Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/10/05

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Kenya
From: Martin Howard <howard.390@osu.edu>
Date: Thu, 05 Oct 2000 10:59:43 -0400

telyt560@cswebmail.com jotted down the following:

> A predator stares at its intended victim, calculating the right time to
> strike.  Many photographers are so intent on getting the picture that they
> also stare at their intended target.  I find it more helpful to act like a
> prey species, i.e., constantly checking the area for suspicious noises and
> movements, occasionally raising the camera to the subject or toward random
> targets so my intended subject is less likely to feel "targeted".

It just occurred to me that this is probably the key to successful street
photography too.  Think of some successful candid and street photographers:
HCB and Eisenstedt are two that come to mind.  Both rather unassuming,
rather unintimidating people.  Both capable of being seemingly in the midst
of things, yet unnoticed, or ignored.  People have these survival instincts
hardwired too, so playing on them to our advantage may very well be the key
to successful candid photography!

Eh, maybe all that is obvious to everyone else, but I just thought of it ;)

M.

- -- 
Martin Howard                     | "Why don't they make gravestones
Visiting Scholar, CSEL, OSU       |  cheerier?"
email: howard.390@osu.edu         |                  -- Nigel Tufnel
www: http://mvhoward.i.am/        +---------------------------------------