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Anonymous
hey guys.

As a begginer photographer i get a lot of people saying to get out more, no one wants to see your room or house.

Well i understand that, its just a bit awkward, strange if you will, walking around public places taking photoes of things, and sometimes people. This will cause quite a few strange stares and looks.

Any hints for acting more casual, or something? anything?
>> Anonymous
>>57312

>>Well i understand that, its just a bit awkward, strange if you will, walking around public places taking photos of things, and sometimes people. This will cause quite a few strange stares and looks.

this is a massive misconception. ppl are used to seeing cameras and having photos taken. its a massive part of western culture. one billion photographs are taken every week. get over any fear and get out there.

the only thing i could see annoying anyone is being close and directly photographing their face.
>> Liska !!LIVFOETqL8j
Don't be shy; people don't mind seeing photographers and you won't get any odd looks unless you're stalking people. Only thing to look out for is people asking you to take their picture for them. Get out there and take pictures-- why do you care what anyone else thinks, anyhow? Just have fun and enjoy it! Its a guarantee you won't be the only one around with a camera
>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
Yeah, most of the time when I'm out in photography geek mode and people catch me taking their picture, they just smile and pose for it. Which isn't generally what I want, but it's a hell of a lot better than them going all Emo Nussenzweig on me.
>> Anonymous
>>57327
>them going all Emo Nussenzweig

Does anyone know exactly what the issue was? He was claiming some religious thing, but even the most hardcore conservative brands of Judaism have no problem with photographs... I once stumbled across a website for a Charedi (black robe-with-long-beard-sort) wedding photographer!

Now, it wasn't a very good photograph, anyway, but still.
>> Macheath
What the hell... does that guy have 5 camera bodies on 5 different lenses?
>> Anonymous
>>57349
Yes, he's from Happy Gilmore IIRC. It's a joke.
>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
>>57349
Sports photographer, looks like he's photographing a golf tournament. Faster to switch between cameras than switch between lenses on the same camera. When you're lugging around that much L glass, the cost of bodies (especially since I'm pretty sure those are film bodies) is negligible.
>> Anonymous
You need to buy a leica M8. No large slapping mirror = inconspicuous. Go out and buy one now.
>> Anonymous
>>57357
Shitty troll is shit.

You can take photos in public with any camera. A nice inconspicuous rangefinder might make it a bit easier to take candid shots, but waving about a massive 1-series SLR just makes people think you're a pro and then they ignore you too.

Not getting into M8-bashing or anything, but we shouldn't scare off OP that early.
>> Anonymous
>>57349
Hmm, now that I went back and looked at the pic again, those kneepads aren't probably a bad idea.
>> Anonymous
Oh and the guy is using all Canon gear, but with Nikon straps?
>> Anonymous
I love the duct tape on the big lenses, there, haha.
>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
>>57359
How else do you think he could afford all of those L lenses?

(Slurpslurpslurpslurp)

>>57360
Of course! Only a fool uses the strap that the camera manufacturer gives you with the camera. That just shouts out to thieves what camera you've got so they can steal it.
>> angrylittleboy !wrJcGUHncE
>>57312

I started out like you. I thought to myself "people might think I'm weird" or "I look stupid" so I used my little point and shoot when nobody nearby is looking. After a while, I just stopped caring.

I'm using a bigger and more conspicuous digicam now, and I still shoot regardless if people see me or not.

If you're going to let a few stares get the better of you, you're not going to get your pictures at the end of the day.
>> Liska !!LIVFOETqL8j
>>57364

Hey, duct tape/tape is essential to any good photographers gear. I use tape to keep the back of my camera shut since the TSA broke the latch. It works out great!!
>> elf_man !fBgo7jDjms
I mean really, there is no life without duct tape. And a spork. Adding a spork always helps.
>> street-pirate
That guy should sell one of his bodies and buy a backpack.
>> Anonymous
>>57375
A backpack kinda defeats the point of having 5 cameras with different lenses, since you can't switch between them quickly when they're inside it (unless you're the Doom guy)
>> Anonymous
>You need to buy a leica M8. No large slapping mirror = inconspicuous. Go out and buy one now.

Well, not having a large slapping mirror helps. For those of us who can't afford the M8, a good idea is a good, non-SLR digital camera, like>>57367.

>>57358
I think the M8 guy was making a joke, not trolling.

If they notice a photographer and think he is a professional, they will not think about calling the cops because their kid is in the frame (lol 4chan), true, but they'll still be concious of being photographed. That's not good for street photography.

As far as the guy in the picture, if one isn't trying to be inconspicious there's no reason not to go batshit with equipment, except to the point it gets in the way. This guy's paycheck depends on what he shoots, so I'm assuming it doesn't get in the way for him.

Multiple bodies for each lens and different settings and so onis win, if one can afford it. The kneepads do seem like they would be a win idea as well.

As far as his straps, I'm going to guess he shot Nikon on film, upgraded to Canon digital for whatever reason, and liked his old straps.

I would guess the duct tape on the lenses is an attempt to glue down a zoom lens to a particular focal length, so the zoom ring doesn't slide as it rubs up against all his stuff.

It seems to me this is a guy who knows his style, knows how to do well the sort of photography he's doing, and has a thought-out working system to pull it all together, as absurd as it looks.

