p.1 #1 · When is it ok to take pictures in public?
Well I have just had my first experience being creepy photographer guy. Today I arrived at swim class at the local college with my wife, my 4 year old daughter & her two friends in tow.
My wife took them down to the pool to meet up with their instructor and came back to sit with me. A little while later I decided to go down poolside and take some pictures of my daughter. There were 6 kids in my daughters square section of the pool, and 3 of them came with me! The other 3 were older maybe 9-12 years old. I was there about 20 minutes during which time I took probably 20-30 shots with my tiny digicam (SLR was at home) and a short video clip. No one approached me or looked at me oddly during this time & even the instructor noticed I was taking pictures and smiled at me. Yes some other children were in some of the frames, & unavoidably so.
About 10 minutes before class was nearly over I put the camera away and waited for them to finish. Shortly thereafter I was approached by one of the directors of the program who discreetly called me aside and said that a few of the parents had complained about me taking pictures and video and that I had stayed there "a long time". He also told me parents were not allowed poolside (my fault for not knowing that). While he was nice enough he was giving me a look that just made me feel sick.
I instantly felt like some creep and felt awful...I even offered to delete the shots and explained I was simply documenting my daughters life. He said that wasn't necessary but basically I can't take pictures. He then proceeded to ask me about the program and how I liked it and a couple of awkward minutes of small talk ensued.
I obviously understand the protectiveness that comes with being a parent but I just think that its all gotten a bit out of hand.
I would get it if for example there was a person shooting one specific child, alone in a park with a 600mm lens. I could obviously understand the concern but this coming up while in a place with so many other people around and after arriving with my family & child just strikes me as odd.
Edited by jim bennett on Jul 02, 2007 at 09:28 PM GMT
p.1 #2 · When is it ok to take pictures in public?
I'm not really sure what the laws are but the other day I was talking pictures of my friend from far away (135mm on a crop body) and just playing around basically and when I was editing later I found that in the picture a lady was giving me an evil stare (it was not obvious that the person was my friend of course because I was like 60 ft away )
p.1 #6 · When is it ok to take pictures in public?
You did nothing wrong. Bring your SLR next time and take all the pictures you want of your daughter. If people get mad, what are they going to do? Give you mean looks? Big deal. Just smile and click click click click click click...........
p.1 #7 · When is it ok to take pictures in public?
I got the 3rd degree during football season from my wife as I was taking pictures of my 10 year old grandson's practice. My younger grandson 4 was playing with a girl his age about 50 feet from me. While keeping an eye on him I spotted her leaning back against a tree thought it looked like a cute shot and snapped it. When I was showing the wife the pictures later she starts giving me the you'd better be careful taking pictures like that speech! I was shocked & I told her it was during the day in a park during practice, I showed the parents and they loved it. The next practice I gave the parents a print of it & they were thrilled. I told my wife if had to worry that I had to worry every time I took a picture I might as well leave the camera at home.
p.1 #8 · When is it ok to take pictures in public?
That would have annoyed me incredibly. I would have thanked the pool manager for telling me people were complaining and apologised for staying poolside when I shouldn't have been and then asked to know who had complained.
Then go and have a few 'polite words' with them regarding my right to take photos of my kids.
p.1 #9 · When is it ok to take pictures in public?
I must be incredibly lucky. I've been taking pictures of my kids in public (softball, football, soccer, swimming, ...etc) for over 20 years and have never had anyone come up to me except to ask if I would take a few pictures of their children for them because they forgot their camera.
The only time I have ever been told not to take photos was once at a county fair when a security gaurd told me I might be asked to leave the camera in the car. (I wasn't, actually)
In your situation, I wouldn't have hesitated a second to take the photos you did. It would have amazed me to have been told what you were.
p.1 #12 · When is it ok to take pictures in public?
