Welcome back to another lesson of inconspicuous photography. In this third lesson I will give you a few more tips to lessen your burden in taking photos in the public.
In the previous lesson I introduced you to two more tips on how to go about your shoot without getting hassled. It is always best to present yourself in such a way as to not arise concern or suspicion. The tips for inconspicuous photography were to not hide what you are doing and to be prepared. Both of these tips are vital to your success. If you hide what you are doing you will look suspicious and arise suspicion. If you aren't prepared you will face both the problem of not getting your shoot done well or running into trouble if others get in the middle of your shoot.
So what do you do if you are confronted when you are out? What do you do if someone comes up to you and confronts you in your quest to take the perfect picture?
5. Be honest
Nine times out of ten if you simply explain to the person, honestly, what you are up to they will allow you to continue your inconspicuous photography.
Imagine you are in a crowded downtown street and you are taking pictures of the birds as they fly between the buildings. People briskly rush by as you remain stationary in the square looking up the sky. Someone stops beside you and observes your actions. You continue to stand there, without realizing that you have acquired an audience, and continue to snap photos of birds. They sweep from window to tree and back again. The person coughs to get your attention and asks you what you are doing. So what are you doing? It's simple. You're taking pictures of birds as they fly around the city because that is your hobby. Perhaps you have a website or a blog where you talk about birds. Birds are your passion and you love taking the photos. You delight in getting shots of new and different birds all the time. You've been to various different areas around the city and you find that the downtown area is the best place to get the shots you desire. You can get a greater variety of birds and can also find many different angles, shots and actions than you can in a park.
If you were to tell this to the person who asked you about your actions they are very likely to feel good about your answer and leave you to your shooting. You may even occasionally find the person take a genuine interest in your photography and they may ask you a few questions about the topic. Perhaps a business opportunity might arise. The person might even want to hire a photographer.
That may not be very likely to happen, but more often than not the person will be satisfied with your explanation and move on. You can continue your inconspicuous photography.
6. Lie
Now I know what you are thinking. The sixth rule directly contradicts the fifth. And did he just call them rules? I thought they were tips. The rules to inconspicuous photography are tips, tricks, rules or guidelines. All these words are synonymous and mean the same thing in this context. All of these tips are complimentary to each other, even when they seem to contradict. You may come into many different scenarios and situations where different tactics are needed.
Recall the same situation as was previously described. You are in a busy downtown square, surrounded by people, taking photos. Just as before you have your eyes to the sky and are snapping the photos looking upward. This time, however, you are not taking photos of birds at all but are actually taking pictures of the buildings themselves. Your exact motive for taking the photos isn't important, but telling someone that you are taking photos of buildings seems a little more odd. While the person isn't likely to do much more than give you an odd look there are other situations that might not run so smoothly.
Imagine another situation where you are taking inconspicuous photos in a place where someone of authority might get in your way. They might not have any authority to turn you away in reality as you are not breaking any rules, but they may pose an intrusive force that may cause you to feel the need to leave. That would be very unfortunate, especially as it could ruin the entire outing. So if you are taking photos of something that might confuse the person confronting you then don't tell them what you are taking photos of. Lie.
This could perhaps cause you some concern. Why should you have to lie about what you're doing if you aren't doing anything wrong? The simple answer is that you aren't lying because you're doing something wrong; you're lying to simplify what could become an unusual, awkward or troublesome confrontation should you be misunderstood. It's easier to say you're taking photos of birds instead of buildings should that make things run more smoothly.
That's it for today. Check back soon for another few tips for inconspicuous photography!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Inconspicuous Photography - Lesson 2
Welcome back to inconspicuous photography tips - lesson 2.
Last time we went over my first two suggestions for taking photos in public.
The first lesson in inconspicuous photography was to remain confident about what you are doing. Nothing gives you away more than showing a lack of confidence in what you are doing and thus showing that you are nervous. You being nervous makes other people nervous. And people who are nervous tend to activate that 'fight or flight' instinct. So they will either 'fight' and confront you about what you are doing, or they will 'flight' and go tell someone that you are there. Should you be there on uncertain terms, that could lead to the end of your shoot.
