Street photography rude?

I normally don't get into street photography, however in the last few weeks I have been taking more candid street shots.  

Yesterday I had a woman come up to me and said it was rude to take others photos with out permission. 

Being somewhat new to street photography, and having a conscience, being called rude put me into a holding pattern.  

Is this normal for street photographers?  Is it just part of the process?  There was nothing sleazy about how I take the photo, what I'm photographing. 

They are just shots of people going about their business from a cafe that I visit.  

What are your feelings on this?

Happy-pixel wrote: Yesterday I had a woman come up to me and said it was rude to take others photos with out permission. 

Is this normal for street photographers?  Is it just part of the process?  There was nothing sleazy about how I take the photo, what I'm photographing. 

What are your feelings on this?

Let's ignore feelings and focus on facts, okay?

In the US, there is no expectation of privacy when in public. As long as you're on public property, anything you can see without the use of special equipment is fair game. Think paparazzi.

Rude? Define "rude". You might want to research different styles of street photography. Some shoot from the hip, some shoot from far away, some get in your face. There's no single method. Go study the "masters" to learn.

As for a cafe, where you in the cafe? Or outside? If inside, that's private property; did you have permission? Or did anyone object on behalf of the property? If not, then you're good to go, IMO.

As for the woman, I might have replied with, "the government and courts of the United States of America have made it very clear that we have no right to privacy when in public." Having been told incorrect information by a number of folks regarding my rights as a photographer in a public space, I've decided to "fight" back (politely) when challenged on what I can or cannot do. But that begins with me being informed, which requires work on my part. It took a while, but not I'm all "bring it on."

All that said: I'm pretty careful about children. No one needs a mama bear causing a public scene.

Well, not much more Needs to be said that Gary didn’t already say. Good post!

" I'm pretty careful about children."....That's a fact. I've posted here before about an incident in a public park, photographing insects (bees and butterflies) with my 200 f/4 micro. It is a telephoto as well, and looks it. So the wife takes my niece to the swings and I'm photographing a flower, "mama bear" sees me and flips, accusing me of taking sordid shots (her words) of her kids playing nearby. She got pretty loud. I just stared at her for a while, thinking she'd wear down. My wife soon came over to the scene of the crime and the fun started when upset mom accused me of being a pervert. I then had to protect the accuser...from my wife.
I waited for the cops, showed them my pics and they actually nearly arrested the mommie. What a scene.
Rights or no rights, these times are NOT always enjoyable and its sometimes best to take a pass on a photograph...

I don't do a lot of SP, but both prior posts ring true for me. So far I have not been confronted. Where children are concerned I always ask permission from the parent first. Your encounter may have just been bad luck.

Kelly

If I do take street shots, it's always of adults.  I have kids, and personally I wouldn't want some stranger taking their photos.  So kind of practicing doing onto others as what you find appropriate for you.

If a woman came up to you, maybe you need to think about how you're coming across, maybe it was more of an annoyance to others than you realized. But it might have just been her opinion and had absolutely nothing to do with you; you never know what experiences someone has had to cause any particular reaction.

I don't know, if I was in or sitting outside a coffee shop, I'd just want to sit and enjoy my coffee in peace. Is that too much to ask?? I have as much right to sit there undisturbed as you do to take photos. If it's in or on their property, it's up to the coffeeshop. If they allow it and I don't want to be pestered by somebody with a camera, I suppose I'd get up and leave and they can lose my business. So if customers complain, chances are like many restaurants have done, photography may not be permitted.

What are you going to do with the pictures anyway? Doing street photography seems to be a thing online lately, and people often enough seem to decide to try it apparently without learning any techniques or skills in how to approach people. Part of being a photographer is often interacting with people. I'd suggest trying just sitting there briefly, get a few quick shots and move on. Or if you're sitting there having a cup of coffee and see something interesting, take a picture, but try to be part of things and blend into the background.

Just because it's possible to take photos in public, doesn't mean it needs to be done in an intrusive way. I've done events, it can be done in a
respectful way.

icepics wrote: If a woman came up to you, maybe you need to think about how you're coming across, maybe it was more of an annoyance to others than you realized.

Disagree, in that there's not enough information to draw any conclusions. We don't even know if the woman in question was a subject of an image... she may have simply (and mistakenly) decided that her input was worthwhile. So maybe, yes. Or possibly someone with their nose out of joint.

[expunging of other thoughtful comments...]

What are you going to do with the pictures anyway?

Um, not your concern? Not relevant? Not your call?

Doing street photography seems to be a thing online lately, and people often enough seem to decide to try it apparently without learning any techniques or skills in how to approach people.

No disagreement there... seems to be too true, IMNSHO.

Part of being a photographer is often interacting with people. I'd suggest trying just sitting there briefly, get a few quick shots and move on. Or if you're sitting there having a cup of coffee and see something interesting, take a picture, but try to be part of things and blend into the background.

Again, disagree. There are examples of (admired) street photographers that were intrusive and surprising. And others that tried to disappear. And others that tried to not look like they were doing what they were doing. None of which fits with "interacting" with people.

Street photography is (allegedly) about capturing the mundane details of everyday life. There's no single way that that is done, from what I can tell. So I wouldn't dream of telling someone how they should or should not go about executing their craft in this area. I would encourage study of the subject, as well as listening to really good podcasts such as The Candid Frame (a favorite of mine... Ibarionex is an awesome interviewer).

And knowing one's rights. And responsibilities.

Again, disagree. There are examples of (admired) street photographers that were intrusive and surprising. And others that tried to disappear.
And others that tried to not look like they were doing what they were
doing. None of which fits with "interacting" with people.

Fair point.  Interacting makes perfect sense for street portraiture.  But street scenes and any distant captures is a whole other story.  I don't interact much, just try to look like I know what I'm doing.

Kelly

Kelly, you do know what you're doing so that's probably why it looks that way. I think inexperience can make a difference. I've been asked if I was taking pictures for the local paper, so apparently that's what I looked like I was doing.

Gary, I did say 'maybe'... you just don't know sometimes if some person has an issue and it's not you, or maybe it was more noticeable or distracting to others at the coffee shop that someone was there taking pictures. Not being there of course I don't really know, I'd just suggest trying to be aware of what you're doing or how you might be coming across to people.

The reason I asked about what would be done with the pictures is that I wondered about the purpose. I think it helps to have something in mind, that seems to come across to people. I found doing events that people seemed to think (from what I got asked) that I was doing 'something', that there was some purpose to what I was doing (there was). Of course everybody has to start someplace, but I agree about studying street photography and maybe event photography to learn some techniques first.

It is interacting with people, even if/when it's not. It's about how/where you position yourself; it can be the timing as well. It's about how you move thru a crowd, or in and around people. It can be about letting others get used to you being there. It can sometimes be a smile or nod to acknowledge someone. It very often is adapting to what's going on to be able to deal with whatever happens.

You all make valid points, but Sharon, you being female makes a big difference with "street" photography. Interacting is also different from person to person, location to location.
Myself, I don't care much for the genre....

It is interacting with people, even if/when it's not. It's about how/where you position yourself; it can be the timing as well. It's about how you move thru a crowd, or in and around people. It can be about letting others get used to you being there. It can sometimes be a
smile or nod to acknowledge someone. It very often is adapting to
what's going on to be able to deal with whatever happens.

OH!  You meant non-verbal interaction .  In that case a loud YES.  How you carry yourself while performing SP is key.  And not something to be found in the books.  You just have to get out there and practice.

notlistening