Shooting from the hip is not what you think
A technique that is probably the most misunderstood and ridiculed by those who don't know.
What about this photo? What if I told you I did it without aiming through the viewfinder? Does your perception change?
The thing is, when it comes to shooting from the hip, many think of a guy shooting from the navel, pressing the shutter button and praying that something acceptable has come out. An idea that comes from the world of dslrs and that has spread due to the many copy and paste blogs that have been repeating that belief for decades.
Here then some street photographers recognized in that way of acting a sign of shyness, of not having the balls, hiding what you do (photographing strangers on the street) and have branded it as a beginner's approach that will never achieve anything good. What if I told you that all of these lived in a giant misunderstanding without really knowing what they were talking about?
If done correctly, this technique is one of those that can be integrated into our technical background. First let me clarify some points:
Shooting from the hip refers to any shot that is not taken when framing through the viewfinder
It doesn't mean at all that I'm hiding what I do
I don't necessarily have to look at the LCD
To use this technique does not mean that I only use this approach which is just one of several that I can consider
Shooting from the hip allows me to make photos otherwise impossible to do. By the moment I bring my camera to the face it changes completely what I will achieve, especially in twerms of reactions, and the photos will be completely different. If I shoot without aiming and holding the camera in a different part than my body I can get completely alternative and unexpected points of view. Another misunderstanding is the one that wants you not framing: this is not true. I can still compose my photo, thanks to the expert management of the technique, but I will do it with my eyes.
One of the reasons that most make me support and apply this technique is to be able to get very close to the subject. If I did this while aiming through the viewfinder it would be practically impossible for certain situations and I would probably collide with the subject as well.
My street photography focuses a lot on gestures and characters. There are certain situations where I can hide my interest and aim further before bringing the camera to the eye, I can then continue shooting (maybe even pretending) and therefore go almost unnoticed. But it all depends on the situation and I tell you that certain situations require the use of this technique.
I assume I'm particularly good with shooting from the hip. I make this with digital and film cameras. I did it with focal lenght ranging from 24mm to 40mm. With this awareness and without any inhibition in admitting it, in fact I shoot from the hip with pride, I have integrated into my street photography workshops a part dedicated to acquire the right knowledge and skills to take successful shots with this technique.
If you are interested to join a Street Photogrphy workshop with me and learning how to achieve great results also with the shoot from the hip technique, please click here for more info.
