Re: [Leica] Street photography

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@home.com>]

Brian Reid wrote:
> 
> In my younger years I did a lot of street photography with my IIIf and with
> a Canon P. I enjoyed it a lot and I have thousands of pictures in my vaults.
> 
> I'm 50 now. I have from time to time tried street photography recently, and
> I find that I just can't get it to work any more.<<<<<<<<<<<

Hi Brian,
That's what comes with mid-life, there isn't the same kind of "youthful
innocence look". Doesn't mean you're not youthful inoutlook, it's you
might not have that youthful twinkle in your "eye contact!"
 
> About 3 years ago I was in Rome trying to be a street photographer, and a
> friend who was with me said "you look like a plainclothes policeman or a
> spy; everyone is afraid of you". Several times since then I've asked
> friends to comment on what they see when I point cameras at people on the
> street, and they've said the same thing: "people react to you as if you
> were a policeman or a government official; they instinctively hide."<<<<<<<<<<<

And that is part of the maturing look, clothes, hair cut, body language
etc. I've found it much harder doing the same thing and can only get it
working when I muss the hair, haven't shaved for a few days and wear
grubby looking jeans!  A hell of a sight for a 71 year old! ;-) 

But it has helped, simply because you don't look like a police officer. 
Although you could easily be one in under cover, but you don't telegraph
the "official" kind of image.

Not to forget, society has changed enormously in the past 40 years,
people are more likely to question your intentions if a camera is
pointed at them, where back in the 50 & 60's it was a really wonderful
time to street shoot and do documentaries, as most people were still in
an age of innocence and weren't as camera aware as they are these days.

> So I guess I have the wrong appearance to be a street photographer. I look
> too official. Since I used to be able to do it, and I think I did it well,
> I know that something has changed. But I think the change is in me and not
> in society.<<<<<<<<<<<<

It's a combination of both!
ted