Great, I will look for some street pictures. Great website, just looking at all the pictures right now!

Funny. I recently got into street photography myself, however I focus on people. It takes quite a bit of courage to stick a big SLR camera into someone's face. My 20D is by no means inconspicuous. Nevertheless the results are amazing. Below are two examples, for more check out my street photography galleries. The best thing however: You can do this at the airport, visit a city for an hour or so on a short layover or do it while you are on a business trip and don't have much time to visit the sights. You are almost guaranteed to get great and unique shots, even if you don't have enough time to spend.

Some Guys in San Diego

Boy at Fishermans Wharf

Andre

Travel Photos

What about the people in the photos?  Do they know that their pictures are going to be on the internet?  How do you feel about that?

 I love the San Diego shot, Andre.

No they don't know it before I take the shot, but since I am getting fairly close (medium wideangle is what I prefer) and since the shutter on the 20D is very loud (its a fairly high speed camera) they immediately know it after I took the shot.

Its all in the timing and being fast enough to catch some action before being noticed. Its about blending in and not looking like a thread (no long lens and behaving as if its the most normal thing in the world, smiling ...)

People don't know that their pictures are being shown, but it's o.k. For years I used to think that it would require a model release and I have carefully excluded people from my photos. Then I found out that you only need a model release for certain things while publishing pictures as art and in editorial context is fine even without consent. You cannot use people for advertising, to represent a group of people or make fun of them or put them in a bad light. Thats why I am careful on what I name the pictures and what I write with each pictures (often nothing, I let the viewer be inspired).

Consider this: Had I asked them, do you think they would look this natural or would they have assumed some "photographic" pose?

Of course I am always running the risk of being punched in my face (some people I shot could easily have knocked me out), but its a lot of fun and if you convey that on the street people don't seem to mind at all.

It doesn't hurt to carry a copy of the photographers rights flyer:

http://www.krages.com/ThePhotographersRight.pdf

and it doesn't hurt to know what you can and cannot do:

http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/lester/writings/chapter5.html

(Quite amazing to me, you can shoot whatever you want in an airport. However I would recommend to be sensible to security areas where they might not like it too much and try not to invade peoples comfort space too much.)

So how do I feel about it? Well I think those are beautiful pictures of people at their normal activity. Whats wrong with that? Shouldn't they be proud to have helped me to create a piece of art? People these days are obsessed about pictures being posted on the internet because of all the bad media. If some pervert took obscene child pictures and posted them on some myspace profile it makes the news. If somone (like me) were to take beautiful shots as art, it doesn't make the news. Hence peoples perception is skewed by all the media and I have to be extremely cautious about childen (parents might not look too kind on this). Really all I am doing is to create art and people are my subjects.

Since I am not hiding the fact that I just took someones photo (most of the time), people always have the chance to ask me about it. If someone want's their picture deleted I will delete it and if someone turns away I won't go after them (stalking) trying to get the shot anyways. Its all in the moment.

Andre

Street Photography Galleries

Great pictures, also I cant find any pictures on this computer, most are on my Laptop. I will check there lator and put some up.

I forgot to mention that you need to check the laws of the respective countries where you do this. I heard in France it's illegal to take pictures of people without their consent.

Andre

http://www.aguntherphotography.com

A lot of countries have no laws whatsoever, or very liberal ones.  I know someone who was teaching in an English school in Tokyo and was astonished to find a photo her school took of her on big posters being displayed in the subway.  When she complained, she learned that they had the right to use her photos without her permission and without compensation.

I don't think there are any laws in Guatemala about it, but they have such fear that all Westerners are there to kidnap their children that you can't take photos of them.

 I've put a few photos of people on the internet, but it makes me a bit uncomfortable because I know I wouldn't want my photo there unless I put it there. 

Well, if it is within the context of an art gallery or a harmless article I can't really see why someone would oppose this. When I was in San Diego I was photographed a few times myself and I even was videotaped (there were a bunch of guys on the street hugging everyone and one older man videotaping them for hours, very clever as he didn't stick out). I am sure I am on youtube by now ;-)

I find it much more offensive to be videotaped by a surveilance camera without my knowledge then by someone who I can clearly see pointing a camera at me.

If you walk around in Baltimore or some other cities you'd be amazed how many cameras you will see.

Another time a university published pictures of a crowd who allegedly met on their grounds for a pot smoking session and then asked people online to identify them.

Now I would never do such a thing. I am not using the pictures to ridicule someone or to expose something, but rather as an art form.

The subway poster would be illegal in the States (I think) especially if it is used to advertise.

However I try to be sensible. If someone in Guatemala clearly makes sure that they don't want to be photographed, I wouldn't do it.

How many times have you wanted to take a photo of something else and someone walked into your frame right when you pressed the shutter? I don't think they should complain about me using their picture anyways ;-)

Andre

http://www.aguntherphotography.com

cool if you like boring street, and if you think it's hard to get on people's faces, take a look at bruce gilden's work. he got beaten up every now and then shooting his stuff.

Nice shots there, crabs looks delicious!

I like to take pictures in public, I didn't know that there are laws on that, thanks for sharing