Sarah from the blog Travel with Me is our host this week and she has chosen People for the Monochrome Madness theme.
This week I wanted to continue with the theme of connections and I had thought I could do a post with people that I have connections with, but then I thought what if I do the opposite and do people I have no connection to at all? Well, except for the fact that they found themselves in front of my camera.
I have spoken before how I don’t like photographing people, but have found myself in the city taking photos of people that we find out and about doing their thing, whatever that may be. I like to use a zoom lens that goes long, like a 300mm because hopefully people don’t know I’m doing it.
It is a bit scary to photograph people you don’t know. If they find out you never know what their reaction will be. I don’t like asking permission because then they pose, and I much prefer the photos of people just going about their business.
These have been taken over a few years. I hope they fit the brief.
I want to thank Sarah for being our host and hope you will all go and check out here post and participate as well.
Participating in Monochrome Madness
If you would like to participate in this challenge please post photos on your blog and use the tag Monochrome-Madness, then I can use the reader to see what you post.
You can also leave a pingback, do they still call them that? Basically, you put a link to my monochrome madness post in your post and it leaves a link in the comment section.
Don’t forget to check out the Monochrome Madness page. On this page, the next theme is announced and there is also all the information for participating. We have also included a list of themes that will be coming in the future so if you want to be able to plan ahead you can. They aren’t in order, but will happen. Please go and check it out. Click on the Monochrome Madness heading in the menu.
Also if you would like to host one week or more, let me know.
As I wrote Sarah, I was not sure I would be able to participate this week. Nevertheless, here I am with a post:
https://egidio.photography/witches-and-wonders-a-renaissance-fairytale-adventure/
I have seen yours, but not commented yet, you did good.
Photographing people is not just a matter of my own feelings about it, in the EU it is actually a legal question. A difficult path to tread. But your photos are great and it would be a pity to miss them.
Here are my photos: https://picturesimperfectblog.com/2024/06/12/hiding-in-plain-view/
I think it is a legal question in many places. YOu can do it here but only in public places. Not necessarily places you think are public either, but streets are good for it. Thank you Elke.
Great shots of people occupied in their activities, Leanne! My entry here:
https://flightsofthesoul.wordpress.com/2024/06/12/people-2/
Thank you PR, I’m running behind but will comment on yours soon.
You’re welcome.
I completely agree about avoiding poses wherever possible, and yes, the zoom lens is the best friend of the street photographer 🙂 You have some great examples here, which definitely meet the brief! I especially like the guy in the wool hat gazing skywards, and the one below him playing the cello.
Thank you Sarah, good to hear you feel the same way as I do. I love that image too, he took a photo as well, but this one looked better.
Oooh, I left you a comment yesterday, but it hasn’t surfaced. I was complimenting you on these images, which seem not to exhibit the diffidence you say you feel at snapping away at unsuspecting locals. I too have difficulty, as you can probably see in this post: https://margaret21.com/2024/06/12/just-looking/
I saw it Margaret, it can take me a while to respond sometimes. I got distracted by a jigsaw puzzle today. I couldn’t stop doing it.
Ah, it was lurking in Moderation was it? No problem!
Yeah, I moderate so I can keep up.
These are incredible!
Thank you Dawn.
Beautiful monochromes.
Thank you Egidio.
Places are nice, but people often enhance the places, giving context and making them come alive.
Sometimes, they can also spoil places with their noise and rubbish. I think it depends on where they are. Then again, I like to photograph places with no people, lol.
Thank you Geoff.
Excellent photos, Leanne! I too am skittish of taking photos of people, I have a Nikkor 200mm lens that would suffice for this kind of photography. Tone, at Tasview is doing a series of street photos too.
Thank you John. Yeah, I do it very rarely, not something I like doing a lot, but yeah 200mm is better than a wide angle.
Indeed! I’d love to have a 300 or 400mm lens!
I have 300 which is good for most things I want to do.
It’s the cost that stops me. I use a Nikon Z series body, there are larger/longer lenses available 😭
Yeah I hear you John, the longer they get the more expensive they seem to get. Have you looked the Tamron range for those cameras? Might be a cheaper alternative.
I’ve used Tamron lenses before, they are very good too! I should look into them.
Could be a good idea John, I have the Tamron 18-300mm and find it good.
I like the 18-300, the Nikkor is a 24-200 lens.
I like it too, I use it a lot.
Yes, yes, yes! Ask permission and there goes the ‘street photography.’ They always pose. I’m with you, Leanne. If I am photographing people, my zoom lens is my friend. I do sometimes ask permission if someone is doing a craft though, like carving or blowing glass or painting, and they are happy to keep on doing what they do while I happily photograph them in action.
Look at that guy smiling behind the counter–nice one!
Absolutely Lois, glad you agree with me. Yeah I don’t like the poses, it is portraits then. Good point abut the craft people, I would probably do that as well.
I think that guy is very used to people taking his photo while he is working. Thank you Lois.
I love the picture of the guy taking a picture with his cell phone–a picture of you taking a picture of someone taking a picture! Almost a Norman Rockwell situation.
Thank you Anne, I like that one too, I love the way you have described it.
Wonderful collection of people photos. Here’s my contribution:https://gwhphotos2.wordpress.com/2024/06/11/monochrome-madness-10-people-june-11-2024/
Thank you.
These are great! I share your diffidence about taking photos of people, and as you will see tomorrow, close-ups aren’t my thing. I’ve just come back from Spain, where it’s especially difficult, and in fact, despite my efforts, one or two people asked me to delete images showing them. I did, of course.
Thank you Margaret. Close-ups are very hard, you are so close to them and it can seem really personal. I like doing them from a distance.
Quite. Preferably with a bag over my head!
Hahaha, no worries Margaret.
Personally I hate to photograph people, even when we did weddings 😂. Also street photography of people too often turns into condescending views of the less fortunate. Brandon while shooting the original Humans Of New York changed my mind a bit. Your shoots here take a great direction also. Your B&W style fits these too.
In short, some of your best work 👏👏👏👏.
I don’t like exploiting people if I can, so I wouldn’t photograph homeless people or people down and out unless I was trying to show something, like the fact that Melbourne has an ever growing homeless population sadly. Still I stay away from them for the most part. I like to show the city buzzing if I can. Thank you Ted, that is nice of you to say.