Intrusive?

WhatSheSaw · October 17, 2009

I'm still feeling my way with street. I felt like I was intruding on this woman, but there she was down by the river in the park, a very public place. Would you have taken this or respected her privacy? Taking it definitely pushes my comfort zone.

pgaviria · October 17, 2009

I think it's a beautiful photo, I'm glad you took it.

Richard · October 17, 2009

WhatSheSaw wrote:

I'm still feeling my way with street. I felt like I was intruding on this woman, but there she was down by the river in the park, a very public place. Would you have taken this or respected her privacy? Taking it definitely pushes my comfort zone.

Well, it's not illegal, but you yourself have to decide what your limits should be. I would have taken it, but others might not. She wasn't alone, after all, because you were there.

I think you will find that there is a wide range of opinions regarding the ethics of shooting without prior permission. Stealing souls is not for everyone.

michswiss · October 17, 2009

This wouldn't have bothered me in the least. There is substantial separation between you and your subject. Where I tend to draw the line is if there is any firm indication they don't want their picture taken. I also normally strive to take shots they or their family would appreciate. But then again I like getting really close and break rules all the time.

bdcolen · October 17, 2009

good for you!

WhatSheSaw wrote:

I'm still feeling my way with street. I felt like I was intruding on this woman, but there she was down by the river in the park, a very public place. Would you have taken this or respected her privacy? Taking it definitely pushes my comfort zone.

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Good for you! Yes, you captured a private moment - in a public space. There should be no expectation of privacy in public, and in a situation such as this, your only question should be whether you want to create the image. Also, I'd note that the way this was shot you preserved the woman's 'privacy' - she is not identifiable except to those who know her.
Nice work.

bdcolen · October 17, 2009

Richard wrote:

Well, it's not illegal, but you yourself have to decide what your limits should be. I would have taken it, but others might not. She wasn't alone, after all, because you were there. I think you will find that there is a wide range of opinions regarding the ethics of shooting without prior permission. Stealing souls is not for everyone.

With ADR, Richard, if one doesn't believe in shooting the world as one sees it - which means NOT asking permission, then in a general sense one belongs on the People forum and not here. That still begs the question of how far one wants to go in terms of capturing what the subject incorrectly believes are private moments. But if one feels compelled to always ask permission, then one is shooting what are, in effect, posed photos.

Let the food fight begin!:ivar :ivar

Richard · October 17, 2009

bdcolen wrote:

With ADR, Richard, if one doesn't believe in shooting the world as one sees it - which means NOT asking permission, then in a general sense one belongs on the People forum and not here. That still begs the question of how far one wants to go in terms of capturing what the subject incorrectly believes are private moments. But if one feels compelled to always ask permission, then one is shooting what are, in effect, posed photos.

Let the food fight begin!:ivar :ivar

You'll get no argument from me on this one BD; I am in complete agreement. I made the point only because I have seen some people express strong opinions on the matter. I rarely ask permission myself.

adbsgicom · October 17, 2009

Sorry, google didn't help. ADR?

Richard · October 17, 2009

adbsgicom wrote:

Sorry, google didn't help. ADR?

I assume he meant "all due respect."

Angelo · October 17, 2009

bdcolen wrote:

With ADR, Richard, if one doesn't believe in shooting the world as one sees it - which means NOT asking permission, then in a general sense one belongs on the People forum and not here. That still begs the question of how far one wants to go in terms of capturing what the subject incorrectly believes are private moments. But if one feels compelled to always ask permission, then one is shooting what are, in effect, posed photos.

Let the food fight begin!:ivar :ivar

I agree with this and also ask, is this image really a "street" image?

bdcolen · October 17, 2009

adbsgicom wrote:

Sorry, google didn't help. ADR?

All due respect....

bdcolen · October 17, 2009

Angelo wrote:

I agree with this and also ask, is this image really a "street" image?

If we define "street photography" as candid photography, of or including people, in public places, then yes. If you want to argue that "street photography" is confined to "street" settings, then no; it's a candid image shot in a public place.

Either way, it's a good image.

And I don't know about the rest of you, but I like to think of this forum as "capturing real life." :ivar :ivar

Flyinggina · October 17, 2009

On the subject of taking pictures in a public place and posting them in one's blog, I was interested and rather surprised to read in workshop-at-the-bank-home-stretch

Joe McNally's Oct. 16 blog that he had taken two photographs that he thinks are among his best recent street pictures . (He writes about the photographs and his feelings about publishing them on his blog about half way through the blog, right below the marvelous picture of the mad with sad eyes.)

By way of background, Joe took Jay Maisel's workshop in New York City this past week where his challenge was to do street photography without lights, assistants or fancy equipment. No cropping. No pp. He struggled, he got criticized, and he shared his experiences and reactions in his blog.

I just love his description of the point of view of photographers hitting the street with their cameras in his October 14 blog entry. Made me laugh but I knew just what he was talking about.

Virginia

WhatSheSaw · October 18, 2009

Thanks for the comments, pgaviria, Michswiss, Richard, and BD. Thanks for the link, FlyingGina. I really enjoyed the blog.

BD, I had to take it - more than wanted to. I was struck by the beauty of the place contrasted with her obvious sorrow. I have been in that emotional space where the colors get washed out and beauty is not enough to lift the spirit.

I also found it interesting that other visitors were giving her plenty of personal space. There was a family with young children that came to the river a minute after I took this. They stayed as far from her as they could and still be at the river.

Intrusive?

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