If someone asks "Did you take a photo of me?" and you did, don't reply "yes" or "no", instead pay them a compliment first and then mention the photo. Something like, "I saw you and immediately thought you have a great look, so I did take your photo" Then you might get "You should have asked first" to which you can reply, "When I've done that, people tend to pose and the photos are less natural looking. Would you like to see the pictures you're in, I can show you some of my other work too if you'd like? I'll delete the pictures of you if you don't like them." It's pretty hard for most people to remain angry and confrontational with someone who's complimenting them and telling them how awesome they are. Whatever you do, don't respond to their confrontation with escalation, chances are that they were just caught off guard or startled in some way and responding to that. In the end tho, If they're insistent, just delete their pics and go on about your day.
@@hervevazeilles3790 I’m well aware that many countries lack the freedom of expression we have here in the US. Hopefully you get the chance to visit one day.
@@lordclancharlie1325 You have privacy in private spaces. Public spaces are just that public. Maybe you don't recognize photography as a legitimate expression. In any case, there's no reasonable way to expect privacy in public spaces
I had a confrontation last week but it was with film camera so deleting it was not an option. I said I wasn't doing anything illegal and I'm sorry they felt that way. They are in a public location after all. What annoys me is if I took that same photo with my phone I could have used that anywhere in an instant. Uploaded and shared etc. But this one on film the person got upset. :(
All very sensible advice. I don't do much street photography, but when I do I take a small Oly EPL 9, take pics at belly level looking at the screen and never lift my head just after the pic has been taken. People come and go and they leave me do my business. I think I attract more attention when I am wih my mobile.
I've been shooting street for years and have only had one confrontation and that person was clearly unstable and most likely on drugs... The looking past the subject tip works like a charm--often has them apologizing for being in your frame!
In my home country Germany street photography is protected by law. The highest federal court put art above privacy. Nevertheless, if someone is obviously unhappy about being in my picture, I offer to delete it.
In the United States courts have ruled that street photography is legal because there is no expectation of privacy outdoors in public. It only becomes an issue when done within private establishments where photography can be prohibited unless permitted, also if an image of someone is being used for monetary gain without that person’s release they can sue for licensing and royalty purposes.
That surprises me: when I lived in Berlin I was always told it's illegal to take a photo of someone in a public place without their permission, even if the person is not the main subject. You almost never see street photographers there.
I had a street photographer take a pic of me once. It was a cool experience. I was a cop for a long time, (retired now), and one time I was jumping on the freeway in my patrol car and cleared my blind spot left. When I did I saw the passenger in a car next to me with a camera. He looked at me and motioned like he was asking permission to take my picture. I nodded yes and gave him a thumbs up. He snapped a couple right before I jumped off the freeway. It was easy because it was summer and my arm was half out the window. Took a whole hot second. I wish I had that picture
I can’t even tell you how many times I’d be shooting a scene, that included zero people, and been approached by someone wondering what I’m doing. Not even aiming the camera anywhere near them. This has been my experience literally, 75% of the time. It’s really given me a complex and created a certain amount of anger about it. Who the hell are these people that think they own the world? Btw, I’m a 69yr old grandma, so am unimposing in any way.
I feel like being unimposing makes people think they have authority over you. It was rare for me to be confronted before COVID lockdown. Now people are much more brash and skeptical. Keep on. It's cool to hear about other photographers and their challenges with where they are in life.
Eye contact should be avoided like the plague. Once you make eye contact with someone looking to give you a piece of their mind, it does downhill fast.
About Tip 3: Some cameras (at least Fuji) have a mode that lets you use the touchscreen instead of the shutter button, so you tap on the screen and it takes a photo, that way, you dont even need to have any finger on the shutter release.
