Today we went to Port Erin (IOM) to look for somewhere to eat after being at Cregneash.
Shortly after we arrived (or possibly already there, and I didn’t notice) were hundreds of Classic BSA Motorbikes. I grabbed my camera from my car and went for a walk amongst the motorbikes. And then I saw a very pretty, attractive, stunning blonde woman in black bike leathers. Early twenties, probably from a Eurpoean country. I had the impulse to take a picture, in full view of her of course so that she’d know. I suspect she’d probably have been ok with it (or even flattered) but I resisted the temptation. It feels somehow wrong to take photographs of strangers. I carried on walking, and sort of kicking myself for not being brave and capturing that beauty.
Pro photographers do it all the time. I guess that’s one of the many things that makes the difference between a Pro and an Amateur, the willingness to point a camera at people who possibly won’t appreciate it. (I certainly wouldn’t!) But most of the most aesthetically pleasing photographs I see are of strangers frozen in some everyday act such as in a queue for an ice-cream, or simply walking along.
When I went to England, I took pictures of quite a few beautiful strangers. It quite often started a nice conversation. When I went to Brazil, my camera was stolen.
What about asking her if she minded (and hoping to start a conversation)? Of course if she had a large boyfriend nearby, poised to pound on you, I would have, um, kept walking.
Good for you for normally asking. During my last vacation I had a guy ask to take a picture with me to piss off his ex girlfriend. I thought it was funny and took a couple with him.
I also had a guy just start snapping pictures of me and a friend and it pissed me right the hell off. Flattered? No.
Well I was hoping to take just the one (to capture the vision that had captured my attention) but what you said (bolded by me) enforces my point. I am reluctant to piss people off at the best of times.
Well I was hoping to take just the one (to capture the vision that had captured my attention) but what you said (bolded by me) enforces my point. I am reluctant to piss people off at the best of times.
If the picture is the point, I wonder if you could resort to some trickery. E.g. hold camera at waist, point it in that general direction, and try to appear not to take a picture. Flash off, set it on manual focus to avoid any focusing beams betraying you, prefocus and set for some good depth of field. Then, pray.
Then I would feel even worse :eek: Like a perv.
I could be wrong, but I think a Pro photographer with balls (and limited scrouples) would just take the shot and let fate decide what (if anything) would happen next.
Edit: I don’t mean to keep shooting down your helpful suggestions. I am not really sure what my point for starting this thread was over and above just wanting to ‘make a thread about it’.
IIRC there’s some rule that paparrazi routinely invoke, like, “You’re in a public place and therefore opening yourself to being photographed.” The fact that this wasn’t even a celebrity seems to make the question of being allowed to take it a no-brainer.
Perhaps I’m reading too much into the OP but I assumed this was a bunch (quote: hundreds) o’bikers in town for some event. Naturally people are going to take pictures in such a venue. The very nature of such an event is “Look at us!” Were there any reporters there, documenting it for the news?
But if you wanted a candid shot, you’d have to resort to something that kept the subject off-guard, i.e. unaware. And as these are bikers, it could get nasty if snapping the picture were not well-received. Like I said, I think it depends on how much you want the picture.
I’ve had men ask to take my picture in public. Because few of them professed to be media-hired professional photographers (though the old ‘Come to my studio and help me with my portfolio’ line is pretty common), it just seemed to me like they were saying, ‘Hey, my memory’s not great. Can I get a photo so I can remember what you look like when I masturbate later?’ Maybe I’m just cynical. I did agree once for a group of harmless high school students who no doubt used the pic as ‘proof’ of banging me or whatever.
I have this problem too, I just feel it’s a bit rude to snap someone without asking.
I’m a journalist though, and when I was working on a local paper and was out and about with our photographer he didn’t give a shit and snapped anyone he wanted to. (The only exception was with kids, and if there wasn’t a parent/guardian around to check if it was OK he wouldn’t take the pic.) I think the difference is he was clearly a professional photographer, with his 3 grand worth of kit, and so people didn’t tend to attribute ulterior motives to him.
About getting my photo taken, I wouldn’t mind at all if it was a professional photographer, even if s/he didn’t ask, and I’ve had that happen a couple of times while dressed up at a demo. I would be very slightly creeped out by it if it was the same situation as the woman you mentioned, although I probably wouldn’t mind if someone asked me. But hey, you could always pretend you were taking a pic of the bikes.
It’s been a problem for photographer’s since 9/11. Take a photo of anything that could be a target for terrorism and you could be in huge trouble, (not actual legal trouble) with over protective security guards and or police.
If you are in a public place, and your subject is in a public place, shoot away. It is completly legal. However, you may piss people off. Rember rule one is good idea everywhere.
