There’s a Farmers Market near you! Every town has one. Every big city has several. They are typically held in a park or in the middle of a closed street on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Find yours and bring your point and shoot (P&S) camera.

© Milton Heiberg

Remain unobtrusive as a photographer, but active as a shopper. Bring some money and buy some of the beautiful fruits and vegetables—they’re good for you. If you come armed with heavy artillery cameras and don’t buy anything, most merchants will try to get you out of the way of the shoppers. But with a simple P&S camera you are not in the way, and you can carry the bag of veggies in your other hand.

© Milton Heiberg

The merchants will probably help you or even pose for you. Bring the heavy artillery if you have something special in mind, but you will be noticed as a photographer and not blend in as easily. This is one event where you would leave the tripod in the car.

© Milton Heiberg

Every picture here was taken with a Lumix TZ3 P&S camera set on “Normal Picture” or “Macro.” Most are a little more than studied “grab shots.” And because I was a customer, a bit of time-consuming studying was tolerated by both the merchants and the other customers. Some fruit and vegetable displays are very picturesque and it is almost impossible to make a bad picture. Then you just reach over the subject and take a “Hail Mary” shot with your eyes closed. Oh! Alright—keep them open.

© Milton Heiberg

If your pictures are for personal use, camera club competition, or even editorial (non-commercial) publication, you don’t need a model release. But it is safer to get one if you can. It is a good idea to carry several forms in your camera bag (or pocket in this case) for the impromptu occasion. You can print out a “Simplified Model Release” from ASMP at http://www.asmp.org/tutorials/simplified-model-release.html and re-word it for your specific needs.