Street Photography Faux Pas

[Shadowman]

I was photographing this weekend and took this shot. The lad in the background slightly clipped was a young enthusiastic photographer. When he saw me taking this shot he yelled out to his father, seated behind the young lady, "Oooh look dad a street photographer"! He then ran over to me and started asking me endless questions. Needless to say, I was now the object of everyone's attention.




f/11, 1/180sec, ISO 100, 70mm

[IzzieK]

Was the guy nasty? Just asking...I'd like to know how to it feels ...

[Shadowman]

Was the guy nasty? Just asking...I'd like to know how to it feels ...

No, he didn't get nasty.

[flashback]

I hoped you told him he has to join the S.P.U. (Street Photographers Union), I will send you my email, and he can send the membership check directly to me.
Jeez John, you should have got more pictures.

[Shadowman]

I hoped you told him he has to join the S.P.U. (Street Photographers Union), I will send you my email, and he can send the membership check directly to me.
Jeez John, you should have got more pictures.

Jack,

I like the union dues idea. This was one of the few times where I felt so visible, however it seemed like only the photographers acknowledged my presence.

[flashback]

The best we can hope for is to be invisible on the streets. I hope you were encouraging and supportive (and of course, very mystical) about the art of S.P..

[Rita]

You just have to love those moments

[IzzieK]

Oh...the bane of being interviewed.... I hope you had a grand time talking to another Street Photographer... I haven't succeeded yet in taking SP, but I will try to remember Jack's union...

I got a stupid question...when you take some shots in the street and you call it street photography, what do you call it when you take impromptu pictures in an event like gathering (or air show opened to everyone)but you are not from the media? Is that categorized as street photography too? I took a lot of shots at the airshow last weekend of photographers shooting airplanes...I can't believe the number of them using iPads and iPhones and one strange one using a tripod with fat big lens with camo covering like as if he was taking photos in the jungle. Of course it was a jungle out there but controlled chaos. Will my shots be categorized/considered "street photography" too? Just asking...

[Shadowman]

The best we can hope for is to be invisible on the streets. I hope you were encouraging and supportive (and of course, very mystical) about the art of S.P..

I tried to be supportive but he was so energetic and hyped to be out with his camera; I don't think he heard a word I said.

[Shadowman]

Oh...the bane of being interviewed.... I hope you had a grand time talking to another Street Photographer... I haven't succeeded yet in taking SP, but I will try to remember Jack's union...

I got a stupid question...when you take some shots in the street and you call it street photography, what do you call it when you take impromptu pictures in an event like gathering (or air show opened to everyone)but you are not from the media? Is that categorized as street photography too? I took a lot of shots at the airshow last weekend of photographers shooting airplanes...I can't believe the number of them using iPads and iPhones and one strange one using a tripod with fat big lens with camo covering like as if he was taking photos in the jungle. Of course it was a jungle out there but controlled chaos. Will my shots be categorized/considered "street photography" too? Just asking...

Hi Isabel,

I would still categorize it as "street or candid" but some also consider it "event photography" and there is a new coined phrase "citizen journalist", so even if you are not the hired photographer, your images could very well have some value to a publisher.