>>57366is just no. No, no, no.
>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
>>57378
I think the duct tape is holding on some homebrew lens hoods. Seems a bit odd, given how much money he's got dangling around his neck, that he'd cheap out on lens hoods, but Genuine Canon hoods for those big monster superteles are absurdly expensive for something that, although it looks trashy, can be done with a rolled up bit of cardboard and some duct tape.
>> Anonymous
OP, the bigger camera you have, the less people will care, since you look like a professional. It's when you run around taking sneaky photos with your cell phone people start acting up.
>> Anonymous
>>57390
see
>>57378
>If they notice a photographer and think he is a professional, they will not think about calling the cops because their kid is in the frame (lol 4chan), true, but they'll still be concious of being photographed. That's not good for street photography.
>> Anonymous
>>57312

Go on vacation, or at least find a nearby scenic tourist attraction where you'll be surrounded by Asian tourists packing giant SLRs. Then you'll fit right in, and hopefully also have something interesting to shoot as well.

As cliche as it is, nature and scenic photography is a good way to improve your chops while getting results that will be at least moderately interesting to other people. Also, grab some friends and do some portrait/glamour shots on them. Chances are they'll be good sports, and you might just get a few cool shots that'll make for good memories. Since you know them, you (hopefully) have a better idea of how to capture their personalities.

If you're interested in action stuff, talk to a nearby highschool or university and see if you can get permission to photograph sporting events. Usually they're more than happy to let you get right up on the sidelines, especially if you give them some of the better shots afterward. Get a good tripod and mess around with timed exposures and multiple exposures. Photograph star trails or lightning storms or something.

Basically ,find ways to put yourself in situations where you can photograph something other than just boring, mundane day-to-day stuff. The key is not just to get out of your house, it's to get out of your comfort zone, out of your regular environment. Look at good photos pros have done and use those ideas. By the time you've gotten 20 or 30 thousand exposures under your belt, the feeling of awkwardness will be long gone.
>> Anonymous
>>Oh and the guy is using all Canon gear, but with Nikon straps?

OH NOES!!!!!

yeah duct tape is fucking fantastic. i taped up three flashes on radio triggers at a gig a while ago. if i had used tripods/ stands they would have got the shit kicked out of them.

which color do you guys prefer? i have a place in my heart for silver or red.
>> street-pirate
>>57377

I was half joking about the backpack. Still, it could be useful for all the random stuff he's lugging around. What is that, a crotch bag?
>> Anonymous
>>57312

dude, thats Ken Rockwell.

i remember his tips oh shooting golf, or "galf" as he calls it.

..."Always make sure your strapped up to the nines in your knee pads. You never know when some two bit hooker is gonna cut in on your game. i spend most of the tournament on my knees trying to pull of shots from the greats. Woods, Sing and Nicholas are just a few of the pros ive spend hours on my knees for." Ken Rockwell, 1993, "Hole in One, Memories of a rent Boy"
>> Anonymous
>>57444
except we all know ken rockwell doesnt need that many cameras. he just looks at a scene and the world adjusts exposure of itself and composes itself into his viewfinder.
>> angrylittleboy !wrJcGUHncE
>>57447

and his throwaways are the stuff that makes National Geographic. Lol.

Anyway, it's true that people tend to become more conscious when you lug around a big black lump of plastic and metal with a shiney piece of glass in front of it. But one thing you can do to make them less conscious is to try taking pictures without pressing the camera in front of your face.

Strap it to your neck or shoulder then shoot without looking at your camera.
>> Anonymous
>>57462
>Strap it to your neck or shoulder then shoot without looking at your camera.

This -almost- never works. Even Winogrand always at least took a quick check through his viewfinder, and he shot like a maniac.
>> in b4 tlr des
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>>57464
Shooting from the hip, that's crazy, if only there was some kind of finder... that could be used at about waist levOHSHI~

Even better these days because no one under the age of 40 remembers their regular use or, probably, has ever seen one.
>> Anonymous
>>57471
I have a working old Exakta with a waist-level finder. The mirror is rusted though, so you can't see shit in it.
>> Optical !4X8vLLNDE2
There is a detachable lcd that attaches to your viewfinder, and you can remove the lcd from its unit. From there you can have the camera whereever and you can see what your camera points at through the lcd...
>> Anonymous
>>57464

Every 1 out of 4 shots for me works when I do that...
>> thefamilyman !!rTVzm2BgTOa
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>>57471
i can get one for my F5, but they are crazy expensive
>> Anonymous
>>57391
I have a big camera. In public, there's no use trying to conceal it, so yes, when people see me directing my attention at them they often stiffen up or pose. To avoid that, I simply pretend that I'm interested in taking pictures of a building or a tree nearby (which I often am) and wait until they relax and ignore me before pointing the camera at them. Works fine.
>> Anonymous
>>57312
I'm in the same position. While I don't feel akward about taking picture when I'm elsewhere, walking around the neigbhourhood photographing gives me the shivers.
>> Anonymous
>>57471
WLF FTW!

Got one on my RB67 Pro-S, damn camera is a beast weighing about 6 pounds.
>> angrylittleboy !wrJcGUHncE
>>57464

Yeah, it almost doesn't work. I'd have to throw away a LOT of shots while using that method (motion blur, fucked-up composition, unnecessary elements getting in the way... at least I'm using digital and don't have to worry too much about wasting film), but I think it's one of the few ways OP can take photos in public without attracting too much attention. And yes, sometimes you do get lucky.
>> Anonymous
anyone that looks at me weird i take a picture of.
>> Anonymous
get the biggest zoom lens you can find and hide in a bush
>> Anonyfag of Borneo !bHymOqU5YY
>>57657
And don't forget camo. Those white lenses will stick out without them.
>> Anonymous
haha..
>> Anonymous
ITT: How to get arrested by taking photographs.
>> Anonymous
>>57657
yeah when i get my 70-200 thats what i'm gonna do

>>57668
thats a great idea i'll keep that in mind...