"Rev. Sidney Flack" <sgflack@prodigy.net> wrote/replied to: > >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. Rev, thanks for putting everything is perspective. That's a heck of a way with guidance you have there. I think too, that today we can't really shoot the same way as back when nobody knew what the heck you were doing anyway with that box with the glass on front. What the Rev. said above surely says it all. Let the people know you're there, don't hide, if they look angry, put the camera away, say you're sorry, move on. Sometimes a little nod goes a long way as does a smile and being dressed decently. A short chat can give you many opportunities. Although Cartier-Bresson in his day did a fine job, times have changed so you can't really compare those shots to today. He was a pioneer, we are now annoyances and possiblly criminals by shooting. But I see no reason you can't produce the same type of photos, even when the subjects are aware, or at least had some kind of contact with you shooting them. And many do continue to do stealth photography. They are like war photographers, sometimes sacrificing their equipment and running, sometimes suffering worse. Jim Davis Nature Photography http://www.kjsl.com/~jbdavis/
