How do you feel about being photographed?

[curelightwounds]

Just curious.

How do you feel about a stranger taking your picture without asking you first?

I ask because this happened to me the other day. I was taking a longish exposure without my tripod and used "da grip" where I basically clutch the camera against my body to stabilize and someone else took a picture of me doing that.

Now I try to look pretty dapper, but my first thought was, "What the hell?"

Just wanted to know what your thoughts are.

Further, what's your opinion of strangers taking pictures of your children without your permission?

edit: Just to clarify, this isn't meant to slight photographers who do that kind of candid photography. I know that's challenging and it's admirable. I just want to know what other photographers think about it happening to them.

[quekbc]

If I see them I try to avoid them. If I fail at doing so, I would think about going to the gym so I could run faster.

If I don't see them, well, what I don't see wouldn't hurt.

If I do somehow end up in someone's photograph, unless its something incriminating, I wouldn't think twice about it.

[ZannieGirl49]

It's never happened to me (in my knowledge, someone could have done it on the sly) but I'm not sure if I'd mind. My first thought would be that it's just someone doing street photography or that there's something really spectacular happening behind me. If there's something really spectacular happening behind me I'd be more pissed that no one told me so I could get a shot.

Maybe your process was just interesting to the person who took your picture. Or something spectacular was happening behind you, in which case, I'm sorry you didn't get the shot.

I don't have children so I can't speak to that question but the subject has come up here and not surprisingly people have some pretty strong opinions.

[AnonymousKiwi1]

Interesting question, now that I think about it.

I absolutely hate having my photo taken, if I know about it. I don't know why, I just feel VERY uncomfortable in front of a camera. Even when my kids are running around snapping shots in the back yard I rather they did not include me. And there are very few photos of me on family holidays (I'm always the one one BEHIND the camera).

But - if a complete stranger took a photo of me on the street, and I was unaware of it, I'm not bothered at all. How odd...

I'm an ugly MF'r, so photographing me would be pointless.

Although, I'm sure they'd be doing it out of some sort of "urban exploration" experiment.



~Eric

[andyw]

Couldn't give a monkeys. If someone wants a picture of a thickening 55 year old dedicated follower of fashion (1970's fashion) then they are welcome to it.
If someone wanted to take pictures of my kids when they were younger then also fine.
I certainly don't and never have believed that everyone with a camera is a creepy perve out to steal my soul.

[Jim Poor]

I pretty much despise being in front of the camera in any situation, but if I don't know . . .

[NicoleScraps]

As long as they don't photograph my behind, then I'm cool with it. I would prefer that they ask, but I know that is not required.

[Jim Bryant]

I'm a photographer.........at the games when there's a lull in the action, you're pretty much fair game with the other photographers. I don't care, hell I've abused enough throughout the years, it just doesn't matter.

[rosserx]

Originally Posted by maxharvard

I'm an ugly MF'r, so photographing me would be pointless.

Although, I'm sure they'd be doing it out of some sort of "urban exploration" experiment.



~Eric

Me too! That's exactly how I feel about it!