Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/05/18

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Photographing in a certain coffee place
From: Ted Grant <tedgrant@shaw.ca>
Date: Sat, 18 May 2002 06:32:45 -0700
References: <E1771KM-00021c-00@pluto2.runbox.com> <5.1.0.14.0.20020517180613.00b8abc8@pop.runbox.com> <3CE5DAE5.15AFF453@markrabiner.com> <003801c1fe65$dc582240$0400a8c0@ccapr.com>

B. D. wrote:
>>My student approached the manager, told the manager what
> he wanted to do, and the manager gave him permission. Could it be that
> asking makes the difference? ;-)<<<


http://web.mit.edu/21w.749/www/Students/aaronmihalik/finalproject/index.html

B.D.
Damn what a brilliant thing to do!! Ask politely and yee shall receive!  :-)

Why my goodness that's so simple it's no wonder all the complainers of not
being allowed to take pictures in Starbucks never thought of it. Or if they
did ask, it was for no apparent reason.

Think of it this way.... someone comes on  my property to photograph my
flower gardens and I see them wandering about taking pictures without asking
and the chances are I'm going to ask them what the hell they're doing. And
or "get the hell off my property!"

However, if they come to the door and ask, "can I take pictures of your
garden it's beautiful floral etc etc etc"..... I'm going to say, " sure."

So why wouldn't it seem reasonable to ask permission to photograph the
inside of a coffee house? I mean asking quite often yields a great number of
photo opportunities than sneaking "snap shots" that generally are
meaningless exposures of film in any event.

If one takes the time to see what B.D.'s student did with permission, they
might learn something about photojournalism and shooting an essay when one
asks permission.
By the same token sometimes asking begets you nothing..... live with it,
move on and find something equally enjoyable as a subject.

Those shooting with a sneaky look to their actions beget re-actions from
their subjects because the subject sees a sneaky something going on, so shut
it down and throw them out! Ask and yee shall receive, sometimes..... not
always. But on average ask and the chances are it'll happen. Is that too
hard to understand folks?

However, if one is shooting a news event or topic and being told to move on,
much of the above goes out the window... other than asking first! ..........
and if that fails, use your photographic brain, long lenses and circumvent
the situation and shoot from a distance.

B.D. please tell your student damn fine job and keep it up!

And this student has shown and taught what's possible when one uses their
brains instead of the sometime sneaky methods of street or inside coffee
houses methods!

Folks it comes right back to....."KISS!"

ted
www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant


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Replies: Reply from "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net> (Re: [Leica] Photographing in a certain coffee place)
Reply from "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net> (Re: [Leica] Photographing in a certain coffee place)
Reply from "Steve Barbour" <kididdoc@cox.net> (Re: [Leica] Photographing in a certain coffee place)
In reply to: Message from "Jeffery Smith" <jls@runbox.com> (Re: [Leica] New PAW from Jim Shulman--Out for Shopping)
Message from Mark Rabiner <mark@markrabiner.com> (Re: [Leica] Photographing in a certain coffee place)
Message from "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net> (Re: [Leica] Photographing in a certain coffee place)