Have you ever been interrupted when taking photographs?

Haha I was looking around this graffiti-ed up bus for any sort of shot that I though might have been good. This woman runs up to me ahead of who I presume was her husband and says
"What do you think you're doing? Are you taking photo's of my house" (this is referring to the bus)

I said "I haven't taken anything yet but I do think it's really cool."

She replies "Sorry you can't take any pictures, its plagiarism! You're not allowed to steal the art that our friends did on the bus and use it for yourself!"

"Oooookaayyy."

And I walk off, just after the husband catches up and gives me one of those 'Sorry, she's just like that' looks. 🙂
 
Pickett Wilson said:
You are too easily discouraged. You've clearly never been in a scrum before and had to get the shot! lol

Seriously. She would have eventually gone away.
Click to expand...

those scrums are fascinating really. elbows, shoving and all out body checks. you either get down with it or you don't get the shot.

funny thing is, afterwards everyone is chummy.

the trick is not getting the hood of someones 16-35 in your pictures.
 
Jodorowsky said:
...accused me of being a 'Thatcherite'...
Click to expand...

Now there's an intended insult with definite geographical limits.

A few people have started talking to me, usually because I'm carrying a camera that either looks old or is old. Once in a while I get the "you gotta switch to digital" pitch. (People must assume we all own just one camera.) Locally, no one had ever hassled or challenged me. However, if I shot hyper-locally (my immediate environs) I'd certainly be challenged. It's that kind of place.

Like others, when I'm in a touristed location, other tourists will see me shooting something a bit out of the usual mainstream and try for the same shot. I imagine it amuses folks shooting a big DSLR with a telephoto or zoom when someone with a little p&s becomes a copycat.

People often stop in their tracks rather than walk into a shot. That upsets me because I often take a long time futzing around before I shoot and feel bad when I discover I've kept someone waiting.
 
I get it all the time when I'm working...

My most notable was when using a 6x17 on a 9 foot tall tripod, standing on a ladder with my head under a dark cloth, I noticed a guy hovering just on that point of your vision where its annoying. After about 10 minutes he plucked up the courage tapped me on the back, I looked down and he uttered those immortal words:

"Are you a photographer?"

I get that question all the time and never know what to say...

Any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated 🙂
 
I don't own really fancy cameras, so I mostly get the strange look for what I'm photographing.

When I was young, I was setting up a shot of some railway tracks from an overpass in a misty light rain, and an older man walked up to me asking me what I'm shooting. I showed him, thinking for a second he was genuinely interested, before he replied: "But the sun isn't even shining." Oh well...
 
Good story well told whith a high MP-esque degree, especially the terrier part. Personally, I'd blame it on the marmite.

(Post Scriptum: MP not referring to a topic all too often discussed on this site, but to a funny walking comic series...😀)
 
robklurfield said:
Damned Yorkies. We have three right now plus my daughter's is boarding with us. We used to have four of our own. They have peed on EVERYTHING except for my camera gear. And, I'm a dog lover. I enjoyed your story, every bit of it except for the Marmite (guess one must be a Brit to truly appreciate Marmite).

Did this nosy old bat think you were planning to do something terrorist-like with a camera, tripod and a tree? What, blow up a tree? The dogs can be excused because, aside from barking, peeing is one of the things Yorkshire terriers do best. The woman's behavior, however, is boorish. Post-9/11 everyone is afraid of cameras. Totally irrational. I guess the next thing, given this week's events, is that we must all now fear printer toner cartridges.
Click to expand...
Washed off my manfrotto then cheered myself up by watching a short video clip of A Fish Called Wanda. It's the scene showing the Doberman snatching up the Yorkie instead of killing the old woman. I like dogs I just don't tollerate irresponsible owners very well. The next time someone irritates me when I'm taking photographs I'm going to give them the facial twitch, stutter and ask them if they would like a m-m-m-m-m-Marmite sandwich. Only joking, I usually have great patientce with people and animals, most people who work methodically have these elements in their make-up. Playing with old film cameras and trying to get the best from them takes a certain amount of discipline, this morning I was irritated but I held my tongue. The woman was aggressive and rude. I'm kicking myself now for not taking her photo, a great portrait opportunity missed.
 
