It was a gorgeous day here. Highs in the 70s, low humidity - not typical for the south in September. I was itching to get outside so I picked up the camera and I headed to a nearby park over lunch. It's a pretty park - sunk down low from the street. You feel so removed from the rush of the everything. I easily fired off 100 shots of the playground equipment and the interesting rock structures.
Then the atmosphere changed. The children from a nearby school spilled into the park. Recess time! And I thought, "Awesome! I can get some action shots. I want to practice panning the camera and this will be great!" As I stood, snapping photos, shooting with a 300mm lens, most the kids didn't even notice me. This was GREAT!
What I didn't realize was how nervous I was making the teachers. As I moved past them, I stopped to chat briefly. I was asked, "What are you taking photos for?" And I said, "Photography is just my hobby." "You aren't with the paper?" "No. It's a hobby." "You aren't with the school system?" "No, it's just a hobby." "Do you teach photography?" I chuckled at this one. "No, it's just a hobby." A battery of questions - with the same response. I was getting irritated and for no reason at all was starting to feel uncomfortable.
When I turned to continue on my way, I couldn't help but think, "What has this country come to? When someone with a camera (a CAMERA for Pete's sake) can be thought of as "suspicious."
The teachers, however, may want to divert their attention to the drug dealer hiding in the shadows of the park. You know... to question his hobbies.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteNot to offend, but just to give a different point of view--I would be nervous about a stranger taking photos of my own child or students I was in charge of. It's my job to keep those children safe. If I didn't know why the photos were being taken or what kind of relationship the photographer may or may not have with one of the children, I would be suspicious. There's too many weird things that happen with the Internet today. One of the reasons schools continue to fight cell phones in schools is because of camera phones and photos that can be published on the web. Like I said--just coming at it from a different viewpoint. PS--Love the giraffe picture below.
I think it's important to note that the kids were in a public park and so was I. They were not on school property. In America, any photographer on any public street, sidewalk, or park can legally take photos of anyone at anytime - including children. It is a part of our First Amendment rights - freedom of the press.
ReplyDeleteSociety and the particularily the media have made people hypersensitive. Only bad things are reported on the news. Scary things. It's rather ironic that the same rights that protect the press, also makes anyone with a camera suspicious.
I imagine I will run into this over and over again as I begin to carry the camera more and more. I hope to be more prepared next time.