Tried this… 👍 good tip - it feels a little strange at first but I tend to switch between thumb shutter and screen shutter. It also has the advantage of tapping to focus too 🤙
Yes, just thought the same. Almost all micro four thirds cameras have touch screens and the ability to shoot by touching the screen, so it's easy to do really candid photos.
i’ve tried that, but the problem with it is it takes LOADS of photos you don’t want when you touch it accidentally. Which is only a problem in that you have to sort through them (and it uses up the battery) I guess you could switch that mode off when you weren’t shooting
I've been confronted twice. One was in Rochester, NY in the "Neighborhood of the Arts". I had been taking pictures of the buildings around the area and was literally in an art gallery parking lot when the guy - who I was completely unaware of before this - approached me. There's a photography school maybe a block away. This was before cell phones were common, so seeing someone with a camera wasn't even that weird. The second time was in Manhattan... also taking pictures of buildings, when I was confronted twice by the same guy for pointing a camera in his general direction. Approximately a million people were taking pictures in the same spot at the time, but cell phones were common by then, so I guess the camera was weird? I ignored him, and he went about his business. Later I did not find any pictures that contained him. I've never been confronted in places where it's not super common for everyone to be taking pictures.
I’m not afraid of somebody taking my photo in public. I’m afraid of somebody taking my photo and it’s horrifically bad of me and it becomes a popular photo for artistic or other viral reasons.😅😅
Great tips. One of the things that I do is that I pretend I am taking pictures of the surrounding areas before or after I take their photo and I never make eye contact with them. Basically pretending to be a tourist or there for a particular purpose. It puts them at ease.
I had this odd confrontation a few weeks back where I was practicing taking photos of cars passing by a street. At one point a car pulled right up to the shoulder where I was, and the man with (I assume) his wife asked me if I took a picture of his car. I told him yes, I was practicing taking photos of cars, would you like me to delete yours? And his response was, "No. I stopped because what you're doing is just weird." And he drove off. That was my first ever confrontation, and it probably won't be my last, but I'm glad that what I did was similar to your advice.
Hi Mark. You discuss sone interesting issues with this video. I feel the way people take pictures on the street is reflection of themselves, and subsequently, that can show in the images they take. Benign introverts compared to gregarious extroverts, a friendly demeanour against an unfriendly one, and people who can be inconspicuous verses those who cannot. I would say being yourself is the starting point and the technicals will find you through trial and error. Finally, you will be rewarded when you talk to people, unexpected conversations will take place that more often than not can lead onto amazing things. Enjoy the rest of your day and regards from London.
00:00 📷 Fear of confrontation is a major concern for street photographers, but it's often unfounded. Tip 1 (Use longer focal lengths) 0:50 🎥 Longer focal lengths like 85mm (full-frame) or 56mm (APS-C) can create distance and reduce the need to get close to subjects. Advantages of These Lenses 2:19 🌆 Longer lenses provide a narrower field of view, helping beginners capture cleaner frames with less distraction. Bonus Lens/Invisibility Cloak 3:43 🕵♂ A compact 250mm lens offers stealth benefits, keeping subjects unaware and enabling intimate shots from a distance. Tip 2 (Use the camera screen) 4:13 📱 Framing shots using the back screen instead of the viewfinder can reduce attention and make shooting less conspicuous. Don't Worry About This 5:28 🕵♂ Shooting from waist level can make your approach less intrusive and yield more compelling street photography. Tip 3 (Trigger with thumb) 6:17 📸 Using your thumb instead of your index finger to trigger the shutter can make your actions less conspicuous. Tip 4 (Avoid eye contact) 7:05 👀 After taking a photo, avoid looking directly at your subject to reduce the chance of confrontation. Tip 5 (Set up and wait) 8:32 🕒 Patience pays off: setting up in a good spot and waiting for the right subject can lead to captivating street photos. Tip 6 (Lonely figure style) 9:36 🚶♂ Capturing solitary figures in urban landscapes can minimize confrontation while creating striking compositions. Tip 7 (Handling confrontations) 11:09 🤝 If confronted about taking a photo, remain calm and explain your intentions; offering to delete the photo can defuse tension. The Story Behind the Thumbnail 13:15 📸 People are often more curious and willing to pose than confrontational when approached for street photography.
I have filmed video for the past 1.5 years on the streets of Toronto. Only had one bad encounter on our subway system. Overall my method is to just keep moving with purpose and have a pleasant face. I also shoot a lot of slow motion so it actually helps in that I don’t have to stay in one spot too long. I can move fast and capture what I want and on playback it’s captured beautifully in slow motion. Just discovered your channel recently and love it. Great job. Cheers!
