Re: [Leica] Reassuring the public

[Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>]

Ted Grant wrote:
> 
> Paul Chefurka wrote:
> >I headed over to the park again tonight at dinner time, and had a
> >couple of great hours shooting my brains out.  As I was leaving, I saw
> >the fellow who had spoken to me last night, thereby precipitating this
> >whole round of soul-searching.  I went over to him, and asked if he
> >would like to see some of the work I've done.  He said he would very
> >much like to see it, so I handed over my little album.  He took one of
> >my cards, then he and his family went through the photos.  They loved
> >them.  I told him about the essay competition, and he said "Ahhh.   So
> >*that's* what you're doing!"  I reassured him that I fully understood
> >his concerns, he said he now accepted that I was one of the good guys
> >and wished me luck in the competition.  We shook hands and parted as
> >friends.>>>>>
> 
> Paul,
> 
> Good for you!! A big bonus in this fellow as he'll be in conversation with
> other parents and or the other parents will see the two of chatting
> evenings and the word will get around. :)
> 
> Good on you, I'm sure the next few months will become a great picture
> taking time leading to a successful essay winner !
> 
> Your experience shared with the LUG may well make it esiear for others to
> have a go using your method of presentation and introduction.
> 
> Ted Grant
> This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William Osler.
> http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant

If you were sketching pictures of kids in the playground would the
parents find it so threatening? Why is it a photograph and the act of
photography is such a threatening thing. Why is silver on paper covered
by gelatin more of a moral issue than charcoal on watercolor paper? Why
do we have to coddle these people in their overblown nightmares of us?
If I'm out shooting  and it looks like there might appear to others that
a kid would be in my frame I have to turn the camera away or cause a
riot. I resent that! It's a harsher world due to the internet but it's
still BS. If you showed them a portfolio of kids in the playground with
their underpants showing you would have been a less popular guy? I say
fie on that and them!
Personally I have little to no interest in shooting kids but if I did I
would do so with no such compunction.
Mark Rabiner