For 3 weeks in March I rented the Nikon 135mm f 2.0 prime lens with the (DC) DeFocus control.  I never did get the hang of the DeFocus feature, but the lens helped me get some great images.  My usual lens for these shots when I use the D700 is the medium length 85mm f1.4 prime.  Some street candid photographers think long lenses are cheating, that it somehow violates the street photography ethos.  I really don’t care.  I still have to get reasonably close to people to take these images, and I’ll use whatever equipment I can afford and obtain if they help me get the shot I want.

For the Bus Stop shots, I pick out my subject(s) either from behind or from a good half block away.  Then I never directly look at them again until I frame the shot.  After picking the subject, I start by acting like a tourist:  Turn around a lot while looking up, sometimes I even take decoy shots of random buildings in the area.  I get into position, and point the camera down the street, again sometimes taking a decoy shot.  Then — shift the camera to the right, compose, focus, and click.  If it takes more than 2-3 seconds or so they’ll notice.  Sometimes take another decoy shot in a random direction. Walk away, walk away.