How do you ask strangers for pictures?

I see a lot of candid photos and some obviously posed where a complete stranger is asked for their photograph or is being photographed without their knowledge or consent.

I know this has been battered about before here, but it is a tough search to find the thread...

Can anyone explain or describe what they've done to get a shot from a stranger? Have you ever offered say $1 for the right to take a photo, then post on the internet? What have you done in the past?

If it a street performer or panhandler, I always "donate" first and have never had to ask if I could take their picture. I rarely take pictures of absolute strangers, I tried it but it just reeks of stalking to me.
--



Don't forget to have fun.

You can take pix of people within public domain without their permission. Normally the moments flee too fast to even ask someone for permission. But, if the person objects....there is no point aggravating someone. If the person dominates the photo in foreground (naturally it depends on situation) you may want to consider asking for permission. Sometimes it's better to shoot first and ask permission later.

Also, you can take a shot of a person with a longer lens, without them even knowing it.

Not all countries have similar law, so check that out before you raise it to someone's face....you could be accosted with all sorts of screaming and obscenities.

As to how, well each of us may have different appraoch, but you can start with "do you mind if I.....?" Most people will respond positively.

Leswick

In the USA no one has a right of privacy in a public place. Since my start as a pro in the 1960s I have never asked permission to photograph anyone in public. I have published many of the photographs on the web or in print in uses that did not require a model release. In 40 + years I have been threatened maybe three times for aiming my camera at someone, but I took the shot anyway. Sometimes I have been cursed at but rarely. In one extreme case I was spat at, and in another a person threw something at me. On the other several thousand shots nothing happened.

--
Richard Weisgrau
http://www.weisgrau.com
Author of
The Real Business of Photography
The Photographer's Guide to Negotiating
Selling Your Photography
Licensing Photography

KenBuse said:

I see a lot of candid photos and some obviously posed where a complete stranger is asked for their photograph or is being photographed without their knowledge or consent.

I know this has been battered about before here, but it is a tough search to find the thread...

Can anyone explain or describe what they've done to get a shot from a stranger? Have you ever offered say $1 for the right to take a photo, then post on the internet? What have you done in the past?

Click to expand...

I don't typically do it. Now, if there's a parade where people are trying to make spectacles of themselves, ok. Some mug for the camera---sure. And if someone gets in a shot in a public space, that sometimes can't be helped.

But to pick a person on the street and think, 'Wow, there's something photographically interesting here; I'm going to take a photo," no. Some argue if it's legal etc. and that's fine. I don't feel comfortable with it.

Stumbled across this the other day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yourself_or_Someone_Like_You

In May 2005, New York resident Frank Torres, whose photo was on the cover of the album, sued Matchbox Twenty, claiming that the band had never sought his consent to use his photo on the album's cover. In the litigation, Torres claimed the photo was taken as he was walking down the street after being asked to pose. He also claimed the photo had caused him mental anguish. Torres justified the delay in suing Matchbox Twenty by claiming he had only seen the album photo within the last two years.

Bring money into the equation and some will change their minds about it.

--
Gear listed in profile under "plan."

Someone stop me before I buy again, please!
Dave

520man said:

In May 2005, New York resident Frank Torres, whose photo was on the cover of the album, sued Matchbox Twenty

Click to expand...

Take a stranger's photo, and publish it within a book of photo's - Editorial

Take that same photo and put it on the cover of the book or Album - That probably crosses the line into Commercial use

In the first case, he is just the subject of a photo essay. In the second case he is either implicitly or explicitly endorsing the book/album

--

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain an idea without necessarily accepting it. -Aristotle

The one serious conviction one should hold is that nothing should be taken too seriously.
...oh, and I see by the lack of responses that I am right yet again.

dad_of_four said:

520man said:

In May 2005, New York resident Frank Torres, whose photo was on the cover of the album, sued Matchbox Twenty

Click to expand...

Take a stranger's photo, and publish it within a book of photo's - Editorial

Take that same photo and put it on the cover of the book or Album - That probably crosses the line into Commercial use

In the first case, he is just the subject of a photo essay. In the second case he is either implicitly or explicitly endorsing the book/album

Click to expand...

That's pretty much the way I understand it, at least, in America (I'm a native-born citizen), where a lot of people are camera averse. Many people still think that they have a legal right to privacy in public spaces. And we Americans are big on our rights, real or imagined.

There is, however, a caviat to the public privacy issue, which speaks to public spaces where a reasonable expectation of privacy would be expected, for example, a public restroom, etc. My understanding is that private property is also off-limits in the above regard, for example, standing on a public street and taking aim at someone's bedroom, regardless of whether or not their curtains are open, and they are in plain veiw. In contrast, if they were standing in their back/front-yard, they would be fair game.

You might find this interesting:

http://lightenupandshoot.net/favorite-videos/find-a-model-in-five-words-or-less

They do this abroad and in the U.S with great success. Not so much in this video.

Part of it depends on if you want a candid picture or a posed picture. You can't ask permission beforehand and get a candid picture. Just take it.

