Extreme reactions people have to being photographed

Vonder · May 14, 2011

I was at a conference recently and 4 of us conference-goers were sitting at a table chatting. These are three good guys so I got up to snap a picture - and one of them nearly fell over backwards trying to push his chair back, so he'd be out of the picture. I've never seen anyone that horrified to be photographed. The funny thing is, if I'd been doing it discreetly I'd probably got the picture.

What is so horrifying about being photographed? I do understand you can try to avoid being photographed. Some people do. But you simply can not escape it. Too many security cameras all over the place.

photoncatcher · May 14, 2011

Usually, it's the camera that is horrified by me.

CGW · May 14, 2011

"I do understand you can try to avoid being photographed. Some people do. But you simply can not escape it."

Says who? You? What entitled you to make someone so obviously uncomfortable? If someone helps you "get" this don't be surprised if the tutorial proves to be a bit rough. Sometimes asking permission first works best.

Ian Leake · May 14, 2011

Could be several reasons. Some people don't like seeing pictures of themselves; others feel it's an invasion of privacy (both are true for me). And of course some people are on the FBI's most wanted list and feel the need to be discrete (which doesn't apply to me, I think).

To me it seems like basic good manners to ask permission before you take a picture of a stranger in a place that they may feel is private, or if you're going to do it in a way that they may consider intrusive. If you're unobtrusive then there's a reasonable argument that if they don't notice then they've suffered no harm, and of course it's different with friends and when you're on the street.

yulia_s_rey · May 14, 2011

because it brujeria! and steals your soul

mark · May 14, 2011

Was it too hard to ask permission?

rphenning · May 14, 2011

Maybe he told his significant other he was going to be elsewhere that weekend?

Jeff Kubach · May 14, 2011

I don't like having mug shots of myself!

Jeff

alanrockwood · May 14, 2011

Witness protection program... or maybe he told his spouse he was hiking the Appalachian trail that weekend.

salan · May 14, 2011

I am not keen on my photo being taken, but I don't stop it as that would be 'double standards'. If someone asks me not to taske there photo then I would respect that wish. But otherwise I just take them. Its not always pos to ask before taking.
Alan

Moopheus · May 14, 2011

yurisrey said:
because it brujeria! and steals your soul

Ha, I said that once in college to a yearbook photographer who'd come to take a picture of a student group I was in. As deadpan as possible, I said "But it'll steal our souls." And he was clearly confused.

salan · May 14, 2011

Dorian Grey?

Sirius Glass · May 14, 2011

I very rarely do street photography, but if someone tells me not to take their photograph, I do not.

Steve

ArtTwisted · May 14, 2011

I have never had a problem with people taking my photo, and I often take peoples photos with or without permission as long as its on public property (street photography), So i don't understand either. Privacy doesen't seem to be a very good reason, every mall, office building, street corner, store, etc has dozens or hundreds of cameras running, and people are looking at you on the monitor on the other end like it or not.

2F/2F · May 14, 2011

He must have told his wife he was cheating on her, and didn't want to get caught at a work conference.

pentaxuser · May 14, 2011

2F/2F said:
He must have told his wife he was cheating on her, and didn't want to get caught at a work conference.

Best reply so far

pentaxuser

Sirius Glass · May 14, 2011

2F/2F said:
He must have told his wife he was cheating on her, and didn't want to get caught at a work conference.

Absolutely nailed it!

Steve

Newt_on_Swings · May 14, 2011

I once had a Somalian guy run at me from 20 feet away screaming at me saying I was taking his picture and not too, on 20 something street. Funny thing was I didnt even have my camera to my eye, it was just around my neck, and I had one hand on it, thumb on film advance, finger close to shutter. He was quite rilled up, I wish I did pick it up and take his picture, instead of calling him crazy and walking away.

Vonder · May 15, 2011

Well, the moment reminded me of one from "Cheers" you know -the photos of guys with glasses raised. And I figured, spontaneously, that it'd be a great shot of the guys enjoying the conference. I have another suspicion though, now that I think about it. He's overweight. I think that's the reason he doesn't like it. We were at another event and I saw him turn around and distance himself from where I was taking pictures. At the time I figured he just had someplace else to be, but this confirms he simply doesn't want to be photographed by me.

It's just sad that a happy photo memory couldn't be captured. He certainly has the option to try to avoid being photographed all he wants.

mark · May 15, 2011

But that memory could have been captured if you had asked FIRST. he would have most likely bowed out but the rest would have been there.

Sirius Glass · May 15, 2011

Wolfeye said:
I have another suspicion though, now that I think about it. He's overweight. I think that's the reason he doesn't like it.

Sounds like you solved the problem.

Steve

Vonder · May 15, 2011

mark said:
But that memory could have been captured if you had asked FIRST. he would have most likely bowed out but the rest would have been there.

No, I don't think it would have mattered. He simply doesn't want to be photographed. I didn't want the picture of two guys and an oddly empty chair, so there was no picture at all.

But enough of my personal failure. I had hoped to hear more reactions others had encountered. Wasn't really looking for advice on my situation.

removed-user-1 · May 17, 2011

I photographed a wedding reception for a friend (the groom) a few years ago. He asked me to do it in a very candid style - no formal shots, just wander around the room and get photos of people having a party. There was one young woman there who consistently put her hand over her face whenever she thought she might be in my frame, even when she wasn't. After about three or four attempts to get photos in her part of the room, I thought about asking her if there was a problem, but then I thought better of it and just ignored her since she never confronted me directly (and I didn't print any negatives that included her).

Diapositivo · May 17, 2011

Maybe some people is obsessed with the way they look and don't want to be portrayed with a dirty or misplaced hair. Somebody, you know, might see the picture and suspect they aren't perfect.

rrankin · May 17, 2011

I was shooting with a long lens on the street in NYC once. They allow(ed?) anyone there to sell books on the street without a license so, there were a lot of, shall we say, different folks, selling books off tables. I was leaning against a building, shooting way down the street, and one of the 'vendors' came screaming at me waving a book to stop taking his picture because I was CIA and he didn't want the CIA bothering him any more. The camera wasn't even pointed in his direction. After 30 seconds or so of screaming, he then went back to his table and got underneath it.

Being the sensitive, understanding soul that I am, I moved on before he came back ...

Extreme reactions people have to being photographed

removed-user-1

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