Candid street photography - any suggestions ?
Alan Wilson
similar ? Would you recommend it?
I want to be able to take photographs in markets and relatively busy
streets without being noticed. When I currently shoot in such places the
subject usually smiles as soon as they realize I'm there and I end up
with a completely different result to the one I was after.
Can anyone offer any advice ?
TIA,
Alan
Dan Howells
tear once he attached it to the end of the EF 35-80mm.
Personally I think the whole idea sucks.
I'll tell you what his pictures come out like when he gets back from India
on the 22nd. If I were you, I would just use a 300mm lens or something
similar. You can get some really great results with that.
Dan.
Alan Wilson wrote in message <367AC3B4...@virgin.net>...
Peter Madeley
from Alan Wilson <alan.w...@virgin.net> contains these words:
> Has anyone used the Jessops 'Candid angle lens attachment' or something
> similar ? Would you recommend it?
> I want to be able to take photographs in markets and relatively busy
> streets without being noticed. When I currently shoot in such places the
> subject usually smiles as soon as they realize I'm there and I end up
> with a completely different result to the one I was after.
> Can anyone offer any advice ?
> TIA,
> Alan
GEt a 28mm lens set to f8 or 5.6 on aperture priority, ISO400 BW film
(XP2 or TMAX CN400) pre-set manual focus to about 3m and shoot from
the hip. The alternative perspective makes for interesting pictures
and people won't notice you. They certainly will if you stick a great
big lump of plastic on your lens, lift it to your eye and start
firing away. The gismo even says Candid lens attachment on the filter
rim. The light may also catch the large mirror, once again drawing
attention to yourself. Save your mony and buy a second hand manual
compact like a canonet or Rollei 35. I do a great deal ofl my candid
work with compact cameras as people don't associate them with serious
photography. After a few attempts you will be able to compose
pictures shooting form the hip without too much difficulty.
--
Regards and Seasons Greetings to you & yours
Pete
DPS Photography & Design
John Halliwell
<da...@dircon.co.uk> writes
>I'll tell you what his pictures come out like when he gets back from India
>on the 22nd. If I were you, I would just use a 300mm lens or something
>similar. You can get some really great results with that.
This is one way, remember that if seen from head on, it's not immediatly
noticable how long a lens is. The subject may just think your shooting
the street.
Another option is to go for a wideangle and position the subject near
the edge of the frame, not many non-photographers know how much area you
can cover with a 28mm (24mm is even better).
Shooting from the hip with a 35mm SLR also works (once you've made a few
test shots to get used to the framing).
You could also go for one of the compacts with a waist level finder (I
think Yashica made a couple (T3 and T5 perhaps)).
--
John
Gerry Walden
photographing someone else. I weigh around 18stone and I am 6' 1" tall so
I am not exactly easy to hide and yet I seem to have no trouble. It just
gets easier as your confidence builds. Keep at it an keep in close - you
will begin to get the results you want without add-on's like this.
Gerry
Adrian Legg
> Has anyone used the Jessops 'Candid angle lens attachment' or something
> similar ? Would you recommend it?
I fancied the idea, but the Junior Spy Kit stuff looks so obvious I
think it would piss people off even more than simply doing it directly.
>
> I want to be able to take photographs in markets and relatively busy
> streets without being noticed. When I currently shoot in such places the
> subject usually smiles as soon as they realize I'm there and I end up
> with a completely different result to the one I was after.
I'd suggest going either early or late when the crowd is not too thick
to get a picture through, or trying a step-ladder or crate and a long
zoom at peak time. I think if you got a person smiling at the camera,
you got a bonus. I don't think photography should be a sneaky affair, it
becomes voyeuristic very quickly. I think if you're open about it,
you're actually less likely to be noticed - once people have seen you a
few times and you didn't do anything strange yet, you're harmless and
they'll ignore you or grin at you. If you're standing on a ladder waving
a camera about, they'll more than likely ignore you in case you ask for
money/preach, if they look up at you, you'll get good catchlights :-)
I used a 28-105 in a few places; NYC, Paris,San Francisco, a few
markets.. when a place got crowded, I used it at the shorter end. I got
tired of the distortion and went over to primes, and find 28/50/100
works ok for walkabout as well as being faster at night. I keep
wondering about a 28-70 2.8, but it's very heavy....
If you still want to peer out from the dark at people, then you have to
take advantage of whatever happens in front of a place where you are
better concealed and can poke a long lens out. I had a few pics like
this I liked - short sequences of events worked ok, but they were
voyeuristic - I think engaging up-front worked better.
--
The address is spurious - spam clogs the mailbox when I'm away.
Contact info: http://www.roe.ac.uk/mjpwww/legghead.htm
Jon Pear
<alan.w...@virgin.net> writes
>Has anyone used the Jessops 'Candid angle lens attachment' or something
>similar ? Would you recommend it?
