It is OK, I am a photographer, not a pervert...

[shundaroni]

There's most certainly a stereotype, but it's not particularly new. Women have long been dubbed "Caregivers," especially as it relates to children. Men, on the other hand, are supposed to be distant and unemotional. When a man takes an interest in being around children, it challenges that notion, and combined with the male reputation for being sexually motivated, it can disturb people.

A 40 year old man staring at a 15 year old girl would have been judged as "oogling" 20+ years ago, let alone today. There is certainly a hightened awareness of pedophilia and molestation today (which I won't deem as a bad thing), but that can be overcome in many cases with a calm, friendly demeanor, and an understanding of what "not to say" to parents or the children themselves.

Of course, the simplest solution would be not to take pictures of children unless commissioned to do so by the parents. This is the approach I take. Pass out your business card, post up flyers, etc. and wait for people to request your services. You look much less like a potential pervert and the parents are coming into it with a positive attitude.

 

[dpolston]

I will have to say that I have been lucky and have never been challenged on this. My wife and I have 2 daughters (12 and 15) and I have been photographing them in public all their lives. More recently (within the past 5 or 6 years) during their sports or music events.

Because of that, I have worked my way into a little pocket to where my kids’ friends and their friends’ families have hired me for work. I have taken senior portraits, family portraits, birthday parties, cookouts, goofing around photos etc. for those friends. Team photos, action sports shots, band competitions and all of this because I was there at the event with my camera. And the thing is… all of those kids are girls.

I have built up a trust with those parents and because of word of mouth, sharing photos with them, having a hot dog together a the ball park and all of those things. I will protect their children just as I do mine and because of that… I have a constant flow of models if I needed them. I am also the staff photographer at my church (around 6000 members) and once a quarter, I go around the building, services and classrooms taking “lifestyle or candid” photos. I am the first one to get down on the floor and play with those kids, of all ages, while I take their photos.

I do have to admit though, that when I am contracted for special events (like a band competition I did last week) I have the sponsors make me a name tag/press pass [if you will] because I told them that I didn’t want to be questioned as “Who is that pedophile on the field? No… he’s the photographer.”

TOTAL SIDE STORY: I don’t know if this will help my story or add too the hysteria. 2 weeks ago my family went to my wife’s homecoming football game (Her 21st and my oldest daughters first homecoming; she’s a freshman). We walked into the stadium and around to the front of the bleachers and the police were there doing security. I asked the policeman “How do I get onto the field?” He waved me right through. He said that “it looked like I knew what I was doing”. I had my D200 (with battery back) mounted to my monopod and was sporting the 70-200 2.8 lens. He just assumed that I was with some media group and let me in. (I was shooting for the yearbook and I did have the athletic directors permission, but the cop didn’t know that).

I am aware and cautious about being too close but like it has been mentioned in other posts, I don’t have a problem asking. I do think you just need to be friendly, honest and willing to show them what your intentions are from the start. Let them see what you have on your flashcard (because we all know we have our camera with us… that’s OUR sickness).

Fear should not supersede your desire to create a photograph that you and the subject will enjoy for the rest of their lives. How many masterpieces have been missed because we (the photographer) have just not wanted to ask permission? If your intentions are pure… you’ll get the courage to ask for the shot.