The second lesson was not to look suspicious. You want to be inconspicuous with photography. Any successful public photography session needs to be done without interruption. I guarantee that looking suspicious will lead to many interruptions, the least of which won't be pretty. That being said it is easy to not look suspicious, and the following tip will help you to that effect.
3. Don't Hide What You are Doing
Imagine that you see someone in a crowded subway terminal, standing alone near the edge of the platform. He is standing there shuffling from foot to foot and has his hand inside of his jacket. What would you think he is doing there? Why is he standing alone in a busy subway with his hands in his inside jacket pocket looking around and waiting? In this day and age of paranoia that could look really bad and illicit many primal fears. Does he have a gun? What is he doing? Nine times out of ten you will meet up with a security guard, or worse a policeman, if you were the unfortunate photographer in this scenario.
Some photographers feel nervous when they are practicing inconspicuous photography and are out taking photos. You might think that if you stand there with a camera in hand it might invite question as to what you are doing and why you are there. After all some of the areas that you are taking photos might be on the borderline between private and public property. The last thing you want is to have someone hastle you whilst trying to take photos, especially if they are for a simple hobby.
So what can you do if you are somewhat nervous in a scenario like this? Hiding the camera is likely to rise suspicion and showing the camera is also likely to garner attention. What is a photog to do? The answer is simple ... carry with you a camera bag.
Simply have the camera inside your camera bag, over your shoulder. A great number of camera bags look very inconspicuous and don't scream that you have a camera with you. A lot of people carry over-the-shoulder bags, and having one with you won't raise any suspicion. When the time is right to take your photo you need to simply take the camera out of the bag, take your shot and return it to the bag. Depending on the shot this can be done quickly, simply and without making anyone feel nervous.
Another tip you can use to remain inconspicuous is with the use of a camera bag is to always put the camera in the bag the same way every time. If you standardize the way you have the camera in the bag you will always know exactly how to grip the camera coming out of the bag. I have mine set in my bag so that when I grasp the unit with my hand I can turn the camera on and, should I need to make use of the flash, pop that up with a tap of the finger in the same motion of removing the camera out of the bag. So by the time the camera is up and in position to take the photo it's on and ready to shoot.
4. Be Prepared
If are going to go out and take photos it is a good idea to know what you are doing before you do. Know where you are going and what you are hoping to capture on your trip. Preplan your shoot and the shots you want. It is easier to get what you are seeking out to get if you know what you need. Being prepared for inconspicuous photography is an excellent way to get the task done without getting hastled.
Take the time before you go out to set your sights on what you want to accomplish in your inconspicuous photography.
A good way to go about this is to first plan out where you are going. If you have more than one desired destination then break these down under separate headings. Use different pages if need be. You don't want to run out of space to add in all the details required. For this example I am going to plan a shoot whereby I am going to take all of my photos at the mall. So I will write my heading as 'mall.' If you have more than one destination you can be more specific than this, it is up to you.
Now I want to take photos in this mall of the different fountains. The reasons why one would be taking these photos isn't of consequence. I might have a school paper about the history of fountains. I might want to paint a picture of a fountain and need a reference photo to do this. Perhaps I am designing a fountain to be placed in a drawing I wish to make and I need an example of one to make it convincing. Perhaps I am an aspiring computer artist and want to model a fountain on the computer, but need different photos around a fountain to make one. The reasons why I might be taking the photos doesn't really matter, but having a reason for being there is important. I'll get back to that a little later on.
There are four separate fountains in the mall. One at the west end, two near the centre of the mall and one near the exit closest to the rear parking lot. To make my inconspicuous photography shoot run as smoothly as possible I want to get shots of all four fountains, from multiple angles as quickly and as smoothly as possible. The mall is considered private property and some people might prefer that I be there taking photos.
As mentioned before, it is possible to contact mall management and ask permission to do this but you run the risk of being told that you cannot. Should this happen you end up with two problems. First should you be confronted while taking the photos they will know who you are and that you were told not to take the photos. You run the risk of being, at the very least, asked to leave. You could also be trespassed and told not to return to the property. Now you won't be able to get the photos at all. The second problem you might run into is that they will let you take the photos. Why is this a problem? Simple.
While your inconspicuous photography shoot would likely take you less than fifteen minutes to get the dozen shots you need for your personal use, a shoot under the control and scrutiny of the mall itself is fraught with complications.