Last edited:
I was at a concert last night where the keyboardist and drummer both had Zombie Stares going on. The keyboardist was downright frightening with it. Sorry I don't have a pic, but that stare would scare anyone away!
 
If I'm out taking photos my experience is that ninety nine percent of the public treat me with courtesy and keep out of my way and I judge them by that statistic and not by the occasional possibly unbalanced individual who can be the proverbial pain in the butt.

As photographers our rights are being challenged by hysteria and fear of people with cameras thanks largely to anti terror media beat ups.

I will go out of my way to prove I am tolerant and patient with the most annoying individuals because I want people to look at phtographers working in public places in a positive light .. and if I tell someone to 'piss off' in a moment of irritation that may sour that individual against photographers in general. That same person may have an extensive social network and will relay their experience ... "I met this guy taking photos the other day and he was the rudest prick I've ever met ... are all photographers like that?"
 
Some years ago when I lived in Florida I found out NEVER use a Poloroid pack camera there as it seemed everyone had a story to tell about their experiences with them. I shoot with a 180 and 195, excellent all manual cameras. Pop them on a good tripod, know the film and how to to pre-expose and the results can be as good as almost anything from any system. But almost everytime I did a set up some old geezer would hobble up and start telling me how he spent a fortune on his model 95 or a 450 and it was trash as all his shots were fuzzy and no better than some cheap piece of plastic.

At first I'd explain the the company had somewhat mislead the public as the camera was definitely not for hand holding unless using the 3000 film. I'd then show some results to them of my shooting and they'd either fight with me or ask for an hour's free lesson right then and there because the camera was home and they'd just love to put it back in service. Some days, this would chew up more than 1/2 of my shooting time so I finally learned to use the camera only on Sunday mornings when most were in church and then switch to another format.

I am not a street shooter so it is not uncommon for others to see me use my Leica CL. I have been approached by some of the most obnoxious persons who would insult me, my camera, my false use of the Leica name and worse. Yes, these were mostly Leica RF owners. You'd think they'd be a bit more understanding or at least curtious. Worse were the Leica SLR owners using R series which of course were also made by Minolta and closer to a Minolta design duplicate than the CL was. I was surprised when this started as I had suspected Leica wannabe owners would be the group if any were to bother me. I even had this happen last week in the hospital while waiting for my radiation treatment. But, the guy who started to insult me was doing it in jest as when he got my dander up, he reached in and pulled out his CL.

To a lesser degree but increasingly have been new groups of retirees who remember using or having friends use the likes of my Voightlanders, Rolleiflex and Zeiss cameras. Again memory lane lovers. This group I sort of enjoy talking to as they have some interesting stories.

So far, no one other than professionals have bothered me when I shoot the Bronica. They seem to have a mistaken belief only professionals would invest in medium format systems. Now, I will admit I used to bother Hassey owners and other ETRS owners but if possible waited until they took a break to speak with them. Rolleiflex owners are like the old British sportcar group. Whenever I see another there is an immediate wave and hello and more oft than not a checking of the model, how long we've had ours, etc.
 
Normally I don't have too many interuptions when I'm taking pictures. Sometimes some other fotographers are trying too decide what camera I'm using. I even got a question if my ZM was a medium format camera 🙂
But about a month ago I was walking to work (10-15 minute walk), and trying too fill a roll of film in my old slr (eos 33). It was a beautifull morning with silver-lined clouds. So I was taking pics of the clouds that I could see because of a open space between two houses. Suddenly I see this guy running out on the street, yelling "why are you taking pictures of me". I responded with "I'm not taking pictures of you", and I could here a "yes, you are" comming, but quickly explained I was taking pics of the clouds. This guy goes "oh, ok" turns around, and goes back inside the house.
 
Nick De Marco said:
I don't mean to start a row, but I have found American's to be worst at this sort of interference. No idea why.
Click to expand...

