Chapter 5: Blending in

Learn how to blend into the environment and use your personality to make subjects feel more comfortable.

30. Go for the candid look

Street photography is all about capturing candid moments in everyday life, and the most fascinating candid images tend to show people unaware of being photographed. As opposed to people posing and flashing rehearsed smiles, subjects unaware of the camera offer something truer and more genuine. They provide a more natural and accurate depiction of everyday life.

So for the street photographer, it’s necessary to be able to blend into the environment. The better you blend in, the better your chances are of capturing people without them noticing you. Wear casual clothes and walk in a relaxed way. It takes some practice before you can look and feel relaxed, but remembering your why (see Tip 2 on page 14) will help you succeed. If you walk stiffly and look tense and nervous, people will start noticing you and might even get suspicious.

The moment you make eye contact with someone, he or she will be fully aware of your presence and the chance of a genuine shot is lost. Therefore, if you want candid photos, avoid eye contact with your subjects and get close with a wide-angle lens. Try shooting from the hip (see Tip 27 on page 74). The trick is to stay unnoticed until the moment you press the shutter.

31. Smile!

According to sociologists Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler, our happiness is directly affected by the emotional cues we receive from people around us. Smiling is indeed infectious! That’s why smiling is your best weapon to combat any suspicion from people when you are shooting in the streets.

A while ago, I was out shooting in Los Angeles when I noticed a tough-looking kid hanging out on a street corner. Despite feeling intimidated by him, I forced myself to take his picture. The moment I pressed the shutter, the guy looked straight back at me with the meanest look on his face. Heart pumping, adrenaline flowing, I instinctively offered him my best smile. Thinking he would probably kill me, I was surprised to see the tough guy suddenly light up and smile back at me. It was the kind of genuine smile that goes straight to your heart. I guess guys like him don’t often receive smiles like that.

People typically isolate themselves in public spaces: reading papers, listening to their iPods, surfing the Web on their smartphones. It’s uncommon these days for two strangers to strike up a conversation. However, this doesn’t mean that people don’t like having conversations or seeing friendly smiles. Personally, I believe that smiling can create a bond of trust between people. So whenever you are out shooting on the streets, remember to keep a smile on your face, particularly immediately before and after you take someone’s picture. Also, don’t be afraid to say “Thank you!” to people after taking their photos. It will most likely lower any sense of suspicion.

Of course, this attitude of smiling and saying “thank you” and “please” is nothing new. It works—and not only for street photography!

32. Avoid eye contact—or make it?

Avoiding eye contact is a good way to blend in, to stay unnoticed. However, if you wish to build up your confidence as a street photographer, it’s good to practice making eye contact with your subjects.

Confusing?

The fact is that there is no “right” choice of whether or not to make eye contact. Each street photographer develops his or her own preference. Try it both ways—with, and without, making eye contact—and see which works best for you.

33. Use an all-black camera

A camera like a DSLR can be a menacing-looking beast to the average citizen. To stay low-profile, make your camera look as generic and un-intimidating as possible. Use black electrical tape to cover any fancy logos. Electrical tape doesn’t leave any sticky residue and its finish and texture blends in with most cameras. Rather than new and professional, your camera will look old and analog.

If you can make people assume you’re shooting with an old, cheap camera, you have accomplished something. They are more likely to take you for a hobbyist than a professional with an ulterior motive. And this creates a simple but effective extra layer of invisibility.

34. Pretend to shoot something else

It’s not always easy to make everything line up for the perfect shot. You have chosen your background, your perspective, and finally your subject. And you need to get close, but you don’t want to alert your subject. That can be hard.

The trick is to pretend that you’re shooting something interesting behind your subject, such as a building, or whatever there is in your chosen background. If your body language suggests that this is what you are doing, most people won’t give it a second thought. And if your subjects are convinced you are shooting something else, they will relax even with you shooting around them.

Start by looking intently at your background. With your eyes locked on it, step closer to your subject. Stop at a spot where you know your wide-angle lens will frame your subject nicely in the scene. Now, crouch and shoot the photo! When you lower your camera, remember to keep your eyes fixed on the background. Then nod and walk away. Your subject will probably turn around to look, wondering what you photographed.

Sometimes I pretend to be a confused tourist. For example, if I see someone I want to take a photo of, I will get really close, crouch, aim my camera up, and then take the photo. Afterwards, I will look around at the buildings—appearing confused—and walk away.