# Photographing strangers out in public **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 25, 2014, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564 "2014-03-25T23:45:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/41 "2014-03-27T18:37:40Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > I saw a news story where a photographer was taking pictures of drivers using cell phones, then printing the pictures on billboards. The TV show blurred out the faces on their pictures of the billboards but apparently the billboards did not need to blur the faces. I think everyone should do this, all the time. Laws and punishment don’t make people do right; maybe public shaming will do the trick. ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/42 "2014-03-27T20:47:43Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > Those girls chose to expose their bodies to public view. Taking pictures of them is no more “creepy” than looking at them in the first place. > > I can, however, understand the use of a telephoto lens. Some women are extremely hypocritical–they want to be able to go half or three-fourths naked in public, but they don’t think that anybody should so much as hint that the sight of a woman’s uncovered body is in any way attractive or pleasurable. I find my 350mm lens ideal for these kinds of photos. It keeps me out of their ‘defensive’ space and at the same time provides a shallow depth of field. I am extremely discreet and seldom does anyone object. [https://www.flickr.com/photos/ornello/5497339741/](https://www.flickr.com/photos/ornello/5497339741/) ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/43 "2014-03-27T21:35:56Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I think everyone should do this, all the time. Laws and punishment don’t make people do right; maybe public shaming will do the trick. Maybe those people were texting the police about some driver in another car using a cell phone to take pictures of them. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/44 "2014-03-28T01:53:46Z")
> [@Keyzer\_Soza](#): > > I am trying to simulate the paparazzi experience but instead with the average person. I expect some reactions to be negative (especially with the more close in shots I will be getting) but that is part of the project. …Bruce Gilden is a street photographer with a style you may be interested in. As far as I’m aware he hasn’t been sued yet. I personally don't like the way he works. ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/45 "2014-03-28T01:59:15Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …Bruce Gilden is a street photographer with a style you may be interested in. As far as I’m aware he hasn’t been sued yet. > > I personally don't like the way he works. Not impressed. No compositional sense, no sense of moment at all. He really just sticks a camera in people’s faces. He is the poster boy for jerk photographers. In the immortal words of the immortal Yogi Berra, am 360 degrees away from that. LOL ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/46 "2014-03-28T02:04:03Z")
> [@Melchior](#): > > No, I disagree. …what exactly are you disagreeing with? Bob was talking about street photography. You said what he said was nonsense and then proceeded to post some of your images that aren’t street photography. So you don’t disagree that the images you took aren’t street photography, so what exactly are you disagreeing with? > [@](#): > > The long-lens look is part of my style. I \*like \*'em that way, and the long-lens look is far more flattering, by far, than that obtained by using a wide-angle lens. Street photography isn’t about capturing flattering images. > [@](#): > > ‘Street’ photography is overrated anyway. It became popular in the 1960s. Overated as compared to what? If you don’t like street photography simply say you don’t like it. > [@](#): > > The people are at a public festival and it’s held during hot weather. Nothing ‘creepy’ about it. Many of them are there with camera taking pictures of one another anyway. > > Yes, these are all mine. But as noted these images are not “street.” So to use them in rebuttal to someone talking about street photography makes no sense. ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/47 "2014-03-28T02:10:44Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …what exactly are you disagreeing with? Bob was talking about street photography. You said what he said was nonsense and then proceeded to post some of your images that aren’t street photography. So you don’t disagree that the images you took aren’t street photography, so what exactly are you disagreeing with? > > Street photography isn’t about capturing flattering images. > > Overated as compared to what? If you don’t like street photography simply say you don’t like it. > > But as noted these images are not “street.” So to use them in rebuttal to someone talking about street photography makes no sense. People in a public setting, candid, on the street, in a park…it’s all the same! It isn’t necessary for them to be walking on asphalt…how naive! Who says it’s wrong to worry about whether the photo is flattering? Taken on a Montreal street: [https://www.flickr.com/photos/ornello/5613942946/](https://www.flickr.com/photos/ornello/5613942946/) The way I work is different, but the genre is the same! ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/48 "2014-03-28T02:16:02Z")
> [@Melchior](#): > > People in a public setting, candid, on the street, in a park…it’s all the same! It isn’t necessary for them to be walking on asphalt…how naive! …no it isn’t: and you have admitted as much. You shoot bog standard event photography: it isn’t a “style”, and I do that day in and day out for a living. Frame a person with a long lens, lock centre point focus wait for a flattering pose and fire off a few shots. This isn’t street photography at all. ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/49 "2014-03-28T02:18:35Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …no it isn’t: and you have admitted as much. You shoot bog standard event photography: it isn’t a “style”, and I do that day in and day out for a living. Frame a person with a long lens, lock centre point focus wait for a flattering pose and fire off a few shots. This isn’t street photography at all. The title of the thread is ‘photographing strangers out in public’, or am I mistaken? That’s what I do…take a look at them all. I don’t care what other people do. Most other photographers’ work bores me to tears. There is no compositional finesse in that guy’s work. None. Just photos of startled people because he is a jerk. What does ‘lock centre point focus’ mean? I use Leciaflex SL2 bodies and film. All manual. