Did you just take my photo?

Street Portraits

5 Aug

I’ve dipped my toe into most street photography techniques; from the hip, in your face, camping and stealth mode. All of which create dread, fear and excitement followed with a sense of guilt and shame. Anyone can shoot from the hip, right?

Well, no, it’s not easy to do well and there are plenty who excel at it.

If I go candid mode paranoia overpowers my cloak of invisibility and renders me visible and in plain view to all suspicion. Any possible confrontation inhibits my looseness, my movement and more importantly my creativity. I freeze and inevitably miss the moment. You snooze, you lose.

Rarely have I been rumbled but there is one encounter that has stayed with me.

Shooting randomly at a bus stop a tall woman in a pink coat and red beret collared me, “Did you just take my photo?” She wasn't too happy and demanded to know if I was taking photos of her.

“You can’t take my photo without my permission!” and “My husband works in newspapers, you need my written permission to take my photo!”

I didn’t get into all the legal technicalities of what I know I can and can’t do in public so simply smiled and started talking with her. Confrontation turned to conversation and her tone transformed as we talked.

After a cheesy smile and even cheesier compliment I popped the question, “Can I take your photo?" She said yes! I couldn’t believe it, could it really be this easy? I was so blown away I totally screwed up the shot. But it didn’t matter because this picture had a story!

Further down the high street my mouth took over, “Hi, can I take your photo?” again and again. I couldn’t believe how many people were willing to let me take their photo. I got so much more than a lame sneaky shot that would no doubt end up in the trash bin.

My fear of getting caught weighs heavy compared to my fear of rejection. Honesty is the best policy and if it’s a “No” that’s cool, I move on. There’s plenty more fish in the sea.

~ Mark