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Life lately is scary enough without letting your imagination run wild and seeing danger behind every corner. While parts of the world are suffering alarming violence most of us here in the USA are actually, statistically, living the safest lives in ... well ... our recorded history. Hard to believe this if you are always watching news feeds and hearing fear inducing propaganda disguised as the truth but which are really meant to frighten audiences and push them to take sides in our daily political dramas. And when we watch movies with psychotic characters and violent plots we also tend to absorb the fear and paranoia this content can create in normal people. And then, some people live in fear of anyone who looks different from themselves.
This affect surfaces often in our responses to photographing strangers in public places. Instead of being optimistic that raising one's camera might yield interesting and fun images many have convinced themselves that photographing anyone they come across out in public will result in some sort of unpleasant confrontation. Someone will yell at them, threaten them or respond to having been photographed with violence. But it hardly ever works out that way.
I was only out for a short while this afternoon but I thought I'd concentrate on photographing people I'd never met. People I have no connection with --- other than that we were all out enjoying the vibes of a comfortable Sunday of calm weather on a city street. I carried a camera that was too big to hide and a lens that some would consider less than discreet. I carried the combination on a leather strap and I carried it "Old School." The strap over my neck with the camera and lens dangling on the middle of my chest. In plain sight for everyone to see. Nothing to hide here.
Since I was only using a "normal" lens I couldn't commit the usual two "dodges" of the fearful photographer. I could not really zone focus and shoot from the hip if I wanted to insure good composition and accurate focus while using a relatively open aperture. An aperture of f4 doesn't guarantee the range of sharp focus one might need if working in close. Instead I had to take for granted that people would be fine with me taking my time, pointing a big camera at them, and taking more than one quick "stolen" frame. In many cases today I had to get closer than one normally would to get what I wanted because I was using a 50mm lens. And that was okay too.
There were very, very few people walking around today with cameras in this touristy area of Austin. I saw hundreds and hundreds of people out and about but my friend, David, and I were among the very few sporting a traditional camera of any type. We represented an archetype of sorts; old guys who do photography as a harmless hobby. Like a nutty uncle or a 1990s hipster. And that was our most effective camouflage. Being obvious but not being dangerously serious looking to anyone around us. And not trying to hide what we were doing. "It's not the crime, it's the cover-up." Trying to sneak stuff is sure to raise suspicions but being right up front about your activity is akin to asking for, and getting, approval all at once.
The one "person" I'd met before... the queen of the mannequins. She was stoic about being photographed. ..
One part of the museum was showcasing 84 paintings from the Charles Butt Collection. It's from the family that owns the Texas grocery store chain, H.E.B. Which I think is the biggest grocery store
chain in the state. From Edward Hopper's work to that of Joan Mitchell and
Ellsworth Kelly, the breadth of show was quite satisfying.
A show in the next gallery was entitled: "Run the Code: Data-Driven Art by Thoma Foundation X Blanton Museum of Art.
Amazing and fun stuff. Digital art translation in the moment.
It's here, now. The Art World tosses up a big tent...
See both shows at the Blanton Museum of Art..
At the UT Main Campus, in Austin,
Do you specifically ask permission or just sort of point to the camera and smile? In that great shot of the guy with the dogs in the stroller, do you ask the folks at the table as well? I am about to move to the middle of Washington DC, which is very urban and walkable and I need to work on my people pictures game.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, social media and and news media are toxic. Here is an interesting article "Most Americans see their fellow Yankees as morally bad, while less than one in 10 Canadians feel the same about their fellow Canucks, a new survey from the Pew Research Center found." The full article is at http://bit.ly/4aXJ9Zt
ReplyDeleteDon
I’m not afraid, but now living in Europe after moving from the States, it’s hard for me to accept that I’m officially not allowed to take and/or publish pictures of recognizable people in public. Really puts a damper on things.
ReplyDeleteMy reading of the law is that you are allowed to take photographs of people from whom you have attained permission. And people who appear in large scenes but are not the specific subject of the photograph. And, it's not all of the EU but from what I can read is specific, mostly, to France. I have several photographer friends who live in Paris and while publishing photos of recognizable people without their permission is not allowed most are still taking photos in the street just as they always have and consider putting the images on their social media feed different from traditional for profit publishing. If I am reading this wrong I am certain many from the affected countries will step in to correct me. Good luck!!!
DeleteTo echo your last paragraph before the photo examples, it definitely helps to look non-threatening. Anyone who's over 6 feet tall and looks like Lee Van Cleef, The Hound from Game of Thrones, or any NFL linebacker will have a hard time being inconspicuous, no matter what camera they're carrying. On the other hand, if a gent like this was walking down the street snapping candid photos, who would dare to complain?
ReplyDeleteI the UK, as long as you are not standing on private land, where different rules may apply, you can take pictures of anyone you like and publish them.
ReplyDelete