It might be rude, but it’s only rude in the way that staring is rude. It isn’t harmful. I think Siege’s reaction sounded phobic and bizarre.
Anyway, regardless of how rude it might have been (I think it’s trivial but others obviously disagree), I was mostly just trying to refute another person’s allegations of illegality.
What do you remember? The way you violated her privacy and her desire to not have her photo taken? I’m glad I’m not your “friend”.
Does this “violation of civil rights” only apply to physically stopping the person from taking the picture? What if I left the room, or held up a book or something in front of my face? What about loudly cursing the person, or (if I were in a position to do so) having them ejected from the premises?
It seems to me that one has the right to prevent a picture from being taken of oneself, barring assault, battery, or any other specifically illegal act. Civil rights don’t enter into it.
A “friend” who took photos of me after I asked them not to wouldn’t be my friend for very long.
I agree that the picture taker was incredibly rude and th eOP has every right to be angry. I have a question, though, why are folks so averse to having their picture taken in general? I can understand not necessarily wanting some random person, but some of my friends and family you would think I was shooting a 1920’s style laser beam out of my camera when I try to take a picture.
Where are people getting this nonsense about “violations of privacy?” How is taking your picture (in public) a violation of privacy?
Would you allow a total stranger to take a picture of you by yourself, out of the context of a group? That’s not rude, that’s just creepy. “Therapy” or not, CJ had the right to refuse, she did so, but Shutterbug did it anyway. That, again, is not rude, it’s an invasion of privacy and a violation of trust, neither of which are conducive to good manners and acceptable behavior.
Had it been me, I’d’ve walked away and did my best to avoid Shutterbug for the rest of the con. Someone who doesn’t respect me enough to respect my wishes isn’t worth my time or attention, let alone friendship.
Robin
I think it is important to distinguish between the illegality of the problem versus the etiquette. Does anyone know if there is any point at which a person’s privacy does become violated? What if a picture ends up on a web site mocking people’s physical attributes? I know there are websites that show women at Mardi-Gras baring their breasts and I somehow doubt those women all signed release forms.
I don’t think picture taking is analogous to staring. At least not until you can upload your memory.
They have the right to try to be happy, and if that includes taking pictures of strangers, then they can pursue that. Their rights end where my nose begins however, and if I don’t want my picture taken by them, (a stranger) then I have just as much “civil rights” as they do. I can refuse to consent to their photograph. I have every right to say “No”, and every right to hide my face. You’re full of shit.
I don’t believe you are sorry, at all. (Not at this point at least, you could change your mind.) Why not try to find another phrase to use as filler while you come up with more to say?
Nor does the photographer own the sidewalks or event centers! If they can’t handle the idea of being refused, then they shouldn’t go out in public. It works both ways.
On preveiw:
Maybe because people don’t happen to want complete strangers to have a photograph of them to gawk at long after the event is over? It’s brings up the same emotions that having a stranger stare at you does, some people just aren’t comfortable with the idea. For those that are, more power to them. (Though I think some go way to far, exibitionism for example.) It’s because the person who is photographed knows that the image will “last longer”, and some just don’t want strangers to have an image of them (beyond memory) long after the event that they can stare at.
Think of the setting as analogous to a restaurant. Yes, it’s a public place, but it’s still a somewhat intimate setting. You may not expect total privacy, but you still want to be left alone. CJ wanted to be left alone.
Go back and re-read the OP. The woman asked if CJ would pose for a photo as an individual, outside any “public” or group context. That, in my mind, is what makes it different.
Just because something’s not illegal doesn’t mean you should do it anyway.
Robin
I was only talking about the physical assault or threats. Of course you have the right to leave the room or block your face.
You can’t have somebody ejected from a public place for exercising a legal right. If you’re in a private place, then your right to privacy kicks in anyway and the person would need permission.
Diogenes, you try being told how ugly you are and how completely socially unacceptable your appearance is throughout your childhood and adolescence. Throw in the fact that I’m acutely aware I’m over 40, overweight, and wearing a fucking leg brace!! The person who took my photo wasn’t connected with the event in any official capacity any more than I was. All I was to her was some random stranger she got into a conversation with at a science fiction convention. As far as I’m concerned, she had no bloody right to do so after I asked her not to. If I’d been on crutches as I have been for the past 7 weeks, I would have left the room. As it was, I couldn’t.
Look at it this way. If she’d been saying rude things about the British, she would have been legally allowed to and have a constitutional right to do so. If I’d spoken up and said, “I don’t appreciate you saying such things”, putting on my best British accent and she’d continued to do so, she would have been just as much of a rude, obnoxious twit.
CJ
For clarification:
Robin
Sure. What the fuck do I care. It’s happened to me before. I’m not going to die. It’s not going to steal my soul. So somebody has a picture of me? So the fuck what? How have I been harmed?
Uh…I think you’re beginning to overreact here a little. Beginning? Have you no empathy?
I chime in with the OP and say: while I’ll let friends & family take the occasional pictures of me, I too hate the camera and hate pictures. Loathe them. And I’d be really annoyed if some stranger at a convention forced me to take a pic all by myself. It’d be one thing if it was a bunch of us and she said “Let’s all take a pic to remember this by!” *Why * does she want a pic of just me, after I’ve told her not to? What is she going to do with it?
DtC, that’s you though. You’re ok with it. Others aren’t, and they have the same rights you do, and the same rights as any shutter bug. In cases like this, where the “rights” are equal, but mitigating circumstances exist, the person who is being made uncomfortable by the proposition gets the say. Does that make sense?
Would you allow a stranger to take a picture of you over your objections? That’s the crux of the issue, I think.
Robin
Nope, legally, your consent is irrelevant. There is no such thing as a right not to have your picture taken in public. If you think I’m wrong about that then cough up a cite.
I said I was sorry to Siege because I meant it. I don’t often disagree with her but this is one instance where I think she was a little irrational.
No, dumbass, it doesn’t. No consent is required. Why don’t you research the laws on this before you expose any more fucking ignorance.
[quote]
Maybe because people don’t happen to want complete strangers to have a photograph of them to gawk at long after the event is over?[.quote]
Too fucking bad. If you’re worried about that, then don’t go out in public.
Once again, too fucking bad. People have a right to stare at you. That’s fucking life. Legally, if you’re in public, you’re fair game. Get over it.
DtC, what forum is this thread in?