>
>streets without being noticed. When I currently shoot in such places the
>subject usually smiles as soon as they realize I'm there and I end up
>with a completely different result to the one I was after.
>
>
>TIA,
>
>Alan
>
I have done a fair bit of candid street photography, both amateur and
professionally. In the early days a manual camera ie.one not fitted with
a motordrive was de-rigeur, quiet, unobtrusive and non-pro looking.
I think this is one of the big considerations. Don't look to obvious,
you know, leave the large obvious gadget bag behind walk around using a
small quiet camera with a mid range zoom and smile a lot. If you don't
look like a "serious/paparazzi" type photographer you will be surprised
what you can get away with.If you are using a fairly obtrusive set up
use a
long range prime lens. I have just finished a job for a customer who
wanted pictures of people at bus stops, the one essential being there
unawareness of being photographed. I alternated between small quiet
rangefinders with 135mm lenses, and a modern autofocus slr using a
variety of lenses from 24mm thru to 300mm. I don't like concealed
photography, look confident and look into the middle distance beyond
your subject. Let me know what camera system your using and what lenses
you've got at your disposal and I will try and help.
>
--
Jon Pear
Keith (R.K.) Berry
Gerry Walden wrote in message <75fspc$1cc$1...@news7.svr.pol.co.uk>...
> ... I weigh around 18 stone and I am 6' 1" tall so .... I seem to have no
trouble ...
>
Sounds logical to me!
Dan Howells
5'8" and 11 stone!
Dan.
Gerry Walden wrote in message <75fspc$1cc$1...@news7.svr.pol.co.uk>...
David Henniker
<alan.w...@virgin.net> wrote:
>I want to be able to take photographs in markets and relatively busy
>streets without being noticed.
[snip]
>Can anyone offer any advice ?
Digital camera with swivel lens.
Dave100% Original digital & silver-based photos
Unique 3D rendered images + Herb animation
http://freespace.virgin.net/david.henniker/
email:make DOT .
John Dawson
<alan.w...@virgin.net> wrote:
>I want to be able to take photographs in markets and relatively busy
>streets without being noticed. When I currently shoot in such places the
>subject usually smiles as soon as they realize I'm there and I end up
>with a completely different result to the one I was after.
>
>Can anyone offer any advice ?
I remember seeing film of Henri Cartier-Bresson taking photos in the
street. He seemed to lurch along like Jaques Tati and at the last
moment rise to his full height on the ball of one foot, simultaneously
bringing his leica to his eye, snapping the picture and lurching off
again. I reckon the speed and absurdity of this procedure shocked his
subjects into inaction.
John D.
--
John Dawson at home in Kendal, Cumbria.
Lake District Walks Web Pages: http://www.netlink.co.uk/users/ldnet/
40 detailed walks, 300 photographs, GPS data, Screen Savers
Best of Europe, Medaille d'Or and Yell Top Ten New Site
J. Cris Yarborough
Try sitting at a bar and take pictures of the people around you and not get
noticed... It's rather nerve-racking... I have posted some at:
alt.binaries.pictures.artpics
named Bar Scenes A thru H if you are interested
J. Cris Yarborough
Malcolm Stewart
sea-sick! Not recommended.
Malcolm Stewart
Alan Wilson wrote in message <367AC3B4...@virgin.net>...
Alan Wilson
whose advise I will almost certainly follow. Thanks also to Gerry Walden,
unfortunately I'm not over 6' and 18 stone :-(
I've taken a few photographs 'from the hip' with a Canon EOS 500 28-80 with
mixed results - I tend to set the shutter to 1/60 with the lens focused at
around 10 feet, I certainly got some interesting pictures but also wasted a
fair bit of film in the process.
I like the idea of a compact, anyone have any thoughts on the Rollei 35
suggestion of Peter's ?
And finally, I've definitely ruled out the 'candid lens attachment'.
My thanks to all
Alan.
PS For anyone interested, there's a few photographs I took in Paris during
the summer at :
http://freespace.virgin.net/alan.wilson3/paris1.htm
Only one was taken from the hip - 'Cafe on the Rue de Rivoli'
Peter Madeley wrote:
>
> Get a 28mm lens set to f8 or 5.6 on aperture priority, ISO400 BW film
Peter Madeley
> fair bit of film in the process.
Don't forget that a pair of scissors is a most useful compositional device!!!!!
I tend to draw crop marks on my en-prints to get an idea of how they
will look when enlarged. A good trick if you have your own darkroom,
otherwise quite expensive. My best ever shot was from a quarter of a
35mm frame. Cartier Bresson prints whole frame, but I wouldn't ever
claim to be that good. I reckon if you get 3 v. good shots from a 36
roll you're doing well. You wouldn't get many more than this from a
studio session anyway. BTW I would suggest that 1/60 is a bit slow.
