Robert Capa once said: If your photographs aren't good enough, you're not close enough.

 

It is not clear that this is still true today with long lenses and sensors that produce usable images at 3200 ISO. For this challenge we will turn the clock back to see what happens if we get close to our subjects. Here is your brief:

 

Configure your camera so your focal length is 50mm (35 mm film equivalent) or less. Take a picture of a person you don't know and submit it by posting a link here.

 

At the end of the challenge I will highlight a few images with a strong preference given to work where the person is the dominant element in the composition. In other words, I will let Capa's yardstick guide the selection process.

 

I am gong to post the same brief on the tumblr I created for this purpose to test that out. There could be submissions over there from non-1X people. http://shootingchalenges.tumblr.com/

Cool man!! I love this idea. I will configure my rig by using my 50mm prime, or if I shoot digital 28mm on 1.5 crop body. I still regret selling my 35mm prime. My friend Robert Larson, who I just love, wanted it so badly for his honeymoon. SO instead of lending it to him, I sold it to him. He shoots film all the time. So his "normal" lens is the 35mm.

 

I am so glad you did a shooting challenge! And the more the merrier imo!

 

I love it, I am not losing this one for anything Martin.

(unfortunately I lost the 10x10 challenge because of unexpected obligations)

Crop sensors must be on 35 mm lenses or wider I presume !

Ok, lets go for "the decisive moment" :)

Gianni

Two takers! Good! I am glad you like the idea. I am in half a mind to try it myself, but of course not for inclusion here.

 

As always I hope that people play by the spirit of the rules, but not necessarily by the letter. This is intended for force you close to your subject. Don't sweat the exact numbers as long as it is roughly the same as 50mm on a 35mm film camera or wider.

 

You must be reading my mind. I thought about this earlier. Here's what I suggest: You should always participate if you feel led. Perhaps just post your "entry" at the very end right when you're closing it. Or with your results post. I would love to see your take on these batches!!

 

Please!

 

Need the shots to be taken in the present/future or are shots allowed from the past (2 months ago) too?

 

Mycle, the idea is to make you take a picture that you would otherwise not take. So yes, the challenges are intended for new work, not for something from your archive. Nobody polices this. Feel free to interpret the challenge and the rules as freely as you want.

 

Clyde, I might slip one in after the challenge is closed. Just for you!

 

O.K., so i cannot participate, because i only shoot with 50mm prime: portraits, landscapes, street ..... . I don't own zoom lenses or other glasses. This said, i don't can take pictures, that i would not take otherwise ...... ;)

I don't think I am following you. If you have a 50mm prime you should be all set to participate, right?

 

Yes, i could, but i don't have the possibility to take some shots in the near future, so i asked, if pictures would be allowed, that were taken in the past? I took a picture of an unknown person. I did this with my 50mm prime. But i did it on july 30 .....

 

Well, here is the picture and it's up to you to decide, if it will fit to the challenge or not:

 

http://www.acdseeonline.com/photo/mycle/2211452/16797542/#16797542

 

Best

 

Mycle

I don't usually take pictures where people are the main subject - either distant or close up - so this challenge is right out of my comfort zone.

 

Scary but what the hell ...I'll see what happens if I get up close and personal with a stranger.....

 

Linda

I guess many of us can call this a "Fear Factor" theme. And hail to the 50mm! :-)

 

Some of you must have ran into the "Candid Street Portraiture" by Thomas Leuthard:

http://www.thomasleuthard.com/Book/StreetFaces.pdf

 

With a fervent belief in his work, he is one of the few who have pushed the limit really "close". His approach has raised some controversy and irked some sensitivity. But I have to say he has gotten some really original images with a quality that otherwise very hard to attain.

