Takkun
Ian M.
Most of us who do street photography are used to negative reactions from our subjects, be it a nasty look or worse.
Lately, however, I've been accosted by people for photographing buildings and construction sites. Last week, at a construction site, a security guard came up to me, and I had a schpiel worked out in my head and business cards ready. Turns out he was terrified that he had parked in a restricted zone and I was going to tow him, and all was well after the misunderstanding was cleared up.
Today was a little more harrowing. In my neighborhood, there's a lot of new construction going up on empty lots on otherwise rundown streets, and I've been attracted to the juxtaposition of glass and steel apartments next to boarded-up split-levels. I noticed a couple of Jesse Pinkman (the meth dealer in Breaking Bad, for those not in the know)-looking guys had been following me for a couple of blocks. I turned the corner; they turned the corner. I ducked in an alley and so did they. I turned around to see them running, so I went into a dead sprint toward a conveniently-located museum. There's only so fast you can run in hiking boots, and they caught up to me and demanded to know why I was photographing their house. They kept interrogating me if I was a cop, and I explained I am an architecture student and flashed my ID, which placated them. Needless today, my nerves were pretty shot, so I headed downtown where people are a little less irascible.
Long story short, this is the first time I've ever seen someone so irate for me photographing a building from a sidewalk. Or confusing me for any sort of police, either--these days I'm wearing hiking boots, flannel shirts and a neon-orange down jacket, and carrying a taped-up Leica or Fuji--hardly official or covert.
Generally I carry OC spray with me, but I've never had to resort to using it.
Anyone else had to deal with such angry passerby, and how do you do so?
Lately, however, I've been accosted by people for photographing buildings and construction sites. Last week, at a construction site, a security guard came up to me, and I had a schpiel worked out in my head and business cards ready. Turns out he was terrified that he had parked in a restricted zone and I was going to tow him, and all was well after the misunderstanding was cleared up.
Today was a little more harrowing. In my neighborhood, there's a lot of new construction going up on empty lots on otherwise rundown streets, and I've been attracted to the juxtaposition of glass and steel apartments next to boarded-up split-levels. I noticed a couple of Jesse Pinkman (the meth dealer in Breaking Bad, for those not in the know)-looking guys had been following me for a couple of blocks. I turned the corner; they turned the corner. I ducked in an alley and so did they. I turned around to see them running, so I went into a dead sprint toward a conveniently-located museum. There's only so fast you can run in hiking boots, and they caught up to me and demanded to know why I was photographing their house. They kept interrogating me if I was a cop, and I explained I am an architecture student and flashed my ID, which placated them. Needless today, my nerves were pretty shot, so I headed downtown where people are a little less irascible.
Long story short, this is the first time I've ever seen someone so irate for me photographing a building from a sidewalk. Or confusing me for any sort of police, either--these days I'm wearing hiking boots, flannel shirts and a neon-orange down jacket, and carrying a taped-up Leica or Fuji--hardly official or covert.
Generally I carry OC spray with me, but I've never had to resort to using it.
Anyone else had to deal with such angry passerby, and how do you do so?
