Practising my Candid Photography - In your face.

[Scotty72]

Hi all.

Today, I took the camera and flash into Sydney city and went walkies. Snapping away with gay abandon.

I decided to bite the bullet and summon the courage to become more 'in your face' when capturing pictures.

Using a flash, at night, it tends to give away the fact that you are taking a pic. So I couldn't hide shyly and pretend I wasn't taking pics.

I took about 26 - rather than upload them all and kill bandwith, I'll post thumbnails you can click

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22.

23. 24. 25. 26.

[adilucca]

Wish I had the courage to do that. How was the reaction in general?

As a parent, number 13 makes me feel a bit sad.

Cheers
Alan

[Scotty72]

To tell you the truth, no one batted an eye-lid - well, almost.

Towards the end of my travels, I had one woman approach me who demanded to look through my photos.

Woman: "Show me the camera... you took my photo."
Me: "No, these are MY photos."
Woman: "I think you took my photo, you can't do that."

At this point, I honestly didn't think I had taken her photo: turns out, upon later inspection, she was in the background of one.

Me: "This is a public place, and these photos are my property."
Woman: "Still, I want to look through them."

Me: "Ok, if you show me some of your photos; do you have any in your handbag?"

At this point, she wandered off.

Other than that, no one said a word, nor did I notice a single dirty look. Even the girl in number 13 turned, once she noticed the flash, then wanted to pose for another.

BTW, I agree with you, it is sad to go to the bar at the Opera House Forecourt to then drink plonkl out of a brown paper bag.

Scotty

[hoffy]

Good on you Scotty! I like the reasoning for non-anonymity and the flash. Really pushed you out of the comfort zone.

[Krzys]

I'm happy to see more photogs around here taking actual candid photos, not snapshots of their children. The only thing I can say though is that none of these are 'in your face'. I know this isn't for critique but you used the term a few times

In your face is when they look up and all they can see is a photographer, in their face.

[Scotty72]

ok.. point taken

Didn't realise that was a term with a techncal meaning in photography.

I meant it to suggest that I was making myself very obvious, unlike last time when I focused on buildings and waited for people to drift into view.

But at least 1 of these might qualify for IYF... #3, she turned around and copped a blast of flash from about 3-4 feet (max) away.

Scotty

[hoffy]

I'm happy to see more photogs around here taking actual candid photos, not snapshots of their children. The only thing I can say though is that none of these are 'in your face'. I know this isn't for critique but you used the term a few times

In your face is when they look up and all they can see is a photographer, in their face.

That being said, at least he wasn't shooting from the hip.

Scotty, I reckon, somewhere in between would be good

[Scotty72]

That being said, at least he wasn't shooting from the hip.

Scotty, I reckon, somewhere in between would be good

Sorry, I don't follow

In between what?

[hoffy]

Sorry, should probably fill in the missing words.

While Kryzs has suggested that these are not in your face, I would say that I am not a fan of the "Gilden" In your face type photography. Yours are a bit distant, so somewhere in between.

Yes, the first comment didn't have anything to do with the second comment.....I should read before I hit the submit button

[Scotty72]

I should read before I hit the submit button

Me too - but how boring would that be..

Thanks for clarifying.

I just had a quick look at a few of Gilden's pic. Have to say, it doesn't grab me either.

As for shooting from the hip... Well, although I tend to think that if you're in public and can be seen, then you should expect to be photographed, I still tend to think that from the hip is a bit sneaky / covert etc. After all, I am not a fan of hidden security cameras.
- from the hip is a bit like a hidden camera in that people can't know what you're up to.

I tend to stand in a place and point a camera, wait a few seconds - even a few minutes. Give people ample opportunity to react. The thing is, very few people do react.

Even more, after about 10 secs, most people seem to forgot their is even a camera there and completely ignore you

Scotty

[Krzys]

If you want to capture interesting moments and situations then you are going to have to be quick, sneaky and invisible. If you want to capture interesting people then its usually interesting for them to be engaged with you, eye contact and such.

Just get close! Its 1 thousand times more interesting for the viewer when you are in close quarters. Feels like you are there

[Mary Anne]

Interesting all the same. Good on you Scotty
You know looking through them again. Apart from a few at the top there are not a lot of people smiling.
Being the end of the day I guess they were tired or something.
Loved # 24 and # 25 the Station came up really well with all that light..
Thanks for sharing I will look forward to your next lot of Candid Photography

[Scotty72]

Thanks Krzys, you're right, the closer then better

Thanks Mary-Anne for your encouraging words.

As for the frowns... it was a hot, gnarly night.. maybe that was a reason.

or, the realisation of taking Sydney public transportation was starting to hit them :P

Scotty

[Mary Anne]

It was my pleasure . You are probably right I have not been on Sydney Transport could be 40 years maybe less.
So I have no idea what the transport is like these days though with such a huge population I can well imagine..

[peterb666]

Some great shots there. I have always shot high ISO, non flash in those situations but there are some benefits of using the flash to lift people out of the scene.

[Scotty72]

Some great shots there. I have always shot high ISO, non flash in those situations but there are some benefits of using the flash to lift people out of the scene.

Unfortunately, the 40D only goes tp 1600 (the 3200 extension is quite noisey). Once the sun went down, way too dark to get anything faster than about 1/10 or a 1/15 sec. too slow for moving people.

[MattC]

Nice work Scotty - something that until you try it, you don't realise how hard it can be

[Zoe]

Although I agree these aren't really 'in your face' - I do congratulate you! I wish I had the courage. I'm so shy about photographing people and usually feel like I'm doing something wrong even though I'm not.

[clm738]

"Onya Scotty. Some great shots, love the two station pics. Wish I had the nerve.