Great video as usual Mark! The only confrontations I've had over the last 30 something years have been with people clearly outside frame (in public places) asking if I have permission to take photos of people, and business owners that notice their restaurant or something is being photographed (again from a public location). Of course I'm not violating any laws, but rather someone is convinced it can't be allowed. A patio was in a recent photo I took from a public sidewalk and someone came out of the establishment to ensure I was only using the photos for personal reasons. Rather than start arguing the legality of it, I just said "yes" lol.
I’m a very socially inept person taking a photojournalism class (great life choices ik) so this video’s really gonna come in handy once I have to do my own street photography
The 50mm is the perfect focal length for new and seasoned photographers. The geometry is perfect and a 50mm is easy for composition without any distortion. You can then move on to wider and more narrow. Buy a camera with a tilt-only monitor. You can use diversion methods, but when you do make eye contact, and they do not look bothered at all, just smile or give them a thumbs up. The is the professional engagement. Also be honest as to what you do -- I have cards as well. You can also look like a tourist taking random shots -- take an extra shot of something else. If you say you are a street photographer, and they look confused, the them it is similar to documentary works. Small town might be more challenging in that respect. Thanks for all the good tips for street photographers, and most of all have fun! - Loren Schwiderski, street photography
In the 10 months I’ve been into photography I haven’t been told anything. Then again I go about my walks in a respectful manner because in America getting a photo isn’t worth dealing with some trigger happy idiot.
I don't do street photography per se but when I go out with my girlfriend or friends and family I do see people tend to dodge out of the way cause they think they are in frame. I use a 35-150 most of the time and as you know as you zoom in your field of view becomes so small they are light years away haha. I think people see a big lens and just assuming you are capturing everything. In reality shorter lens are wider yet people don't care as much. I don't get many looks with my 20-40 (though it's still new to me) even though everyone's in the shot at 20mm vs 100mm haha
I've always wanted to do street photography but I've been scared. You calmed me down so well! You even answered some of my worries before they even occured. Thank you so much ❤
Know your rights if police stop you for taking photos in public. Highly recommend memorizing outlines provided by the ACLU. I take a lot of architectural and urban landscape photos and sometimes get stopped by police for questioning. Also, if you live in the US and you’re on foot, know that some people can’t conceive of humans walking from point A to B. Some people assume you must be up to no good since you’re surely shifty and poor for walking anywhere.
It's funny, I never formally learned street photography but I find myself applying most of these tips naturally. Pressing the shutter with my thumb is new to me though, I'll be trying it out, thanks!
Only one tip I have stop taking yourself and street photography too seriously. Rest all will fall into place. I have been beaten, shouted at and asked what I am doing I just scoot where ever I can Or just say RU-vid. Worse case do a shouting match. Also I feel shooting via evf is much better idea than screen as not only you can compose well and yet you are not obvious whom I take i focus on scenes than people that helps a lot.
I haven't been out much in public doing any photography but when I do I might wear my Panavision T-Shirt and hopefully that will quell any photography disruptions.
Try cradling your camera in your left hand and using your thumb to hit the shutter button... Most of the time just not holding the camera like you're holding a camera will let you get away with quite a bit. Also, get a variable ND filter and walk into the shadows to set your focal range, shutter speed, ISO, and aperture and put a mark on your filter, now step into the light and adjust your ND filter until your exposure is correct and make a second mark.. now all you have to do is adjust your ND filter from mark to mark as you walk in and out of shadows and greatly cut down on the time looking down to adjust your settings.
I use the EVF a lot in streetphotography, I like to frame my pictures that way. And yes you can definitely tell that people are aware if you do that, lots of people look directly into your lens, some anxious, some in their own thoughts, some smiling. I have noticed a lot less negative or anxious looks if I take a tripod with me, set it up at a nice scene and fish for people to walk through. People tend to ask you (in a positive way) what you are doing when they see that tripod and camera, so if you like social interaction this is a bonus. You can take pictures with a phone all day, nobody will look at you. Take pictures with a camera and lots of people will notice you.