 

I think the way he takes these portraiture is clearly outside of the comfort zone for many of us here, perhaps for more than just the shyness but also the sensitivity with regard to the subjects. But it may serve as a reference when many of us are going out to take the 50 mm shots (didn't Martin say the head needs to occupy 1/2 of the frame ;-)

 

I believe there may be a middle ground of taking really good authentic shots however in a way falling into a comfort zone for most of the photographers, e.g. by taking the short first and talking to the person afterward. It is preferred in this order because anyone who has tried to ask before taking the shot can testify that the expression of the subject is utterly different. This approach of asking before photographing is taken by Danny Santos II:

 

http://www.dannyst.com/how-to-shoot-street-portraits/

 

Many of the stranger portraiture are also quite nice but the subjects are conscious of being photographed.

 

It is not my intention to mislead everyone in a way to confine everyone to think these types of street portraiture are what Martin has in mind - as usually Martin has encouraged for creativity, thinking out of box and breaking the rules (in creativity not in, say, the privacy laws in your respective country when you go out to take street head shots of strangers with the mere 35mm :-))

 

If I approach a stranger with a big smile on my face and motion to my camera while raising my eyebrows - does it count? Or the moment I smile he is not a stranger anymore? The question in this post is deeper than you think, akin to that distance in that mirror ;-) .

hmmm, Anna, I think you can avoid the deep question by raising your eyebrows first and shining a big smile later... I like your vivid description the photographer's expression while taking a shot - it has been said a good portraiture involves the expression of two people, the one in front of the camera and the one behind :-)

Hi all, it seems I will be the first to meet the challenge... "get closer"

I uploaded (here and @ Tumblr) two shots from my today's walk in the center of Athens. This is one of my favorite ways of shooting so I may take advantage of no restrictions on the number of posts.

Both photos are shot with a manual focus (and no metering) 20 mm AIS 32 year old lens.

The crop sensor of my D3200 makes it equivalent to 30 mm, so I presume I am sticking with the rules.

Both shots are not cropped:

 

http://1x.com/photo/319387/all:user:249644

http://1x.com/photo/319245/all:user:249644

 

Gianni

 

I realized now that with this challenge we have NOT to upload the photos in the Group gallery (in order not to get mixed with the running challenges), but I did, sorry Martin, I hope it' s not a big fuss to remove them from there.

Thanks, Gianni

Ok, I'll take them out of the group gallery. Thanks for letting me know!

Excellent submissions, by the way!

 

Indeed, he deliberately (and carelessly) is outside the comfort zone, not for himself, but for his subjects. A few months ago I had the opportunity the briefly meet him. He is good at what he does, but for me he is a reference for what I clearly wouldn't do.

Joe and Lisa at Applebee's in Yucca Valley, CA.

Shot with my HTC One phone camera zoomed to @50mm.

 

http://1x.com/photo/330965/all:user:1972

Good one, Clyde!

What a great challenge!! :) - I'm up for it, will shortly be away for about 10 days (with cameras) but will submit, I hope, when I get back! My 50mm 1.4 is almost my most favourite lens in the world...havent' used it that much lately which is a crime!

Interesting idea. Personally, sticking a camera right in a persons face and taking their picture without permission is darn-right rude and aggressive. Sure it's not illegal, but it's not right either. A shot taken with a long lens is different. You are not invading a persons personal space. And this is the crux of the matter for me.

 

Robert Capa was talking, I think, more about being in deep amongst the action, particularly in war zones. Pictures of ordinary people, strangers, where you invade their personal space without permission isn't the same thing at all. If you do, don't get upset if someone takes a swing at you. I like to use a 35mm wide and get VERY close to my subjects. But I always ask first if I do so. Sure, they are 'aware' but by being close, you also hopefully have intimacy and communication to compensate.

 

Otherwise I'll use a 90mm and be as discreet and unnoticed as possible.

 

This one was taken on a 50mm of a worker WITH his permission.

http://1x.com/photo/329212/all:user:30028

 

And this one with a 90mm without their permission.

http://1x.com/photo/55081/all:user:30028

 

 

Nice shot, Clyde!

