public photography

[Crimson Dark]

I am just wondering how do you guys find people reacte to you when your walking around with this huge camera around your neck shooting pics of stuff.

I have found they look at me strange at first and then just kind of keep walking in a way that they don't get in the shots.

others thoughts/experiences

[Nike]

I have made all kinds of different experience... sometimes, the same you've mentioned. Then again, especially in Greece and Turkey, kids are really excited and want to be photographed. That's really fun. If I know them better already (or their parents), I usually let them shoot aswell, if they want so, and usually that's a lot of fun. They are much less scared of a more complex cam than grown ups.

Sometimes, people are really interested and keep following me, telling me when I should shoot what. That can sometimes be annoying, sometimes funny. Once I was in a zoo and this lady kept looking over my shoulder shouting "here, now!" "oh no, now you've missed that here and there" She just didn't move on. After half an hour she asked me "why do you have a Nikon,eh? Everyone has Canon" At this point all I could reply was a very silent, but clear "I have a camera. It takes photos." That helped
Sometimes, on the other hand, people want to know what and why I am photographing and that way, sometimes I met really nice people that I sometimes stayed in contact with.

[carolupus]

Most people look kind of irritated at the camera at first, then they look at me and either just walk past, or walk past faster than before. sometimes they smile, but that's rarer. and sometimes they start talking or I start talking.
I've never made bad experiences, but I hardly take pictures of people so that they notice. I try to be careful after I heard a story from a friend of mine who had her camera smashed on the ground by a stranger because he thought he was on the picture. most people seem to be a little afraid of big cameras pointing at them...

[purplerose]

It's a mixed bag for me as well.

Some people look at me weird, but I'm the type of person to look back at people when that happens. It works and they stop giving me strange looks.

Other people smile. That's always nice.

Some ask questions.

Others try to give me photo lessons... -_- I had one guy tell me not to rely on my zoom so much one day. I guess he was intimidated by the size of my lens, lol.

I don't think I would ever allow someone to smash my camera though. I'm a tough, southern, city girl and I make odd people keep their distance.

[Gentile]

When people notice I'm taking pictures of them they'll look at me and start pointing at their friends and laughing.

Otherwise if people do react to me...I don't notice lol.

[daedicurus]

i try not to get people in my photos so i haven't had to face up to a worried subject (yet) but one thing i have noticed is that shooting in a large/capital city people tend to ignore you but on a recent trip to a rural town i tried to shoot some clouds behind a water tower and the locals threatened to call the police (i guess they thought i was a terrorist or something) and a farmer threatened to shoot me (with a gun, not a camera) if i took a picture of his fields...
so be careful in those small towns "you ain't from round here are you boy?"

[purplerose]

Originally Posted by daedicurus

a farmer threatened to shoot me (with a gun, not a camera) if i took a picture of his fields...
so be careful in those small towns "you ain't from round here are you boy?"

Yeah, farmers have a lot of people trying to take their land. When I was an intern for the Department of Transportation, we had to make sure we had our official gear on because all of the houses and farms we visited thought we were working for some large corporation trying to steal their land for big development.

[Valadilene]

Man.. if someone smashed my camera.. we'd have 'words'. Thats Texan for a punch in the face.

People usually just look at me weird, if im taking pictures of kids, ill ask the folks first.. or be super sneaky, like taking the shot while holding the camera at my waist.. people get touchy with kids...

though its easier being female.. people aren't as suspicious

I got kicked out of a place once.. and got hassled by security guards at a movie theater.. they left me alone once i explained what i was doing..

[cleonor]

Honestly, I swear everyone thinks I'm a tourist (because we get a fair amount of them where I live). People usually either ignore me or try to stay out of the frame (either for politeness or not wanting to be in the shot). Exceptions are... parades of any sorts, a lot of people want their pictures taken and give me emails and such, it's totally different.

I'm a little bit nervous about taking pictures of strangers where their faces are showing because they can try to sue me and legal fees are expensive. I also avoid taking pictures of: bank buildings subways (without permission), and the homeless (because they're bugged/payed by photographers all the time).

[daedicurus]

Originally Posted by cleonor

I'm a little bit nervous about taking pictures of strangers where their faces are showing

i'm not sure where you are but in most of the world if you are shooting in a public place (street, park, etc...) no one can legally stop you from taking their picture, or all gossip magazines would go out of business, that doesn't stop them getting angry but they can't sue you. and unless your being paid to take the shot you retain copy-write no matter who's in the shot.

also (at least in Australia, England and America) the exterior of all buildings are covered by copy-write, but this copy-write law has an exception for photography although strangely not for video, that's why you need a permit to film in the street but not to take photos...