While we may hold a large share in this type of behavior, I really don't think that being a jackass is specific to nationality.
There is plenty of crazy spread out pretty evenly across the globe. Tourists are tourists. Most are well behaved. In fact,
I was recently interrupted by a German tourist in my hometown while I was photographing a guy doing one of the best
Micheal Jackson impersonations I've ever seen. The lady walked in front of me to stuff a dollar into his shoe box full of
money, then turned and faced me, hands on hips, and self-righteously demanded "Und how much do you pay to him for
zee pictures you take, hmmmm"?. I just moved to the side and continued to shoot. I don't think that she would
have acted any differently if she were from Spain, Italy, Croatia, Canada or the U.S. - She was just a straight up b-word.
Did I give him a dollar? That is nobody's business.

00000029.jpg


The only thing that ever urks me is when people walk up and start telling me how to shoot stuff. I don't mind a
nice conversation about photography, or different techniques, or a chat about gear, but when someone opens
with "you're doing that wrong", man that rubs me the wrong way. Happened to me a couple weeks ago while
I was testing the 'slow' speeds on a new to me $10 Argus TLR on some flowers at dusk. Guy stands behind me for
too long, I can just feel him there, then clucks his tongue and says "nope, not enough light" and walks away.
Now that guy was American. Plenty of light, but my focus was off.

IMG_0037.jpg
 
Last edited:
mto'brien said:
The only thing that ever urks me is when people walk up and start telling me how to shoot stuff. I don't mind a
nice conversation about photography, or different techniques, or a chat about gear, but when someone opens
with "you're doing that wrong", man that rubs me the wrong way. Happened to me a couple weeks ago while
I was testing the 'slow' speeds on a new to me $10 Argus TLR on some flowers at dusk. Guy stands behind me for
too long, I can just feel him there, then clucks his tongue and says "nope, not enough light" and walks away.
Now that guy was American. Plenty of light, but my focus was off.

IMG_0037.jpg
Click to expand...

heh!
yeah, I love people telling me how to do or what to think of stuff. as if I wasn't stupid enough myself!
 
mto'brien said:
... I really don't think that being a jackass is specific to nationality.
Click to expand...

Amen. Jackassery knows no borders.

Years ago, I stood behind another American, a tourist, in a queue at a store in Britain. When he got to the clerk, he opened his mouth and asked -- no joke -- "How much is this in real money?".

Not so long ago, a Dutch family seated across an aircraft aisle from me were treated for most of the two-hour flight to a rant by Dad repeating every stereotype and caricature an Ugly European might have of Americans.

I suspect there is something about being with your national compatriots in a foreign country, knowing that you are anonymous and will soon leave, that lowers inhibitions.
 
A Washington, DC Capitol Police officer at the Restore Sanity/Keep Fear Alive Rally yesterday did wag his finger at me when I pointed my M8 his direction. Not wanting to start trouble at a rally intended to be peaceful, I complied, though I muttered under my breath "what possibly could I think I have in mind."
 
robklurfield said:
A Washington, DC Capitol Police officer at the Restore Sanity/Keep Fear Alive Rally yesterday did wag his finger at me when I pointed my M8 his direction. Not wanting to start trouble at a rally intended to be peaceful, I complied, though I muttered under my breath "what possibly could I think I have in mind."
Click to expand...


That would have been a good pic ... pity you wimped out!

Not that I would have been any braver! 😀
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Godfrey
Getting back up to speed ...
2
Replies
23
Views
1K
Deleted member 65559
D
J
  • Article Article
My Bout With Bronicas: One man's adventures in the mysterious Land of Zenza
2 3 4
Replies
72
Views
12K
shawn
S
R
Flash bulb addiction
2 3 4
Replies
60
Views
6K
Rob-F
Rob-F
GoodOldNorm
Did you spend more time taking photographs/making prints before you bought a pc?
Replies
16
Views
2K
johannielscom
johannielscom
N
Great career advice for aspiring professional photographers
2 3 4
Replies
67
Views
6K
koven
K
Back
Top Bottom