The Ethics of Street Photography
People interest me. I enjoy watching people walk, talk and sell their wares. I take notice of how people dress and how they carry themselves. I observe how people interact with their companions. I study their idiosyncrasies. I enjoy documenting these observations to recall them later and marvel at human nature.
But in order to capture unique moments on the street sometimes you have to be quick and jump right into the moment, which means getting very close to your subject even though that person may not want you intruding. This can be a very delicate matter. I’m a sensitive person so I know how it must feel to not want a stranger with a camera come in close right out of nowhere.
I watch videos of street photographers who don’t seem to care about people’s feelings and get right in their face to flash a photo of them. These photographers have great portfolios but I’m sure they experience many confrontations to attain their art. I also watch videos of street photographers who have a much softer approach but get the same stunning results.
I’m of the second type. So sometimes I ask and sometimes I shoot from the hip so it’s not obvious I’m taking a photo. Granted, occasionally you have to move fast—almost involuntarily—to get the perfect shot but you can also choose to let that shot go if doing so would cause a conflict of emotions between you and the subject. It’s the photographer’s choice.
Often you can tell if a person would or would not mind their photo being taken. If I sense the person would feel it was an intrusion I just keep going. I try to be friendly and act with an air of confidence. There are times when I ask if I can take someone’s photo that I notice hesitation. At these times I explain who I am and show them my website on my phone to sort of legitimize my request.
At the end of the day though, it comes down to the character of the photographer. The character of the photographer will determine which style they use. I feel women photographers have a much less threatening appearance than do men. And younger photographers of either sex feel less threatening than older photographers. But that’s a generalization. As long as you portray an air of confidence and professionalism chances are you’ll have success at street photography.
Mt. Pleasant, Washington DC