Something that modern photographers don't understand is the concept of "range focusing" (you touched on it a bit). This is what one of the greatest street photographers of all time did (HC-B). He shot with a Leica hanging from his neck, set at the aperture he wanted. He knew the range of focus that aperture provided within the confines of film and shutter speed, and he maneuvered himself into that space to take the photo. He rarely had the camera at his eye. Modern lenses no longer have the range scale on them... sad. Your Tip #6 reminds me of one of my favorite images of all time by Fan Ho. Enjoyed the presentation a lot, but perhaps a history lesson would help too.
Or you can do your street photography in the Philippines. I used to try and be stealthy but I swear every times someone noticed me taking their photo they would pose for the camera and thought it was time for their 1-hour photoshoot session.
Great video man!! Ty so much for these awesome tips!! I’ve been doing street photography for about a year now and I’m glad that I was already doing some of the tips you recommended on this video lol. I’m 100% going to put these to practice!!📸🙌🏼
Oh and smile! Look like your having fun, people enjoy that. Never Ever point your camera near children though. thats a golden rule. People go nuts if you look like you even breathed near them.
Some great advice... thanks for sharing Moving to micro 4/3, one of my first purchases was a 42.5mm f1.7 prime. My go-to lense in my 35mm days was a fast 90mm.
Nice video Mark! I found a while ago that the longer focal length lenses suit me better for street photography just for the reasons you list here. Specially if they are compact, even though they turn to be manual focus
I looked up the X-s2 and the price, ofc, is ridiculous for what you’re get compared to the competition. Body alone is $619 in “good” condition at MPB. But this is MORE than what the Canon RP goes for used on the same site. Who in the world is going to choose the Fuji over the RP at that price? I can’t imagine hardly anybody would.
A couple of weeks ago, I found a neat composition with graffiti on a boxed-over power meter using my fisheye lens. I was headed back to work with that lens still on the body, and almost took a picture of an interesting lady on a mobility scooter, but held off because it would have been a bad shot. She confronted me, so I said: no, but do you want me to? I assume the scooter was stolen, because I didn’t know those scooters had that high a gear….
When shooting I become a fly on a wall. On my Nikon D5, I have Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8 AF-S and on my Nikon D4s, I use a Nikkor 80-200mm /2.8 AF-S. I find this combo works well.
My 90's highschool photography teacher had suggested shooting blind from the hip, so no view finder. We were using full manual film SLR with 50mm lenses.
use 24 mm as beginner, getting closers is what makes it less risky not more. telephoto portraits are not popular at all, it screams you dont know street photography. if you are scared of people, keep the camera home and just go out and talk.
Good video thanks! Another tips for the "wait for people to comes'in strategy" is to put your camera on a small tripod or place in on a safe surface, then trigger the shutter from your phone. Nowaday, most cameras have a dedicated apps where you can remove view on the phone and control a few things.
I want to get into street photography but I’ve always felt pretty self conscious about it. Your great video has given me the confidence to try it! Your use of the mirror lens is cunning! I have a wide variety of focal lengths in my kit but I’m not sure which to try. I wonder if 135mm would be a good compromise?
Great advice, thanks so much, had a bit of a bad experience recently when out shooting street and Im a beginner so I was pretty flustered. Going to try these tips, have a great day.
There is no right to privacy in public. Take pictures of what and who you want, it is completely legal. I never hide the fact that I take pictures and have never had a problem with it, on the contrary, most people are just nice. Don't go around taking pictures like a freak. It is perfectly legal to take photos in the public domain, stand up for your rights as a photographer and take photos that may please thousands of people.
Hi Mark! I am new to your channel and I just wanted to tell you that your videos are a breath of fresh air! I love your concise, clear explanation of camera knowledge and that I can actually hear your voice instead of annoying, loud music played in the back round which can be totally distracting no matter how low the volume is. Thank you and keep up the fabulous work!! 😊
The Fujifilm Xapp is soooo practical and helps a lot to avoid any confrontation. I link my camera to my phone, via bluetooth/wifi, and use my phone as a viewfinder thru Xapp, pointing discretely the camera, waist level, towards my subject and shoot. In doing so, people see I carry my camera, but they see me looking at my phone, me pretending I am scrolling or checking my mails or something like that.
