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If I were to ask a native of Japan to take a picture of myself or me and the group with whom I am, is it acceptable to ask

"Shashin onegaishimasu / しゃしん おねがいします" as a shortcut instead of the things suggested here?

FYI:

7.5 years later I'm finally going.

Can it ever be harmful to bring my 2nd passport?

BCLC
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    Tell us what they think when you use 私ども – Leebo Jan 04 '23 at 07:51
  • @Leebo i forgot that conversation already. what is 私ども ? ' thank me ' ? lolwut – BCLC Jan 10 '23 at 01:28
  • 私ども is an way to refer to a group of people with you, but it would sound bizarre using it casually on the street. A normal way to say it would be 私たち. – Leebo Jan 10 '23 at 04:23
  • Not sure if it's worth editing the accepted answer though. – Leebo Jan 10 '23 at 04:30

3 Answers3

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(すみません、)[写真]{しゃしん}お[願]{ねが}いします。

would probably be understood as "Please take my/our picture", but it can also be understood as "May I take a photo of you?". To avoid confusion, you could say:

(すみません、)シャッターお[願]{ねが}いします。　
(すみません、)シャッター[押]{お}してください。

You can also say:

(すみません、)[写真]{しゃしん}[撮]{と}ってください。
(すみません、)[写真]{しゃしん}[撮]{と}ってくれませんか。
(すみません、)[写真]{しゃしん}[撮]{と}ってもらえませんか。
(すみません、)[写真]{しゃしん}[撮]{と}ってもらえますか。

You'd sound politer if you said:

すみません、[写真]{しゃしん}[撮]{と}っていただけますか。
すみません、[写真]{しゃしん}[撮]{と}っていただけませんか。(as @HiruneDiver suggested)
すみません、シャッターお[願]{ねが}いできますか。
すみません、シャッター[押]{お}していただけますか。
すみません、シャッター[押]{お}してもらってもいいですか。
etc.

Chocolate
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    Finally, a list of realistic and natural-sounding phrases! –  Jul 09 '15 at 12:47
  • Thanks. Is shutter a metonymy? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shutter_(photography) – BCLC Jul 09 '15 at 17:30
  • Oh I'll probably include a gesture to me and my group. Don't wanna use too many syllables. – BCLC Jul 09 '15 at 19:32
  • @BCLC シャッター means "shutter button" --> [this.](http://www.cleanimages.com/articles/IHaveACameraOfMyOwn/ShutterButtonView.jpg) シャッター押してください means "Please press the shutter button", and シャッターお願いします literally means "Shutter button, please." – Chocolate Jul 10 '15 at 13:03
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"しゃしん おねがいします" will do.

But I would say "私{わたし}共{ども}の写{しゃ}真{しん}を撮{と}って戴{いただ}けますか?" if I don't know that native in person.

Courtesy costs you nothing.

* Added *

Of course it will do no harm to add すみません as suggested by BCLC and HiruneDiver: literally すみません means "I'm/we're sorry", but it is quite often used to mean "excuse me/us".

And The Wandering Coder's selection is acceptable, too.

eltonjohn
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    More commonly and slightly less politely ranked would be 私達{わたしたち}の写真{しゃしん}を取{と}ってもらってもよろしいですか／でしょうか？ – The Wandering Coder Jul 06 '15 at 14:14
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    'Courtesy costs you nothing.' --> Too many syllables for my Japanese speaking comfort, IMHO. I'll add 'sumimasen' before hand though, I guess. Thanks. – BCLC Jul 06 '15 at 14:52
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    「すみません、[写真]{しゃしん}[撮]{と}っていただけませんか？」 is also common and polite. Whether you have company or not, you can use this sentence. – HiruneDiver Jul 06 '15 at 19:08
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    Why does this answer have downvotes? – BCLC Jul 09 '15 at 17:21
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    @BCLC I think some users think it would be odd for you to say 私ども. –  Jul 09 '15 at 19:15
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    @snailboat Well I won't :)) – BCLC Jul 09 '15 at 19:32
  • Wait what is 私ども ? ' thank me ' ? lolwut cc @TheWanderingCoder – BCLC Jan 10 '23 at 01:31
  • Wait what is 私ども ? ' thank me ' ? lolwut cc @HiruneDiver – BCLC Jan 10 '23 at 01:31
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If you're concerned about syllables & don't mind being super casual I'd go with 写真とっていいのか？ while handing the person your camera & put グループ in front of it for the group one of course.

Curi
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    This sounds more like "It's okay to take a picture?!" to me... – Darius Jahandarie Jul 10 '15 at 16:55
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    写真とっていいのか and handing someone a camera sounds confusing, because you're saying "Can I take a photo?" but then you're handing someone your camera... I think しゃしんおねがいします is better than what you suggested. (Also, I don't understand how the "super casual" 写真とっていい**の**か could ever be preferable over 写真とっていい**です**か when approaching a stranger.) – Earthliŋ Jul 10 '15 at 16:55