 

Certainly the way you describe Peter is not the appropriate one, after all it’s not even legal everywhere. Unfortunately Robert Capa is not around to clear this out but his agency, Magnum photos, is still around and looking at the portfolios of many photographers, one can clearly see that “invading someone’s personal space” is something that can be interpreted in many ways.

Been a photojournalist for many years in the past, this was always a great debate between photographers, so I don't want to open a new one here. My view is to approach your “subject” with respect and sometimes you can be lucky and get close enough (even without a tele)

Gianni

Peter, I am curious why you consider surreptitious surveillance with a long lens more acceptable than obvious surveillance with a short one.

 

I prefer the latter if I am the subject because at least I know that I am on camera. A long lens is certainly more comfortable for the photographer.

 

Photography in a public space where others inhabit that space is a free zone, as long as you don't interfere, abuse or otherwise disturb the person you are photographing. However, and this is my personal opinion, pushing a camera into a strangers face (as some photographers do) without first asking permission is a physical abuse of their personal space.

Peter, you push a behaviour (of some photographers) to the extreme and make it a general rule. If we follow your advice, probably Street photography would not exist, not in the way we know it. Your opinion is heard and respected but why is it more ethical to shoot with a tele than a wide lens ? or is it just to avoid the possibility of a confrontation with the "subject" ?

I insist that there is a way to get close enough, even without asking permission or been confronted. "Violation" of personal space happens to billions of people everyday in the public transport (as an example).

You can definitely shoot form up close without being noticed or with being noticed but tolerated as Gianni says. I have done both many times myself. Then there are people like Sherri Lynn Behr (http://www.slbehr.com/NoSafeDistance/NoSafeDistance001.html) who purposefully make sure people notice her camera regardless of distance.

 

It seems to me that you are making the point that one should not annoy people willfully. I certainly second that and not just as it relates to street photography, but I don't see what it has to do with how close you are when taking a photo.

Gianni said:

"I insist that there is a way to get close enough, even without asking permission or been confronted. "Violation" of personal space happens to billions of people everyday in the public transport (as an example)."

 

That's up to you. I'm speaking personally here and offering no 'rules'. But I would say that the example you choose, by being part of and in a crowd, is a wholly different matter of personal space to having someone stand in front of you and take your picture wether you like it or not. That's personal. Think of the paparazzi hounding someone. Not pleasant. It's about respect. Respecting an individuals right not be disturbed. (Note that I am not talking about privacy issues).

 

Martin said:

"It seems to me that you are making the point that one should not annoy people willfully. I certainly second that and not just as it relates to street photography, but I don't see what it has to do with how close you are when taking a photo. "

 

Not annoying people is absolutely my point. And getting up close and personal and 'in their face' is almost always viewed as aggressive and intimidating to the subject who knows nothing about who and what you are, and what you are doing. They may be sensitive types and not say or offer any obvious outward concern, but you may by your actions cause some distress. It's about respect. I want people to really think about what they are doing first, that's all. I can't make my view any clearer than I have, so I'll leave it at that.

 

I agree that being non-intrusive and non-annoying in taking street photographs are important. However, I think that is secondary to respecting the desire of certain people not to be photographed or not to have their image published (independent of whether the laws according to them the right for fulfilling such desire). For this reason it is worse to take a picture stealthily and walk away with it even though the subjects do not notice a picture has been taken of them thus have no chance to be annoyed. This is so because if the subjects notice the picture-taking (and possibly being annoyed), they would at least have a chance to intervene with the photographer and ask the picture be deleted.

 

What's respectful in street photography is a fine line every street photographer needs to draw by herself/himself. My personal approach is not to have the subjects felt being violated. When in doubt, try to talk to the subjects before or after a picture has taken of them.

Peter, I also said on my first comment:

"...My view is to approach your “subject” with respect and sometimes you can be lucky and get close enough..."

so we are in agreement on this, but paparazzi work has a totally different approach and has nothing to do with street photography candid or not. You may think that all photojournalists are going for this kind of work but this is wrong.

