Street [and transports] shooting : how do you handle the relationship afterwards

[Dave Ludwig]

There are many skills you can learn and create to work in the street and get the shots. I find it actually easier with LF cameras as the shutters are very quiet and you can appear to setting up. Once that camera comes up to your face it is too late. If shooting 35 and you remove your view finder and allow the camera to hang down taking shots with a long cable release into your pocket looking throught the top of the camera. You need to think of ways to make yourself blend in. When all else fails ambush them however you can then stand your ground. If the ask tell them you are from a newspaper and don't forget to tell them to have a nice day.

[Laurent]

The Rolleiflex does quite well in this context, the finder is nice and shutter very quiet. Most looks I get (from other people, usually my "victim" does not even notice the camera) are amused and/or puzzled by the camera.

[amuderick]

I shoot a Polaroid 360 with Fuji pack film. I gift the print and keep the negative. It is a hybrid process but it works and people are thrilled.

[benjiboy]

What amazes me about "Street" is even if my victims notice me quite often, they pretend they haven't.

[kraker]

What amazes me about "Street" is even if my victims notice me quite often, they pretend they haven't.

...and taking it one level further: we, the photographers, pretend that we didn't notice that we were, for that brief moment, being noticed.

[Dave Ludwig]

Laurant, many years ago I photographed homeless people for a charity group (brochure) that offered meals. Came back the next day and spent a good 4-5 hours with them. Told them I would bring them prints, and when I returned a week later with prints some were gone but most were still there, several people stood with me and said they had many photographers photograph them promising prints, I was the only one that did. I spent the rest of the day with them, about 15 people who had developed their own social microcosm - fascinating, a week later they were all gone. My point is you do what you have to, but there are subject matters where a persons dignity has to be part of the process.

The street is part of many peoples daily lives, and spending time in one area will eventually make you part of that landscape. You will come to know people, talk to them, and learn about their lives which you will eventally come to portray. Some will watch out for you while you work, and you will do the same for them. Shoot and Scoot is fine, you are assured to get some good shots, but only from a perspective of a third party observer.

Laurant, this is quite a deviation from my last reply, there are times you have to do what ever you have to do, but I am sorry to say I find your original question moot, because if you want to be street photographer there is no "after" it should become part of who you are and part of your life.

I only wish I lived in Paris. The most fascintating street life I have ever encountered. I travel to France and Germany a lot and if you send me a PM maybe sometime we could get together and walk the streets somewhere. If not, Laurant I wish you well.

[Laurent]

Dave,

thanks for your feedback ! I'm not even sure I want to "be" a street photographer, at least at the moment. I only feel that I'm "drawned" to photograph some situations I did not even consider before (I would consider myself more of a landscape photog, if I should put my self into a category).

I do not live in Paris, I'm only commuting "across" Paris to go to my clients/assignments (sometimes in Paris, sometimes anywhere else in France) which is one of the reasons for me to speak about an "after" : most of the time my subjects are with me for a minute of two.

Kraker and Benjiboy : yes, this is quite fascinating to observe how we all pretend not to have (been) noticed !