A friend of mine wanted to take photos from inside a mall and was very limited in what they would let him do. He could not take any photos with a bank in the background. This makes sense as far as security goes on their behalf. Just hope that the fountain isn't anywhere near a bank or that is one shot you won't be getting. Secondly he wanted to take reference shots of the structure of the mall and wanted to go when there would be less people to get in the way of his shots, either when the mall opened or was about to close. The mall required that he take his photos when they could be with him, which ended up being in the middle of the day when the mall was crowded. So what would have taken him very little time to do turned into an ordeal.
Let us now assume that you are going to go about your inconspicuous photography shoot on your own terms. It will be quicker and less painful that way. Make a heading for each of the four fountains that you wish to photograph. If you can you should go to the site that you are going to shoot and see what you are in for. Make note of the angles that you need to capture. Under each fountain that you are going to photograph write down the different angles that you are going to use.
Being prepared and preplanning your shoot, before you even get there, will allow you to get your shots done quickly. This will lessen your chances of being questioned or confronted. What should you do if you are? I'll talk more about that in the next lesson of inconspicuous photography! See you then!
Last time we went over my first two suggestions for taking photos in public.
The first lesson in inconspicuous photography was to remain confident about what you are doing. Nothing gives you away more than showing a lack of confidence in what you are doing and thus showing that you are nervous. You being nervous makes other people nervous. And people who are nervous tend to activate that 'fight or flight' instinct. So they will either 'fight' and confront you about what you are doing, or they will 'flight' and go tell someone that you are there. Should you be there on uncertain terms, that could lead to the end of your shoot.
The second lesson was not to look suspicious. You want to be inconspicuous with photography. Any successful public photography session needs to be done without interruption. I guarantee that looking suspicious will lead to many interruptions, the least of which won't be pretty. That being said it is easy to not look suspicious, and the following tip will help you to that effect.
3. Don't Hide What You are Doing
Imagine that you see someone in a crowded subway terminal, standing alone near the edge of the platform. He is standing there shuffling from foot to foot and has his hand inside of his jacket. What would you think he is doing there? Why is he standing alone in a busy subway with his hands in his inside jacket pocket looking around and waiting? In this day and age of paranoia that could look really bad and illicit many primal fears. Does he have a gun? What is he doing? Nine times out of ten you will meet up with a security guard, or worse a policeman, if you were the unfortunate photographer in this scenario.
Some photographers feel nervous when they are practicing inconspicuous photography and are out taking photos. You might think that if you stand there with a camera in hand it might invite question as to what you are doing and why you are there. After all some of the areas that you are taking photos might be on the borderline between private and public property. The last thing you want is to have someone hastle you whilst trying to take photos, especially if they are for a simple hobby.
So what can you do if you are somewhat nervous in a scenario like this? Hiding the camera is likely to rise suspicion and showing the camera is also likely to garner attention. What is a photog to do? The answer is simple ... carry with you a camera bag.
Simply have the camera inside your camera bag, over your shoulder. A great number of camera bags look very inconspicuous and don't scream that you have a camera with you. A lot of people carry over-the-shoulder bags, and having one with you won't raise any suspicion. When the time is right to take your photo you need to simply take the camera out of the bag, take your shot and return it to the bag. Depending on the shot this can be done quickly, simply and without making anyone feel nervous.
Another tip you can use to remain inconspicuous is with the use of a camera bag is to always put the camera in the bag the same way every time. If you standardize the way you have the camera in the bag you will always know exactly how to grip the camera coming out of the bag. I have mine set in my bag so that when I grasp the unit with my hand I can turn the camera on and, should I need to make use of the flash, pop that up with a tap of the finger in the same motion of removing the camera out of the bag. So by the time the camera is up and in position to take the photo it's on and ready to shoot.
4. Be Prepared
If are going to go out and take photos it is a good idea to know what you are doing before you do. Know where you are going and what you are hoping to capture on your trip. Preplan your shoot and the shots you want. It is easier to get what you are seeking out to get if you know what you need. Being prepared for inconspicuous photography is an excellent way to get the task done without getting hastled.
Take the time before you go out to set your sights on what you want to accomplish in your inconspicuous photography.
