asking permission to take photo... lol

[zauhar]

Actually, giving a street performer a buck for their photo is a good deal - they often make an interesting image, and you can feel free to pose them to some extent.

'Don't look at the camera - and act natural!'

Many of these guys are pretty talented, they are working and contributing the best way they can.

Randy

 

[jsrockit]

I'm sure you've heard of the vulgar Elmo in Times Square that will hassle people if you take his picture without giving him money. Yeah, these people need to learn a little bit about First Amendment law... if you're in the public, you have no expectation of privacy, and thus people are free to photograph you.

Whenever I see this... I purposely take their photo. Like the guy that walks around with a cat on his head here in NYC. I always take his photo because he gets mad when you don't pay him. My answer is that he should walk around with a cat on his head if he doesn't want to be photographed in public for free.

 

[Bob Michaels]

I'm not villifying anyone that wants to give them money, I just don't.
I'm a photojournalist, I don't pay for pictures. It would actually be considered unethical if I were to give them money and then take their picture and try to pass it off as something "editorial."

I have a similar philosophy in never paying for photos. But when I am finished and there is a gap between photographing and talking, I have bought someone a beer or given them a dollar. I just insure there clearly is no "tit for tat". That way I reconcile my journalistic ethics with my social desires to help those in need.

One possible exception was several years ago when I wanted to photograph two crack whores by the RR tracks. They wanted $10 for "something to eat". I explained my ethical situation of never paying for photos. Then they said they came across a similar situation in their line of work with people who did not want to pay for sex. They explained their resolution was that Mr. John simply gave them money because they had none and then they had sex with Mr. John because he was such a nice guy. We were all laughing and it was such a great conversation that I gave them $10. They they said "hey you are such a nice guy, do you want to take our picture?"