Hi Bob,
Let's face it, shooting street often is intimidating. There's always a chance somebody will see you taking their picture and speak some discouraging words. Even HCB got chased a couple times if what I've read about him is accurate.
But there's something about catching relationships between people and between people and their surroundings that, to me at least, makes it all worthwhile. I can look at landscapes all day and think, "Gee. That's nice," or "Gee. That guy really blew his shot." But with street sometimes what I see can bring me close to tears or give me a boost if the image conveys something significant, or it can make me laugh when what I'm seeing is a dumb interpersonal boo boo I've made myself.
I've found that what you need to learn if you're to do street without causing a stir is smoothness and speed. Usually you have a second or two to make the shot. So you have to be fast, but you don't dare draw attention to yourself by being sudden. You've got to move smoothly. If you jerk you'll draw attention. I've found that if you move smoothly the subjects may realize you're making a picture, but they don't find that threatening, and they ignore it. And that's the real key. If you come off as threatening -- like, say, Bruce Gilden elbowing his way down the street in a photographer's vest with a camera and a flash -- you're out of luck as far as grabbing anything really worthwhile.
Digital opens a whole new way around the problem you might have if somebody is uncomfortable about having their picture taken. You can laugh and show them the picture on the back of the camera, explain what you're doing, then offer to email them a copy. I've done that manytimes. Of course, if you just shot a guy taking a leak in an alley that doesn't work well. But I don't do that kind of shot anyway.
I think the main thing is to shoot a lot. Get used to the slight discomfort that comes when you point a camera at strangers. Here's one from yesterday. I was having lunch with friends. My Pen-F was on the table next to me and my hot dog. These two were deep into some kind of calculation. I just lifted the camera, made the shot, and put the camera back on the table. It's not gonna win any prizes, but it's the kind of thing I do pretty constantly when I'm out among 'em. It gave me the usual slight discomfort as I raised the camera, but there it is, and I kind of like it.
I'm really surprised LuLa doesn't have a street section as well as a landscape section. Street is infinitely more interesting than landscape.
