Etiquette for photographing strangers

[Proteus617]

I've had a couple of friends tell me they confiscate or erase the memory card.

I've never been to China, but I have had a few run-ins with local US authorities. A few of my digital friends carry and extra (cheap) memory cards that can be erased or surrendered on demand. I shoot film, so I don't have that option. A few weeks ago while on the grounds of a mostly abandoned mental facility city police approached and demanded that I expose and surrender my film. After extended negotiations, pleading, and assurances that there were no photos of patients on the roll I was allowed to walk with it.

 

[guitar guy]

LOL..... I was going to start a thread this morning asking this very question, but I googled it first and look what the first hit was!

The reason I got to thinking about this subject is my wife and I attend a Homeschooling conference every April and there's always lots of interesting people present (large groups of giggling Mennonite girls and things like that).

In Understanding Exposure Bryan Peterson also describes presenting a document stating the image would only be used in educational materials, not in advertisements, etc. Anyone do anything similar to this?

 

[JDRoth]

The only problem I have ever had with photographing people without permission was in Jamaica. There are lots of interesting people there to photograph, but several times I have been approached by a person demanding money, since I just photographed them. Maybe its just the culture there that they don't want their picture taken without permmission.
I would also be very careful not to thake photographs of children without the parent's permission.

This also happens frequently in China. People of lower economic status often run to tourists to allow the tourists to take pictures of them, especially with their animals like water buffalo, of course for a price. While on a tour we had a woman who looked to be 80 and so skinny I was amazed she could even walk, waddle up to us as fast as she could from about a football field away dragging along this water buffalo which she was taking out to graze. Of course she wanted payment for it, which we did. We gave her 5q. which was all that we had left (about 80american cents) and she looked at us as if we were the most generous people in the world. Its amazing how little those people can make. So thats just my little chinese story about payment for pictures. Another great picture from that trip was of a buddhist monk, in a huge buddhist monastery wearing white gym shoes with a pink playboy bunny on them.

I didn't have any troubles with confiscating cameras on that trip. I didn't have a camera of my own and all pictures were taken with point and shoots. however I hope to go back to China this summer. I plan on taking as much wildlife photography as I can, but I am also very interested in taking pictures of the people, emphasizing cultural differences and their government dealings. Anyone have any tips? I will finally have my own camera (a D90) so I really really want to protect it.

 

[lyonsroar]

The only problem I have ever had with photographing people without permission was in Jamaica. There are lots of interesting people there to photograph, but several times I have been approached by a person demanding money, since I just photographed them. Maybe its just the culture there that they don't want their picture taken without permmission.
I would also be very careful not to thake photographs of children without the parent's permission.

This also happens frequently in China. People of lower economic status often run to tourists to allow the tourists to take pictures of them, especially with their animals like water buffalo, of course for a price. While on a tour we had a woman who looked to be 80 and so skinny I was amazed she could even walk, waddle up to us as fast as she could from about a football field away dragging along this water buffalo which she was taking out to graze. Of course she wanted payment for it, which we did. We gave her 5q. which was all that we had left (about 80american cents) and she looked at us as if we were the most generous people in the world. Its amazing how little those people can make. So thats just my little chinese story about payment for pictures. Another great picture from that trip was of a buddhist monk, in a huge buddhist monastery wearing white gym shoes with a pink playboy bunny on them.

I didn't have any troubles with confiscating cameras on that trip. I didn't have a camera of my own and all pictures were taken with point and shoots. however I hope to go back to China this summer. I plan on taking as much wildlife photography as I can, but I am also very interested in taking pictures of the people, emphasizing cultural differences and their government dealings. Anyone have any tips? I will finally have my own camera (a D90) so I really really want to protect it.

Pic of monk in playboy shorts?
I'd like to see that one!
:lmao:

 

[JDRoth]

The only problem I have ever had with photographing people without permission was in Jamaica. There are lots of interesting people there to photograph, but several times I have been approached by a person demanding money, since I just photographed them. Maybe its just the culture there that they don't want their picture taken without permmission.
I would also be very careful not to thake photographs of children without the parent's permission.

This also happens frequently in China. People of lower economic status often run to tourists to allow the tourists to take pictures of them, especially with their animals like water buffalo, of course for a price. While on a tour we had a woman who looked to be 80 and so skinny I was amazed she could even walk, waddle up to us as fast as she could from about a football field away dragging along this water buffalo which she was taking out to graze. Of course she wanted payment for it, which we did. We gave her 5q. which was all that we had left (about 80american cents) and she looked at us as if we were the most generous people in the world. Its amazing how little those people can make. So thats just my little chinese story about payment for pictures. Another great picture from that trip was of a buddhist monk, in a huge buddhist monastery wearing white gym shoes with a pink playboy bunny on them.

