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03/05/2006 11:13:54 PM · #1 |
Advance warning, it's a long read :)
So my friend loaned me some of his nicenice professional-grade film the other day because he wants to develop it for me, and I finally got a chance to go out and shoot with it (breaking in my new lens in the process). Let's say that it was one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of my life.
First thing I did after getting off the bus was wander down a rather wide alley to get a shot of some graffiti. On my way back, a homeless man made eye contact with me and started walking towards me, which immediately made me kind of nervous because he was a large, black man, and I am a small, Asian girl. However, the first thing he did was hold his hands out, palms facing me, and stepped to the other side of the street, stressing that he was going to stand right there, that he wasn't trying to rob me, and if I could just spare him some change so he could eat. Now, I never carry cash but I did have a few quarters in my pockets so I emptied them out for him, then asked if he would mind me taking his picture. After making sure I wasn't trying to post them in a newspaper or something he let me snap off a couple of shots, but then I had to get out of there because he really was making me nervous.
After walking away, I ran into another man who was at a pay phone, and seeing me holding this big camera and looking around, asked me if I was going to take his picture. I replied by asking if he wanted his picture taken, and he said that was great as long as I could send them to him. So I took a couple pictures of him standing against the street, and he gave me his email address and told me to let him know if I wanted to take more pictures. He also made me kind of nervous, though, so I'm just going to email him scans when I get the pictures developed and then hide.
On my way further downtown, I ran into the first guy I took pictures of, and he kept asking for more money, insisting that since he let me take pictures of him I should give him more money. I tried my best to convince him that I honestly had no more cash, and then tried to ditch him. I caught him following me out of the corner of my eye for a few more blocks until I found a cop floating around a street corner, and I hung around there until the bum finally backed off.
The rest of the trip involved a lot of sitting at a corner and randomly taking pictures of people at the opposite corner...a lot of times people started giving me Looks once they realized they were in my crosshairs, so I'd put my camera away and move somewhere else.
I do feel rather conspicuous and self-conscious when it comes to walking around downtown with a large camera by myself...
After I spent most of my film, it was starting to get dark so I decided to head across the river and stop by this coffee shop I used to go to last semester.
I have a horrible sense of direction and ended up in. Um. Kind of sketchy, ghetto part of town. It was near 6 by now, and I was poking up and down some pretty bad-looking streets, trying desperately to find a bus stop where I could catch a bus out of there. I called up a friend to googlemap my location for me, and I was about 4 miles away from where I wanted to be. So I'm starting to get scared at this point, and crossing under a bridge I see two guys passing me, and they give me a Look and swing around and start following me, but then they call out and ask me if I'm trying to get somewhere (I obviously didn't look like I belonged there). When they heard that I was trying to get to the other side of town, they immediately pointed me to the quickest way to a bus stop, told me I was definitely in the wrong place, to be careful, to relax, and that a bus would come by here and take me back home.
Spent an hour on the corner waiting for a bus...thankfully it was open and well-lit, and a busy intersection, but I swear it did a number on my nerves.
I shouldn't go wandering by myself anymore...but I feel a lot less self-conscious taking pictures alone than if I had a 'bodyguard' accompany me :D
Sorry I don't have any pictures to go with my story...I'm hoping to get the film developed this week so I'll scan and post pictures sometime later :)
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03/05/2006 11:26:22 PM · #2 |
| Crazy.. I don't like taking pictures of people anymore, they always get annoyed and stop to harass me about it (if they're in their cars). Can't imagine what some people in cities would do to you if you took a candid of them and they were in a bad mood.. |
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03/05/2006 11:29:57 PM · #3 |
Wow, quite a day Vincent! You're braver than I am, that's for sure. I've thought about going out like that a few times, but I get nervous just thinking about it. I'm a pretty big guy, and I still don't like the idea of having bums and random people coming up and hassling me. Just glad that you made it home okay. Thank goodness for Google, eh?
On the other hand, I'm sure you got some sweet shots! Can't wait to see them. I didn't know that anyone used film anymore ;) (just kidding)
I'll add two-cents of advice, too. If you do email that guy a scan, be careful what email you use...like, your school email, which usually has your name in it, prolly isn't a good idea.
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03/05/2006 11:38:12 PM · #4 |
Originally posted by OdysseyF22:
I'll add two-cents of advice, too. If you do email that guy a scan, be careful what email you use...like, your school email, which usually has your name in it, prolly isn't a good idea. |
Yeah, I was definitely going to make up a whole new email just to send it to him. At first I was about to offer to mail him a print, too, but then I was like...eh...I'll annonymously email it to him instead. People are creepy ._.
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03/05/2006 11:38:44 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by modgethanc:
... When they heard that I was trying to get to the other side of town, they immediately pointed me to the quickest way to a bus stop, told me I was definitely in the wrong place, to be careful, to relax, and that a bus would come by here and take me back home. ... |
They give good advice, that matches well with my experiences -- when in the 'wrong' part of town just relax, more often than not the worst that will happen is someone will stop and politely direct you back to where you want to be. People are nearly always more friendly than our imaginations make them out to be.
Hope the pictures were worth the frazzled nerves. :D
David
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03/05/2006 11:41:06 PM · #6 |
What you need to do is just keep an angry look on your face, and people will leave you alone.
Other than that, the best advice I can give is to simply pretend you are invisible. Pretend that people can't see you...and just do what you gotta do.
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03/05/2006 11:44:40 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by deapee:
What you need to do is just keep an angry look on your face, and people will leave you alone.
Other than that, the best advice I can give is to simply pretend you are invisible. Pretend that people can't see you...and just do what you gotta do. |
The angry look doesn't work as well if you're a 5'3 Asian chick ;)
Next time I go crawling under the bridges up in the north side, you wanna come with me, Dave? XP
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03/05/2006 11:57:16 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by modgethanc:
Originally posted by deapee:
What you need to do is just keep an angry look on your face, and people will leave you alone.
Other than that, the best advice I can give is to simply pretend you are invisible. Pretend that people can't see you...and just do what you gotta do. |
The angry look doesn't work as well if you're a 5'3 Asian chick ;)
Next time I go crawling under the bridges up in the north side, you wanna come with me, Dave? XP |
I don't know, the angry look doesn't always work for me, and I'm a 6'3" guy.
Thinking invisible, on the other hand, can work pretty well. At least right up to the point where it stops working. I'm more in favor of doing such things in pairs, at least. Having a friend with you is always a good idea, even if it ends up just being for company.
Message edited by author 2006-03-05 23:57:32.
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03/06/2006 12:17:06 AM · #9 |
| You could always shoot with a 1-series Canon, with a nice solid 400mm 2.8 lens on the front, and just smack the bums upside the head if they attack you :) |
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03/06/2006 12:32:21 AM · #10 |
thats the beauty of a leica or any small rangefinder for street stuff. small cam and great images!
yeah when im lost i just keep a stern face and make it look like i know what im doing. people wont bother you usually if u dont bother them. |
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03/08/2006 10:21:12 AM · #11 |
| Oh thank goodness I don't live in the big city or even near one...hahaha Love my simple country life! |
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