A good way to go about this is to first plan out where you are going. If you have more than one desired destination then break these down under separate headings. Use different pages if need be. You don't want to run out of space to add in all the details required. For this example I am going to plan a shoot whereby I am going to take all of my photos at the mall. So I will write my heading as 'mall.' If you have more than one destination you can be more specific than this, it is up to you.
Now I want to take photos in this mall of the different fountains. The reasons why one would be taking these photos isn't of consequence. I might have a school paper about the history of fountains. I might want to paint a picture of a fountain and need a reference photo to do this. Perhaps I am designing a fountain to be placed in a drawing I wish to make and I need an example of one to make it convincing. Perhaps I am an aspiring computer artist and want to model a fountain on the computer, but need different photos around a fountain to make one. The reasons why I might be taking the photos doesn't really matter, but having a reason for being there is important. I'll get back to that a little later on.
There are four separate fountains in the mall. One at the west end, two near the centre of the mall and one near the exit closest to the rear parking lot. To make my inconspicuous photography shoot run as smoothly as possible I want to get shots of all four fountains, from multiple angles as quickly and as smoothly as possible. The mall is considered private property and some people might prefer that I be there taking photos.
As mentioned before, it is possible to contact mall management and ask permission to do this but you run the risk of being told that you cannot. Should this happen you end up with two problems. First should you be confronted while taking the photos they will know who you are and that you were told not to take the photos. You run the risk of being, at the very least, asked to leave. You could also be trespassed and told not to return to the property. Now you won't be able to get the photos at all. The second problem you might run into is that they will let you take the photos. Why is this a problem? Simple.
While your inconspicuous photography shoot would likely take you less than fifteen minutes to get the dozen shots you need for your personal use, a shoot under the control and scrutiny of the mall itself is fraught with complications.
A friend of mine wanted to take photos from inside a mall and was very limited in what they would let him do. He could not take any photos with a bank in the background. This makes sense as far as security goes on their behalf. Just hope that the fountain isn't anywhere near a bank or that is one shot you won't be getting. Secondly he wanted to take reference shots of the structure of the mall and wanted to go when there would be less people to get in the way of his shots, either when the mall opened or was about to close. The mall required that he take his photos when they could be with him, which ended up being in the middle of the day when the mall was crowded. So what would have taken him very little time to do turned into an ordeal.
Let us now assume that you are going to go about your inconspicuous photography shoot on your own terms. It will be quicker and less painful that way. Make a heading for each of the four fountains that you wish to photograph. If you can you should go to the site that you are going to shoot and see what you are in for. Make note of the angles that you need to capture. Under each fountain that you are going to photograph write down the different angles that you are going to use.
Being prepared and preplanning your shoot, before you even get there, will allow you to get your shots done quickly. This will lessen your chances of being questioned or confronted. What should you do if you are? I'll talk more about that in the next lesson of inconspicuous photography! See you then!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Inconspicuous Photography - Lesson 1
Photography can be many things to many people. To some photography is an art, with the act serving a need from within to express oneself. Others find the tactic of photography one that is more of a leisure activity, done for the sheer joy of taking pictures. Still others make their living from the photograph and form a business model and a profession from the act. No matter the reason behind why you take pictures, taking inconspicuous pictures out in the public can be a tricky endeavour as it can be fraught with many complications and intrusions. Taking photos out in the world is hard, and I'll go over the reasons why that is and how you can ease your work.
Depending on how you go about your photography can impact your success or failure in the act. Going about your shoot in the wrong way can sabotage your efforts, however going about the shoot correctly can result in success.
Of course all of this doesn't mean anything if you follow the proper procedures and get a permit to go out and shoot. If that is the case you have the money and the acumen to go through the proper channels to make sure that everyone around the shoot cooperates with you and allows you to complete your shoot unabated. If that is who you are then you don't need my help. This article isn't meant to help those that don't need any help. Just go on doing what you are doing. If you are among the majority that don't have the ability, money or need to go this route then you are whom I am trying to help.
I am trying to help the independent photographer who is going out on his, or her, own to take pictures. Whether you are taking pictures of a model, a building or a landscape the tactic is the same. I am going to show you the ways to use inconspicuous photography and go about your shoot without intrusion or interruption.
