One of the most remarkable things I noticed since I started taking pictures with my iPhone is that hardly anybody is paying attention to you while you snap away. You are not considered a serious photographer, and people move on. No big deal.
Try pulling a big DSLR and lens from your bag and people take notice. It is clear your purpose is to take photographs, and people tend to be on their guard. It is more difficult to remain discreet. There are ways to do so, but I found taking candid photos with a DSLR more challenging.
In my experience, the key to interesting street photographs is patience. Namely, find a spot and let the action come to you. It eventually will. For example, in the above photo of the red door, I found the scene without any people in it to be a bit bland. I gathered I could improve the photograph by including someone in the photo. When I noticed the long shadows produced on the day by the setting sun, I knew I had my shot. It was just a matter of time before people started to walk by. I took a number of snaps, but this one is my clear favourite.
The above picture was taken at Fountain Park, Edinburgh. I was early for a business networking event, so I looked for photo opportunities. I noticed the colourful cartoon tiger character. And once again, the sun was low on the horizon and I decided to take advantage of the long shadows cast by passers-by. It took a number of tries to get the composition I wanted and hone in on my timing. The above photograph is my favourite of a few good pictures I managed to get.
Sometimes you have to get lucky, as in the above picture of the man taking a break from work. I couldn’t have anticipated the photo opportunity as the door was closed, since I had no indication it could open any time soon. I was initially drawn by the street art on the wall. Fortunately, I was ready when the photo opportunity presented itself. He must have known I was taking pictures, but didn’t seem to care.
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