I didn't have any troubles with confiscating cameras on that trip. I didn't have a camera of my own and all pictures were taken with point and shoots. however I hope to go back to China this summer. I plan on taking as much wildlife photography as I can, but I am also very interested in taking pictures of the people, emphasizing cultural differences and their government dealings. Anyone have any tips? I will finally have my own camera (a D90) so I really really want to protect it.

Pic of monk in playboy shorts?
I'd like to see that one!
:lmao:

I am not currently at home, so I can't post those pics but I will when I get home.

 

[lyonsroar]

This also happens frequently in China. People of lower economic status often run to tourists to allow the tourists to take pictures of them, especially with their animals like water buffalo, of course for a price. While on a tour we had a woman who looked to be 80 and so skinny I was amazed she could even walk, waddle up to us as fast as she could from about a football field away dragging along this water buffalo which she was taking out to graze. Of course she wanted payment for it, which we did. We gave her 5q. which was all that we had left (about 80american cents) and she looked at us as if we were the most generous people in the world. Its amazing how little those people can make. So thats just my little chinese story about payment for pictures. Another great picture from that trip was of a buddhist monk, in a huge buddhist monastery wearing white gym shoes with a pink playboy bunny on them.

I didn't have any troubles with confiscating cameras on that trip. I didn't have a camera of my own and all pictures were taken with point and shoots. however I hope to go back to China this summer. I plan on taking as much wildlife photography as I can, but I am also very interested in taking pictures of the people, emphasizing cultural differences and their government dealings. Anyone have any tips? I will finally have my own camera (a D90) so I really really want to protect it.

Pic of monk in playboy shorts?
I'd like to see that one!
:lmao:

I am not currently at home, so I can't post those pics but I will when I get home.

Looking forward to it!

 

[JDRoth]

Still not at home but my girlfriend emailed me these of the water buffalo lady. I'll put up the Monk when I get home.

[/url]
100_9220 by jdroth42, on Flickr[/IMG]

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100_9219 by jdroth42, on Flickr[/IMG]

 

[skieur]

I realize this thread is technically about etiquette, but here is a really great overview of the legality of photographing by Andrew Kantor. It's just about the most succinct and understandable guide I've found yet. It probably doesn't apply outside of the US.

Succinct and understandable but I would question his accuracy related to taking photos of people in public places and privacy.

skieur

 

[Ron Evers]

I was @ the local community center yesterday intending to shoot my wife's girlfriend skating. First I was hassled by a guy who suspected me of shooting for Workman's Compensation & then by a woman who was adament that I not take a picture of her & gave me grief for even being there with a camera. It rattled me & the four quick shots I took were blurry due to motion; I did not jack my ISO for the low light & my shutter speeds were way low. :blushing:

 

[guitar guy]

I was @ the local community center yesterday intending to shoot my wife's girlfriend skating. First I was hassled by a guy who suspected me of shooting for Workman's Compensation & then by a woman who was adament that I not take a picture of her & gave me grief for even being there with a camera. It rattled me & the four quick shots I took were blurry due to motion; I did not jack my ISO for the low light & my shutter speeds were way low. :blushing:

Sounds like that would rattle me too. But reading this thread and the above cited link has strengthened me to not be so afraid. I suppose a lot of this has to do with having the attitude of "my photography is not sneaky or evil". That and being friendly and blending in. But I suppose if someone is really bent out of shape I will just delete the photo in their presence and move on.

 

[PASM]

Do you ask?

No.

Just take pics without asking? Point & Shoot & Run?

Yes.

How do you handle it?

Caffeine..nicotine...hot baths...

 

[white]

People in public areas with no expectation of privacy are fair game.

Be nice and wear good shoes.

And if you're asked to leave, you probably should, otherwise it could become trespassing.

 

[flightless_beaker]

I was hired....well volunteered to shoot an event in my neighboring town (a community day). I was shooting a dunk tank and as I'm moving on, this woman came up extremely irate demanding to know who I am. I said "I'm Chris, the photographer for the community day." She starts yelling at me saying the mother of her nephew didn't want her son's pictures taken and demanded to know what I was doing with them. Again, I explained I was there for the event, I'm allowed to shoot there, and the pictures are for towns use only. Told the event organizer what happened and he wanted to know who it was so he could throw her out, lol. I didn't delete it at first but because her nephew's pic came out so crappy, I deleted it anyway

I dunno. People either get weirded out and think you are some lunatic or they welcome getting their picture taken.

 

[white]

Which is funny considering how prevalent cameras are nowadays.

 

[flightless_beaker]

Which is funny considering how prevalent cameras are nowadays.

Haha. I know right? Any idiot with a cell phone is willing to take a picture of themselves but someone tries to take a photo of them, they get weirded out. Can kinda understand why though. I don't like getting my pic taken either, lol.