Is it wrong?

marmle · Mar 19, 2020

I was in town today stocking up with essentials, just in case. It was like a ghost town, lots of shops had shut, including the charity shop where I volunteer. I thought it would be a great opportunity, while the city is practically empty, to go and get some photos. Is it wrong to use this current crisis as a photo opportunity? I know photographers have taken pictures in countries in a far worse state than ours at the moment, and some of those photos I think are fantastic and I feel that it is good that things like that are documented to remind us that there are people worse off than us. As far as me going into town with my camera and taking pictures of deserted streets and shopping centers, I dunno, I'm kind of sat on the fence here.

Space Face · Mar 19, 2020

Jeff15 · Mar 19, 2020

There is nothing wrong with documentary photography.......

Designer · Mar 19, 2020

Not at all. Try to make poignant photos. Sell them to a periodical. Buy more gear.

Jeff15 · Mar 19, 2020

There is nothing wrong with documentary photography.......

stapo49 · Mar 19, 2020

I think you should document the effect this virus is having in your town or city.

zombiesniper · Mar 19, 2020

I think as others have stated that this is a great time to get some images.

marmle · Mar 19, 2020

Thanks for your replies, I might post some of the images here.

tirediron · Mar 19, 2020

Recording history is never wrong; how the images are used is a different matter.

Derrel · Mar 19, 2020

Snap away, free from guilty feelings.

jcdeboever · Mar 19, 2020

Just be careful, there is a lot of weirdness going on lately. Lots of schools and businesses are getting broken into. A lot of bad people are looking for easy targets and/or opportunity.

dxqcanada · Mar 19, 2020

If you are not breaking the law, or might cause harm to others ...

Sharpshooterr · Mar 19, 2020

Marmle, why did you ask? You're asking a bunch of people on a completely different Continent what you should be doing?
I'm not gonna be as free with the permission slip but it's up to you what you will do.
What are the guidelines set up by your county's Health ministry?
For example here where I am there is a mandatory Shelter in Place ordinance for anybody over the age of 65. That means you stay in your house!
There is a reason that there is nobody on the street, as you say!
Meet one other photographer and he says, "wow, what do you make of these empty streets"? Then he sneezes, and you answer, "pretty eerie isn't it"!
With that sneeze you may just have become a carrier that never feels sick. It's possible now that anybody you come in contact with could become sick or become a carrier. It IS possible that though you may never know it, you could indirectly kill a half a dozen people! It's the reason the streets are empty. The people that would normally fill those streets are trying to not kill anyone in YOUR family.
None of us want to die from this but some of us will! The statistics go up every day!!!
SS

Original katomi · Mar 20, 2020

Re post 13 I agree.
I would like to go out and do some photography but I am in the high risk group so I have to stay at home
Some record photography of these times would be good but at what risk.
That is something that you will have to balance against the local rules and risk

Derrel · Mar 20, 2020

Sharpshooterr said:
Marmle, why did you ask? You're asking a bunch of people on a completely different Continent what you should be doing?
I'm not gonna be as free with the permission slip but it's up to you what you will do.
What are the guidelines set up by your county's Health ministry?
For example here where I am there is a mandatory Shelter in Place ordinance for anybody over the age of 65. That means you stay in your house!
There is a reason that there is nobody on the street, as you say!
Meet one other photographer and he says, "wow, what do you make of these empty streets"? Then he sneezes, and you answer, "pretty eerie isn't it"!
With that sneeze you may just have become a carrier that never feels sick. It's possible now that anybody you come in contact with could become sick or become a carrier. It IS possible that though you may never know it, you could indirectly kill a half a dozen people! It's the reason the streets are empty. The people that would normally fill those streets are trying to not kill anyone in YOUR family.
None of us want to die from this but some of us will! The statistics go up every day!!!
SS

Great strawman...the sneezy photographer! Love it!