Abusive comments when taking a shot

[cliveh]

When taking photographs, have APUG members ever had any abusive comments? I can only recall one when photographing a guy unloading a mirror out of a lorry on an island off the west coast of Ireland who told me to F.O. I didn’t mind as I did not get the angle I wanted for the shot.

[Ghostman]

A nut-job in Central Park dressed up like Bootsy Collins on way too much acid gave me a verbal dressing down for trying to take his picture, after I threw 5 dollars in his hat for the 'performance' he was putting on.

A saxophonist in Berlin did the same thing. I took the money I gave him first out of the hat and told him to FO2.

I don't mind, just don't give it if you can't take it. Now I carry little business cards and if I take someone's picture, I give them a card and tell them I'll send them a copy. That goes a long way :-)

[tony lockerbie]

Not really, but I had a funny incident the other day when shooting with my 5x4 camera. I was set up on the side of a secondary road when a learner driver approached and stopped right near me. She sat there for a while and I finally went over and asked her why she had stopped, to which she replied "I thought you were a traffic controller" Haven't had that before!

[Ian Grant]

Only once back in 1972/3 when shooting some photos for a fellow student. We were photographing local housing and a pub for his project/thesis, there was a Jaguar and a businessman an and a blonde . . . . . . . .

Say no more we were in the red light area of Birmingham, UK, although I didn't know that at the time. It made sense once I knew.

Ian

[benjiboy]

If you've never had abusive comments, you're not doing it right

[Michael R 1974]

Many times. Heckling, harassment (including by abusive security guards), and several frightening incidents. To some extent it is the nature of the type of photography I do - urban landscape, usually during the night or very early morning, with long set-up and exposure times.

[GRHazelton]

Years ago I took a couple of available light general shots with my Praktica LTL in the handsome atrium of the Boston Public Library. A young woman stormed up and demanded that I give her the film I'd shot since she was in them. I guess she was, but it was a public place and she was quite distant and, I think, facing away. I refused, saying it was a public place, and she stormed off to get "security." We left. Sort of ruined a nice visit, especially since I am a Librarian.

These days I might have waited around to see what "security" would say to her and me. She was a whack job, I think. Plus I try to carry with me http://www.krages.com/phoright.htm a brief guide to photographers' rights.

[Gerald C Koch]

It's only polite to ask permission before you photograph a person or their property. If you don't you can get more than just verbal abuse. Don't ever photograph children without a parents permission unless you like prison food.

[Diapositivo]

You can photograph children if you are a woman, that's the rule.
If you are a man, some ass cavity will think you are a paedophile.

I actually routinely take pictures of play areas (which are normally very colourful) and merry-go-round (again) with all the children seasoning. Nobody raised questions (so far).

[Two23]

No. I live in the land of "Lutheran Niceness." That is, if there are any people around at all.


Kent in SD