Have a small, fast camera that you can take anywhere.
Have children. THEY LOVE having their pictures take.
]]>good luck! i don’t mind being the crazy lady with the camera. i’ve never had anyone get mad or annoyed at me. :D
]]>Take two – they’re small. People often relax visibly right after you’ve taken their photo, so taking two shots about 1 second apart is enough to get a really relaxed, far-less-posed photo.
]]>My technique with this was to either set up the aperture and shutter speed beforehand (if I knew I was going to take a photo of a particular thing), or to rely on the automatic settings (not so big a deficit, what with Photoshop for readjusting light levels) and then ‘shoot from the hip’ as it were. I.e. I would snap off the shot as quickly as possible and immediately get the camera back to a neutral position.
There’s an appropriate speed for this. Too quick and you’re a shifty individual who’s not to be trusted, too slowly and you’re the Guy with the Camera. If you do get caught in the act, a self-deprecating smile and a quiet thank you will often get you off the hook.
Interestingly, having a big-ass camera with a ‘mine is bigger’ lens actually makes people more acquiescent, as they’re inclined to assume that you’re a professional. Why this makes it okay is still not clear to me, but there you have it….
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