# Photo-terrorist.....



## DReali (Oct 24, 2009)

...that's what i was called by this girl's father today, along with pedophile. 











C&C Welcome​


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## JamesMason (Oct 24, 2009)

If you are wielding anything but a compact. Your sure to be arrested under the terrorist pedophile photographers act.


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## Ebag17 (Oct 24, 2009)

I don't really think your in the place to be upset about this. I mean he doesn't know your not a pedophile and sadly we don't live in a world were every single random guy taking pictures of their young daughter walking down the street doesn't have strange a sick ideas abut it. I mean who knows maybe deep down inside of you psycologicaly there is something sick part about you that made you want to take a picture of a little girl you had never saw or met or in fact had any right to be taking a apicture of in the first place. I mean even as a photographer i would be rather upset if you were taking pictures of my little sister. It probably would of ended worst than me calling you a photo terrorist.


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## JamesMason (Oct 24, 2009)

Hmmm would the response have been the same if it was a female taking the picture i wonder ?


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## DReali (Oct 24, 2009)

Ebag17 said:


> I don't really think your in the place to be upset about this. I mean he doesn't know your not a pedophile and sadly we don't live in a world were every single random guy taking pictures of their young daughter walking down the street doesn't have strange a sick ideas abut it. I mean who knows maybe deep down inside of you psycologicaly there is something sick part about you that made you want to take a picture of a little girl you had never saw or met or in fact had any right to be taking a apicture of in the first place. I mean even as a photographer i would be rather upset if you were taking pictures of my little sister. It probably would of ended worst than me calling you a photo terrorist.



I never said I was upset, I've been called a lot worse by people I've photographed. If anything i was amused, i'd never heard photo-terrorist before and found it to be a funny phrase, that's all. In response to the "deep down inside of you psycologicaly there is something sick part about you that made you want to take a picture of a little girl you had never saw or met or in fact had any right to be taking a apicture of in the first place" comment.... I saw a pretty girl holding a doll and thought it was worth photographing. One thing I've learned from taking street shots is if you find something worth photographing DO IT don't hesitate, you may regret not taking the shot later. And legally I DO have the right, in Switzerland as long as you're in a public place (except for subway stations and a few others..) and the photos are not used for commericial purposes you can photograph anything and anyone. And if you call your shots "art" you can sell them commercially. If you don't want to have photos taken of you lock yourself in your home.



JamesMason said:


> Hmmm would the response have been the same if it was a female taking the picture i wonder ?



Very good point, next time I should wear a dress and make-up


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## Rekd (Oct 24, 2009)

Great shot. Was worth it IMNSHO.

For the record, I'd prolly be a bit PO'd if some stranger was taking shots of my kids w/out asking first.


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## bell (Oct 24, 2009)

Some feel odd if someone takes their kid's photo without asking. Expect such reactions.

However, it is still a great street photography. IMHO


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## Felix0890 (Oct 24, 2009)

I love the shot.  When that happens to me, I go up the the parent (or person if it wasn't a child) and tell them I'm a photography student (or photographer in your case) and thought it was a great moment to capture and that if they give me their email address, I'd be glad to send them a copy of the finished shot for them to keep (I'll eventually make business cards with my email on there to hand out so they can write to me and I respond with the image).  I used to ask before shooting but 1) asking them makes them think that they have the right to say no (ha!) 2) once they know they're going to be photographed, they either smile, tense up, or hide their face if they said no.   

I think the insult was worth it, though. Great result! :thumbup:


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## joemc (Oct 24, 2009)

I love PJ work and I love taking pictures of the innocent children and many times they are the victim of there own environment.

I have found....and I always wear my press credentials around my neck when I go out to shoot these types of shots.... It is amazing how different the police, and parents treat you when the see PRESS on a card hanging from your neck!

Nice shot BTW.

Cheers, Joe


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## DReali (Oct 24, 2009)

About ATVs said:


> Great shot. Was worth it IMNSHO.
> 
> For the record, I'd prolly be a bit PO'd if some stranger was taking shots of my kids w/out asking first.



Thanks About ATVs, I agree I too would be annoyed and probably would have gone farrther than he did.



bell said:


> Some feel odd if someone takes their kid's photo without asking. Expect such reactions.
> 
> However, it is still a great street photography. IMHO



Thanks bell. I expect nothing less, I've had guys cuss me out, swing at me and even ended up at a police station for 3 hours once dealing with a similar story. That's where I actually learned that what I was doing wasn't illegal.



