Disappearing by being in plain sight. Photographer as social chameleon.

 

Two Views on the Spanish Steps. Rome. Unposed. 

I like to read spy novels. Secret agent books. Covert action stories. One author I enjoy is Mark Greaney. He has written a series of action/spy novels that has come to be known as "The Gray Man Series." His protagonist is an assassin and a lone wolf character. Trained by the CIA to be an autonomous operator. And one of his well honed skills is the talent of fitting in anywhere by fitting in. The character is perennially on the lam from bad guys from major spy agencies and assorted other, sinister organizations. His ability to fit in keeps him alive. 

I'm not so far into the "Walter Mitty Syndrome" that I think I'm a secret agent or a something of that nature but I do find some truth in the actions of Greaney's protagonist. Especially when he arrives in a new city, susses out what people wear, how they walk, how much or little eye contact they make in social situations and little, habitual "tells" or mannerisms the general population shares. 

When Greaney's character arrives from a train or a boat in a new city he might go into a used clothing store, or a store that has day to day clothing the working class in that city generally buys. Right down to the right hats, jackets, pants and even shoes. Maybe especially shoes. By observing and tailoring his appearance to match the center of the distribution curve of local humanity he becomes, for all intents and purposes, invisible to random observers. 

I think, regardless of your literary preferences, Greaney is supplying a template for others who want to blend in to the local environment. Say, street photographers who want to work in public places without causing alarm or suspicion for the people they would like to document. 

There is a reason we instantly recognize stereotypes. It's because the stereotype has been repeated so often as to become a shorthand for whole swaths of new visitors to a city. One has only to sit in a popular public space for a few hours to see it over and over again. The stereotypes held by residents in other countries that apply to many (but not all) tourists from the U.S.A. go as follows: They are overweight. They are tragically under-dressed. They wear running shoes everywhere. They are the ones wearing short pants in Paris, Rome, London, etc. They have a deep affection for baseball hats with logos. They talk very loudly. They yell to each other across crowded railway cars, plazas and restaurants. They resist walking with the flow of traffic and, instead, block sidewalks by walking three or four abreast. Fat, poorly shod, poorly dressed and using the power of their voices to draw unwanted attention to themselves. And....one more thing.... if they are into photography they carry a big camera bag and have a big camera with a big lens on the front of it. 

I can imagine few other ways to build barriers to gaining smooth access and candid images of the people who live and work in the cities, natively. 

And there is no "one" costume one can buy and use that guarantees fitting in to every country, every city. There is no one size fits all. 

Seems to me that getting candid images in public places in most urban environments is facilitated by dressing like a native. Walking like a native. Being shod like a native and mirroring the bearing and attitude of a native. Fewer big, toothy grins. Less vocal volume in public spaces. More attention to good grooming. And using discreet cameras. 

When I took the photographs just above I'd been in Rome already for a couple of weeks. I'd purchased a few articles of clothing that seemed appropriate and popular for natives in my age demographic. Shoes were the most important selection. Sturdy leather shoes with laces are hard to beat. No fanny packs. No giant hold everything camera bags. No aggressive gear choices. No lenses longer than one's arm. And most importantly an attitude that I hoped said, "I am supposed to be here. I am supposed to be taking photographs. I am relaxed. I am not sneaky. I exist only as a non-threatening article in your peripheral vision. Nothing more." 

Once you decide what you want to photograph you might want to do the prep work; the rough focusing, the exposure setting and what not before you move into your shooting position. You know, so you don't draw unnecessary attention to yourself. You can intuit your composition if you work with the camera and lens you've chosen to use often in the recent past. When you are ready to shoot you don't rush it or act furtive; you just shoot. And you probably don't need to Winogrand/Machine Gun dozens of shots to get what you want. Photograph and move on. Most people who live in high population density areas probably won't even notice you and ......  that's exactly what you want. 

Fitting in is intentional. Giving up the idea of totally controlling a photograph is wise. Working without worry is essential. Wearing the right shoes is like getting a Christmas bonus when it comes to fitting in...