Sworn at while taking photographs

AnselMortensen · Sep 20, 2024

Usually I'M the one doing the swearing...

...when I kick the tripod after composing & focusing.

...when I forget to close the shutter before pulling the dark slide.

...when I drop the filter I'm planning on using in the dirt.

MartinCrabtree · Sep 20, 2024

While never told to "f off" I've had a few hard stares taking photos in public. I don't do it much anymore. Too many angry people I've no time nor desire to deal with.

jvo · Sep 25, 2024

Paul Howell said:
Shooting news as a PJ I was often sworn at, unpleasant but not as dangerous when I was shot at. When an Air Force Combat photographer I was armed and did engage in combat as needed. When I worked for the wires, I was press, we were not allowed to carry arms. What was worse at least when I was Air Force photopgraher everyone knew whos side I was on. When a JP, both sides hated us, thinking were taking the others side.

geez, being in infantry I always got shot at!

i guess i'm pretty lucky to be a photographer - it may happen only occasionally!

Vaughn · Sep 25, 2024

My usual MO is to photograph where other people are not. But there was the time two women approached me. They were about half (or less) my age and we all huddled under the darkcloth of the 8x10 to see what I was doing.

What am I doing wrong?

MartinCrabtree · Sep 25, 2024

Oh I'd say nothing wrong at all.

NiallerM · Sep 26, 2024

Vaughn said:
My usual MO is to photograph where other people are not. But there was the time two women approached me. They were about half (or less) my age and we all huddled under the darkcloth of the 8x10 to see what I was doing.

What am I doing wrong?

This is the problem I've had with the large format cameras - particularly the Afghan Box. People come up and want to see what you're seeing and often ask for a portrait. My son took three on a promenade during the summer before we realised that there was a crowd building up. They were getting their picture taken, and developed using real chemicals! They held them like they were treasures. We had to feign a shortage of paper.

Alan Edward Klein · Sep 26, 2024

Vaughn said:
My usual MO is to photograph where other people are not. But there was the time two women approached me. They were about half (or less) my age and we all huddled under the darkcloth of the 8x10 to see what I was doing.

What am I doing wrong?

It depends on how long you huddled.

Alan Edward Klein · Sep 26, 2024

NiallerM said:
This is the problem I've had with the large format cameras - particularly the Afghan Box. People come up and want to see what you're seeing and often ask for a portrait. My son took three on a promenade during the summer before we realised that there was a crowd building up. They were getting their picture taken, and developed using real chemicals! They held them like they were treasures. We had to feign a shortage of paper.

Put a sign up: "Photos: $300"

NiallerM · Sep 26, 2024

Alan Edward Klein said:
Put a sign up: "Photos: $300"

That comes next! They definitely viewed it as an experience. My son gave them the patter while his arm was buried in the box, like a vet in an awkward calving.

neutron450 · Sep 26, 2024

MattKing said:
We have noted and received some comments about moderation decisions in this thread.
If people wish to discuss the political and societal and historical factors that are involved in the balancing of:
1) legal rights to photograph something;
2) legal rights to privacy and ownership of one's own image; and
3) the legal rights involved when commercializing an image,
particularly in reference to realities that were in place a quarter of a millennium ago,
Photrio isn't the the best place to do so.
And certainly not if that discussion is to be imbued with different political outlooks.
Some of those related issues probably belong on Photrio - for example information about what to watch out for respecting the local legal issues if people travel and wish to photograph things and people on the way. Mainly though, those limited discussions belong outside this thread.

That's unfortunate. An open marketplace of ideas is essential to a functional community.

Sworn at while taking photographs

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