Felix0890 said:


> I love the shot.  When that happens to me, I go up the the parent (or person if it wasn't a child) and tell them I'm a photography student (or photographer in your case) and thought it was a great moment to capture and that if they give me their email address, I'd be glad to send them a copy of the finished shot for them to keep (I'll eventually make business cards with my email on there to hand out so they can write to me and I respond with the image).  I used to ask before shooting but 1) asking them makes them think that they have the right to say no (ha!) 2) once they know they're going to be photographed, they either smile, tense up, or hide their face if they said no.
> 
> I think the insult was worth it, though. Great result! :thumbup:



You are correct sir! Asking in advance hardly ever works I find the direct, stick your lens in a stranger's face, approach much more effective.



joemc said:


> I love PJ work and I love taking pictures of the innocent children and many times they are the victim of there own environment.
> 
> I have found....and I always wear my press credentials around my neck when I go out to shoot these types of shots.... It is amazing how different the police, and parents treat you when the see PRESS on a card hanging from your neck!
> 
> ...



Thats exactly what I did. I calmly told him that I'm no sexual deviant, merely a photograher trying to capture his daughter's innocense. I sent him the photo on his e-mail and I got a reply straight away saying he loved it and was sorry for his reaction earlier in the day. I just wish I did have some credentials to hang around my neck...Thanks for the comment Joe


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## beni_hung (Oct 24, 2009)

DReali said:


> Ebag17 said:
> 
> 
> > Very good point, next time I should wear a dress and make-up
> ...


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## v-dubber (Oct 24, 2009)

idk if id be mad if i was him

depends probly on what you looked like 

but if you spent the money on an slr you probly didnt buy it specifically to be a pervert...

amazing shot!

well worth it!


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## DReali (Oct 24, 2009)

v-dubber said:


> idk if id be mad if i was him
> 
> depends probly on what you looked like
> 
> ...



Thanks v dubber! This is what I look like in case you're wondering: 

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/people-photography/179532-back-normal-life.html

Just picture me without the war paint and the gear....I don't walk around with my rifle either and I certainly don't look like a pedo (at least I don't think so). When I think of a pedo I usually picture somebody a bit like this:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/black-white-gallery/181633-crop-not-crop.html

:lmao:


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## Sleepy_Sentry (Oct 25, 2009)

Wow, this is great.


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## Buckster (Oct 25, 2009)

Great shot!

I too advise making up some business cards to hand out in such situations, being as friendly and open and honest as you can.  Even if you give them a copy of the shot in question, it can lead to sales, word of mouth contacts from their friends, relatives and business acquaintances, and more sales.


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## DReali (Oct 25, 2009)

Sleepy_Sentry said:


> Wow, this is great.


Cheers Sleepy, although I'm not sure if you meant the photo was great or the thread in general, eitherway thanks again


Buckster said:


> Great shot!
> 
> I too advise making up some business cards to hand out in such situations, being as friendly and open and honest as you can.  Even if you give them a copy of the shot in question, it can lead to sales, word of mouth contacts from their friends, relatives and business acquaintances, and more sales.



Thanks Buckster! I appreciate the comment even more considering it came froma photo-genius like yourself 
I have always wanted to make some business cards for myself but without a website to promote my work I don't think it would be nearly as effective. I have no idea how to go about creating a website for myself (I'm S**t with computers) and frankly don't have the funds to have a pro do it for me, but maybe one day. 
Thanks again,
Dave


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## Josh66 (Oct 25, 2009)

I like it.  Too bad some people are so sensitive...
I have kids, and honestly, another photographer taking a picture of one of them wouldn't bother me so much.


You may want to get one of these to avoid these confrontations in the future:
photographer (not terrorist) Black T-Shirt - CafePress


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## Rekd (Oct 25, 2009)

O|||||||O said:


> I like it.  Too bad some people are so sensitive...
> I have kids, and honestly, another photographer taking a picture of one of them wouldn't bother me so much.



Agreed. And good point!  :thumbup:

If I knew they were a photographer I would feel a little easier than if they just started taking pictures. Might even ask them for a site where I could see their work. (Not something I would have done a month ago.)



