Feel the fear and take the picture anyway ...

Nonagenarian

As a freelance journalist specialising in Scottish history, most magazine assignments have required me to take pictures for illustrative purposes, but such pictures seldom involved people. Where portraits were required, however, I took these photographs with the subject’s knowledge and permission.

Street photography (that is to say candid pictures taken of strangers on the street) is different.

I rarely do magazine articles now, and when I do take pictures of my native city, it is for my own pleasure. Around September of last year (2012), however, I began taking photographs that could be more properly categorised as ‘street’ photography. I found I enjoyed taking these images, particularly those of the ‘candid’ variety.

I have to say now the thing most off-putting about street photography is that, in order to get the picture, you have to point your camera at the subject. I found doing this took me out of my comfort zone.

How to overcome this fear? Well, the short and truthful answer is that I do feel the fear, but take the photograph anyway. I have, however, resorted to a set of stratagems that minimise the likelihood of conflict.

More and more, I find I'm using the following methods:

Use a wide lens. I use an DSLR and a Ricoh GRD4. On the Nikon (D90) I use a 24mm, which on DX is equivalent to 36mm. The Ricoh has an in-built 6mm, equivalent to 28mm in full frame. The use of a wide angle means you can easily include the subject without them being aware they’re in the picture. With both of these lenses for example, it is quite possible to include someone on one side of the frame while ostensibly shooting something else. (I know you can use a long focal length to get your shot more easily and (perhaps) more safely, but I don’t recommend it. To get the most from street photography, you have to get where the action is: close to and in among your subjects. Being up close gives you better opportunity to observe what is going on around you, too, and therefore more likely to be able to snap the ‘candid-style’ opportunities that present themselves.)

Hip (or chest) shoot. Again, with a wide angle lens, it is possible to take a picture without your subject being aware you’re doing so. With my Ricoh, though, I don’t really need to worry about this. When shooting with the GRD4 I position the camera in front and to one side when taking the picture. I think this looks to the subject as if I am checking a previously-taken picture. The Ricoh is so small, quiet and unobtrusive it is rarely seen anyway — which is how I was able to get in really close and take the above picture (for more detailed info on this shot, click on the ‘Street Photography’ gallery on the right of the blog page).

Another method to increase confidence when starting out is to focus on street entertainers, fairs, markets and the like. (I did this to some extent myself at the beginning.) I suppose it helps, too, to be located in a biggish town where there is plenty going on. Being a native of Edinburgh, I can go unnoticed in the more touristy areas of town — there are so many people carrying cameras.

The main thing I’ve found, though, is to get out and take pictures. The more you do, the more confident you’ll become. Like I say, you may still experience some initial trepidation, but you’ll find this will disappear the more you get into the shoot.