Would you have given this advice to Robert Frank and Garry Winogrand? William Klein and Henri Cartier-Bresson? Alvarez Bravo and Moriyama Daido?....
Jeff,
You are speaking of another time and place. People did not have the same sensibilities then as now nor the same hyper stimulated sense of fear and doom.
What little C-B decisive moment photographs I make I do with an awareness of the subjects' reaction to finding they are being photographed. If they are noticing me I ask permission with a gesture and small head nod. This usually is answered with favor.
If they seem irritated I offer a similar response as above by way of apology and seek other subjects. In either case people are assured that I am sensitive to their preference.
Regarding children is such circumstances, I find the parents usually helpful and encouraging.
My point is it's a matter of attitude and how we present ourselves. While U.S. law currently allows us the freedom to photograph "on the street" we are in fact infringing upon people's sense of space and their assumption of privacy while in a public place. It may have no legal or reasonable founding, but it is theirs. When we respect it and them they will yet tend toward cooperation and conversation may follow.
Peace! Sidney
