Worst confrontation while shooting in public?

rexbobcat

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I was just curious what the worst interaction you've had with either a subject or just a random bystander. It doesn't have to be while you were shooting 'street photography,' but just in general. Maybe you were shooting architecture and someone confronted you etc....

I'm asking because I have recently begun shooting kinda-sorta street photography (mostly on the beach though so not sure that counts), and I photographed a solitary street musician playing the guitar. I know it's bad etiquette to do a hit and run photo, but I didn't want to lose the moment, so I shot the photo first, and then I was gonna give him some money for his performance and the photo.

Unfortunately, before I even brought the camera down he quipped "You don't have any manners, do ya?" I didn't really feel like engaging him because I'm not good at managing unexpected conflict like that, so I just shrugged and quickly walked off. Probably not the best choice but.... :p

That's uber-tame compared to what some people have been through, however.

What's your best worst story?
 
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I was informed, in no uncertain terms, that it was illegal (in the US) to photograph a county courthouse. The guys' wife was on the phone with the cops.

I politely told him that it most certainly IS legal and his information was incorrect. He said 'they' passed laws forbidding it. I told him to read the US Constitution and then walked away.
 
I can't say that I've ever had any negative interactions when shooting. This could be because I tend not to take pictures of subjects who are aware of me. I am not interesting in a manipulated scene - I prefer to be the observer and try to make myself unobtrusive so I don't influence anything. And if I feel like my taking a picture will be taken the wrong way, I just won't take the shot. If I've ever pissed anyone off, they've never been angry enough to confront me.
 
Not sure if this counts but... I urbex and about a week ago me and two of my friends were shooting at an abandoned farmer's market in Atlanta. The area was pretty bad to say the least. The only POE was under a fence literally right by a busy street, and as we went under it, we were receiving taunts from several passing cars. To add to that, we were forced to run off the property after we were done shooting due to us seeing someone on the other side of the property. We weren't sure who the person was or what business they had on abandoned property (we didn't see cameras on him, so we assumed he wasn't an urbexer), but we weren't taking our chances. It was an intense, adrenaline-filled shoot but still got some great shots :lol:
 
Once I was working and taking pictures of overhead lines, poles and wires from the poles to country houses. One man dicided that I'm a court marshal and want to arrest his property. So he went out from his house with an axe and tried to make me go away but he relaxed after I had explained him what I'm doing.
 
I was told to get out of the Pittsburgh Pirates dugout....And no I wasn't suppose to be there, but can't blame a guy for trying LOL
 
I've never had any really serious confrontations, but I've had a few minor humorous and/or frustrating ones.
I was up on our bus platform, taking pictures of buses and passengers for work and this guy looked at me and then started ranting that I couldn't take his picture, because he hadn't done anything wrong. He just keep saying, "I ain't done nothin' wrong, so you can't be takin' my picture."
So of course, I did. Just in case the police needed a positive ID later on. :D

I was shooting macro downtown one day, and was down on my knees on the sidewalk, trying to keep track of this really cool insect so I could get a picture when it turned the right way. This guy came up behind me and stopped; I could tell he was staring and probably wondering why on earth I seemed to be taking a picture of the dirt. Finally, he got way down close to me, clearly trying to see what I was trying to see. Unfortunately, his movement made the insect hop away. Then he said, "OH, is that what you're taking pictures of?" Well, yes, it WAS.

Then there are the people who have to come tromping up to me while I'm watching a bird, waiting for it to move to a branch where I can get a good shot. They hone in on my big lens, but ignore the fact that I am CLEARLY focused on SOMEthing, out there.
"HEY there!! BOY, now THAT's a lens! Bet you get some great pictures with that? What are you taking pictures of?"
Well, I was GONNA take a picture of that really uncommon bird up in that tree, but thankfully, there's no need for that now, since your very loud mouth has startled it off.

One time, I was all holed up in a little out-of-the way spot that I frequent, waiting for the birds to return to it. Some shorebirds had JUST started coming back in and one was getting really close to me, when this guy suddenly shows up, literally YELLING at me from a distance: "HEY!! WHAT ARE YOU TAKING PICTURES OF??"
So of course, all the birds startle and take off. Then the genius says:
"OH. Did I scare your birds off?" and then proceeds to stand there and continue talking, in a LOUD voice, about all the other cool things I could be shooting out there instead of birds.
 
Too many examples to mention from overseas. But in the US, I was taking pictures outside of what was then Lorton Prison (it was on public ground). I was detained by the security staff, searched, and they opened my camera and intentionally exposed all of my film. I also had two separate police departments show up at my home to ask me about some pictures I took of a refinery (the Star Refinery on Pickett Road in Fairfax, VA...again, I was in public space shooting from across the street in a parking lot). They were polite but it was unexpected and it bothered my wife a lot.
 
.........Then he said, "OH, is that what you're taking pictures of?" Well, yes, it WAS.
..........
Well, I was GONNA take a picture of that really uncommon bird up in that tree, but thankfully, there's no need for that now, since your very loud mouth has startled it off
..............
So of course, all the birds startle and take off. ...........

Carry a carbon fiber monopod for the sole purpose of clubbing those imbeciles into a senseless pulp.
 
Too many examples to mention from overseas. But in the US, I was taking pictures outside of what was then Lorton Prison (it was on public ground). I was detained by the security staff, searched, and they opened my camera and intentionally exposed all of my film. I also had two separate police departments show up at my home to ask me about some pictures I took of a refinery (the Star Refinery on Pickett Road in Fairfax, VA...again, I was in public space shooting from across the street in a parking lot). They were polite but it was unexpected and it bothered my wife a lot.

Where do you shoot overseas? I think I've had very few issues because I pretty much only shoot strangers in other countries. I guess Asia especially. People are much more laid back over there and are usually just curious to see it after.
 
Unfortunately, the worst confrontations i had dealt with the police..
 
Once I was touring a nuclear power plant for my job, and I raised up my camera. The guy told me that I couldn't take pictures unless I had a work permit (from the facility), and if I did, I couldn't take pictures of the security lookout posts. He said that if I took pictures of the security lookout posts (or any other security features), they may 'fire' upon me. After rolling my eyes, I just put the camera away.
 

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