Reactions to a Street Photographer

 Street photography captures people (well, most of the time…) in their natural moment. That means the photographer should not alter the posture, action or behavior of the subject.

There are techniques one learns to achieve the above. How to be inconspicuous, how to predict a scene just about to happen and be ready for that one click, and how to avoid eye contact with the subject. Of course, the camera used is also of importance – a hug, loud and clumsy camera will certainly be noticed by all around. And when one puts a camera in front of his face and points it to a subject, the moment is often interfered with and changed. That is why a favorite camera remains a TLR (Twin Lens Reflex) when one looks down into the viewfinder and subjects do not know a picture is being taken. The TLR was built for film photography, although (for those who can financially afford it) Rolleiflex now makes digital versions of that camera.

Recently I have many wildlife representatives around my house. Deer, peccary (javelin) and cougar (mountain lion) pay daily visits and sometimes allow me to come close enough for “street photography”. I have to admit that I have not seen the cougar up close, and, I really do not want to!

So, I decided to capture the look these animals have when I get close to them with a 1950’s Rolleiflex!

… The deer was first. A young doe was crossing the street when I whistled a few times. She stopped and got curious. I slowly moved closer. When I printed the photo, after enlarging it quite a bit, I noticed the look. It was a curious yet surprised look. There was actually an expression that one can identify with as a human.

… Peccary look like wild boar, but they are a different species. They get large in neighborhood where food is easily available for minimal work. They destroy gardens and uproot many plants. They can also attack dogs to protect their young in the spring and summer.

This one was uprooting small tree saplings in my yard. I came close and she gave me that silly look. Then went back to being destructive!

Woman in Paris. I love taking photos of women wearing a beret. I find it nostalgic and am always amazed how personality of a woman can be discovered by the way she tilts, folds, wrinkles or plays with her beret. This woman was in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral and clearly a rebel in her clothing style. She saw me walking around with my Mamiya 645 and guessed that I would take a photo of her. Her reaction? She ignored me with a body language that said “ I am not going to look at you, but if you want a photo, here it is!”

Woman in Morocco. She also knew I was taking photos. Her reaction? She shut her eyes. It always amazes me that people try to “escape” a photographer by shutting their eyes. “If I do not see you, you do not exist”….

Woman in South Africa. She was aware that although I did not have a camera in front of my face, I was still taking photos with that strange looking and old camera. So, she played another evasive role: “I will be subtle in posing for you, without admitting that I know you are taking photos.”

…And so it goes.

July 27, 2017

© Vahé A. Kazandjian, 2017