Re: [Leica] Reassuring the public

["Bryan Caldwell" <bcaldwell@softcom.net>]

Paul,

Why not also add, either verbally or to your card, a note that if they
contact you and remind you of the date and location within so many days,
you'd be happy to give them a small print (nothing fancy - just a snapshot
sort of thing) for free.

It does mean a little more work for you, but, why not? They're providing you
with something.

I would not suggest asking them for their address and saying that you'd mail
a print to them. If you do that, you're a stranger not only taking pictures
of their child, but asking where they live - not a good idea. If you ask
them to contact you, many probably won't follow through. But if you do hear
from a parent, make sure you follow through with a print or they'll be even
more hositle with the next photographer they encounter - and it might be me
(!).


Bryan

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Paul Chefurka <chefurka@magma.ca>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Saturday, May 15, 1999 8:48 PM
Subject: [Leica] Reassuring the public


> I hope some of you will have helpful suggestions about resolving a
> situation that many amateur street photographers face in their work.
> It's about the concern that parents have when they see some stranger
> snapping pictures of their children in a public place.
>
> I'm strictly amateur these days, and I've given myself the assignment
> of producing a photo-essay on the human activities in a local
> river-edge park, to be shot in evening light during the summer.
>
> One of the features of the park is a very popular play structure -
> slides, ladders, swings, climbing tubes, all set in a sand pit -
> basically a kids' heaven.  Of course, such a setting is a natural for
> shooting our future captains of industry at their least
> self-conscious.  And this is one of the things I did this evening.
>
> However.
>
> I discovered that it's not the 70's any more, and some parents are
> very concerned about a strange man with a couple of Leicas snapping
> pictures of their kids.  I was not approached directly; my wife told
> me about a man who had expressed to her his apprehension about my
> activities.  I went up and spoke to him, explaining my amateur status,
> emphasizing that the photos were for my own enjoyment and that they
> would not be published anywhere.  He said that basically he didn't
> know me from Adam, and had no way of knowing whether his son's
> pictures might appear next week in some scuzzy L.A. publication.
> Ultimately he accepted my expressions of good will, and nothing more
> came of it.
>
> I understand his concern, however, and want to do something to address
> it.  As I see it, I have two choices - find some way of allaying his
> fears, or stop taking these sorts of photos.  Obviously I'd rather try
> the first option.
>
> As I see it, there are two ways of allaying concern - talk to people
> either before the fact or after the fact.  Before the fact doesn't
> work in this situation - I can't single out a child, find their parent
> or guardian, get permission, return to the situation, and expect to
> get any kind of spontaneous photo.  So that leaves me with figuring
> out how to alleviate concerns that are expressed to me either after
> the photos are taken or during their taking.
>
> Tonight I tried relying on my honest face, my obvious lack of guile
> and my willingness to speak to the concerned father.  While this goes
> a long way, it will not satisfy everyone, and I have no desire to be
> assaulted over my hobby or have my cameras damaged through an excess
> of protective zeal.
>
> The best idea I've come up with so far is a business sized card. It
> would have printed on it something like the following:
>
> My name is Paul Chefurka
> My address is 1020 Barwell Avenue, Ottawa
> My telephone number is 613-829-2651
> I am an amateur photographer - taking pictures is my hobby.
> None of my photographs are intended for publication.
>
> I could hand this card to anyone with concerns, to supplement my
> honest face and guileless demeanor :-)
>
> Has anyone here used a similar technique, and if so does it help?
> Are there any other suggestions about how to defuse this potentially
> unpleasant situation?
>
> Paul Chefurka