Gianni

I read through these posts and remembered an article I read recently in the Wall St. Journal - which addressed a genre of photography which is not exactly new - however - due to technology and perhaps cultural shifts it certainly has caught on.

 

A few photographers are making thousands and some millions of dollars by spying on people and places. It is a short article, worth reading. The one which amazed me was the Neighbors series, where photographers are combing through Google Street and and finding shots of people. They then zoom in and take pictures. Then they have exhibits at museums with these photos.

 

Others are taking photos of their neighbors in their homes...and others of secret military bases...and so on...

 

Whether it is ethical, is another question of course. However, the sense I had after reading this article is that you are not safe anywhere!

 

It looks like this is the future.....I hope the link works.

 

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887324094704579065123679605360

 

So while it appears that FB is trying to use photographers work without paying them, there are some you are using Google's work without paying them...

 

I was a big shocked by it actually. I would love to hear others' opinions.

 

Phyllis

 

Very interesting, Phyllis, but not exactly new as you say. The technology is allowing just abut anyone to grab images. Artists will use any medium they can to alter or effect to their own purposes, and always have.

 

Making images from google street view or stop frames from on-line vids is a grey legal area that has nothing to do with photography in the sense that I understand it. It's more about an artist utilising a publicly available image medium. I understand in Google Street view all faces are blurred anyway.

 

Personally, I believe it's much more of an invasion of privacy that paps and others shoot into private spaces like apartments or gardens. But if you are in a shared public space, as long as you don't annoy or disturb, (my personal opinion) anyone can be photographed by any means whatsoever. It's up to the conscience of the photographer and accepted social mores how far this is taken.

A number of EU countries have rather restrictive laws with regard to taking pictures of public places if the subjects are identifiable and the publishing of these pictures. (There was a good discussion thread on this in 1x somewhere.) My question is not about that but rather what would happen when gadgets such as Google Glass and other forms of wearable cameras become ubiquitous likely in the next couple of years. Now you can't even tell if someone is taking a picture of you, who can just standing next to you, e.g. with Google Glass. This really allows much more of on-your-face however stealth picture taking than with any other devices.

 

There is also the blizzard distinction in some of the laws between taking pictures of people in public places using a phone camera (which is permissible) and doing the same using a conventional camera (which is not allowed without permission of the subjects). Maybe Google Glass could be classified as in the same category as phone camera and are permissible.

 

From privacy point of view, however, it is hard to understand why a conventional camera would do damage while a phone camera would not - while the technical difference between the two are diminishing daily.

Wow, think about this when thinking about this:

 

http://www.upworthy.com/a-photographer-persuades-strangers-to-do-something-really-odd-and-they-totally-love-it?g=2

 

If he were shooting with a DSLR do you think the folks would have time to get to "know each other"...I say here the camera played a much bigger role than just providing the capture mechanism!

 

OK....so I've been a bit creative with my interpretation of the brief!

 

The subject isn't a person, but nevertheless he was very expressive AND I got up real close to capture him after a hard day's work on the streets of Budapest giving free "doggy hugs" to passers by :-)

 

http://1x.com/photo/338255/all:user:106349

 

If I can find someone equally expressive before now and the end of the challenge, I will have another go!

 

Linda

Hi,

 

I find this batch really interesting. Lately, I've been trying to stick to a 50 prime on a film SLR. Very challenging for me on the streets (and yet I find it too long when I'm shooting people I know!). Unfortunately I still haven't been able to develop any roll but I hope I can do it and scan them before the end of this batch!

 

Cheers,

paco.

I think my dumbphone's FOV is more or less that of a 28mm on FF or so...

The best thing about it is that it doesn't look like a camera and it makes no noise at all (only "digital noise" :)), so -with a bit of training- you can take a picture of someone right on their face without them noticing...

 

This was on a very crowded bus, I think it qualifies for the "getting close" challenge! (I don't know any of the two people here):

 

http://1x.com/photo/345082/all:user:155242

 

Cheers,

paco.

