I recently bought a 14mm lens for my Panasonic G3, because the 20 was too long for this type of shooting style.

For me, using a "VF", "LCD" or "Blind" framing is a matter of subject requirement. If I am talking with a person, I will, 90% of the time use "Hip/Belly" style shooting by angling the camera up a bit, and stay about 5-8 feet away as we talk back and forth. I know there may not be a "Story" to tell, But, there is many many expressions to capture, especially if they "Talk" with their "Hands". So I go for those....

With a 14mm (28mm fov for 35mm users), even at f/4, there is plenty of DOF to go around...And I use 23 area AF for this type of shooting, and ISO 160 or 200 to keep the shutter speed high enough to stop any hand movements, or at least most of it..

Here are some from today's 2 mile walk in a local park I take a few times a week.

On the  "City" this can be useful for "Fast" shooting, when you could lose the photo is you take the camera to your eye...

It is a technique, that's all, a tool to get the photo.  Like all tools/techniques to use when the image warrants it. (expect for scaring people to get a reaction  :evil:  )

That's a nice series, I love candid shots like that.   I like to shoot from a low angle when I can, it's one of the reasons I splurged on the VF2 with it's flip up eyepiece.  I loved my old Nikon Coolpix camera with their flip out screens or twist body on the older ones.  There's an old photographer's saying that goes something like "If it's not a good photo you probably weren't close enough, if it's still not a good photo, you probably weren't low enough."

Doug

this is a chapter of the book you should write

brilliantly simply presented