Guys who should mind their own business

[greatphotos]

I was shooting at a certain public beach where people all gather around and dance to the beat at a reoccuring day and time. There were about 10 other photographers and some videographers there too. After I had shot about a hundred pics, I changed position and shot more of a particular girl who was really putting on a show.

Some guy who was doing some of the music says to me, "Hey, that's not cool man". So I looked at him and said, "Hey if that girl doesn't want me to take any photos of her, then I won't". He didn't want to argue the point but he said to me "There are a lot of people who don't like people taking pictures here". So of course I kept shooting. Then another shooter whom I met earlier came up to me and said he'd been told he couldn't take any photos. WTF!!! So to sum it up, the cops where I shoot are cool with it, but common citizens on public beaches are barking orders? Who the hell do they think they are? I think they were singling out people with professional looking cameras.

When I was in Havasu, I got shit from a couple of dudes who didn't like me taking photos, and they didn't even know the girls I was shooting!!! WTF. Mind you, the girls were posing for us!!!! But yet, I talked to a cop there and even traded some pics with him via email (he shot some too). So again, the cops are cool, but ordinary people are f'd up.

I am getting fed up with these "hero" type guys with no authority telling me what to do. Especially when I'm not doing anything wrong. I would understand a little if they saw me take some shots of a girls ass while she was sleeping (which I do), but these were public events and I was openly shooting, as many other people were doing.

[SnappinT]

These "hero" types are so full of shit, you can't tell me when a hot girl is around they don't look. So what's so evil about taking a picture of the same thing you saw? And there's a phobia about things "ending up on the internet." Again what's so horrible about that if you chose to go out into public that way? The same people who are likely to see you on the street are the same people with internet access. Sure, maybe more people will see you on the net but that's only a matter of degree. You say the girls were even posing for you. Perhaps the guys are jealous? Threatened?

[archman]

Most girls eat it up that we take shots of them. The guys on the other hand, well, it must be some kind of "macho" thing with them. Guys have a tendency to be possessive--they put their "claim" in, and nobody can touch what they feel is "theirs".

In this case, the guy must have felt because he was doing the music, the girls dancing to it were "his". He probably didn't even know them, but because they responded to something he was doing, that made them "his" in his book.

Did I use enough "quote" marks in this reply?

[toBot]

Originally Posted by greatphotos

He didn't want to argue the point but he said to me "There are a lot of people who don't like people taking pictures here".

I guess my in-hindsight armchair comeback would of been "Well, there are a lot of people who do like taking pictures here because it's fun and it's legal!" But a hundred pics in one spot and then going for more makes you an easy target for the dipshit do-gooders as it gives them something to focus on. You know the advice about staying in one place too long.

Another problem with the guys is that sometimes they think you're taking pics of them!! One time soon after getting my D70/telephoto I was sitting on a little brick wall next to a busy square so I could get some snaps of folks crossing the street. All of a sudden this guy who I never saw before comes up in behind me and says "Excuse me, can I ask you something? Why were you taking pictures of me?". Of course I wasn't so I figured he must of been in the general direction of where my lens was pointing in the street and he thought that he was something special (or perhaps he was truly paranoid). So I replied I wasn't taking pictures of him blah blah and defended myself and he left lecturing me with a "You shouldn't be doing that. " Obviously a twit. Minutes later I bumped into another D70 owner and we chit chatted and I told him what had just happened, and he had some scary candid shooting tales to tell me too! Bottom line is ya gotta be careful out there.

I agree too with the territorial instincts that some street folk have. I found there is one tiny city square that is a hangout for punk type youngins even though it's in a busy touristy place, and they all know each other and look out for each other. They get very brave and righteous and will hassle you for taking candids (of other people not them!) as they think they are protecting something. One guy came up to me and demanded I erase the pic I just took and when I wouldn't started yelling "He's taking pictures of people without them knowing about it!" to passers-by who then were giving him the WTF look and trying to get by. At that point there's nothing to do but leave and go fishing somewhere else!

[Satan]

I call them "Christians"

[LCSC]

Originally Posted by Satan

I call them "Christians"

So many Christians, not enough lions. hehehe

[toBot]

Originally Posted by Satan

I call them "Christians"

Well Boss, I'm a Christian, that's such a broad label to use it doesn't seem very accurate to me. Fundamentalist Christians tend to piss me off because of their extremely dogmatic beliefs and behaviour, but so would fundamentalists of virtually any religion. Who knows what religions the twits are that hassle photographers.

I don't care if anyone is personally uptight, inhibited, or just plain conservative, but when they expect all others to do as they think and then try to control people via force or political agenda and not respecting what is allowed under the US Constitution, well that pisses me off too! Am I talking about Republicans?

[Satan]

My apologies for offending.

[toBot]

Cool and thanks Boss, no offense taken.

[StuffNJunk]

I've never ran into anyone like that...but people need to mind their own business...what
we do is legal after all