Punk

Visited a free music festival here in Yorkshire, there were a few characters there here's one of my fav's.

Nice shot, Snappy The girl with the Mohican looks like she's milliseconds away from treating the other one to a warm Foster's facial spa

The guy in the background is a bit of a distraction, but if you'd waited for him to move on the moment would have been lost.

Assuming that you didn't know the 'happy couple' in this shot, how do you find strangers react when you photograph them? I've always wanted to do it but have never had the 'cojones': partly for fear of their reaction but mostly because I'd be to embarrassed; especially when photographing members of the opposite gender No doubt this is an over-reaction to the recent realisation that my age, coupled with my typically dishevilled appearance, makes me look very much like the archetypal 'dirty old man'

Best wishes,

Jon

TNX for the comments Jon. Street style togging is a tricky genre, I have only tried it around half a dozen times. Most people react positively to it, some are surprised and only one has said, "you can't photograph me, it's illegal". Try a mediam zoom, so you can keep your distance from the subject, so they don't notice you. Once you have tried it, you will become more relaxed, its more difficult in a crowd, such as at concerts. You do have to think quickly as the moment can be gone, it' a challenging genre.

At an event like a music festival I doubt if fans, especially the punks who dress up specially, would be bothered about you taking pictures. When some of us go to the Goths Festival at Whitby the photographers are expected to snap away and in close up.
Pure street photography, where you grab candids, needs more bottle and quite a long lens. That way you capture people who are not conciously posing and also you've got a head start if they turn nasty.
I like your picture Snappy. I'm sure if you'd asked the girl with the Mohican she would have let you get in close for an excellent portrait. What annoys people is not you taking their picture but if they think you are being sneaky about it.
David

thats an interesting character, snappy. I always wanted to do this street candid photography. Never did it with my 50mm, now im taking with a 135. never had the courage to ask though, might give a chance see how it works

That's a great shot, Stephen. Full of life and colour. You've capturd their personalities very effectively.