Greek photographer arrested in London

[foggy4ever]

[S1][/S1]

Was I wrong to shoot these? Both in public places.

excellent candid shots. My daughter is nearly 16 and I don't have as many pictures as I would have liked. As a parent/father I look at your shots and others like it and it makes me smile.

 

[joxby]

Was I wrong to shoot these? Both in public places.

You where if you're going to use them in an unacceptable way....:shrug:

Forget the shrug, lets just cut to the chase, everyone knows what Zuba is alluding to.

What I find tricky to fathom is that this kind of thought is....here...at a photography forum, where generally peeps have a pretty good idea what makes a photographer tick.

Byker, I would have been uncomfortable taking that fountain shot. I'm not saying there's anything right or wrong with it, but I wouldn't have taken it.

Uncomfortable taking the shot or uncomfortable with what other people might think about you taking the shot ?

 

[cyclone]

Difficult to answer, obviously one would lead to the other anyway.
I'm not a parent. I'm pretty... no, very crap around kids, they sort of scare me, so I keep as much distance as possible.

Ironically my girlfriend is a nursery nurse, I couldn't do her job.

 

[levihaynes]

I have three children under five and take lots and lots of photos of them. I can't really think what I could do with those photographs that would harm my children or anyone else, so when others take photos of my children on those rare occasions I don't have a problem with it. If some p*** takes the photos and uses them to have a w**k then sick on them but it doesn't effect my family. It would be different if someone started taking personal interest in them.

Also if someone can start taking inappropriate photos in a public place then perhaps its not the photos that are inappropriate. If you feel that the fountain photo by Byker28i is not right then I suggest he shouldn't have been out in public like that to begin with. A photo just records an image that we can all see anyhow so whats the problem??

 

[cyclone]

Erm,
I was quite careful to say that I'm not saying it's wrong.

 

[Byker28i]

The fountain is outside our local Walmart. It's a well known spot for kids to run in and out during summer months, I just happened to be passing whilst on a bike ride with my camera just after I started in digital. Shot as a jpeg, canon 300d and the cheapest 75-300 lens.

I sort of knew it was a good shot after I took it, so I approached the mum and gave her my business card and offered her the shot. It's the only one I took and I sent it to her email.

More innocent times from about 4 years ago?

 

[levihaynes]

Erm,
I was quite careful to say that I'm not saying it's wrong.

Sorry my comment wasn't directed at any individuals on the forum but simply to show the idea that 'so what if someone takes a photo'. To try and portray the thought that an image is similar to name calling and can't harm anyone.

 

[Byker28i]

Of course the next argument is when is it all right? For arguments sake, lets take teenage girls. 18 years old, 16 years old, 15 years old? Can you honestly tell the difference? Should we compain when the Scamera's take photo's of our cars with our children in them.

Is there really a pervert around every corner armed with a camera, or are people just getting carried away with a daily mail mentality? Is it all just media hype to drum up sales?

 

[Byker28i]

Interestingly - I found a recent exhibition that's just finished of photo's on the LOndon Underground

http://www.ozkizil.com/

 

[Wildlight]

I was asked to shoot a 7 year old girl's party for one of my Mum's friends... so I did, but even though all the birthday girl's friend's Mum's said it would be fine, I still felt pretty awkward. I guess it's just the society I've grown up in but it feels wrong (for me) to photograph little kids.

But, yeah, there's a difference to a slight feeling of awkwardness and getting arrested and going to court lol

 

[cyclone]

Is there really a pervert around every corner armed with a camera,

Of course not, but I think a lot of people in this country feel there is, and they see us in the street with big cameras. Of course if we were perverts we'd have much less conspicuous equipment.

Is it all just media hype to drum up sales?

Sounds likely to me.

 

[joxby]

Difficult to answer, obviously one would lead to the other anyway.

I know what you mean.
Its like, if say I wanted to photograph a blokes arse, really want to because its beautiful, does that make me gay ?
I mean I'm as straight as a straight thing, but I can appreciate form, male or female, in the same way I can appreciate a child candid....its just a picture worth recording.
A pure photographer has far more trouble levelling shot ethics these days based on what other people actually think about their actions, than anything else.....sometimes it isn't worth the effort, or at least you end up feeling the risk isn't worth taking.
If every Mother is gonna question, and by questioning (there's no getting round the implications) suggest we're all up to no good, we might as well drive ourselves down to the station just for contemplating the shot.

I also think we have to understand that your average Mum on the street doesn't comprehend the nature of photographers and their pastime, to her they're just photos to be looked at 5 minutes out of Boots and once again in 5 years time, anything outside of that has to be a distasteful fascination, or worse.

 

[cyclone]

.....sometimes it isn't worth the effort, or at least you end up feeling the risk isn't worth taking.

Very good point
Why would I take a photo of a child, as I'm just not interested, it means the hassle vs reward makes the shot a non starter.
Maybe if I could clear my mind of any potential consequences I may see a good shot not clouded by the worry.
Somebody who doesn't like cars is not going to be bothered to take a photo of a car, where as I get most of my photography enjoyment shooting motorsport, it helps that I have an interest so if I don't get a shot I've still enjoyed my day out.

I feel like I've dragged this thread off topic, sorry, but the conversation is interesting.

 

[swanseamale47]

The court case could prove very interesting, it might prove usefull for somebody local to cover the case and get the truth, and whats said by the police, wittnesses etc.
The problem we have here is we are just guessing what was said and done on the day, theres no real facts, you honestly can't rely on whats said in the paper (I worked for a newspaper trust me on this) I think I'll wait to see whats said in court, and make my mind up then.