Photographing people
Since I started doing street photography, I would always just take photos of literally the streets or some random animal or small interesting stuff. It's rare for me to take photos specifically of people since I'm afraid of offending them and having confronted. I know I'm just overthinking because most of the time people won't mind and some would even smile at the camera lol. But of course, a lot of street photographers still do it in a discreet way.
As I am learning street photography more, I really enjoy looking at photos of people. I think some would say that's the essence of street photography which I agree. Without people, street photos look lonely. That's just my opinion though. :P
Taking photos of people have a lot of challenges and photographers who are able to capture them nicely are very skilled of what they do. First of all, you can't control where these people go, what they do, how they walk, etc.. You also can't control the weather, lighting, and how other things around them move. Not only you have to be fast but also be able to properly position yourself or your camera to be able to interestingly capture your subject.
Depends on your timing, you can tell a story with just one frame. The story can also be changed once they move even just slightly different and I think that's why I love looking at still images.
I really love this one and I am proud I was able to quickly capture this when we got out of the park. Hahah.
I don't remember what she was doing this time but this can be interpreted in so many ways. Was she talking to someone far, someone can't be seen in the frame? Or was it someone imaginary? Was she begging for alms or just did that gesture with her hands randomly for no reason at all?
So far, I can only take photos of people from behind hahaha.
...Or from the side. :P
But I like my progress.
I am a lover of street photographs and how spontaneous they can be, the photograph of the child helping his grandmother to walk (at least that's how I see them) is extremely precious, a perfectly captured moment.
Yeah he was helping her and it was really sweet. :D
I love the cyclopean concrete structures of Bangkok - they make people look small and lost, like that woman talking to herself between the legs of a concrete creature.
True. And only people in the frame can raise this loneliness to the highest point.
I believe this fear is normal for a simple reason: you should be empathic to take photos of people on the streets. A compromise is needed between empathy (which also makes us vulnerable) and photography. This psychological work is also an interesting adventure, and may be healthy for the mind.
I agree, if I'm getting photographed I also would be very self conscious.
Same hereee, I don't take picture of peoppe coz I'm afraid that they might react badly on it. I do it in secret but i only take a photo of their likod, lol.
Anyways, it's hard to take photo when the subject is a person. Like you have to make it stand out and at the same time make it good. It always amaze me when I see that kind of photography because you can really tell th3 difference of a professional photographer and an amateur one. And yours is so good, especially the shot with the woman in a cane and yony kasama nya. That's my favorite na.
Veryyyy challenging. A lot of times timing really is everything. Thank you!
You are doing good so far! Photographing from behind is fine for starters, it removes the awkwardness (although sometimes people turn around ask what you are doing :D ) After 7 years of practice I still photograph discretely most of the time, even when I photograph close up faces I still do it in a way they don't know I took a picture. But as long as you are doing it from an honest, positive frame of mind, you have nothing to worry. And with practice you learn the behavior of people and start anticipating how they'll react. Street photography is fun. :)
the horror! But I agree with you, I photograph not to shame them on social media or be a creep or something.
I sometimes do this where I would take a pic of someone and then pretend to look behind them or somewhere else to make it seem like I took a picture of that thing instead of them. 🤣
Thank you! I got the alci approval lol
I like what I see, so it means your progress is very likeable. These are nice photos and clearly, you've got the street photography skill you speak of. 👏🏾
I think that lady was soliloquising and she just made a soliloquy gesture as you took the shot. There's probably more theories and mine could be far from reality, haha.
Well done.
Thank you very much! :D Yeah maybe haha I do that often but only in my room😂
Your photographs are beautiful.
Thank you!