O|||||||O said:


> You may want to get one of these to avoid these confrontations in the future:
> photographer (not terrorist) Black T-Shirt - CafePress



Until I got TPF I didn't realize people took street shooting so seriously. Until I got to TPF I also didn't realize how much a good shot can say. I've literally "wow"ed out loud several times.


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## Big (Oct 25, 2009)

About ATVs said:


> IMNSHO.


What the heck is this world coming to? haha


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## DReali (Oct 25, 2009)

O|||||||O said:


> I like it.  Too bad some people are so sensitive...
> I have kids, and honestly, another photographer taking a picture of one of them wouldn't bother me so much.
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks O|||||||O, that shirt is great, I may just have to buy one.
You may not have reacted as harshly but isn't that because you yourself are a photographer? The average person walking down the street doesn't appreciate the merit in taking photographs of random children and I believe their initial disapproval to be entirely justified. I may not look like a sicko but there is every possibility that I am and the only justifiable reaction for a parent is to be worried. That said, if I were the parent I would probably have asked the photographer what they were doing before blowing up and calling him/her a perv.


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## Big (Oct 25, 2009)

Amazing shot!


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## DReali (Oct 26, 2009)

Big said:


> Amazing shot!


Thanks Big, really appreciate the kind words!


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## DReali (Oct 26, 2009)

nealrm said:


> > Thanks bell. I expect nothing less, I've had guys cuss me out, swing at me and even ended up at a police station for 3 hours once dealing with a similar story. That's where I actually learned that what I was doing wasn't illegal.
> 
> 
> Just because something is not illegal doesn't mean that is either polite or correct. I understand that you want to get a candid photo, but it must be done in a manner that respects concerns of the parents. Felix had some good ideas on handling the matter. However, if the parent said "No" you should respect that and walk away.
> ...



Thanks nealrm, like I've already mentioned I'm always as tactful, polite, and friendly as I can be when photographing people I don't know but I hardly ever ask for permission because as mentioned before this approach hardly ever works. You get unnatural smiles and poses most of the time when you ask in advance. If anyone has any problem with my taking their picture I always stop to explain what I'm doing and always offer to send them a copy. If this still isn't good enough for them I offer to delete the photo, and I've only done this once. The reason I've had people swing at me and I've ended up in a police station is because I was photographing people I shouldn't have been photographing, namely chavs(hooligans). Since then I have become a lot more tactful and better at discerning suitable subjects and encounters of the sort are a lot more rare. I always try to be as polite as possible but sometimes you have to step over some boundries to achieve a decent shot, just have a look at Bruce Gilden, "I have no ethics":


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## epp_b (Oct 26, 2009)

What's a photo-terrorist?  Someone who hijacks a plane by threatening to use a print to, um... give the pilot a papercut? 

I find the use of hyperbole that people come up with to substitute intelligence to be disturbing.



> I mean he doesn't know your not a pedophile and sadly we don't live in a world were every single random guy taking pictures of their young daughter walking down the street doesn't have strange a sick ideas abut it.


This logic is should be taken out back and shot.

We _do_ live in a world where _most_ men a normal human beings and a few are pedophiles.  How many pedophiles are there on Earth?  Probably in the thousands.  How many adult men are there on Earth?  A few *billion*.  But, no, let's not pay attention to science and statistics, let's flat-out ignore it like paranoid morons.

Anyways, that is a nice shot OP.  Maybe a little heavy on the feathering around the border, but it has a sense of innocence, loneliness, sadness ... it just communicates very well.

And, hey, I'm colourblind, too!   Do you fail the blob test at the optometrist as badly as I do? 

*EDIT:* just watched that video ... wow, that guy is humorously obnoxious, but he certainly gets some great shots that way.  I don't think I'd have the balls to do that.


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## jamagica (Oct 27, 2009)

yeah anyways..the photo is great.


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## Rekd (Oct 27, 2009)

epp_b said:


> I don't think I'd have the balls to do that.



He *is *a New Yorker.


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## Felix0890 (Oct 27, 2009)

That Bruce Gilden video never gets old.  He really is bold and courageous because some of those people could have easily sued him for assault (here in the U.S.).  Pointing a camera and flash that fast and that close at someone's face is considered assault here.  There are such things as boundaries . . . but at least Bruce admits he has no ethics.


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