mahalaga yung na-capture ko yung moment. i can get interesting ideas from what i photographed. hesitant to shoot at an idea in front of you will be a regret afterwards. events of people around us easily pass by. ika nga, tira lang ng tira.

aggressive photographers bring a number of lenses and bodies. fear is another thing to cause hesitation to shoot. laging iniisiip baka nakawin ang D90, D700, 5D MkII etc habang nagshoshoot ako. hehehe. for me, just make sure that when you are shooting in Tondo or any place that you think of, bring a long a friend with you, syempre dapat photographer din. i always make sure that i am secured and shoots fast in any place and time. best time for me to shoot is in the morning and in the afternoon of everyday. maraming nagaganap sa kalye. at minsan kapag di ko bitbit ang D60 ko, marami akong namiss na ideas.

so keep on shooting, guys. don't love seeing photos but you must be the one to capture the images of everyday events of life.

[incrediblue]

Shooting with a swiveling LCD screen (they call it 'free angle') on a "small" camera set-up is not intimidating and lets you get up close discreetly...

This photo was shot with a Lumix GH1 held at waist level, fitted with a 7-14mm ultra-wide zoom.

[barre05]

As photographers, where do we draw the line between respecting people’s privacy and artistic expression?

That's a really good question, and me and my photographer friends (we're just hobbyists, not pros, though) were talking about that a few weeks back, too.

I understand your problem, that when are we encroaching on others' privacy. I guess, there is no definite answer, since some people (especially from the lower socio-economic class) love being photographed, candid or otherwise, while some people abhor being subjects of a photo. It varies from person to person, and place to place.

My friend even mentioned that in Paris, when taking a picture of a street, you have to ask permission from everyone that'll be included in the shot if it's okay. Grabe, no? But I guess it really varies with every given situation. Pakiramdaman na lang, hehe.

Street photography is indeed nice, though admittedly very difficult to be good at, moreso master. But when you do get it right, it provides some interesting stories.

Oh, and by the way... Nice photos, bro.

[catalysmic]

IMO Street shots.. really is about candid & raw as it can be.. unllike simulated scenarios & w/ models & actors.. na bayad at trabahao lang..

shooting beggars & depressing situation for ART & expression sake is BS .. its the same as documenting ER procedures & crime scene situation.. provocative & in your face truth.. so what?

bottomline is .. it is till self serving and obvious exploitation of the the subject helplessness or incontrol of his situation.. damn very immoral.... photographers wannabe who shoots this style n subject really need a love & understanding ng family..

do our photo holds promise that they're lives will get better or bring food to their table..?

street photography that showcase.. depressing & down of luck subjects does not bring anything to them...

tayo ba papa picture habang nagluluksa o nagdurusa ? o namamalimos sa kapitbahay ng pangkain? o naubos ang pera at tumira sa kalsada n lang.... papa piktyur ka ba sa besfren mong balikbayan ng laseng ka at sumusuka o di kaya bagong gising at may panis n laway?

Art ARt ? that is lame excuse.. hypocrisy at its finest..

[catalysmic]

Shooting with a swiveling LCD screen (they call it 'free angle') on a "small" camera set-up is not intimidating and lets you get up close discreetly...

This photo was shot with a Lumix GH1 held at waist level, fitted with a 7-14mm ultra-wide zoom.

Kung tatay mo ito o tyuhin mo o even dating HS klasmeyt.. po posterize mo ba siya ..dahil lamang estudyante ka ng photography o dahil may bago kang prime o ultrawide lens.... nakikita mo ba sa hidef viewfinder mo ang tunay niang saloobin at nararamdaman?.. kung makita mo man.. o mapahanga mo na ang karamihan kritiko.. ano ang naitulong mo pra iangat si manong..??

same as a politiko striving to be elected.. photographer trying to be accepted & respected..

bottomline... ginagamit lang un kahirapan at pagdurusa ng kapwa maiangat lang ang sariling interes..

[suavecito]

[rbenzon]

shooting beggars & depressing situation for ART & expression sake is BS .. its the same as documenting ER procedures & crime scene situation.. provocative & in your face truth.. so what?

bottomline is .. it is till self serving and obvious exploitation of the the subject helplessness or incontrol of his situation.. damn very immoral.

now that is what i call a croc of shoot.