Comments on: The Best Thing to Do as a Photographer is to Stick Up for Your Rights

By: Angela Penny

Angela Penny — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 20:01:00 +0000

i just think that in these days of paparazzi exploiting the first amendment, i think photogs should choose their battles. I don’t know why the guy didn’t want his picture taken, maybe it was a religious thing. I think that if he was an important political figure or there was a point to taking the picture in the first place it would be one thing, but just to take it to take it is silly. I know they need to fuzz out people who don’t give permission to being filmed, how is that so much different?

By: Michael Brutsch

Michael Brutsch — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 11:07:00 +0000

anonymous begins:

It's not the "militant" part that's a problem. It's the rudeness.

And ends with:

The best thing to do to a rude photographer is stick his camera up his ass so he can shoot his own head.

Sometimes, the jokes just write themselves.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 09:06:00 +0000

After reading all the comments, I would have to say that the posts describing ‘rudeness’ and ‘civility’ strike a chord in me. I would agree that since you have the ‘right’ to do something, doesn’t mean that you always ‘should’ do it. Sometimes civility and common courtesy are what is called for. As a Canadian, many people know (and we are often gently parodied for it) we are an extremely polite people. I do a lot of business and pleasure travel in the US and one thing that always sticks out is that Americans wear their ‘rights’ as chips on their shoulder. It is too bad, because it often seems to cause conflict where none is really necessary.

When I read your stories (such as the one above and of the cigar owner), I am often reminded of the time my wife and I waited in line for a tour of your ‘Capital Building’ in Washington. As we and many other people waited in line, some very obese and grubby individual approached with a bullhorn. He started blaring at us that this building was inhabited by evil men. “Do you know there are fags inside there?” he blarted (at a very high volume though is bullhorn.) “Do you know that they have anal sex with each other in their offices? God has dammed these people to Hell and he will throw YOU in Hell too for going in there and condoning these Satanic acts”. He then proceeded to get even more crude. Several people motioned to the policeman standing there and asking if he could make the individual stop… for God’s sake there were children in the line. The policeman shrugged his shoulders and said, “Sorry, but it is his right of free speech to do so..”

Please forgive me for saying this, but reading though your posts, I cannot escape the parallels drawn between you and that “bullhorn guy”. Some people may be scared and confused and perhaps not privy to all the ‘enlightenment’ that you and your colleagues have.

But damn them eh, it is your ‘right’ to do as you wish! (insert very sad, somewhat sarcastic smiley face here)

Cheers.
Glenn

By: roland

roland — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 01:53:00 +0000

BTW, please take note that the law is not the same across the world. For example, I know that in the province of Quebec (Canada), it’s not legal for newspaper to publish “non-news” pictures of people without proper authorization (hence the “file photo” you see a lot).

By: wim

wim — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 15:20:00 +0000

Hi Thomas,

I’m from the Netherlands,and we take a pretty liberal view on doing things you like to do, as you will probably know,…. but as always, these things are about common decency. I think one should ask for permission and, when permission is not granted, to assess the situation whether it is worth the trouble to stand on your civil rights. If not so, just don’t take the image. This view I take as a photographer

By the way: being a Dutch sollictor/lawyer I also take this view.

regards,

Wim

http://www.wimvanes.wordpress.com

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 09:14:00 +0000

It's not the "militant" part that's a problem. It's the rudeness.

Nobody should have to ask not to be photographed. It is an imposition on someone else, a violation of their privacy, to take their picture. It is up to you to ask permission.

While you and other paparazzi and stalkers have a legal right to take photographs in public, decent, kind, civilized, polite people ASK permission FIRST, and respect that when someone doesn't want a photo taken.

You and your kind of militant photographers were never taught those basic principles of civility that the rest of us learned in kindergarten. That's why you get hostile reactions from others: you are violating the social contract that allows us to all live together in close proximity, even if we don't like each other.

The best thing to do to a rude photographer is stick his camera up his ass so he can shoot his own head.

By: ryan

ryan — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 06:29:00 +0000

I like the idea of “just because you can doesn’t mean you should”. If this guy was rude and pushed and complained, I understand the desire to shoot him and his store. But what if he politely asked you not to take the photo. It’s his right to ask and yours to ignore his request, but why not “not” take it. It’s not like there is a shortage of signs out there.

Yes you can shoot photos all you want, I do, and I love having the right to, but I DO believe that my right to take pictures does not mean I have to, or should always take the shot.

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 18:47:00 +0000

Thomas:

I’m curious, you seem to see this issue in black and white. Who’s side would you be on if Jill Greenberg took her pictures from a public sidewalk?

By: Dave Zatz

Dave Zatz — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 18:05:00 +0000

PS For example, that one security guard incident a few months ago was very alarming and I’m glad it didn’t escalate even more – he was on some sort of power trip and felt justified in his actions.

By: Dave Zatz

Dave Zatz — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 18:02:00 +0000

While TH and Jeremy are in the right, there are so many nut buckets in the world that standing up for all our photographic freedoms may get someone hurt. TH mentions assessing the situation, but you’re trying to read a person you’ve never met before and have no idea what they are capable of or what’s stuffed into their wasteband under their shirt. Protect your rights, but also protect your ass and feel free to walk (and blog the details) away before someone gets hurt.