Urban Shooting with the Canon EF 70-300mm DO lens

[Geoff Samuels]

This is kind of a silly question but I'm curious; to those who shoot in urban settings with the Canon EF 70-300mm DO lens (or I guess any lens for that matter): Do you shoot with the hood attached or do you remove it to be a bit more inconspicuous?

[sojournerphoto]

This is kind of a silly question but I'm curious; to those who shoot in urban settings with the Canon EF 70-300mm DO lens (or I guess any lens for that matter): Do you shoot with the hood attached or do you remove it to be a bit more inconspicuous?
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Unless I'm in shadow I'd tend to leave the hood on, but it does destroy the big advantage of the lens in that situation, which as you pointed out is that it's fairly inconspicuous. I just don't like the impact of stray sunlight getting in the front.

Mike

[Andy M]

Of all the lenses I've owned, the 70-300 was the most susceptible to flare.

If you can control the flare, or if you can accept it as part of the photo, then I'd shoot without hood.

If not, I'd not worry massively - I've seen a 70-200 f2.8 IS be used for street shooting, so the DO should have no problem

[Geoff Samuels]

Of all the lenses I've owned, the 70-300 was the most susceptible to flare.

If you can control the flare, or if you can accept it as part of the photo, then I'd shoot without hood.

If not, I'd not worry massively - I've seen a 70-200 f2.8 IS be used for street shooting, so the DO should have no problem
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Thank you for the advice, Andy. I'll use the hood.

[Craig Arnold]

It's a weird thing, I don't tend to take urban pictures with telephoto lenses much. I prefer my 50mm primes.

My experience is that if they do see you they are likely to become uncomfortable/annoyed in proportion to how big the lens is.

I guess it all depends, in a big city with lots of tourists there are cameras everywhere and you just blend in. In a city with fewer tourists you have to choose between stealth and long lenses or getting up close and interacting with the people. Even though I'm very shy by nature I find I prefer the second.

[Jonathan Wienke]

In most cases, how the photographer behaves is far more significant than what gear is in use. If you act like you belong there and blend in with the locals in dress and non-camera behavior, you can shoot whatever you want most of the time. But if you act furtively like you're guilty of something or have something to hide, people around you will pick that up from your body language, and you might as well turn on a big flashing strobe light. I've wandered around in urban areas with 2 1-series bodies (a 70-200/2.8 on one and a 70-200/2.8 on the other), and while I'm sure people noticed me, nobody really paid attention to me because I acted like I belonged there.

[stever]

i generally agree with all of the above, however "interacting with the people" and taking pictures of people naturally going about their normal daily work, play, whatever is not always compatible - the later may require a long lens

i use the hood because of the flare issues with this lens and because i can relax carrying the camera over one shoulder without worrying about hitting the lens or getting the front element dirty

that said, for travel photography a body with a wide-medium lens is usally the primary (70-80% of the shots) with a 70-300 on a second body - nothing is more conspicuous or frustrating than changing lenses when something is happening

[julian_love]

I shoot on streets with a 1Ds II and 70-200 f/4 or 24-105 f/4 all the time. The "I am too conspicuous" thing is 95% in your own head. Stop worrying about what *you* look like and just get on with shooting.... most people completely ignore you.

Julian

[Rob C]

I suppose it really depends where you are: here in Spain, I wouldn´t give a hoot about shooting in the street because the country is over-run with tourists and nobody, least of all the Spanish, gives one a second glance; if anything, they might feel sorry for you. On the other hand, my old base, Glasgow, would present the opposite side of the perspective: you´d probably be kicked in the crown jewels, have your face cut or simply be robbed  (or a combination of those options) as you stand, and that´s in the centre of the city.

I think you have to smell the atmosphere and act accordingly; carrying little pamphlets outlining your civil rights would probably not stand you in much stead.

Rob C

[condit79]

But a thing to remember in Spain is to watch out WHO you shoot.  Sometimes some immigrants can be a bit touchy about having their picture taken.  I was shooting in the general direction of 4 men and even though they weren't in pictures they freaked out when they heard the shutter.  After explaining everything (like them not even being in the shots) they were fine, but one started off by threating to kill me.  Interesting afternoon this was.

[Rob C]

But a thing to remember in Spain is to watch out WHO you shoot.  Sometimes some immigrants can be a bit touchy about having their picture taken.  I was shooting in the general direction of 4 men and even though they weren't in pictures they freaked out when they heard the shutter.  After explaining everything (like them not even being in the shots) they were fine, but one started off by threating to kill me.  Interesting afternoon this was.
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About 23 years ago, in a market on Mallorca, I was trying to get some shots of those daft stalls where all the tourist junk hangs on strings - beads, wooden toys etc. Some of these stalls are run by North African immigrants - legal or otherwise - and I did have a large (aren´t they always?) African guy go rather nervous on me. I never took those sorts of shots again for two reasons: the stock market was already swamped and, more personally, no pic is worth a knife. Truth to tell, I hadn´t even noticed the guy, I was too busy trying to focus.

But then, my remark in the previous post was really a reference to the Spanish who honestly have seen it all: anything that the tourists can belch up they have seen.

So yes, you´re right; the advice to take care probably travels well!

Rob C