Again none of these tips and tricks are foolproof and are not a guarantee of success. It is impossible to predict with utter certainty what will happen on a shoot. People are, by definition, unpredictable. These tips for inconspicuous photography are meant only as a guide on how to present yourself on the shoot and what to do so that you can have the best chance at success. Follow the below tactics, and you will stand a better chance at becoming successful.
1. Be Confident
Nothing stands out more to security or sends up a flag quicker to someone around than someone that doesn't look confident. Now confidence doesn't mean that you walk into the square with your chest puffed out with your arms at your sides strutting your stuff telling all the world that you are there and are supposed to be there. That's not the type of confidence that I'm referring to and this won't help you with your inconspicuous photography at all. I'm talking about a more understated confidence that shows anyone around, who may notice you and what you are doing, that you know what you're doing and are going about it. If you look unsure and uneasy about what you are doing that will glow from you like a bad aura. The people around you will start to feel uneasy about you being there as you look uneasy yourself. That is the quickest way to get security called on you, should you be in a private "public" place such as a shopping centre or stadium. That will put an end to your inconspicuous photography plans for the day.
With that being said, how do you convey that you are confident about your actions? Again you don't want to over do your actions or mannerisms. Faking your confidence can be just as detrimental to inconspicuous photography as looking uneasy, so be careful not to accidentally convey false confidence. Being confident has to start before you pack your camera and set out to to the shoot.
Take the time to think about the shoot and psych yourself up mentally. Tell yourself (and you have to believe it) that what you are doing is good and you have the right to be there. There is nothing wrong with inconspicuous photography so you have nothing to fear or be worried about. Your shoot will happen without incident, and should someone question what you are doing, they'll understand what you're doing and won't hassle you.
Understand that you have to believe this to naturally convey your confidence. Display to everyone that you are supposed to be there doing what you are doing and you will lessen your chances of being hassled.
2. Don't Look Suspicious
Inconspicuous photography is not so difficult, as long as you are conscious of your actions. Another mistake that is made when going out to do a shoot is looking suspicious. This mistake often occurs accidentally and without the realization that it is happening.
Take a moment now and think about all the things that could make you look suspicious. Picture that you have gone to your local shopping centre and you want to take some pictures of the architecture on the ceiling. The mall has very intricate tile work or something. Whatever it happens to be it strikes your fancy and you just have to take photos of it. Whatever your motive is in taking the photo, as I have heard many different reasons for taking pictures, if you look suspicious before you start shooting - big red flag.
You want your photography to remain inconspicuous. So what constitutes as looking suspicious? Several different factors can contribute to looking suspicious and all equally send the wrong message.
One of the biggest faux pas that looks suspicious is trying to not look suspicious. So what does that mean? Think back to a sitcom where a character has been spotted doing something they shouldn't be doing. What do they do? They look around the room aimlessly and whistle. Now I know that realistically no one would really do something so obviously suspicious, but smaller things can be just as suspicious as something obvious.
This goes part and parcel with the last tip of looking confident. If you look like you are there for a purpose and not don't seem unsure of what you are doing, you won't look suspicious. This includes things like looking around too much, standing around idle for too long, or being over cautious about being overheard. Of course you don't want to be too loud in your conversation, should you be with more than one person, but just the same as you don't want to draw attention to yourself you don't want to seem like you are hiding what you are talking about. Someone that whispers and seems secretive can draw just as much notice as someone jumping around like a chimpanzee chirping for all to hear.
So what have we learned from this first lesson of inconspicuous photography? Be confident in what you are doing and don't draw attention to yourself looking suspicious. Come back soon and I'll impart upon you more of my wisdom. I joke, of course. Bookmark the page, subscribe to the RSS and make your way back here soon and I'll give you a few more tips on how to be successful in your inconspicuous photography.
Depending on how you go about your photography can impact your success or failure in the act. Going about your shoot in the wrong way can sabotage your efforts, however going about the shoot correctly can result in success.
Of course all of this doesn't mean anything if you follow the proper procedures and get a permit to go out and shoot. If that is the case you have the money and the acumen to go through the proper channels to make sure that everyone around the shoot cooperates with you and allows you to complete your shoot unabated. If that is who you are then you don't need my help. This article isn't meant to help those that don't need any help. Just go on doing what you are doing. If you are among the majority that don't have the ability, money or need to go this route then you are whom I am trying to help.
