This past weekend I decided that henceforth, whenever some random creeper tries to take my photo at NYRF, I am simply going to stick my finger up my nose. This decision was prompted by too many years of having to deal with people who are incredibly rude in their attempts to snap a picture of the cute little fairy. A recent example involved me having to turn my back on a guy who was trying to take my picture while I was about to sneeze.
I imagine that there are some people out there who would like to know how NOT to be that random creeper, or (as they are refered to in some circles) a Guy/Girl With Camera.
Basically, it comes down to this: Obey Wheaton's Law.
More specifically...
People are not objects to be photographed. That potted plant may not care about constantly having cameras pointed at it, but a person will. You need to take their feelings into consideration before taking the lens cap off. Hell, I've been shooting Elmo and Zoe (Rich's mom's cats, for those of you who may be new here) since they were kittens, and sometimes they just don't want anything to do with the camera! Which brings us to our next point...
Show some damn respect. If someone doesn't want you to take their photo, don't take their photo. If you've taken a photo of someone and are asked to delete it, apologize, delete the photo, and then (this is important) do not bitch about being asked to delete a photo on FaceBook. (Or anywhere else, for that matter.) The world does not revolve around you and your camera. People have a right to tell you no, and you need to respect that. Don't take an attitude with people who don't want to be photographed. Your rights are not being infringed upon.
Do not interrupt someone while they are going about their business. In addition to the man who tried to photograph me mid-sneeze, there was a guy who interrupted a sale to try to get my picture, and another who interrupted a personal conversation I was in the middle of. I was taught when I was very small not to interrupt people unless it was an emergency. Your photo does not constitute an emergency.
If you want to take a photo with someone, ask! This should be very obvious, but unfortunately it isn't. It has only happened to me once or twice in ten years, but a friend suggested I add it here because she encounters this problem fairly frequently. It is really incredibly rude to just stand next to someone, put your arm around them, and have your friend snap a picture. If you do this, do not be surprised if the person you're trying to photograph refuses to be in your picture.
Introduce yourself to the people you want to photograph. Again, they are people, not objects. They might be more amenable to having you take their picture if you say hello, tell them why you're taking pictures, and most importantly, tell them where the photos will end up. Several years ago, I had a problem with a gentleman who was selling prints of me on the internet without my permission. If I have to explain to you why that's not ok, you probably should put your camera away until you figure it out.
If you act like a creeper, people will assume you are a creeper. This is strongly related to the above point, but I think it needs to be said. If you act in a suspicious manner, if you are using a camoflauge lens, if you are primarily interested in taking pictures of young girls, do not be surprised when people assume you're a total creep, and treat you accordingly. Unfortunately for you, once people come to the conclusion that you are a creep, there's really no going back after that. You're branded for life.
In conclusion, unless I know you to be a person who follows the above rules, you will be unable to photograph me without my finger in my nose. For the record, Lars was so tickled by my new plan that he asked if he could take a such a photo. Lars most definitely does NOT fall into the Guy With Camera category.
I imagine that there are some people out there who would like to know how NOT to be that random creeper, or (as they are refered to in some circles) a Guy/Girl With Camera.
Basically, it comes down to this: Obey Wheaton's Law.
More specifically...
People are not objects to be photographed. That potted plant may not care about constantly having cameras pointed at it, but a person will. You need to take their feelings into consideration before taking the lens cap off. Hell, I've been shooting Elmo and Zoe (Rich's mom's cats, for those of you who may be new here) since they were kittens, and sometimes they just don't want anything to do with the camera! Which brings us to our next point...
Show some damn respect. If someone doesn't want you to take their photo, don't take their photo. If you've taken a photo of someone and are asked to delete it, apologize, delete the photo, and then (this is important) do not bitch about being asked to delete a photo on FaceBook. (Or anywhere else, for that matter.) The world does not revolve around you and your camera. People have a right to tell you no, and you need to respect that. Don't take an attitude with people who don't want to be photographed. Your rights are not being infringed upon.
Do not interrupt someone while they are going about their business. In addition to the man who tried to photograph me mid-sneeze, there was a guy who interrupted a sale to try to get my picture, and another who interrupted a personal conversation I was in the middle of. I was taught when I was very small not to interrupt people unless it was an emergency. Your photo does not constitute an emergency.
If you want to take a photo with someone, ask! This should be very obvious, but unfortunately it isn't. It has only happened to me once or twice in ten years, but a friend suggested I add it here because she encounters this problem fairly frequently. It is really incredibly rude to just stand next to someone, put your arm around them, and have your friend snap a picture. If you do this, do not be surprised if the person you're trying to photograph refuses to be in your picture.
Introduce yourself to the people you want to photograph. Again, they are people, not objects. They might be more amenable to having you take their picture if you say hello, tell them why you're taking pictures, and most importantly, tell them where the photos will end up. Several years ago, I had a problem with a gentleman who was selling prints of me on the internet without my permission. If I have to explain to you why that's not ok, you probably should put your camera away until you figure it out.
If you act like a creeper, people will assume you are a creeper. This is strongly related to the above point, but I think it needs to be said. If you act in a suspicious manner, if you are using a camoflauge lens, if you are primarily interested in taking pictures of young girls, do not be surprised when people assume you're a total creep, and treat you accordingly. Unfortunately for you, once people come to the conclusion that you are a creep, there's really no going back after that. You're branded for life.
In conclusion, unless I know you to be a person who follows the above rules, you will be unable to photograph me without my finger in my nose. For the record, Lars was so tickled by my new plan that he asked if he could take a such a photo. Lars most definitely does NOT fall into the Guy With Camera category.