1/125 or even 1/250 is better to freeze action and overcoem camera
shake on a standard lens. You might get away with one stop slower
with a wide angle. Thats why I suggested 400 film, to keep speeds
reasonably well up.
> I like the idea of a compact, anyone have any thoughts on the Rollei 35
> suggestion of Peter's ?
My Rollei 35, although donated by my father is a most useful camera.
It's about the size of a packet of fags, allows shutter speed,
aperture and focus to be manually set, has a flash hotshoe, tripod
mount and a cable release attachment. The lens is razor sharp at most
apertures. The lens is a 40mm wide angle. Be warned the accessories
for it do tend to be rather expensive. The lens retracts into the
body and this means that the camera does need to be set up before you
get within range.
> And finally, I've definitely ruled out the 'candid lens attachment'.
Well done. Save your money and ave a look at Yashica's T5 as someone
else mentioned. I also have one of these You can get them for about
100UKP and they feature autofocus, a Carl Zeiss 35mm lens, autoflash
modes (Don't use these for candid work) and a waistlevel viewfinder
Stephen Walters
I'd recommend a Ricoh GR1 which has an excellent 28mm lens.
Or the Yashica T5 which has a super 35mm f3.5 lens and a waist level
finder.
On the slr front you could pick up an old Exacta or Miranda with a waist
level finder too.
or, spend a little more on an old Canon F1 or Nikon F or F2.
Steve 07957-168684
In article <199812182...@zetnet.co.uk>, pet...@zetnet.co.uk (Peter
Madeley) wrote:
> The message <367AC3B4...@virgin.net>
> from Alan Wilson <alan.w...@virgin.net> contains these words:
>
>
> > Has anyone used the Jessops 'Candid angle lens attachment' or
> > something
> > similar ? Would you recommend it?
>
> > I want to be able to take photographs in markets and relatively busy
> > streets without being noticed. When I currently shoot in such places
> > the
> > subject usually smiles as soon as they realize I'm there and I end up
> > with a completely different result to the one I was after.
>
> > Can anyone offer any advice ?
>
> > TIA,
>
> > Alan
>
> GEt a 28mm lens set to f8 or 5.6 on aperture priority, ISO400 BW film
> (XP2 or TMAX CN400) pre-set manual focus to about 3m and shoot from
> the hip. The alternative perspective makes for interesting pictures
> and people won't notice you. They certainly will if you stick a great
> big lump of plastic on your lens, lift it to your eye and start
> firing away. The gismo even says Candid lens attachment on the filter
> rim. The light may also catch the large mirror, once again drawing
> attention to yourself. Save your mony and buy a second hand manual
> compact like a canonet or Rollei 35. I do a great deal ofl my candid
> work with compact cameras as people don't associate them with serious
> photography. After a few attempts you will be able to compose
> pictures shooting form the hip without too much difficulty.
>
>
>
>
J. Cris Yarborough
Cris
J. Cris Yarborough
Stephen Walters
Cris Yarborough) wrote:
> Arrrrrrrrrrrgghh!
Why???
Stephen Walters.
07957-168684
07899-906118
Sam Appleby
>similar ? Would you recommend it?
>
>I want to be able to take photographs in markets and relatively busy
>streets without being noticed. When I currently shoot in such places the
>subject usually smiles as soon as they realize I'm there and I end up
>with a completely different result to the one I was after.
>
>Can anyone offer any advice ?
>
>TIA,
>
>Alan
>
>
think about why you want to do this in the first place...?
--
Sam Appleby
website: http://www.samappleby.demon.co.uk
Karl Francis
in ref to your question about the Jessops candid attachment,
no I havn't used it but I do have some tips for you.
When out and about in the market place with your camera you will tend to
stick out a little more than others and some people may eye you warily.
Using a telephoto lens will give you that 'comfortable' distance between
yourself and your subject. Try to think of it from your subjects view. Your
walking down the road minding your own business when you spot someone with a
great big lens, and it's pointing right at you!! You couldn't help but feel
awkward and would find yourself acting unatural. There are pro's and con's
to every good idea!!
The other option would be to use a wider angle lens which could wind up
with you in someones face to get your shot. Always respect an individuals
personal space. Just to contradict myself........if you're a photographer,
just do it. As a woman you are a lot less likely to be thumped!!
This probably hasn't helped you out that much but it was something to
read!!
Take care,
Karl.
Alan Wilson wrote in message <367AC3B4...@virgin.net>...
Beguiles
surveillance, both on the job and not when I wantto shoot candids. I am a law
enforcement detective. Needless to say the use of a vehicle may or may not be
part of your plan, but I use a blacked out vehicle (window tins and cut outs).
Similar people in IAD use a window sun screen with a hole cut out.