I must be a photographer, I got challenged!

swanseamale47

swanseamale47

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wayne clarke
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I got challenged for the first time in donkeys years Yesterday. I was taking pics of an observatory on the seafront when an elderly couple approached me fairly aggressivly and the conversation went something like this. "what on earth do you think your doing!" I was tempted to say knitting a rice pudding or something, but I still have some respect for the elderly, "Taking photos of that building" I said. "Why, what for" was the reply, "because I want to" I replied, loosing patience a little, "thats a very big camera for taking pictures of buildings" she replied, "well it's a very big building" I replied. She glared at me and they left me too it.
I don't mind people asking questions, thats part of the fun of photography, but these pair were not just being nosey, they were a bit hostile in their attitude.
 
Talking of miserable old people...I was driving near my house the other day, and saw an old lady at the side of the road, and she started waving her walking stick out into the road.

I slowed down safely and came to a stop just past her to see what was going on. Opened my window, and my girlfriend in the passenger seat was subject to a stream of expletives, and then me as well as she shuffled across the road behind the car.

It appears she expects to be able to wave a walking stick and have all traffic halt so that she can cross the road. It's not a busy road, it's clear in both directions for hundreds of metres.

Silly old trout.
 
I walked around Palma airport in Majorca with my AE-1 yesterday while waiting for my flight.

Should have seen the looks I got :p

Thankfully I was wearing a Hollister tshirt, a pair of Bench shorts and some Vans. My hair is blonde, fluffy and mid-length. I have a fairly good tan from being on Palma Nova beach for 5 hours a day, and fairly tired face from clubbing until 6am every night.

I don't think many people considered me to be up to anything suspicious :p
 
You should have said you worked for the local council and was taking pictures for the work being prepared for a 20 storey block of flats for the new batch of refugees that will be coming to the area soon :lol:
 
Paulie-W said:
You should have said you worked for the local council and was taking pictures for the work being prepared for a 20 storey block of flats for the new batch of refugees that will be coming to the area soon :lol:
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:lol: That reminds me of a time I was photographing a mosque at the end of the street in Liverpool my mum was born in. A young boy of asian appearance, on a bike, stopped and challenged me for taking photos of his mosque. I just asked if he'd ever heard of MI6...

He ought to be representing the UK in the olympics in 2012 given the speed he took off at... :D
 
Paulie-W said:
You should have said you worked for the local council and was taking pictures for the work being prepared for a 20 storey block of flats for the new batch of refugees that will be coming to the area soon :lol:
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Yes, and beside that is to be the new rehab centre for smackheads.
 
foodpoison said:
I walked around Palma airport in Majorca with my AE-1 yesterday while waiting for my flight.

Should have seen the looks I got :p

Thankfully I was wearing a Hollister tshirt, a pair of Bench shorts and some Vans. My hair is blonde, fluffy and mid-length. I have a fairly good tan from being on Palma Nova beach for 5 hours a day, and fairly tired face from clubbing until 6am every night.

I don't think many people considered me to be up to anything suspicious :p
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I took some photos whilst in Dalaman Airport yesterday [turkey] and i got searched at every station, Bag open, questioned etc... My gf got searched and her suitcase got searched, we got held up because I had a camera and a laptop with me :O.
 
mid_gen said:
Talking of miserable old people...I was driving near my house the other day, and saw an old lady at the side of the road, and she started waving her walking stick out into the road.

I slowed down safely and came to a stop just past her to see what was going on. Opened my window, and my girlfriend in the passenger seat was subject to a stream of expletives, and then me as well as she shuffled across the road behind the car.

It appears she expects to be able to wave a walking stick and have all traffic halt so that she can cross the road. It's not a busy road, it's clear in both directions for hundreds of metres.

Silly old trout.
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My mother always held up a hand, to stop the traffic, and not just on crossings. They always stopped.

If you had seen her you would have stopped to.

When she went into a shop they always brought her a chair, with out being asked.

She just had that effect on people.

she called it breeding... I called it fear...
 
I was recently taking pictures of architecture, and numerous times I got approached by security marching up to me with a face full of grimace asking whether I had permission. I said "YEP!" and they took my word for it every time.

Do they ask for my permission to track my every move on CCTV? No, I just have to deal with it or be a hermit.
 
kiteninja said:
I took some photos whilst in Dalaman Airport yesterday [turkey] and i got searched at every station, Bag open, questioned etc... My gf got searched and her suitcase got searched, we got held up because I had a camera and a laptop with me :O.
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You decided not to tell them you were a plane-spotter then :lol:

A.
 