It always feels strange seeing your photos of Melbourne in your video. I have it in my head that you're American, but clearly from all the photos that's not true!
@@markwiemels Love the way you capture our beautiful city! Street photography isn’t really my forte - I’m a wildlife guy, hence why I moved out to The Hills a few years ago - but I really enjoy your work. And your lens reviews 🙂
In my local experience, the folks in my college town seem mostly receptive of my Fujifilm camera because it is black and silver like a "real camera." Image matters, I suppose. That, and I have learned to shoot from the hip, literally, when I am using a manual lens; no aiming, just guessing and sometimes being surprised by a good image.
My hands are not small at all and pressing the shutter of my R10 with my thumb is mad awkward. Yours must be massive.
2 месяца назад
About Tip 7: I quite often get into this trouble when taking photos. But in most cases two things happen: 1. when they confront me asking about photos I took, I show them the photos and telling either I can delete, or send them in email. Glad to say never needed to delete any photo to this day. 2. When I take a photo of a person, I immidiately take a photo in a higher or lower angle or zoomed, so when they approach me I'd say I was taking photo of that tree, building, etc. behind them so if they have doubts I can show the last photo for proof (rarely happens they want to see the previous photo where they are visible, in that case I use #1 and offer them deletion or sending).
I learned some new things in this video that I would take into consideration but some things I have learned along the way and this is an important one is at best try and wear clothing that doesn't make you stand out and I know that sounds obvious but the days I have gone out taking photos wearing wacky shirts or shorts I have had more people look at me when taking photos but then the table is flipped when I wear more minimal clothing, I'm saying to dress in all black or to wear a nice polo but to read the room or the street before you even go outside. The best idea would go out with what you usually wear to a location and do some recon and then come back with the camera, since I have done this I've had fewer people give that weird look.
I've begun deliberately attracting attention in the street and 99% of folk are up for it. Hardest part is getting the picture to them. There is a curiosity with what a camera can do and its sense of occasion that a phone shooter does not create. It boils down to a simple but very significant personal question you need to ask yourself. Are you Taking a picture - stealing the moment. Or are you Making a picture - your energy is sparking the action you then capture.
@@markwiemels Next weekend I trial my portable studio flash in the street. I really love street portraits and studio lighting. I live in the night club strip in Surfers Paradise. People are there to play. So I have rigged a remote triggered speed light into a flash brolly and we will see how it goes. The brolly is nearly 2 metres in diameter. It’s gonna get some looks.
Lots of street photography was done with a TLR, which automatically gives the waist-level viewpoint. I long ago discovered the knack of getting down lower to find a more interesting perspective, sometimes flat on the ground.
What I miss from old cameras is the silent shutter sound. It boggles my mind how modern manufacturers aren't able to make a quieter shutter (without it being electronic, bc all of its negative aspects).
@@TheDavveponken I don`t notice. I have a XF10 and the shutter is normal-instant like any other camera, just way quieter. In this camera the mechanical shutter speed goes to 1/4000, after that you can use electronic one. But ether way, never notice any lag with it, if there is any it only happens due to the focus system not the shutter, that`s for sure.
in a certain way all this tips are in conflict of what I been learned about what good street photovraohy is. As Robert Caoa said: if you images isn't good you aren't close enough. I kind of aggre with this since a good inages evoke feelings, being close to our subject let us get into that personal space and capture those feelings Personally I experienced people. being quite offensive when the noticing me seeking around since it kind of sends out the vibe that you are doing something i shouldn't. But in the very end it's all about mastering your own techniques and mastering those.
Most people don't care? In Europe/Germany, that's different. Longer lenses make focusing more difficult, which isn't easy for beginners, especially with a crappy AF like Fujifilms AF.
Offering to delete a photo is a bit of a scam, because you can un-delete the photo using a computer later. Also, many cameras save a backup copy of each photo, and the delete function might only function on the primary card.
@@PhillipRPeck Right, but is it better to explain the technology to the person so they understand the process, or is that just opening a can of worms? What do you think?
