Forums → Art, Music, and Writing → Writing and Photography by Trippy

Why would I lie just to take someones picture?

I thought you said a lot of this was for some school photography class. Unless your work is being used for publications or contests, you usually are not (and should not feel) obligated to any sort of false sense of privacy. Being in public strips you of all privacy. That's just something people have to face when out in the real world.

Besides, you should do just about anything if you really want a shot. I see now on your profile you're fourteen, so taking candids of people may seem a lot more intimidating, but that shouldn't scare you away from it. I was barely a year older than you when I started doing photography for my high school's newspaper and yearbook. I'd recommend you do the same if you can. If your school has a good program, you'll get tons of experience, learn competency with photoshop, have decent workflow/organization, and (hopefully) become confident while shooting events in front of hundreds of people.

A couple weeks ago, I had to sneak into a park regularly patrolled by cops at 5:30 in the morning for this shot:



I had to fib and say I didn't have recording equipment (My DSLR has video, but it was not my intention) so I could take this shot:



I had to have a caption for my picture stories class project so I interviewed a very popular inter-state band after a gig with no media pass or press badge.

Went to a local Special Olympics and took several shots:



I have photos of huge football players crying their eyes out, coaches screaming at their teams, runners vomiting (without losing a step in their pace), etc. The most powerful photographs show people at their best and their worst.
I can not encourage you enough to step out of your comfort zone all the time while doing photography. At least try something before condemning it as 'not for you'.

Besides, you should do just about anything if you really want a shot. I see now on your profile you're fourteen, so taking candids of people may seem a lot more intimidating, but that shouldn't scare you away from it.

Ok, I will probably post some soon. Also, very nice pictures you take.

you take good meaningful pics

Thanks. ;D

If artificial, why would you damage a photo with it? The effect almost never makes a photo better.

I had just happened to zoom too far out with the Fish Eye lens I was using is all. Didn't mean to. And what is your opinoin of the others before that?