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/50 "2014-03-28T02:28:25Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …Bruce Gilden is a street photographer with a style you may be interested in. As far as I’m aware he hasn’t been sued yet. > > I personally don't like the way he works. That guy’s shots suck and he’s an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/51 "2014-03-28T02:29:22Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > That guy’s shots suck and he’s an asshole. Ditto! Either be nice (or at least decent), or be brilliant. He’s neither. ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/52 "2014-03-28T02:39:49Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …no it isn’t: and you have admitted as much. You shoot bog standard event photography: it isn’t a “style”, and I do that day in and day out for a living. Frame a person with a long lens, lock centre point focus wait for a flattering pose and fire off a few shots. This isn’t street photography at all. I do all kinds of non-posed photography. That jerk could not do this, I assure you: [https://www.flickr.com/photos/ornello/5580199653/](https://www.flickr.com/photos/ornello/5580199653/) ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/53 "2014-03-28T03:36:36Z")
> [@Melchior](#): > > The title of the thread is ‘photographing strangers out in public’, or am I mistaken? …the title of the thread had nothing to do with the post you chose to reply to. And the OP wants to shoot people in the style of Paparazzi. Bruce Gilden’s methods are very close to what the OP wants to do. What you do is not even close. > [@](#): > > That’s what I do…take a look at them all. I don’t care what other people do. Most other photographers’ work bores me to tears. There is no compositional finesse in that guy’s work. None. Just photos of startled people because he is a jerk. What does ‘lock centre point focus’ mean? I use Leciaflex SL2 bodies and film. All manual. It is clear that you do not understand the goals of street photography, but no matter. You like what you want to like: and if you really only like your own work then more power to you. But unfortunately there isn’t much you can offer to the OP. > [@](#): > > I do all kinds of non-posed photography. That jerk could not do this, I assure you: > > [https://www.flickr.com/photos/ornello/5580199653/](https://www.flickr.com/photos/ornello/5580199653/) Thats a photo of the butt end of a rugby scrum. Even [a hack like me](http://bigmark.co.nz/portfolio-2/#foobox-2/22/DSK_April-16-2011_13.jpg) can shoot the butt end of a rugby scrum. I’m pretty sure a guy like Bruce could get that shot pretty comfortably. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/54 "2014-03-28T03:49:18Z")
I don’t like that assaultive style taking photographs of strangers, either. And no, I didn’t think his results were extra special, either. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/55 "2014-03-28T03:56:38Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I don’t like that assaultive style taking photographs of strangers, either. And no, I didn’t think his results were extra special, either. …I’m not a fan either: and Gilden’s work is very controversial amongst fellow photographers, some of them taking a very harsh stand on the ethics of what he does. I showed the video so the OP would get a chance to see what his project would “look like” in the real world. ---
**Author:** ![Keyzer\_Soza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a587f6/32.png) [@Keyzer\_Soza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keyzer_Soza)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/56 "2014-03-28T04:55:12Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …Bruce Gilden is a street photographer with a style you may be interested in. As far as I’m aware he hasn’t been sued yet. > > I personally don't like the way he works. Hmm that does look somewhat similar to what i have in mind except not all my shots will be that close in, others will be taken with zoom lenses from a distance. Thanks for the link. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/57 "2014-03-28T06:29:00Z")
So, to you’re going try to find juuust where the line is when you intentionally piss people off by invading their personal space with you camera? Am I missing something? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/58 "2014-03-28T11:20:52Z")
Can you purchase insurance on you equipment? What happens after you file your third claim? ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/59 "2014-03-28T13:31:02Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > So, to you’re going try to find juuust where the line is when you intentionally piss people off by invading their personal space with you camera? Am I missing something? Are you talking to me? I use a variety of lenses for this kind of situation (the festival), but mostly 180mm and 350mm. The shorter one is used in situations where my presence would not be intrusive or people have seen me for a while and have become comfortable with my presence, and can see that I am in fact just going about my tasks in a non-disruptive way. I am always friendly, but not intrusively gregarious. I use the longer lens for tighter framing or when the subjects might be ‘spooked’ a little. They can see me either way, but the greater working distance of the 350mm lens is very useful. This photo is one of my favorites taken with the 350mm Telyt. She knew I was photographing her. [https://www.flickr.com/photos/ornello/5497339741/](https://www.flickr.com/photos/ornello/5497339741/) It is extremely rare for anyone to object to my taking photos. Maybe once in 10 years have I had a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564/60 "2014-03-28T13:36:14Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …the title of the thread had nothing to do with the post you chose to reply to. > > And the OP wants to shoot people in the style of Paparazzi. Bruce Gilden’s methods are very close to what the OP wants to do. What you do is not even close. > > It is clear that you do not understand the goals of street photography, but no matter. You like what you want to like: and if you really only like your own work then more power to you. But unfortunately there isn’t much you can offer to the OP. > > Thats a photo of the butt end of a rugby scrum. Even [a hack like me](http://bigmark.co.nz/portfolio-2/#foobox-2/22/DSK_April-16-2011_13.jpg) can shoot the butt end of a rugby scrum. I’m pretty sure a guy like Bruce could get that shot pretty comfortably. Nope. Look at the photo carefully, and note all the diagonal ‘leading lines’ and the perfect timing on the ball toss. Yours is good, though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-strangers-out-in-public/684564.md?page=4)