@@sshapiro63 I would imagine the most important thing is that you respect the wishes of the person to not be photographed and obviously that you don't end up using the photo later on. If you show them that it's deleted within the camera, I'm sure that would suffice even if you know there are ways to recover it, just don't recover it...
Hi, one of my firsts attempts few days ago: I shot at a nice car crossing a park from about 20 meters (with a 24mm in apsc), I looked at the driver in the eyes after leaving the view finder. Then I runned to reach my relative (we were taking a walk I was left behind). After 30 seconds I heard someone screaming "HEY YOU, HEY YOU, HEY YOU!!!". I immediately erased the photo. I didn't turned my head, my relative didn't heard him. I was totally scared. I'll your suggestions thx for your video. ❤
I have an R5 and some high-end RF lenses, but if in doubt I also have the option of using my old 5Diii with a heavy old, but cheap and very high-performing, EF 28-80mm f2.8-4 L lens (of which I have 3 copies).
Here is a tip. Never ever point a camera at their face in close distance. Unless they see you and intentionally pose for you to shoot, which I had this happened to me. Always use long telephoto lens. I used 200mm f 2.8 prime and / or 300 mm f/4 prime lens. People never ever noticed I took photo of them. In close distance, I used ultra wide lens 14m . Full frame camera.
I actually enjoy going out for some street photography with my Nikon D800 + Tamron 70-200mm G2. I don't mind people looking since most times I'm still further away from my subject and overall having such a big setup also gives a message that I'm probably doing some work or something, rather than looking like a stalker
I started with my 24-70mm lens because that was the only lens I had at the time with the 24-50mm range. A couple of years ago I bought a 40mm lens. I love that lens. This past Christmas I bought a 28mm lens. I mainly use it now. The 40mm is a great compromise between the 35mm and 50mm. But the 28mm let's me get closer to people and still get their surroundings. There's more context in the photos. And I use a zone focus. I point the camera a few feet in front of me and focus. I usually shoot between f/5.6 and f/8. That gives me enough depth of field that I don't even have to focus on anyone. I don't look in the EVF or on the back of the camera. I'm getting pretty good at just pointing the camera where I need to. Sometimes the person will be at the edge of the frame and I miss a good shot but most of the time I get it. I just turn the camera for the orientation I want. I've tried the thumb method but sometimes I don't press the button all the way in and i don't get a shot. I keep it on silent mode so I can't hear if it took a photo. But using a zone focus with a large depth of field allows me to be ready for the shot when it presents itself.
I KNEW IT!!! I actually use a Nikon 135mm Plena for street photography and at one point I was even using the Z85mm f1.2 and NOBODY saw me. Ever. I got some of the best shots ever with those two lenses. One day someone came right up to my brother who is never in the greatest of moods, and took his photo and my brother was like ‘first time anyone ever wanted to do a photo shoot of me!’ And he even asked the guy with the camera if he wanted to take more photos.
Great to hear 35 mm is not must for street photography. People mind photographed with DSLR as they assume the picture will be "sold". I find my Lumix LX 10, 1 inch sensor, look like a toy. Try small camera !!
It’s just weird how people tend to get their panties in a bunch when someone is using a traditional style camera vs a phone camera. When in actuality the phone camera should feel more threatening due to the ability to share said photos instantly. They always think you’re “up to something”.. 😂😂 Like as if I would use a big clunky mirrorless camera to do so. Ridiculous!!! … Also if asked to delete a photo I promptly do so knowing that it only deletes from one of my memory cards.. Slot 2 is still in tact 😅
Thank you for not having a gatekeeping or snob-ish view on things like you see some creators have. Example, they will ridicule the idea of a telephot lens on the streets, saying that you must be "in the action, to be a "real" street photographer, but you will see them using stealthy hip techniques with zone focusing. Like, what is the difference then? There should be no rules when it comes to gear.
@@markwiemels Looking forward to it! I've become a big MFT fan since getting one last year. It's a great format for daily driving due to the size and light weight.
For the Fujifilm system I would recommend the XF50mm f2. It’s a very tiny (weather sealed) lens, just a bit longer than the XF23mm f2 and I don’t mind the 6mm difference to the XF56mm by Fujifilm.
