Re: [Leica] Street photography

[John Brownlow <john@pinkheadedbug.com>]

on 1/8/00 4:21 pm, B. D. Colen at bdcolen@earthlink.net wrote:

>> Hi,
>> 
>> 'Freelance journalist' is a fairly safe thing to say. The next
>> question is
>> often, 'who are you working for?', in which case you can just say 'one of
>> the agencies'. If you have to get specific, just make one up
>> ('Jeroboam') or
>> tell them you work for Magnum; they won't have heard of it. If they have
>> they'll ask for your autograph, or ask you to take their picture.
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> 
>> Bob
>> 
> This thread raises some fairly interesting ethical questions - i.e., any
> journalist working for a publication of any repute is told to never
> misrepresent him or herself - if someone asks if you are a reporter, you
> acknowledge that you are - and if they ask the name of your publication, you
> provide it. Why shouldn't the same rule apply the other way - if some one
> asks who you're taking photos for, you say you're taking them for yourself.
> An SP shouldn't pose as a journalist any more than a journalist should pose
> as an SP, or a demonstrator, or a tourist, etc.

Point taken, except that if you are just shooting for yourself many people
do find it hard to understand. "independent media" is a beautiful phrase
because it is so truthful! If pushed I usually respond according to a little
catechism:

"why are you taking pictures"
"I'm a photographer... I take pictures"
"who for?" 
"myself" 
"why are you photographing THIS"
"because it's interesting/important" AND/OR "because I photograph everything
I can" 
"why are you photographing me/her/him" "I photograph everybody"
"I don't want my picture taken" "okay, I've stopped"
"why don't you ask permission" "This is a public place and I don't have to"
"show me your ID" "I don't need ID to photograph in a public place" AND/OR
"show me yours"

Oh yes, one more:

"give me the film" "if the police asked me to give me the film would you
want me to? No. So why should I give it to you?"

I think it's good to have responses to these questions mapped out because
the faster and more certain your line is the less likely it is to be
challenged. If you take a non-confrontational but still robust and even
slightly amused stance they will go away. Stay calm and don't walk away
until they have run out of steam. Right is on your side!!

- -- 
Johnny Deadman

http://www.pinkheadedbug.com