[clackers]

I arrived early at the restaurant. The manager said to me. 'Do you mind waiting a bit?"

I said no.

'Good', he said. 'Take these drinks to Table Nine.'

There's a lot to be said of a strategy in photography where you choose your backgrounds before you choose your subject.

A good wedding photographer can scout out a venue they've never used before the day so that they know where to position camera and subjects for individual shots, the families, the reception, etc. Amateurs take photos of people where they just happen to be, no matter how unsuitable the location.

When applied to street photography as in my K-1 pic below, you can find an interesting scene, and wait for a subject to enter it.

Artistically, two kinds of subject automatically work:

1. Matching. The pic below has a similar retro vibe between the walking girl and the fast food stand. The colour scheme of the picture has had its saturation exaggerated to connect the two.

2. Contrast. A suited businessman on his way to work can be contradicted by a heavily graffitied wall behind him, for example. It's fun to explore the possibilities.

'Good things come to those who wait, but only what's left from those who hustle!' is an old joke. My pic's a candid, but the legendary street photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson loved staging shots, too. At times he'd position himself beforehand, and get friends to go past as if they were the public - his famous photo of a bicycle rider is an example. The famous Distracted Boyfriend internet meme was also a setup - the Spanish photographer IIRC used professional models for his picture of domestic unrest.

So, you can camp at a good background for minutes or hours as you see fit. It's a bit like fishing, I suppose. You might get something, you might not, and you might come back and try another day.

Finally,

Q. How do you keep a fool waiting?
A. I’ll tell you tomorrow.

The rest of the series here: Clackers' Beginners Tips (Collected) - PentaxForums.com

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Last edited by clackers; 04-14-2022 at 09:23 PM.

[BigMackCam]

Excellent post, Ian (and a cracking example photo, too). Thanks for the entertaining tips

[kypfer]

Thanks for a fun couple of minutes
I had to use Google for "Distracted Boyfriend internet meme", so not that famous! … but instructive nevertheless
Cartier-Bresson I was familiar with … probably a generation thing
I was wondering about "'Camping' in street photography" … now I know

[TaoMaas]

When applied to street photography as in my K-1 pic below, you can find an interesting scene, and wait for a subject to enter it.

I took a workshop years ago where the instructor referred to this as "the setting...and the setting revealed". He was doing exactly what you've described. He'd find a great setting, then wait for something to happen within the frame to give it that extra bit of interest.

[FozzFoster]

Clackers, I'm sure you've seen the posts: here
You write quality and fun articles that I think would suit well for this position.
Thanks for writing these up

[DeadJohn]

...So, you can camp at a good background for minutes or hours as you see fit...

Yes, camping is a good strategy. It gives control over the background, and makes it easy to get composition, exposure, and focus set in advance.

Here's one example of something I got by camping. Sunlight was shining into the mall just right. It looks staged but skateboard dude was merely a random shopper.

[jumbleview]

At first I just wanted to picture this Jerusalem street, then I saw an old man walking, so I decided to wait a little.

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[biz-engineer]

So, you can camp at a good background for minutes or hours as you see fit. It's a bit like fishing, I suppose.

Does your beginner technique also work for nude photography?

---------- Post added 21-01-22 at 19:12 ----------

When applied to street photography as in my K-1 pic below, you can find an interesting scene, and wait for a subject to enter it.

Did you use "Pentax catch-in focus"?

[tuco]

And the camping technique also requires a delicate balance of not making the picture look contrived.

[gatorguy]

Good advice again Clackers. A really nice series of articles you've got going.

[VSTAR]

Clackers…. 'Good things come to those who wait, but only what's left from those who hustle!'

So how long has everyone waited to get their shot? Or before giving up?

BTW, very nicely done photo…any details as to lens used? Thanks.

[Paul the Sunman]

Does your beginner technique also work for nude photography?

Depends where you're camped!

[yucatanPentax]

At first I just wanted to picture this Jerusalem street, then I saw an old man walking, so I decided to wait a little.

Your image is a good example of the difference between documenting the structures and pathway and the image coming to life. I am guilty of more of the former and need to work on waiting just a moment as you've done. Not for an empty scene, but for the right person/people who bring life into view.

Nice image and great example of Clackers' point.

[Joetitch]

And here I was thinking that this was about selling your home so you can buy all the camera gear you desire 🤪

[clackers]

Does your beginner technique also work for nude photography?

Yes, you can take your clothes off, then stand in the street photographing people. Better choose a warm day, though, BE!

---------- Post added 21-01-22 at 19:12 ----------

Did you use "Pentax catch-in focus"?

No, the focus is on the subject - the food stand and its two employees, not on the girl, this is a street photograph, not an environmental portrait. That would be a different picture, and in this scene would probably need a flash and the subject's cooperation.