First of all, I'd like to introduce this new series of blog posts named 'Ethics In Photography' and give some background to this decision. In many areas of creative media, we face a multitude of ethics issues some of which come with a definitive answer and some that are subject to a lot of disagreements between practitioners. This is true for photography and I thought it might be interesting to address some of these issues looking at the arguments for each side of the conversation. I will be sharing my angle on some of these issues but these are simply my opinions and should not be taken as authority.
Should You Ask Someone Before Taking Their Photo?
Arguments against:
Asking for someones permission to take their photograph changes the dynamic between the subject and the camera. After asking for permission your photo will look more like a 'say cheese' moment than a candid shot. Street photography aims to capture people in their environment undisturbed and engaging with the subject before capture the moment defeats the purpose of street photography. If you're asking for peoples permission all day you'll spend less time capturing moments and more time disturbing people. Being in public we all expose ourselves to this risk every day. If they don't ask, don't worry about it.
Arguments for:
Taking a picture of someone in public is clearly an invasion of their personal space. Taking their photo without prior consent means this person might feel you've caught them off guard and you may find yourself in a confrontation. If a photograph is worth a thousand words, what does this picture say about this person? At this point, you have already put them on the back foot and they are more likely to deny your use of the photograph. Asking before taking means the subject is more likely to feel positive that you have respected them and the likelihood of allowing you to take and use the photograph is greater.
My Angle
Personally I would usually fall on the side of not asking. If you see the perfect moment to capture something wonderful and you miss the opportunity then what are you. Part of being a photographer, even a hobbyist, is being able to see what is around you and to have an eye for seeing a build-up to a moment and capturing it with perfect timing. It might be good to do a photo series with side by sides of a photo I took before asking and then a photo taken immediately after having asked. Not to prove a point for either side of the argument but more to simply see the difference in the body language of the subject and their relationship with the camera.
Finally...
All in all, it's up to you to decide how you feel on the matter. That's not to say that you should decide one way or the other. Maybe it depends on the situation you're shooting in or maybe it's more to do with the subject. In the end, it's just something to keep in mind when shooting members of the public in street photography.
Have fun, stay safe...