Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/05/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Tim- Thanks....!( never off topic!) I and my Leicas thank you from the bottom of our little shutter crates! ( on topic) Dan - -----Original Message----- From: Tim Atherton <timphoto@nt.sympatico.ca> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> Date: Sunday, May 16, 1999 1:09 AM Subject: RE: [Leica] Reassuring the public (now way off topic) >Dan, > >I don't know if I can find it, but if I dig really deep into my old boxes I >can find a good Greek (biblical/hellenic?) primer and let you know what it's >title is. Even helped me to learn some once - and Languages just aren't my >thing. > >Tim A > > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us >> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Dan Post >> Sent: May 15, 1999 7:06 PM >> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us >> Subject: Re: [Leica] Reassuring the public >> >> >> Paul- >> Not a bad idea, and you might offer to give them a signed print >> if they seem >> apprehensive. I know that many PJs use a polaroid snap as a gift >> to reassure >> subjects in foreign lands- I saw where some NG photographer did it and was >> nearly covered up by children who wanted their photgrph made! >> Getting to meet the folks there might help- if it is a >> 'neighborhood' park- >> the same families probably frequent the same areas; then once you >> are known >> to several people, you should become an accepted part of the >> scenery, as it >> were. >> Let us know how it works! >> Dan >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Paul Chefurka <chefurka@magma.ca> >> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> >> Date: Saturday, May 15, 1999 8:49 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 >> >> >> >