Topic: Street photography & long lenses (Read 23970 times)

stamper · « **on:** July 21, 2015, 11:09:23 am »

Can anyone give a compelling reason for not using a long zoom lens to shoot street photography? A lens that is longer than the oft quoted 50mm prime. I am not thinking about a long lens on a DSLR but something like this on a mirror less camera such as the Panasonic GX7 that isn't conspicuous.

http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/tamron_14_150mm_f_3_5_5_8_di_iii_review/

SanderKikkert · « **Reply #1 on:** July 21, 2015, 11:40:06 am »

Wel Robert, if it is a compelling reason I don't know, more of a personal oberservation, these points come to mind:

1: I've indeed always thought one could with a long lens shoot streetstyle portraits of people while they are not aware being photographed (or even more important: not slap you in the face because they don't appreciate being photographed at all..) thus creating a different sort of portrait, which I thought at the time was nice. However looking back and re-evaluating these about a year onward they seem less special, or as a good friend and honest reviewer put it: they "lack" something...that "something' might be intimacy or a true personal connection between photographer and subject...i really don't know. Not that they are really bad pictures I think, otherwise I'd had deleted them, but maybe they show what I mean:

Here's three examples of these, taken with a 300mm on APS-c (450mm FF equivalent).

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kickmansch/14847688176/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kickmansch/15240269212/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kickmansch/15261812075/in/dateposted-public/

2: Isn't Streetphotography (as clearly opposed to Landscape) mostly about "growing a pair of brass b@lls", getting out there on the street, putting your self on the spot, when necessary communicate with total strangers, wait endlessly, beg, or be bold etc, etc.
and then come away with that great shot, maybe a few. In many of this sort of photographs I like how the field of view of a wide-ish angle makes it look like the viewer is really inside the scene photographed, impossible with a (very) long lens.

Best Regards, Sander

Isaac · « **Reply #2 on:** July 21, 2015, 11:47:27 am »

Maybe "conspicuous" isn't necessarily a problem -- "Using a telephoto lens enables him to keep a distance, to observe from afar without making contact. If, as sometimes happens, he sets up his tripod right in the middle of the street, people pass either side, registering an obstacle, not a confrontation."

"With the aid of a telephoto lens, Streuli presents intimate portraits of his subjects, as if they’re a conscious participant in each shot – the results are precise moments in time that blur reality; often appearing more movie still than secret snapshot."

pegelli · « **Reply #3 on:** July 21, 2015, 12:42:59 pm »

Shorter focal length create a different perspective, being right there in the middle

Longer focal length create more distance (not only physically) and are observing from the outside.

I think both styles are valid, it's more a choice as photographer what you want to do.

And Sander, I think your portrait in the rain of the guy with the yellow hood is very good. I agree the other two miss something, not bad but not the same as that first one.

stamper · « **Reply #4 on:** July 21, 2015, 12:49:33 pm »

Thanks for the replies. Most experienced photographers seem to be wanting to be in among the action instead of a spectator. I prefer to be a spectator. Is the close up idea something that experienced photographers prefer because of experience or is it a case of some aping a cult hero?

stamper · « **Reply #5 on:** July 21, 2015, 12:52:55 pm »

Sander your images seem to fall into the category of candid portraits rather than "street" That isn't a criticism.

SanderKikkert · « **Reply #6 on:** July 21, 2015, 02:11:59 pm »

Quote from: stamper on July 21, 2015, 12:52:55 pm

Sander your images seem to fall into the category of candid portraits rather than "street" That isn't a criticism.

Yep that is a better description, and they couldn't be street anyhow as they were all taken aboard a ship

Pieter: I liked the one of the fisherman best as well, gave a print to him as a token of gratitude for being invited to this boattrip every year. Despite the seemingly serious atmosphere in the images it's a lot of fun: a bunch of scientists and students and entusiasts (paleontologists) make use of the fishing boat dredging the bottom of the Oosterschelde for prehistoric material, (mammoth bones, etc.) Bones are found, mussels are served and white wine goes so well with those..

Best Regards, Sander

MarkL · « **Reply #7 on:** July 21, 2015, 03:28:15 pm »

Street photographs are usually about spontaneous moments of people in context with their environment. Normal to wider lenses are used to get the location and scene as well as the physical need to be in or close to the scene to spot and capture the moment. With a long lens, situations and moments between people will be harder to spot or react to and the compressed perspective with more out of focus background will usually make for a more detached ‘street portrait’ picture.

Try it and if it gives you the results you want go for it - there are no rules. There are many situations where being close to someone and taking a picture with a camera just isn’t possible.

Telecaster · « **Reply #8 on:** July 21, 2015, 04:09:29 pm »

Nowadays whenever I see someone—almost always a guy—photographing with a long lens out in "the street" it reminds me of the creepy dudes my traveling companions and I encountered in Eilat, Israel in early 1988. Eilat is a kind of seaside resort town with lots of tourist traffic, lots of youth hostels & pubs/bars and a long bikini-tops-optional beach. Not sure actually if the tops-optional part is still true given changes in Israeli society since then. Anyway, while soaking up some sun we'd often notice a scattering of men hanging back a bit from the beach proper, milling around with their big-lens-equipped cameras in hand. (My girlfriend at the time seemed to get a kick out of catching the attention of one or more of 'em and then giving 'em the finger.

