Did you just take my photo?
I’ve dipped my toe into most street photography techniques; from the hip, in your face, camping and stealth mode. All of which create dread, fear and excitement followed with a sense of guilt and shame. Anyone can shoot from the hip, right?
Well, no, it’s not easy to do well and there are plenty who excel at it.
If I go candid mode paranoia overpowers my cloak of invisibility and renders me visible and in plain view to all suspicion. Any possible confrontation inhibits my looseness, my movement and more importantly my creativity. I freeze and inevitably miss the moment. You snooze, you lose.
Rarely have I been rumbled but there is one encounter that has stayed with me.
Shooting randomly at a bus stop a tall woman in a pink coat and red beret collared me, “Did you just take my photo?” She wasn't too happy and demanded to know if I was taking photos of her.
“You can’t take my photo without my permission!” and “My husband works in newspapers, you need my written permission to take my photo!”
I didn’t get into all the legal technicalities of what I know I can and can’t do in public so simply smiled and started talking with her. Confrontation turned to conversation and her tone transformed as we talked.
After a cheesy smile and even cheesier compliment I popped the question, “Can I take your photo?" She said yes! I couldn’t believe it, could it really be this easy? I was so blown away I totally screwed up the shot. But it didn’t matter because this picture had a story!
Further down the high street my mouth took over, “Hi, can I take your photo?” again and again. I couldn’t believe how many people were willing to let me take their photo. I got so much more than a lame sneaky shot that would no doubt end up in the trash bin.
My fear of getting caught weighs heavy compared to my fear of rejection. Honesty is the best policy and if it’s a “No” that’s cool, I move on. There’s plenty more fish in the sea.
~ Mark
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Cameras
- 6 Jul 2021 It’s Hip to be Square
- 16 Sept 2020 P for ‘Populaire’
- 2 Sept 2020 Like a Leica
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Commissioned
- 4 Jul 2023 Mab Gwalia Portraits
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Darkroom Prints
- 30 Sept 2024 Jamie
- 25 Sept 2024 Jonathan
- 16 Aug 2024 No Parking
- 8 Aug 2024 Alan
- 12 Jul 2024 Buddhist Hands
- 7 Jul 2024 Glass & Gloss
- 27 Jun 2024 Eat the Rich
- 21 Jun 2024 Expired Film & Paper
- 27 Jan 2024 Pondering Subtle Shades
- 20 Jan 2024 Grit & Grain
- 8 Jan 2024 New Shoes
- 7 Jan 2024 Subtle Highlights
- 30 Nov 2023 Perennials Working Print
- 28 Nov 2023 Bridleway
- 26 Nov 2023 Jeremy
- 25 Nov 2023 J. Bradburne’s
- 17 Aug 2023 Print More, Scan Less.
- 26 Jul 2023 Framed Prints, Ready to Hang.
- 12 Aug 2022 Making prints from 35mm negatives
- 23 Jul 2022 6 x 7 prints
- 3 Apr 2022 Ilford Feature
- 4 Mar 2022 Photo Print Day for Ukraine
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Documentary
- 7 Sept 2024 Lockdown Memories on 35mm
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Exhibitions
- 21 Jun 2022 Why didn’t he help them?
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Features
- 6 May 2024 Offline Journal #012
- 10 Apr 2023 Letter from Holywell
- 9 Jun 2022 Face value - Offline Journal Feature
- 3 Apr 2022 Ilford Feature
- 29 Mar 2022 Framelines Magazine Spotlight Feature
- 2 Oct 2021 Ffoton One image
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Film Review
- 13 Sept 2020 A First Time for Everything
- 12 Aug 2020 645 Back & Fomapan 400
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In Conversation
- 25 Jan 2022 In Conversation with Michel
- 13 Sept 2021 In conversation with Dave Wood
- 31 Jul 2021 In Conversation with John (Steven really… definitely maybe).
- 20 May 2021 In Conversation with John
- 9 May 2021 In Conversation with Leo and Johnny
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Instagram
- 21 Mar 2021 The North Wales Project Instagram Takeover
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Portraits
- 4 Aug 2023 Looking Through Grey Tinted Glasses
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Reviews
- 1 Sept 2021 My Thoughts on Glass
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Street Photography
- 15 May 2024 Deflated Dad
- 24 Jan 2021 See a Penny…
- 10 Jan 2021 Skateboarding in the underpass
- 22 Sept 2020 Street Photography / September 2020
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Street Portraits
- 15 Dec 2023 Alternative Frame
- 31 May 2022 Round Two
- 31 Jul 2021 In Conversation with John (Steven really… definitely maybe).
- 13 Jul 2021 Gaumont Plaza
- 9 Jul 2021 I don’t like my news soggy!
- 9 Feb 2021 Lenny
- 25 Aug 2020 Soft Drinks Only
- 10 Aug 2020 I Really want a Hayabusa
- 5 Aug 2020 Did you just take my photo?
- 3 Aug 2020 Stranger Portraits