Microstock Stealth Techniques
Night Motion
Night photography on walkabout (unless you have a personal roving photography assistant) means mastering traffic, pedestrian rules, maneuvering up elevators and hanging over fire stairways to get the best angle on a valley skyline or freeway shot. This takes some delicate negotiations and stealth mannerisms.
Hiding your camera before you get to the payoff locale is a good idea. Don’t advertise you are taking pictures. People on holiday, travelers, people with nothing to do on lunch breaks or whatever, they don’t matter. You are “on the clock”, working to complete your microstock portfolio. Your battery charge and memory card capabilities are at the ready.
Spend your visibility on one good set of images. Pause and look at bad branded art or questionable decor if passersby insist on staring. Stay focused on the “take”, the images you’ll haul home. Don’t engage social contact with staff, children, people. Don’t get distracted by activities or loud crowds. Stay focused.
Pay attention to safety much more than usual when doing a camera walkabout. In just a few seconds, your focus will become absorbed into the picture taking process, and you won’t notice people creeping up on you, sudden car swerves, or even falling objects. Wear comfortable shoes and have a cellphone at the ready in case of trouble.
Avoid parking aprons, high traffic areas like doorways or parking stairwells, and insecure places with no cameras or security guards. Give people like guards or workers an opportunity to tell you if no photography is allowed. They won’t ask you for your film. Respect that their job is to tell you, and move along.
Here they are, the Golden Rules of Microstock Stealth techniques.
Don’t dress to catch attention. Wear utility clothes that don’t seem like you are trying to be social. Logo apparel or politically charged merchandise should be left at home.
Leave jewelry and extra belongings at home. Don’t go shopping and have an extra bag around your shoulders or on your arms, arm and shoulder fatigue will affect your willingness to hone in on a great shot.
Don’t pause. Security guards, diners, people driving by, neighbors and police are trained to watch people that aggregate around public areas, attractions, or potential crime scenes. Be aware of this.
After 9/11, many franchise and trade corporations ban photography of cashpoints and transaction windows for security reasons. Be aware that you may be approached. be read to acknowledge authority without incident. This is not the time for a Constituional Law debate.
