Asking Permission for Street Photography (Subtle)
An aspiring street photographer is subtly taking photos in an urban environment and spots an interesting scene involving people. Before openly framing the shot, they make eye contact and give a subtle gesture to ask if it's okay to capture the moment, or simply apologize if noticed and not given permission.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
subtly
Subtly means in a gentle or indirect way, without being obvious. Use it when describing actions like making a gesture without drawing too much attention, like in street photography to be polite.
gesture
A gesture is a movement of your body, like a hand signal, to communicate something without words. In this dialogue, John uses a subtle gesture to ask permission for a photo.
charming
Charming means very pleasant and attractive. It's used here to describe a nice moment, helping to politely explain why you want to take a photo.
go ahead
Go ahead is a phrase meaning 'you can start' or 'please do it.' It's a polite way to give permission, common in casual situations like allowing someone to take a photo.
appreciate
Appreciate means to be grateful for something. Say 'I appreciate it' to show thanks politely, especially when someone does a favor like allowing a photo.
frame
In photography, to frame a shot means to position the camera to compose the picture nicely. It's a useful term for describing taking photos.
pose
To pose means to position your body in a certain way for a photo. People do this to look good in pictures, as Emily nudges her friend to do.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Oh, you want to take a photo of us?
This is a casual question to confirm someone's request. It's useful for understanding or clarifying in social situations. Notice the question structure with 'want to' for expressing desire.
Yes, if it's okay. It's a really charming moment.
This politely asks for permission while giving a reason. 'If it's okay' is a soft way to request, and 'it's a really charming moment' adds flattery. Use this pattern to make requests more acceptable.
Hmm, sure, go ahead. Just a quick one, please.
This gives permission hesitantly but positively. 'Hmm' shows thinking, 'sure, go ahead' means okay, and 'just a quick one' sets a limit. It's practical for agreeing with conditions in everyday interactions.
Thank you! I appreciate it. Won't take long at all.
This expresses gratitude and reassures the other person. 'I appreciate it' is more formal than just 'thank you,' and 'won't take long' calms any worry. Use after getting permission to be polite.
Perfect! Got it. Thanks again!
This shows the action is done successfully. 'Got it' means captured the photo, and 'thanks again' reinforces politeness. It's a cheerful way to end a short interaction like this.
No problem! Have a good day.
This is a friendly response to thanks, meaning 'you're welcome.' 'Have a good day' is a common goodbye. Use it to end conversations positively in public settings.