How to Approach a Street Subject

^The four largest Chinese characters spell out the name of the kiosk, "Li Wo Tsing Ho" (literally, Beneficial Peace Scale Business).  The kiosk sells traditional Chinese scales which are rare things now.

The previous post of a NX10 commercial vividly depicts the fun of street photography: carry a camera and observe and see the unexpected scenes present themselves around the next corner.

Street photography is a photography genre of its own.  To me it is primarily about candid pictures.  And for candid pictures, the guiding principle is timing.  It follows that a street photographers do not and actually cannot ask for permission to take pictures for most of the time.

^The old shopkeeper takes pride in her business.  She starts business around noon after yumcha and closes early in the afternoon to make time for taking her grandchild from school.

Some fellow photographers mock street photographers as cowards for shooting without asking.  I'm not sure about what his definition of a coward is but he misses the point.

Street photographers do shoot like spies hiding behind a corner sometimes.  But as far as my experience goes, on a lot of occasions they'd go up front and take pictures – only that they don't (and can't afford to) ask for permission.  I'd compare street photographers to photojournalists.  If a photojournalist asks to be allowed to take pictures, he'll lost his job from like day one.  So will a street photographer miss his shots likewise.

 
^The kiosk was lit by some light bulbs.  These are the scales for sale.

But it is advisable for street photographers to ask his subjects for permission when the photographic chances won't disappear in a blink.  Like here, the old lady in her kiosk selling traditional Chinese scales is a case in point. 

^Roughly before the 1980s, lots of local households used these scales to weigh ingredients for making drinks and food.

Asking for permission made it possible for me to linger around the kiosk, which was needed for there were so much shots to take.  Asking also allowed me to learn the nitty-gritty of the sales items and some personal stories of the shopkeeper lady.

^The scale handles are made from the thigh bone of cows.  In the old days, as revealed by the shopkeeper lady, ivories were the materials for making the handles.

How to approach a similar street subject to not be turned down?  Here are some of my tactics:

  

^The scale cakes.

1) Linger at a distance and take great interest in the things the subject is probably proud of;

2) Smile and start by asking your subject about those things;

3) Heap a right amount of praises on those things;

 
^The rectangular rulers with the notes on them are for giving auspicious  wishes to the users: they are to be given as presents for the newly weds.  The ones on the left are called, literally, Lots of Wealth and Offspring Rulers.  The ones on the right are named, literally, Hundred Sons and Thousand Offspring Rulers.

4) By now, your subject is probably feeling more relaxed about your existence and camera.  He or she is more prepared to be taken photos;

5) Ask for permission to take photos of the things;

6) Keep engaging the subject in a conversation and incidentally include him or her in the shot while verbally acknowledging the person that the shots look great with him or her in them;

^These are special scales for use by the Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners to weigh herbal ingredients for the prescriptions.

7) You may now even ask the subject to pose for a shot or two.  Crack a joke or two if you see fit;

8) Sometimes it pays to act like a tourist.  In fact, if you take real interest in the scene, you do speak and act and see things like a tourist.  People tend to be less cautious of tourists.

My two cents.