In retrospect, though, this might not have been so wise…) Occasionally an opportunity on the beach would present itself, a lens would quickly be raised up & focused and photos would be taken. My friend Kees chatted up one of these guys one afternoon and discovered the guy made regular visits from his home country mainly to do this thing. Eeewwww…

In 2004 I bought a 70–300mm lens for my then Canon 20D while in NYC. Right afterwards I headed for Times Square to give the lens a test run, and while snapping away focused on a woman giving me a very annoyed scowl. I immediately flashed on those predator dudes in Eilat…and put the zoom away.

-Dave-

jjj · « **Reply #9 on:** July 21, 2015, 05:53:25 pm »

Use whatever focal length suits the subject you are shooting.

stever · « **Reply #10 on:** July 21, 2015, 08:02:14 pm »

from time to time Michael has posted longer focal length "street/candid" images and has commented on using longer lenses. There have been a couple articles lately on longer lenses for landscapes and there are similar arguments to be made for "street".

I like the Pany 70-200 on my GX7 a lot.

stamper · « **Reply #11 on:** July 22, 2015, 03:54:48 am »

The lens that is posted in the link at the top of the thread is small and wouldn't be considered physically large by anyone in the public. Mounted on the Lumix GX7 it is 5 inches from the back of the camera body to the front of the lens excluding the hood. Very compact. However some street "purists" would probably dismiss it as "not being the right set up".

stamper · « **Reply #12 on:** July 22, 2015, 03:55:56 am »

Quote from: stever on July 21, 2015, 08:02:14 pm

from time to time Michael has posted longer focal length "street/candid" images and has commented on using longer lenses. There have been a couple articles lately on longer lenses for landscapes and there are similar arguments to be made for "street".

I like the Pany 70-200 on my GX7 a lot.

I will look at the 70-200. Thanks for the post.

Paulo Bizarro · « **Reply #13 on:** July 22, 2015, 04:16:49 am »

It depends... if you are taking photos for a particular documentary project or story, you would want to have many types of shots and framings.

If all you want is to wander in the streets with no particular objective in mind, then a tele lens (zoom or not) is a valid approach to get some interesting snaps. This "risk" here is that if you are out taking photos with a tele lens, and your subject notices what you are doing, he/she will be most likely p*ssed because you were taking photos using a sneak approach.

spidermike · « **Reply #14 on:** July 22, 2015, 04:32:06 am »

Quote from: stever on July 21, 2015, 08:02:14 pm

from time to time Michael has posted longer focal length "street/candid" images and has commented on using longer lenses. There have been a couple articles lately on longer lenses for landscapes and there are similar arguments to be made for "street".

I like the Pany 70-200 on my GX7 a lot.

Do you mean the 35-100 (equiv to 70-200)?

There are two versions of that lens - I bought the smaller version (f4-f5.6) and is very sharp but would love the much more expensive f2.8.
If you do not need f2.8 then the f4-5.6 is an excellent alternative.

Otto Phocus · « **Reply #15 on:** July 22, 2015, 08:16:04 am »

There might be some who think that using a telephoto lens moves the photography away from street photography and more in the creepy surveillance/stalking realm.

I think such a photographer would end up garnering more attention than one taking photographs with a shorter lens "in the action".

stamper · « **Reply #16 on:** July 22, 2015, 09:28:48 am »

Quote from: Otto Phocus on July 22, 2015, 08:16:04 am

There might be some who think that using a telephoto lens moves the photography away from street photography and more in the creepy surveillance/stalking realm.

I think such a photographer would end up garnering more attention than one taking photographs with a shorter lens "in the action".

If the photographer was using a DSLR and a 70-200 lens then you would possibly be correct but a small camera and lens which I have described then I think unlikely. Instead of trying to hide then pose as a tourist and in my case an obviously ageing tourist.

stamper · « **Reply #17 on:** July 22, 2015, 09:35:11 am »

Quote from: jjj on July 21, 2015, 05:53:25 pm

Use whatever focal length suits the subject you are shooting.

In street photography the subject is constantly changing?

Rainer SLP · « **Reply #18 on:** July 22, 2015, 10:38:04 am »

Hi,

Long time ago I used the 35-350mm from Canon for that purpose. Unfortunately I was stupid enough and traded it in for a 70-200mm f/2.8. Not that I do not like the 70-200mm but I do miss that 35-350mm zoom which I baptized as a touristing lens

I think the 28-300mm would be a good alternative, except for the disadvantage that when zooming that thing grows to nearly the double size from 28 to 300mm, whereas the below mentioned lenses do not change its size or the change is minimal.

Maybe the 28-135mm or a 24-105mm. Wirh 24mm you can get shots of people near you without them noticing it as they see a more or less medium sized lens.

24-70mm ?

AFairley · « **Reply #19 on:** July 22, 2015, 12:04:53 pm »

For me, context is all-important in street. When you shoot long lenses, you lose the context, IMO.

Author Topic: Street photography & long lenses (Read 23970 times)