For posed pictures, if you have an expensive camera (and especially if you have a camera bag/tripod) people will know you are not a stalker but a professional. Just talk to them. Just this weekend I was taking some architectural pictures and somebody came up and asked me what I was doing. We had a nice 5 minute chat about buildings and where he was from, etc. After that, I asked if I could take his picture. He said OK so I moved him to a nice background and got some nice portraits. No exchange of money. No promise of pictures. Just a nice friendly photo session.

I know it's scary the first time you do it but it gets easier the more people you ask. Remember, it never hurts to ask and the worst is that they might say no.

Abe

It is a good idea to try to contact the subject immediately post-photo, especially if you plan to publish photos, with location info, on the web. If the subject is alarmed about being photographed, offer to erase on the spot.

Battered women can be "on the run", betting that stalker/batterer won't go to the extent of searching more or less randomly outside his own city. Anything that puts together the woman and a location makes it easier for the stalker/batterer to decide to track her down. Battered women come from all social classes, so don't think that an expensively dressed woman couldn't have a problem.

I consider it wise to contact the parent of child subjects in candid photos, for the same security reasons. It may also reassure the parent that you are not a perv.

I shoot huge amounts at music festivals and as a public space there is no legal requirement for me to seek permission, in fact I am there to photograph the event. BUT I do ask permission of kids especially, if there is a kid jumping about in a mud puddle I will take the shot and look about for parents, or ask the kid where its parents are. I will then approach, explain that I am working the festival for the local press or the organisers and show them the photo if they have no objections about it everyone is happy. You also tend to find that as more alcohol is consumed more people will pose/mug/ ahem flash for the camera and everyone is usually happy to be photographed. I have only ever had one request to delete an image and that was from someone who was pulling a sick day to be at the festival and really didn't need to be seen in the press or on my website. But I have never had an adverse reaction or negative answers, just approach be polite and friendly ask if you can take their picture, as I have my own website I will give them that information so they can have a look at a later date, I have never paid to take someones photo and don't think I ever will. Consider if you would like your photo taken in that situation before taking the shot if you are using a long lens. Just be friendly and approachable to people and they will usually respond in kind.
--
THE man in black

NancyP said:

It is a good idea to try to contact the subject immediately post-photo, especially if you plan to publish photos, with location info, on the web. If the subject is alarmed about being photographed, offer to erase on the spot.

Battered women can be "on the run", betting that stalker/batterer won't go to the extent of searching more or less randomly outside his own city. Anything that puts together the woman and a location makes it easier for the stalker/batterer to decide to track her down. Battered women come from all social classes, so don't think that an expensively dressed woman couldn't have a problem.

Click to expand...

I'm sorry but we can not be responsible for people's private lives. People are photographed constantly when they leave their homes. You are on video or being photographed at ATMs, in department stores, in banks, at gas stations, just crossing the street and being captured by a security camera. Rather than go 'on the run' perhaps women need to stand up for themselves and their children and see that their batterer goes to jail.

NancyP said:

I consider it wise to contact the parent of child subjects in candid photos, for the same security reasons. It may also reassure the parent that you are not a perv.

Click to expand...

I disagree. People need to get over the idea that everyone they see wants to touch their child in an inappropriate way. You put your child in more danger everytime you put them into your car than they will ever be from a stranger. People really need to lighten up.

We also stigmatize our chidren into feeling worse about it when things do happen than is necessary. A child who is young enough doesn't even know they've been violated until someone tells them they have.
--
Jennifer

'Having is not so pleasing a thing as wanting, it may not be logical but it is often true.' Mr. Spock, Star Trek

I always feel uncomfortable taking pictures of strangers, though I'm completely comfortable with my motives, and that's what counts for me. It's all about not wanting to make them feel anxious: why should a stranger want to take my photo? Is he from the authorities? Is he a private detective? So I man up and try to take the shot without being seen If I do get caught, I'll smile and say, "it's my hobby, I hope you don't mind".

FrankieJ said:

If it a street performer or panhandler, I always "donate" first and have never had to ask if I could take their picture. I rarely take pictures of absolute strangers, I tried it but it just reeks of stalking to me.

Click to expand...

--
Richard

Only your best friends will tell you, you have BO PF

I know one place where people are not camera shy; india! but doint point the camera at women.

KenBuse said:

I see a lot of candid photos and some obviously posed where a complete stranger is asked for their photograph or is being photographed without their knowledge or consent.

I know this has been battered about before here, but it is a tough search to find the thread...

Can anyone explain or describe what they've done to get a shot from a stranger? Have you ever offered say $1 for the right to take a photo, then post on the internet? What have you done in the past?

Click to expand...

Although, as is often the case, others benefit from the inquiries of fellow board members, it may be of some interest to future potential posters to this thread that the OP started it over 3 days ago, and has not contributed since....

smile, point to your camera and say "can i take your picture?"

most people like to have their photo taken, but some do not want you to steal their soul or something.

any photo is a piece of history frozen in time.