New Group Started...candid Street Portraits Photography

I repost your link because it didn't post live in your OP.

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/robert-gabriel.html?tab=artworkgalleries&artworkgalleryid=461042

Frank,
U are a really good man. thanks...
http://fineartamerica.com/groups/candid-street-portraits-photography.html

Ooops ...that is a link to your gallery Robert. Where is the link to your GROUP??

http://fineartamerica.com/groups/candid-street-portraits-photography.html?tab=overview

This is it...lol...

Looks good Robert!

Robert,
This part has me a little confused. You say "we do not chat with our subjects"
Can you elaborate on that. Are you saying street photographers that talk to their subjects are not real street photographers?

Kevin,
lol...
No, I am not saying that "street photographers that talk to their subjects are not real street photographers?"

But it's a different style of street photography. Most street photographers do not talk to their subjects, but some do. "You pays your money, You takes your choice."

I am of the old school (Bresson, etc) who do not talk to their subjects. But some great street photographers (Diane Arbus, etc) did...

If you wish to join, please do...I would like to see how you posed your subjects before you took their candid pics (if this is what you are doing)....

Kevin,
Just looked at your Chicago pics. Beautiful....Chicago Holy Name Cathedral ....I worked for some 25 years very nearby to this great church.

Thanks for the your reply Robert.. I did talk to my subjects. It took me about 6 months to figure out how i was going to do it. I finally figured for my style it was best to get to know them first, hear about their past and why they are this way. I also weeded out the con artists.
I do love Diane Arbus, good call.

Thanks for the comments on Holy Name, love your image post man.
Thanks
Kevin

Many of my subjects are down and out, on the seamy side of life, and a bit mental as well. (I grew up with folks like this so I have a certain affinity with them.) I don't know if they would take kindly to my photographing them. Some would not understand, some would not welcome the intrusion, some would strongly object.

In the certain area that I find many of my subjects, the police patrol and even park their cars anticipating whatever. The police see me taking pics and just wave to me. I am now old and quite harmless and I guess I pose no threat except that of an old fool.

I also take candid street images when I am with my wife (at a farmers market, etc). I do talk to some of my subjects but only after I have taken their pics and not before. I can be quite chatty at times (after I take my mental meds)....lol...It's all good.

I don't do candid shots but the people I have shot were more recluse and didn't want to be seen. They lived and were hidden deep under lower wacker or in places that they could not be found. I wouldn't shoot people with mental problems either, it just didn't do anything for me. I wanted to get the person that didn't care anymore, so I hired a large homeless man to come with me every night to watch my back. He almost killed a man once that didn't like me there. I had to jump on his back and plead with him to stop beating the guy.

When I found the right person, I befriended them and met with them many times until I asked if I could get some images.
When a person tells you a story of their past that is filled with emotions, that is the time to get the pic. That's what worked for me. It took 6 months to figure it out.

Kevin,
Wow, love your story.
You wrote...."When a person tells you a story of their past that is filled with emotions, that is the time to get the pic. That's what worked for me."

I understand what you are saying and I very much admire the way you went about photographing your subjects. Please, if you think it appropriate, post a few in our new group.

I was a portrait photographer for some 10 years (employed by the Fed Government on Rush Street of all places). Plus I had a few reg and beautiful lady models.
So I did my share of talking to my subjects and befriending them.

For some reason, I no longer wish to take formal portraits (I do many candid of my immediate family), nor do I wish to talk to or befriend 99 percent of the people I photograph on the street. I respect that each "individual" has his/her own story to tell, but at this time in my life I would rather not add to my depression lol...

I sometimes fancy myself to be "Travis Bickle" (Taxi Driver movie)...heck, my former wife says she will even buy me a second hand jeep wrangler next year so that I don't have to use our fancy new car as I cruise the mean streets of Chicago in search of my subjects.

Thats pretty cool Robert, I can definitely street photography, and how hard it can be. Most that have never seen true street photography think its just snap-shots.
I'm also sorry but cant post to your group for two reasons
1 - Not really into FAA and took 90 percent of my work off here already
2 - I don't really post my images of those people online, but have done some shows with all the images. I will be doing a whole new series of crazy street photography in a few months. I will post some of them as I work on the series.
Thanks for the time Robert

Flicked you some I took in India..great place for street photography.