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trying to hide the fact you're taking the picture will make you look weirder than being open about the fact you're taking pictures - not acting ashamed of it gives off the impression you're a photographer, looking like you're afraid of being seen doing what you're doing gives off the impression something shady is going on. don't worry that you're going to look like a pervert if you're anxious though, i'm just saying don't be like, actively hiding behind things or in bushes.
the way i start off is acting like i'm taking pictures of the street as a whole, or something architectural. it lets me work on how the background is composed and means people don't pay much attention to me. then i'll either find the shot i want and wait until someone is about to walk into the frame, or i'll make it look like i'm scanning around for my next shot and just happen to pause on the person i'm taking a photo of for a second. if you don't draw attention to yourself, people won't notice most of the time, and if they do? you're not making it obvious you're shooting them, so they won't be certain enough to actively confront you about it. people as a whole want to avoid confrontation unless actively provoked. most of these people don't care about you in the same way you don't think about most people you walk past in a busy city centre.
i'm definitely still learning in terms of how to take good photos, but as far as technique on 'shooting strangers without them trying to fight you' i think i'm doing okay enough, because this lets me take photos of people looking straight into the lens while they're trying to work out if i'm taking photos of them, but then don't do anything about it because i act casual afterwards and look through or around them before and after checking the photo.