And a second one, tramway this time:

 

http://1x.com/photo/345122/all:user:155242

Well... as nobody else does, I keep going:

 

http://1x.com/photo/349020/all:user:155242

 

Tell me if I should stop, Martin.

 

Cheers,

paco.

Paco, please keep going, especially since these other slackers don't seem to want to take up the challenge.

 

Let's not let Paco carry the burden of this challenge alone. With a month to go, now is the time to shoot material for it!

 

Martin, your last 10 pictures on your 1x personal gallery look very much alike... It seems you have got stuck on a very defined style with little variation :P

 

cheers,

paco.

But they sell l like hotcakes! I will be the next Andy Warhol, recycling the same idea over and over again at higher and higher price points :)

 

I've been waiting to see if I will get better shots before I submit. Well, now I am not sure if I am motivated or shamed into action being called "slackers" by Martin - Martin your trick works! :-)

 

Vigilant Looker: http://1x.com/photo/350285/all:user:235988

Lost in Thoughts: http://1x.com/photo/350284/all:user:235988

 

BTW, I was not stalking this person. I had walked to a different location after I'd taken the first shot. Then the same person walked by 10 minutes later and I could resist to frame and press the shutter again. Actually it was later I realized he was the same person when I inspected the picture in a computer monitor.

I see the ranks of the slackers are dwindling rapidly :) Thanks, Shiwanlin!

http://1x.com/photo/363736/all:user:1972

 

I met Sal today at the Botanic Garden in Claremont. He said he was agreat fan of NASA and all things space related. So I asked him to look into space and he let me take his picture. I love how his face lit up when I asked if I could take his picture. His wife on the other hand, scowled and walked about 20 yards farther down the trail...

 

Lumix reports that the 35mm equivalent for this is 40mm. Actual focal length is 8.5mm. 1/320th sec @f5 and 100 ISO. This is only very slightly cropped up a bit from the lower left corner, maybe about 2 or 3%.

I found this contest very interesting and it match perfect to the way I take pictures on the streets cause I use 50mm lens and never or seldom ask for permissions.

 

So, I have two new street portraits that I shot a few days ago for this contest and not only of course.

 

Firstly I shot and then I talked with this interesting man and heard a few interesting stories.

 

http://1x.com/photo/364110/all:user:158837

 

The second one is the following. I saw him I like him and I "shot" him.

 

http://1x.com/photo/364108/all:user:158837

 

p.s. the photos aren't cropped.

Good stuff, John! Thanks for the submissions. Clyde, you may be missing a link.

 

Thanks! Fixed it, sorry

Just found this group by chance and it happened that I was practicing the "get close" thing myself.

 

Here is my contribution:

http://1x.com/photo/371610/all:user:437697

 

Shot with a 35mm on 1.5 crop factor, that gives a 52mm equivalent on 135 format, hope it's ok.

 

Nah... you're 2 mm too long, sorry :P

 

Just kidding, I think it's a great example of getting close! Very nice.

 

Cheers,

paco.

 

hahaha, I was expecting a comment like this! ;)

 

Thanks Paco!

 

The good thing about cell phones is that you can "shoot from the ear", a variation of the classic "shoot from the hip" :)

 

http://1x.com/photo/374934/all:user:155242

 

Two months later... here we are ;)

Looking forward to your selections and words about it, Martin!

 

Cheers,

paco.

I'm sorry not to have contributed more than one (dog) photo to this challenge, but I'm looking forward to reading Martin's thoughts on the proper people pictures submitted, and to seeing the selections!

Sorry for disappearing for the last couple of weeks. I was struggling to finish a project under a tight deadline. Given that I haven't been paying attention to anything here, let's keep this open until 12/8 to give me a chance to catch up.

