[Leica] Re: [NOW HOW TO MOVE! ;-) in CROWDED ROOM! ;-)

[feli2 at earthlink.net (Feli)]

Thanks Ted, always good to hear advice like this.


>>>  then watch the eye direction of the people and when they're pretty 
>>> well all looking in the opposite direction to you, move quietly and 
>>> smoothly to your new position, sit down, wait and be still.

I found this piece of information to be particularly interesting. I 
have always tried to move very quietly and low key in such situations, 
but this is even better. I bet that simply because you are not seen 
moving, it helps people forget that you are really there. Nothing grabs 
our attention like motion,
because even as evolved monkeys, we are always looking for "the tiger 
in the grass". ;-)

Reminds me of that old saying 'out of sight, out of mind".
;-)

I'm still trying to figure out how to become 'invisible' on the street.

I've found that walking along to the curb and shooting 'in' helps. 
People seem to pay more attention to the store window side of the 
street and what's directly in front of them, than the street side. I 
also try to approach people from their blind side or out of the sun 
(like the Red Baron!) ;-) If they are right handed I come from the left 
and vise versa. I try to avoid making eye contact. I walk an average 
speed and dress for the occasion, or at least in something very 
'average', so I just blend in with the crowd. I wear quiet shoes... I 
carry my M pre-focused in one hand, with the strap wrapped around my 
wrist. I usually cup it and point it behind me. I keep a second lens 
(35 or 50) in my pocket.

But I still have no idea what people mean when they talk about people 
like HCB and say "It was amazing! He was like smoke, people didn't even 
know he was there... he just became invisible."

Most people still know I am there. Maybe it's just my sparkling 
personality 8-)

Any suggestions? Do you try to avoid abruptly raising the camera to 
your eye and just do it slowly? Or do you just pop it up and
grab the shot at the last moment?


Thanks,

feli


> Hi Feli,
> It's quite simple really, because your subjects are engrossed in their 
> meeting discussions and really pay you no attention. However, if 
> you're a stumble bum, kick waste cans over or are making "camera and 
> lens changing noises .... you will be asked to leave!"
>
> And that's where the M cameras come in. Or that's been my experince on 
> many of these type of meeting assignments. And therein comes the use 
> of 3 M's at one time.... you do not have to change lenses, you sit 
> there watch the light and the expressions and click away. :-)
>
> And definately when you move, you hold the cameras into your body so 
> they don't clank together.
>
>
> ted
>
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feli2@earthlink.net                     2 + 2 = 4                      
www.elanphotos.com