Photographing Children - social aspects

[nossie]

There's a great thread about trespassing and dealing with the police. Some very helpful input from 2 Officers there too. But this is a little different.
We just had a new play area built in the local park. It's great. The kids around here are wild and they'll break anything but this is unbreakable. The inject all their energy into wrecking it and they're even willing to sacrifice a limb or a plate in their skull but they can't break it. We have security cameras that link up to the Police Station and night time lighting so undesireables can't loiter there. It's a great success! It's colourful, it's got shapes and angles, it's got plants and nature and 100 delighted children there everyday. A great place to photograph the energy in the area... but I wouldn't dare walk through with a camera bag for fear someone would suggest I was up to foul play with the kiddies.
It's a working class area so there's plenty of scags just ready to say "there's that dirty b*st*rd taking pictures of the kids" but even beyond the likes of them there are people that just can't possibly accept anyone taking pictures of their children just because the look awesome.

How do you feel about it? Is there a shot there that you want so much that you'll risk it? The September Challenge winner is of a child, what's the background story there?

For me it's terrible that a few scummy peadophiles has the whole world defensive against anyone with a camera. (even if you are trying to sell the pictures back to them ) although more sincerely I just like to document the area through the changing times.

 

[patrickt]

I take a lot of pictures of children. But, I've lived in the same place for ten years, I'm a fixture in town, the parents know me, I ask permission if it's possible, and no one has ever complained. Oh, and I don't live in the U.S.

 

[Johnboy2978]

This was discussed recently and comes up from time to time. Here's the most recent discussion of it.
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=95627

 

[Iron Flatline]

This doesn't warrant another discussion. It's been chewed over ad nauseum, and everyone knows every aspect of this discussion.

 

[nossie]

The other thread's last post is April 07 so it's slipped way to the back for me to find when I was looking for threads on the subject.

ooops it's American date format, 10-04-07 / 04-10-07

 

[Iron Flatline]

Sorry, I just realized you only recently joined us, didn't mean to be snippy.

But yeah, I think we can all play out every part of this conversation... curtailment of rights, anger at a few people ruining it for everyone, parents talking strongly as they think about their own children, the fact that a lot of imagery of innocence is clicheed, the 70-200 L is da shizzle... and so on.

 

[f8lranger4x4]

I make a point not to take pictures of children unless I know the parents. Judt doesn't look good in my opinion.