I also had a time when I loved to stand in one of the busiest streets of Madrid, in Preciados or on Gran Vía, and with my reflex camera I spent hours trying to take a good spontaneous portrait of a passerby. The results were horrific. Partly because at that time I didn't know how to use manual mode well, and partly because I did it in such a visible way that the portraits I got were of moved faces escaping from the photo, faces covered or turned to the other side, frowning brows. , slaps that sometimes reached the target and others almost.
The time and the numerous trips that I was lucky enough to do allowed me to improve my technique and learn a few tricks that I would like to share today in this article. If you like to photograph strangers on the street, today's article is to print and save ?
THE MOST IMPORTANT
Photographing strangers on the street is a tricky subject. Whenever I write about this topic I think about it a couple of times because I never know if I'm doing it right. I say this because photographing strangers on the street is a subject that requires some responsibility. I admit that I really enjoy photographing strangers on the street, and I confess that at first I personally cared a lot that unknown people took photos of me, but over time I have cared less.
If you're going to do this, don't forget the following:
- Respect the law of the jurisdiction in which you are. If you live or travel to a country where it is clearly prohibited to photograph people on the street, better avoid it.
- Respect ethics. I will have to leave this point open because each one of us will define our ethics and our values in a different way, but if taking a certain photograph seems unethical to you, or you do not see it clearly, do not take that photo.
- Respect people. If someone explicitly asks you not to photograph them, do not do so or post the photo. You can create problems for him.
And now yes, for the advice ?
1) LET THEM GET FAMILIAR WITH THE CAMERA
A camera, especially an SLR, is a striking and unnatural element. Its "aggressive" shape and color inevitably attract attention. Depending on where you are, try to take the camera out for a long time before starting the operation. If you are in a cafe, leave it on the table so that the people around you can see it and get used to it. A few minutes are enough for the staff to drop their guard and start to normalize the existence of the camera.
Hey, it's irrelevant but one thing, when you follow this advice and leave the camera on the table, try not to steal it from other people's friends. I say, let's go.
2) TAKE LONG FRAMES
If you are on the street watching people go by, do not photograph the first person who enters the frame. You can look like a "paparazzi" or detective who was after the particular person and create unnecessary suspicion. The best thing is that you make a frame with which you are satisfied and stay like that for a few seconds letting people pass in front of the lens of your camera. Over time it will appear as if you are photographing no one in particular, it might even appear as if you are photographing something beyond, in later shots. This will help people "normalize" your existence together with your camera again and downplay what you are doing.
3) USE FAKE SUBJECTS
If you find a photographically attractive subject and want to photograph him in particular and not another, you will need a partner. Ask him to stand between you and the subject and pose as if you are actually photographing him. Frame your friend and try to skew the frame slightly and slowly, just enough to have your subject of interest within the frame in sharp focus. So you can photograph it without problem.
Needless to say, we don't care if your friend is out of focus or cut off. Actually, he was never going to be the subject ?
4) DO NOT LOOK INTO THE EYES
The number 1 tip in portrait photography is undoubtedly to focus on the eyes. There's no doubt. But do it through the camera, look at the eyes of the subject you are photographing and focus them properly. What you do not do is look directly into the person's eyes, because that way you will only alarm them. Avoid direct eye contact at all costs. Do not look at the person directly, it is not supposed to exist for you, you are supposed to be photographing something else. If you look directly at it and the person realizes it, they will have no doubt that they are being portrayed, and then you lose the advantage of spontaneity.
5) FORGET ABOUT THE OPTICAL VIEWFINDER
I am one of those who prefer to photograph with the camera glued to the eye, looking through the optical viewfinder, the old-fashioned way. But I also recognize that this way of using the camera can be a bit "showy". Framing through the screen with the camera's Live View mode is much more practical in these types of situations. In addition to letting you see bigger and better, it doesn't seem so obvious that you're taking a picture. Someone with a camera in hand looking at the screen could be simply setting it up, looking at the settings, or even reviewing photos taken at another time. On the other hand, a person with their eye glued to the viewfinder cannot be doing anything else: they are taking a photo!
6) USE A FLIP-UP CAMERA
Oh this is my favourite. A folding screen is your perfect ally when it comes to taking photos of strangers. Having such a screen allows you to lower the camera and still be able to frame it perfectly. If we go back to the scene in the cafe where you're sitting, with the camera on the table, you wouldn't need to lift it to see the screen or sink into the chair just to be able to see the screen well ? By reclining it up you already have the best view possible. (Looking for a good flip-up SLR? The Nikon D5600is a great candidate).
7) USE A WI-FI CAMERA + MOBILE PHONE
Similar to the previous point, if you do not have a camera with a folding screen but you do have Wi-Fi, you can connect it to your smartphone (usually iPhones or Android phones) and receive the signal from the camera on the screen of the mobile itself. This allows you to see on your mobile, live and in real time, the camera frame, get up, turn around, look away, go to the bar to ask for a glass of water (if you are in a cafe), and even shoot from your own mobile, all without having to rely on having the camera in hand.
I insist, try not to get too far away if you don't want to be left without a camera ?
8) USE THE DELAYED (OR REMOTE) SHUTTER RELEASE
The less you touch the camera, the less "photographer" you will appear, which is what interests you in this type of situation. Take advantage of your remote release, if you have one, and if you don't use the delayed release feature that most SLRs have today.
9) PLAY THE TOURIST
It is always more "normal" to see a camera in the hands of a tourist, with his shirt, his straw hat and his sandals with socks than in the hands of an urbanite from the next neighborhood. Even if we believe that we are in a photo taken by a stranger, it seems that we are relieved that a tourist takes it, who knows where, not that a neighbor from the village takes it without us having given permission ?
A tourist seems to be less in the way, it seems that he is forgiven more. He's not from here, what can he do? Finally ?
So far with this round of tricks for photographing strangers on the street. Can you think of a trick that you can share with everyone? Do it in the comments, and please don't stop spreading this article if you find it useful, on your favorite social network: Facebook, Google+ or Twitter.