I am trying to help the independent photographer who is going out on his, or her, own to take pictures. Whether you are taking pictures of a model, a building or a landscape the tactic is the same. I am going to show you the ways to use inconspicuous photography and go about your shoot without intrusion or interruption.
Again none of these tips and tricks are foolproof and are not a guarantee of success. It is impossible to predict with utter certainty what will happen on a shoot. People are, by definition, unpredictable. These tips for inconspicuous photography are meant only as a guide on how to present yourself on the shoot and what to do so that you can have the best chance at success. Follow the below tactics, and you will stand a better chance at becoming successful.
1. Be Confident
Nothing stands out more to security or sends up a flag quicker to someone around than someone that doesn't look confident. Now confidence doesn't mean that you walk into the square with your chest puffed out with your arms at your sides strutting your stuff telling all the world that you are there and are supposed to be there. That's not the type of confidence that I'm referring to and this won't help you with your inconspicuous photography at all. I'm talking about a more understated confidence that shows anyone around, who may notice you and what you are doing, that you know what you're doing and are going about it. If you look unsure and uneasy about what you are doing that will glow from you like a bad aura. The people around you will start to feel uneasy about you being there as you look uneasy yourself. That is the quickest way to get security called on you, should you be in a private "public" place such as a shopping centre or stadium. That will put an end to your inconspicuous photography plans for the day.
With that being said, how do you convey that you are confident about your actions? Again you don't want to over do your actions or mannerisms. Faking your confidence can be just as detrimental to inconspicuous photography as looking uneasy, so be careful not to accidentally convey false confidence. Being confident has to start before you pack your camera and set out to to the shoot.
Take the time to think about the shoot and psych yourself up mentally. Tell yourself (and you have to believe it) that what you are doing is good and you have the right to be there. There is nothing wrong with inconspicuous photography so you have nothing to fear or be worried about. Your shoot will happen without incident, and should someone question what you are doing, they'll understand what you're doing and won't hassle you.
Understand that you have to believe this to naturally convey your confidence. Display to everyone that you are supposed to be there doing what you are doing and you will lessen your chances of being hassled.
2. Don't Look Suspicious
Inconspicuous photography is not so difficult, as long as you are conscious of your actions. Another mistake that is made when going out to do a shoot is looking suspicious. This mistake often occurs accidentally and without the realization that it is happening.
Take a moment now and think about all the things that could make you look suspicious. Picture that you have gone to your local shopping centre and you want to take some pictures of the architecture on the ceiling. The mall has very intricate tile work or something. Whatever it happens to be it strikes your fancy and you just have to take photos of it. Whatever your motive is in taking the photo, as I have heard many different reasons for taking pictures, if you look suspicious before you start shooting - big red flag.
You want your photography to remain inconspicuous. So what constitutes as looking suspicious? Several different factors can contribute to looking suspicious and all equally send the wrong message.
One of the biggest faux pas that looks suspicious is trying to not look suspicious. So what does that mean? Think back to a sitcom where a character has been spotted doing something they shouldn't be doing. What do they do? They look around the room aimlessly and whistle. Now I know that realistically no one would really do something so obviously suspicious, but smaller things can be just as suspicious as something obvious.
This goes part and parcel with the last tip of looking confident. If you look like you are there for a purpose and not don't seem unsure of what you are doing, you won't look suspicious. This includes things like looking around too much, standing around idle for too long, or being over cautious about being overheard. Of course you don't want to be too loud in your conversation, should you be with more than one person, but just the same as you don't want to draw attention to yourself you don't want to seem like you are hiding what you are talking about. Someone that whispers and seems secretive can draw just as much notice as someone jumping around like a chimpanzee chirping for all to hear.
So what have we learned from this first lesson of inconspicuous photography? Be confident in what you are doing and don't draw attention to yourself looking suspicious. Come back soon and I'll impart upon you more of my wisdom. I joke, of course. Bookmark the page, subscribe to the RSS and make your way back here soon and I'll give you a few more tips on how to be successful in your inconspicuous photography.
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