The Public Eye

Today we're going to get a little creepy because today we are going to talk about photographing people in public ;)

The easiest way to prepare for this type of photography is to simply OBSERVE! Try going out to the park, or taking a moment when you stop in for a coffee to simply sit & watch. Put away that iPhone, I said WATCH! An important part of being a photographer (which I hardly hear anyone talk about) is being comfortable while alone. Being alone allows your beautiful brain more time to calibrate your surroundings, measure lighting and shadows, and find the best subject for your photograph. 

The best shots are candid and showcase the subject. Although there is value to a posed picture, candid shots showcase the LIFE that people can emulate. For example, this was a picture from Washington Square Park in New York City that I took a couple of summers back. It was a sweltering day, the kind of heat that hangs around your body like a mosquito -- so naturally everybody climbed into the fountain to cool off. This photo reminds me of easy living, and says so much more than if I had asked her to turn around a smile nicely.

Of course, there is value to a posed picture, but you can guarantee you won't produce a more awkward picture than asking a complete stranger to pose for you. 

NOW, onto the legalities: it is legal to take photos of a person in a public arena. But that isn't to say that you should stand in front of your neighbor's house, shooting him washing his car in too-tight sweatpants (although legally... you can). There are a few limits to how you can shoot people in public. A person has a reasonable right to privacy AKA don't get all up in their grill and you should be fine. 

Quick Quiz Time! *Cue game show music*

 Which of these situations is legal?

A) Photographing an old couple in the park

B) Snapping a few shots in the locker room

If you need me to tell you the answer to this question, you should not own a camera. :-) However if you have more questions, you should bone up by reading this. The last thing you want to do is get an amazing shot and not be able to publish it! 

So go ahead, be creepy. And take some amazing pictures. 

A photo I took during a SF State protest. This guy actually screamed at me for taking his photo.
Too bad I took Media Law, CHIKACHICKA YEAH.