vodid
Cone of Uncertainty
Chalk this one up as a WIN.
My buddy Stumps, a musician, invited me to come watch his show at one of the local bars in the French Quarter. I had a beer or two, and after awhile, Stumps and his group started playing. I had my camera, using a flash attachment, and took a coupla photos of the band. Then I took a coupla photos of folks in the bar...people that wanted their photo taken. Going out for a little fresh air, I was stopped by the doorman...
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't take any photos in the bar except of the band."
"Why?" I asked.
"Well, some people don't like their photo taken."
"Did someone complain about me taking their photo?"
"Well," (and he stumbles over what to say) "I don't want MY photo taken."
"I haven't taken your photo. I don't take photographs of anyone who doesn't want to be photographed."
"Well, I appreciate having your cooperation in this, just don't take any photos of the patrons, and there'll be no problem."
"Well, you DON'T have my cooperation; I'm a photographer, and this is important to me. Just so you know, it is my legal right to take photographs of any one I want in a public venue, whether they want to be photographed or not. My personal stance, however, is that I do not photograph anyone who does not want to be photographed."
"Yes, but I'm sure you understand that I have to do what I have to do."
"Well, if what you mean by that veiled threat is that you'll throw me out if I continue to make photographs, then that leaves me little choice, so I'll pack up and leave now, and you can be sure that I'll never patronize this bar again." With that, I went back into the bar, packed up my camera equipment, and waved goodbye to Stumps and his band.
Stumps asks "You're leaving already? What's goin' on?"
I explain to him that essentially, I've been thrown out, that is, if I take any more photos. Stumps says, "Nah, we'll work this out." And we walk together to the entryway, and he talks to the doorman. Now the doorman is in somewhat of a quandry...this is the main guy entertaining the bar patrons, and Stumps is quite clearly speaking in my behalf. Then he says to the doorman, "I've got a possible solution, we can solve this in just a coupla minutes." With that, he walks me back into the bar, and we're standing behind the microphone and he's got his arm over my shoulders and mine is over his. "This is my buddy Harold, he's a photographer, so I just wanted to see a show of hands...Is there anyone in the bar that does not want their picture taken?"
No one raises their hand.
Stumps seals the deal by saying something about how glad he is that I'm staying.
Victory.
And I wanted to allow the doorman to save face, because I'd clearly won this little skirmish, but it did surprise me when I saw him a few moments later and he said something like, "I'm glad we could work that out...thanks for cooperating." As politely as possible, I said, yeah, I'm glad too, and don't worry...I won't take your picture".
I'd sorta planned to put my camera away, just to let any lingering feelings of confrontation to fully die, but I wasn't sure if the doorman really understood that I'd completely won this argument, and was now free to photograph anyone in the bar...I figured I owed it to myself and photographers in general to snap off a few more photos of the bar patrons, just to make sure he got the message. And indeed, their was no problem. About 45 minutes later, a young gal comes up to me, and asks if I'd take a photo of her and her boyfriend. "Of course", I reply, and follow her toward the front of the bar. Here is where the irony gets really delicious...her boyfriend is the DOORMAN. I ask him with a bit of a smile, "Are you want to do this?" But his girlfriend is clearly excited about the idea, and he shrugs his shoulders and poses real nice. A handsome hunky man with a chiseled face, and a cute young girlfriend.
Sometimes life is just too good to me.
My buddy Stumps, a musician, invited me to come watch his show at one of the local bars in the French Quarter. I had a beer or two, and after awhile, Stumps and his group started playing. I had my camera, using a flash attachment, and took a coupla photos of the band. Then I took a coupla photos of folks in the bar...people that wanted their photo taken. Going out for a little fresh air, I was stopped by the doorman...
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't take any photos in the bar except of the band."
"Why?" I asked.
"Well, some people don't like their photo taken."
"Did someone complain about me taking their photo?"
"Well," (and he stumbles over what to say) "I don't want MY photo taken."
"I haven't taken your photo. I don't take photographs of anyone who doesn't want to be photographed."
"Well, I appreciate having your cooperation in this, just don't take any photos of the patrons, and there'll be no problem."
"Well, you DON'T have my cooperation; I'm a photographer, and this is important to me. Just so you know, it is my legal right to take photographs of any one I want in a public venue, whether they want to be photographed or not. My personal stance, however, is that I do not photograph anyone who does not want to be photographed."
"Yes, but I'm sure you understand that I have to do what I have to do."
"Well, if what you mean by that veiled threat is that you'll throw me out if I continue to make photographs, then that leaves me little choice, so I'll pack up and leave now, and you can be sure that I'll never patronize this bar again." With that, I went back into the bar, packed up my camera equipment, and waved goodbye to Stumps and his band.
Stumps asks "You're leaving already? What's goin' on?"
I explain to him that essentially, I've been thrown out, that is, if I take any more photos. Stumps says, "Nah, we'll work this out." And we walk together to the entryway, and he talks to the doorman. Now the doorman is in somewhat of a quandry...this is the main guy entertaining the bar patrons, and Stumps is quite clearly speaking in my behalf. Then he says to the doorman, "I've got a possible solution, we can solve this in just a coupla minutes." With that, he walks me back into the bar, and we're standing behind the microphone and he's got his arm over my shoulders and mine is over his. "This is my buddy Harold, he's a photographer, so I just wanted to see a show of hands...Is there anyone in the bar that does not want their picture taken?"
No one raises their hand.
Stumps seals the deal by saying something about how glad he is that I'm staying.
Victory.
And I wanted to allow the doorman to save face, because I'd clearly won this little skirmish, but it did surprise me when I saw him a few moments later and he said something like, "I'm glad we could work that out...thanks for cooperating." As politely as possible, I said, yeah, I'm glad too, and don't worry...I won't take your picture".
I'd sorta planned to put my camera away, just to let any lingering feelings of confrontation to fully die, but I wasn't sure if the doorman really understood that I'd completely won this argument, and was now free to photograph anyone in the bar...I figured I owed it to myself and photographers in general to snap off a few more photos of the bar patrons, just to make sure he got the message. And indeed, their was no problem. About 45 minutes later, a young gal comes up to me, and asks if I'd take a photo of her and her boyfriend. "Of course", I reply, and follow her toward the front of the bar. Here is where the irony gets really delicious...her boyfriend is the DOORMAN. I ask him with a bit of a smile, "Are you want to do this?" But his girlfriend is clearly excited about the idea, and he shrugs his shoulders and poses real nice. A handsome hunky man with a chiseled face, and a cute young girlfriend.
Sometimes life is just too good to me.