Here is a preliminary summary of the submissions:

 

Mycle - http://www.acdseeonline.com/photo/mycle/2211452/16797542/#16797542

Gianni Giatilis - http://1x.com/photo/319387/all:user:249644

Gianni Giatilis - http://1x.com/photo/319245/all:user:249644

Clyde Beamer - http://1x.com/photo/330965/all:user:1972

Clyde Beamer - http://1x.com/photo/363736/all:user:1972

Peter Davidson - http://1x.com/photo/329212/all:user:30028

Peter Davidson - http://1x.com/photo/55081/all:user:30028

Linda Wride - http://1x.com/photo/338255/all:user:106349

Paco Palazon - http://1x.com/photo/345082/all:user:155242

Paco Palazon - http://1x.com/photo/345122/all:user:155242

Paco Palazon - http://1x.com/photo/349020/all:user:155242

Paco Palazon - http://1x.com/photo/374934/all:user:155242

Shiwanlin - http://1x.com/photo/350285/all:user:235988

Shiwanlin - http://1x.com/photo/350284/all:user:235988

John Dross - http://1x.com/photo/364110/all:user:158837

John Dross - http://1x.com/photo/364108/all:user:158837

Alonso Dominguez - http://1x.com/photo/371610/all:user:437697

Anna Golitsyna - http://1x.com/photo/400556/all:user:45800

 

Thank you very much for taking up this challenge! It is open for another 48 hours or so. Now is the time to submit!

Adding at the last moment:

 

"Summer Blues"

http://1x.com/photo/400556/all:user:45800

 

A spatial juxtaposition but not only spatial....

Thank you, Anna. I have added your contribution to the list.

This challenge is now closed. I'll have results up in a few days. Thanks again for participating!

Results!

 

It is interesting that most of you interpreted this as a portrait assignment. Of course that is a valid take on the brief, but by no means the only one. Shots of the whole person or even groups of people would have worked just as well. I suppose I am largely responsible for the preponderance of portraits given how I worded the brief.

 

Anyway, here are three images that I found particularly appealing.

 

Shiwanlin http://1x.com/photo/350285/all:user:235988

 

The composition is a little awkward, but the man's expression more than compensates for that. It is clear that he is suspicious of something, but the lines etched into his face suggest that this may me an ingrained attitude rather than a response to a specific event. I wonder what made him the person he is. Did he grow up under an oppressive regime? Was he robbed one time too many? Was there a specific event that made him distrust humanity as a whole? We will never know, but the image makes us wonder.

 

Paco Palazon http://1x.com/photo/349020/all:user:155242

 

This is a classic spiced up by contemporary fashion accessories to remind us that the story is still relevant today. Classics are classics for a reason. They often encode a story that resonates with most of us. In this case the story is about a journey with all the attendant uncertainties, the implication that you have to leave something behind whenever you embark on a trip, etc. This example is nicely put together and it certainly works well with the theme.

 

Gianni Giatilis http://1x.com/photo/319387/all:user:249644

 

This photo works in much the same way as Shiwanlin's. The central figure looks worn, but she isn't so tired that she just let's the world run roughshod over her. I am intrigued by all the much younger people in the background. They add a dimension. For example this may be telling us that they will end up like her, the point could be that their lives are fundamentally different than hers, or any number of other interpretations. I like this narrative ambiguity because it adds depth to the image.

 

Thank you all for participating! The next challenge will start in January because this site and most of the internet will probably go to sleep for the next two weeks.

 

Happy Holidays and a Great 2014!

Martin, thanks so much for giving us the opportunity to participate in this challenge !!!

Photography may changed a lot since Robert Capa and HCB but shooting "close" to the subject is always fresh and a great challenge for those who dare doing it. After all, IMO, a close portrait, preferably not staged, is like a great landscape if not more !

Good work from all the participants and congratulations to Paco and Shiwanlin for their selections !

 

Gianni

 

And to you too!

I am honored to be selected by Martin in this challenging thread with so many excellent participating images. Congrats to Gianni and Paco! Close-up in street photography is exciting and challenging at the same time especially for someone like me who have previously only taken landscape and nature photography. Thanks to Martin for setting up this thread that has generated so much interest and for sharing your thoughts.