I've taken photos of my kids sports for years. At this point I have all the parents coming to me for shots of their kids. A couple of weeks ago I'm shooting an away soccer game with my older son. About 3/4 of the way into the game, one of the coaches from the other team approaches me and asks what I'm doing. I tell him that I'm shooting my son's game and he replies "okay, I just wanted to make sure your not some kind of pedofile". That was really strange and I'm just holding my 70-200. It's not like I had a 400 there. The even stranger thing...if I was there for illicit purposes, would I really identify myself as such? We live in interesting times.
p.1 #13 · When is it ok to take pictures in public?
now that's just funny.. so he doesn't trust you to be a good man (considering he considered you to be a threat since he approached you), but when you basically said "i'm not a pedophile" he just says OK and walks away?
p.1 #14 · When is it ok to take pictures in public?
like I said...probably the strangest experience I've had...and he wasn't threatening or loud....it was almost like a normal conversation, but the content and connotation was way off.....put this down as just strangeness/variety in human nature.
Jul 03, 2007 at 08:41 AM
jjlphoto Offline • • • • • [X]
p.1 #15 · When is it ok to take pictures in public?
jim bennett wrote:
About 10 minutes before class was nearly over I put the camera away and waited for them to finish. Shortly thereafter I was approached by one of the directors of the program who discreetly called me aside and said that a few of the parents had complained about me taking pictures and video and that I had stayed there "a long time".
This was an arbitrary comment based on so much subjectivity, it isn't funny. Unless he has explicit authority from the college who owns the pool to control what happens on the site, including supervising or prohibiting photography, he was out of line. People are so hyper vigilant nowadays, it isn't funny.
Joe Baron wrote:
About 3/4 of the way into the game, one of the coaches from the other team approaches me and asks what I'm doing. I tell him that I'm shooting my son's game and he replies "okay, I just wanted to make sure your not some kind of pedofile".
In both cases, "Me doth thinks he protesteth too much". It is usually those suspicious sorts of people who are the problem. IOW, a normally adjusted person would not even consider such a possiblity. There is an old saying about busybody accusers that goes something like this; "If you can see IT, you've got IT". Meaning if one can "see IT", or "conclude IT" or "blame IT" then they themselves are afflicted with IT.
p.1 #16 · When is it ok to take pictures in public?
Non-photographers don't understand. They don't understand our desire to photograph our kids lives and that we're simply not satisfied with one poorly posed shot after the game with a disposable camera. We take out cameras with our insanely huge lenses (lets face it, even our 70-200 IS's are monsters) and snap away all game long. Yes people are overly concerned these days, but they're not out there to piss you off. They don't wake up and go "Lets fuck with a photog today!". They see something they think is suspicious and they're concerned about the safety of the children. I, for one, would rather explain to someone every time I'm photographing my kids at a game or other function that I'm that kids father then have them not care about the safety of the kids. This is a messed up world, people do kidnap kids, take pictures of them and post them on the internet, steal THEIR kids as part of a custody dispute, etc... Yes they might be overreacting a tiny bit but it's an inconvenience not a breach of your rights.
If you're concerned about your rights as a photographer pay more attention to the laws being passed saying we can't photograph near power plants, bridges, subways, without permits, for longer then 30 minutes, can't use tripods in NYC. THOSE are stupid and need to be changed, someone worry about the kids when they have no idea who you are isn't a problem (unless they start calling the police or something retarded).
p.1 #18 · When is it ok to take pictures in public?
"He also told me parents were not allowed poolside (my fault for not knowing that)"
I don't know much about American pools, but I found it strange that you cannot be by your daughters side - at a pool? Eh.. what? Did I misunderstand that sentence?
Jul 03, 2007 at 09:03 AM
jjlphoto Offline • • • • • [X]
p.1 #19 · When is it ok to take pictures in public?
Rijsberman wrote:
....honi soit qui mal y pense....
How true, how true!
Jul 03, 2007 at 09:09 AM
jjlphoto Offline • • • • • [X]
p.1 #20 · When is it ok to take pictures in public?
LindaZ wrote:
"He also told me parents were not allowed poolside (my fault for not knowing that)"
I don't know much about American pools, but I found it strange that you cannot be by your daughters side - at a pool? Eh.. what? Did I misunderstand that sentence?
Actually, this is fairly common in places that offer any sort of athletic instruction. Be it a swimming pool, gymnasium, etc. Perhaps it is an insurance requirement or fire code, done to keep pool aisles and workout areas free from parents milling about so the instructors and lifeguards can safely do their jobs.
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