Having your photo taken for taking a photo

[Norman33]

Hi,

I am new to this forum. I've been shooting photographs for 5 years or so, mostly street. The story is a bit long

I have had plenty of people shout at me, ask me what I'm doing or even try to pose whilst I'm out shooting. Today was a first for me. I was shooting a group of people playing a game/busking in central London. Tourists were involved.
I got the shot after 3 or 4 exposures and was happy. I walked away a bit and turned to look at the game. One of the guys running the game came up to and was angry. I said politely that I am allowed to take pictures, I'm not using them to mock anyone and it is purely just capturing the street scene.

He was still angry, not listening to what I was saying, just getting in my face. So I said I had to go and walked off, he chases me and says he needs to take a picture of me (but he said it with a lot of swear words).
So as we're on a bridge on the Thames I thought I'd pose and smiled. Now I know that probably angered him more but in the moment thats all I wanted to do. He stormed off.

Has anyone else had a subject get angry and take a picture of them? How did you deal with it?
I also think my mistake was hanging around the scene for too long. I got the photo, I should have left and hung around.

Thank you in advance for any help, stories or advice.
Norman

 

[480sparky]

I politely delete the image to defuse the situation. Most people are unaware that it only deletes it off ONE of my cards. It's still on the card in slot 2.

If you only have one card slot, carry extra cards with you (this is a good idea any time). If approached , merrily delete the image. Then immediately swap cards after the encounter and continue shooting. When you get home, put the original card in your computer and run recovery software on it to recover the deleted image.

 

[Fujidave]

Over the years I have had a lot of very angry and peeved off looks, just to try and make them happy I just smile and say thank you. If it was to really calm things down though I`d delete the image.

 

[Norman33]

Thanks Sparky and Dave.
I have had confrontations before. But specifically I am wondering if anyone has had their photo taken after taking a photo?

If anyone is curious, the game seems to be where money is under one of three cups, guess the right one and the tourist wins money. I have not seen it much until recently happening around central London.

 

[Designer]

If anyone is curious, the game seems to be where money is under one of three cups, guess the right one and the tourist wins money.

You were obviously trying to catch them in a cheat or to parlay your photograph to a player to win the game. Next time, photograph only jugglers or mimes. A lot safer that way.

 

[Braineack]

Unemployed street performers usually want you to pay for taking their picture while "on the job"

 

[Norman33]

If anyone is curious, the game seems to be where money is under one of three cups, guess the right one and the tourist wins money.

You were obviously trying to catch them in a cheat or to parlay your photograph to a player to win the game. Next time, photograph only jugglers or mimes. A lot safer that way.

Ah thats so true. I did not think of it that way. Thank you.

 

[Norman33]

Unemployed street performers usually want you to pay for taking their picture while "on the job"

Thank you for that. Very true and I did not even think about that. I will definitely take that into consideration next time I'm out.

 

[480sparky]

Thanks Sparky and Dave.
I have had confrontations before. But specifically I am wondering if anyone has had their photo taken after taking a photo?
........

Never had it happen, but if it's legal for me to take their photo, then it's legal for them to take mine. Nothing I can do about it.

 

[SquarePeg]

If anyone is curious, the game seems to be where money is under one of three cups, guess the right one and the tourist wins money. I have not seen it much until recently happening around central London.

Not wanting you to capture the cheat where the money disappears and the guesser has no chance of getting it right. In the US there is a similar scam with cards called 3 card Monte.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Yep, I think that's what it is, they probably don't want their photos taken if they're running a money game with tourists. I'm guessing it's illegal or they at least are supposed to have permits to operate any sort of game involving money on the street/in a park/on a square etc.

I suppose taking your picture was an attempt to intimidate you since they may see you as a threat to their action. Not sure what would be best to do or what they might do with the photo. I doubt they'd go to the authorities with your photo since they probably wouldn't want to bring attention to themselves. If they were doing something legit I doubt he'd be cussing at you, etc. I don't think you did anything wrong, but they probably didn't want to be identified; be careful out there shooting on the street.

 

[TreeofLifeStairs]

He’s going to use it to put a hit out on you. Jk.

 

[snowbear]

London? They should be used to it. I've read there are 500,000 surveillance cameras in London.

 

[Dean_Gretsch]

London? They should be used to it. I've read there are 500,000 surveillance cameras in London.

There are a number of them taxpayers bought just a couple years ago in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania also...but these no longer work

 

[snowbear]

London? They should be used to it. I've read there are 500,000 surveillance cameras in London.

There are a number of them taxpayers bought just a couple years ago in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania also...but these no longer work

As one of our Fire Investigators saya: "Cameras are everywhere."

What you are referring to is "low bid."