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Street Photography - Small Camera or Big Camera

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
Well it is clear to me from a perspective of convenience and having a desire to be as unnoticed as possible - that my preference is to have with me as small a camera and lens combo as possible. That is how I normally work.

However I recognized from the last few days of carrying around a big camera/lens combo, that the perception of people is different and that different opportunities are opened up to me. Because this combo is heavy, I have attached it to my Rapid Strap that fortunately I decided to bring with me after pulling it out for some portrait work at home last fall.

THE DIFFERENCE I AM NOTICING:

With my small camera setup, I use a wrist strap and keep the camera tucked in my hand mostly hidden. When I raise the camera to waist height to take a photo, I am generally looking down at the swiveled out LCD screen and snap with my thumb on the shutter release or sometimes tap on the touch screen. People I am shooting hardly notice. When they do notice, I have found that their expressions are initially ones of curiosity - or “What is he doing?” - and then they may just ignore me.

Now what became clear to me recently when walking with a full fledged camera hanging from my side with my hand on it - was that people knew exactly what I was doing and were expecting that I would be taking pictures. So in the market stalls as an example, vendors would be watching me and laughing and talking to others working with them, in anticipation that I would be taking pictures of them. Walking down an aisle, the first person to noticed me would holler down to others something about photo, and all would snicker and straighten themselves up waiting for me to raise my camera.

And with a big normal looking camera hanging at my side, I have had more people not let me pass by them without letting me know they want me to take their picture —- such as this guy on the left last night. When I acknowledged him and pulled my camera to my eye, he pulled his buddy in close to be included.




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I have been shooting the streets with a small camera for a long time, and so it was obvious and interesting to see how people reacted differently to a big normal looking camera these last couple of days. I realized that it can be a good thing too. At the end the day though, my arthritic wrists and elbows were in some pain when I put my camera away, and so that will always be a determining factor for my preference to use small cameras.


———
 

Cem_Usakligil

Well-known member
Interesting observations Robert. I either take my Sony A7MkII with me, which is not very small combined with the lens or I shoot with my phone camera. People usually ignore the latter since they assume I'm taking snapshots for family and friends which is close to the truth anyway. I'm then just another bloody tourist. I might be seen as a nuisance but that's mostly it. When I shoot with the Sony, I'm no longer inconspicuous. But it still doesn't look like a large professional camera with white lenses, so people react to it in different ways. Some invite me to take their pictures, as in your story above, and some avert their faces or sign me that I shouldn't take a picture. But mostly, they silently suffer the "indignity" of being a subject for yet another wannabe photographer. Because that's what it looks like to the regular folks, just another person with an ILC camera who seem to crowd the touristic locations around the world nowadays.
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
Interesting observations Robert. I either take my Sony A7MkII with me, which is not very small combined with the lens or I shoot with my phone camera. People usually ignore the latter since they assume I'm taking snapshots for family and friends which is close to the truth anyway. I'm then just another bloody tourist. I might be seen as a nuisance but that's mostly it. When I shoot with the Sony, I'm no longer inconspicuous. But it still doesn't look like a large professional camera with white lenses, so people react to it in different ways. Some invite me to take their pictures, as in your story above, and some avert their faces or sign me that I shouldn't take a picture. But mostly, they silently suffer the "indignity" of being a subject for yet another wannabe photographer. Because that's what it looks like to the regular folks, just another person with an ILC camera who seem to crowd the touristic locations around the world nowadays.


Nice reply Cem. Thank you for sharing your experience.


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Jerome Marot

Well-known member
Indeed, it is so much nicer when people want to be photographed, so that we are not tempted to hide our cameras.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Thanks Robert, Cem, Jerome, for sharing your experiences!

Americans seem to be 100 times more threatened by folk gathering information on them. People have “arrived”. Immigrants are here, that is hard won privilege and success. But some family members, are without documents and under threat of discovery and deportation.

Gang members in Hispanic or Black neighborhoods may be electronically identified from group pictures. In stadiums, concerts and sport arenas, sometimes there’s a booth with video being streamed to a police or security services. So that’s the bad side of the background.

Individuals, once they are greeted, welcome strangers and value that contact. After that, anything is possible as long as they don’t deal vulnerable and threatened.

In West Los Angeles successful folk might fear strangers “mapping” them for some future unknown nefarious purposes. In general, here people have a space around them that they don’t want invaded!

Any camera can be considered “invasive”, especially with a large lens. In Hispanic areas, sometimes, there’s a fear that one is an ICE agent looking for “illegals” or gang members.

In the Farmers’ Market in Westwood, folk often feel their privacy is invaded. In Beverly Hills, tourists love pictures. The best overall approach is to use either a long lens and “reach” further or a smaller camera to be less obvious. This year I have noticed an increase in objections, “Did you take my picture? You have no right. That’s rude! I want you to delete it!” I would say that at least one in five is outraged verbally objects. Half silently suffer.

If one asks, however, one is five is delighted and might recruit a friend or relative. Another asks, “Why?” and when I say, “I am an artist!”, they are game. Of these, one in 10 become a collaborating model or muse and I employ them for months to years! I mostly take pictures of just families, friends, women or an exceptional fellow with a beard! Most of my interest is is earnest conversations, friendship, or simply interesting women.

A larger camera is enthusiastically welcomed if folk are engaged beforehand. They then feel so fortunate that they were chosen amongst others.

Asher
 

James Lemon

Well-known member
THE BIG LESSON IN LIFE,BABY, IS NEVER
BE SCARED OF ANYONE OR ANYTHING

My wife travels with me on many of my outings and loves photography. She is like a invisible voyeur in the street. It was quite a while before I discovered she has been taking photos of me from time to to time.

I have a hand crafted strap 130 centimeters long made from bull leather. Worn on my left side behind my waist, hardly noticeable but easy to bring up to my eye. I am not shy when it comes to making photos and am up front about it. I like to hang out in places for long periods of time. People get used to me being there with my camera and a smile goes a long way.

Here in Canada the street belongs to everyone! I will tell people so if they have a problem and make it clear to them that they don't own the street or the space they occupy. These confrontations rarely happen but generally most situation are resolved easily.

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Photo by my wife Janice​
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
James,

So craft, surreptitiosness, patience and disguise works! Yes I agree. Here too. But where Robert works, it seems that there is far less a barrier around people in the streets!

Asher
 
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