<---argues the toss with the police when stopped. After quoting the Photographer's Rights to the last one, she told me to **** off and stormed away :lol:
 
Jim.R said:
swanseamale47 - How tall are you? They could just have been following the example set by Kent police! ;)

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/15/tall_photographers/
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Reminds me of "Constable Savage Sketch" from Not the 9 O'clock News......

"Come in, shut the door."

"Yes, sir."

"Now then, Savage, I want to talk to you about some charges that you've been bringing lately. I think that perhaps you're being a little over-zealous."

"Which charges did you mean then, sir?"

"Well, for instance this one: 'Loitering with intent to use a pedestrian crossing.' Savage, maybe you're not aware of this, but it is not illegal to use a pedestrian crossing, neither is 'smelling of foreign food' an offence."

"Are you sure, sir?"

"Also, there's no law against 'Urinating in a public convenience or 'Coughing without due care and attention."'

"If you say so, sir..."

"Yes, I do say so, Savage! Didn't they teach you anything at training school?"

"Erm, I'm sorry, sir..."

"Some of these cases are just plain stupid: 'Looking at me in a funny way' - Is this some kind of joke, Savage?"

"No, sir."

"And we have some more here: 'Walking on the cracks in the pavement,' 'Walking in a loud shirt in a built-up area during the hours of darkness,' and 'Walking around with an offensive wife.' In short, Savage, in the space of one month you have brought one hundred and seventeen ridiculous, trumped-up and ludicrous charges."

"Yes, sir."

"Against the same man, Savage."

"Yes, sir."

"A Mr Winston Kodogo, of 55, Mercer Road."

"Yes, sir."

"Sit down, Savage."

"Yes, sir."

"Savage, why do you keep arresting this man?"

"He's a villain, sir."

"A villain..."

"And a jail-bird, sir."

"I know he's a jail-bird, Savage, he's down in the cells now! We're holding him on a charge of 'Possession of curly black hair and thick lips."'

"Well - well, there you are, sir."

"You arrested him, Savage!"

"Thank you, sir."

"Savage, would I be correct in assuming that Mr Kodogo is a coloured gentleman?"

"Well, I can't say I've ever noticed, sir."

"Stand up, Savage! - Savage, you're a bigot. It's officers like you that give the police a bad name. The press love to jump on an instance like this, and the reputation of the force can be permanently tarnished. Your whole time on duty is dominated by racial hatred and petty personal vendettas. Do you get some kind of perverted gratification from going around stirring up trouble?"

"Yes, sir."

"There's no room for men like you in my force, Savage. I'm transferring you to the S.P.G. "

"Thank you very much, sir."

"- Now get out!"
 
mid_gen said:
Talking of miserable old people...I was driving near my house the other day, and saw an old lady at the side of the road, and she started waving her walking stick out into the road.

I slowed down safely and came to a stop just past her to see what was going on. Opened my window, and my girlfriend in the passenger seat was subject to a stream of expletives, and then me as well as she shuffled across the road behind the car.

It appears she expects to be able to wave a walking stick and have all traffic halt so that she can cross the road. It's not a busy road, it's clear in both directions for hundreds of metres.

Silly old trout.
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I had the opposite situation a while back. While queuing for a mini roundabout, I saw an old gent very slowly crossing from the far side of the road to the island in the centre of my exit road, complete with zimmer frame.

So, when my turn came, I stopped to let him cross the road, giving him a 'wave' hello, so he could be sure I had seen him.

It was a hot day, and my window was open, so I heard very clearly the stream of expletives he threw my way, opting to stay firm in the centre of the road.
:shrug:



Seeing as he had to cross over my
 
swanseamale47 said:
. "what on earth do you think your doing!" I was tempted to say knitting a rice pudding or something, but I still have some respect for the elderly,
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elderly people don't automatically deserve repect. I'd have given them some sort of sarcastic abuse. Its irrelavent what age people are you don't behave like that lol
 
The elderly of today tut lol.

Normally hear "the youth of today" coming out of the elderly.

They can't say thanks, they don't have manners, tact, people skills, the list can go on.

I said to the wife if i ever get grumpy when i am getting on, shoot me. she did offer to do it now. lol
 
You need to get into wildlife photography. Everyone I meet in the woods is just interested in what I'm taking photos of.
 
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