Taking pictures of kids

[Andy.]

Yes, really as dodgy as it sounds.

I was out with my two boys (1 & 3 yrs) and put them on a merry go round. My wife was with them and an oldish guy went up and took a photo of them. He was using a P&S so was clearly not a journo so my wife asked what he was up to. He said "They looked nice" and offered to delete the photo in a half hearted way. My wife took him up on the offer and he got all arsey about it but did it.

He stayed around and was taking loads of photos of other kids on the thing, but not ours as far as I could tell.

In contrast, I went to a horse riding show that my niece was in to take some photos of her. I had my 5D and 70-200 (white) lens on so stood out a bit in the crowd. I could see people looking at me to see who I was taking pictures of, so I made a point of only shooting when my niece was out and holding the camera at my side when she was not.

Is it PC madness, media hype or just common courtesy not to take pictures of other people or their kids especially?
I have seen quite a few threads on photography forums where people have been called Pedos when they have been out shooting, but have never really experienced it myself, until today when my instinct was telling me to be wary of the guy taking pictures of my own kids.

I guess if nothing else, it will make me think twice before putting myself in a similar situation.

Anybody else ever had abuse for taking photos somewhere?

 

[Sym0n]

I won't shoot kids at all, just not worth the hassle that can come of it. I was talking to one 'tog that got his camera smashed up and his face too for taking pictures of his own kids in a public park by some pissed up knobs that decided that he was a paedo.

Sad times, but this is the modern world and it's only going to get worse.

 

[dunganick]

Its certainly come up on occasion.

I shoot some womens hockey for a local paper, some of the players are quite young and on occasion i have been asked by the Refs who i am and who im shooting for. They have been happy with the answers so far, but if they had an issue i couldn't really do much i guess.

A more recent issue was a Cricket Pavilion i had to shoot for a feature, i got out the car, looked up and see the playschool that operates out of this pavilion, there is me standing with the 1d and 70-200 looking like a right pedo. Even worse was that as i obviously couldn't take a useable photo at that time, so i jumped straight back in the car and drove off - looking even more shifty.

Dont even get me started about the issues surrounding needing to photograph a Air Cadet swimming Galla. It never happened in the end, but every single cadet is required to give photographic permission when they join the aircadets, and i know i wouldnt want to edit those photos at home, i would want to edit on site, upload to a secure site and delete the shots from my cards/laptop.

Its a really sad situation how over the top everything is now, but with some of the sicko's around its sort of understandable and maybe the lesser of two evils.

 

[vibrio]

the problem with kids in organised events like at school and say the cadets is that there maybe kids in some sort of protective environment.

I can take all the pics I like at my school but never of anyone elses kid purely cause they are of no interest to me.

why you would want to take pictures of other peoples kids unless you know them is beyond me.

 

[alanc1000]

i think taking pics of other kids in the way that happened to the OP is a no-no. If it was a kids birthday party and other parents take pics that include yours, then fine, but what that old man did was wrong, very creepy!

I have a creepy female freind at work, the terminally single type, and on her phone as a screen saver she has a pic of her with someone elses daughter cuddling up. She also has a photography business on the side, and her business cards have a pic of my mates daughter which she used without his permission. Creepy again!

Once i was in town with my mate (daytime) and this loner geeky type bloke came up to us both and asked if we could ask normal and he wanted to take pics of us just walking along. I said no, but he did it anyway as we walked off. f**king weirdo :S

 

[planetx]

we have to use consent forms for work, otherwise I crack on as usual in public.

Come to my house, search my HD's.....I am a photographer not a terrorist lol

try to smash my camera, I will smash your head lol

 

[Gareth]

common courtesy not to take pics of other people's kids IMHO, its an unwritten rule that everyone should instinctively know and understand.

I wouldn't be happy with someone taking pics of my daughter.

 

[Alastair.]

i would flip if some bloke took random pics of my daughter.

 

[planetx]

an extension from my thread above, is that if I am shooting kids in public I always hand out a business card.....followed up by, letting the parents/guardians see the images on my camera etc etc......and usually pop some prints in the post.
kids look great at marches and parades with UJ flags, or dressed up as soldiers or waving "DADDY Banners".

 

[alanc1000]

an extension from my thread above, is that if I am shooting kids in public I always hand out a business card.....followed up by, letting the parents/guardians see the images on my camera etc etc......and usually pop some prints in the post.
kids look great at marches and parades with UJ flags, or dressed up as soldiers or waving "DADDY Banners".

obvious observation but i take it you are a photo journalist or freelance pap of some sort? Have you ever had a parent get the hump?

 

[planetx]

urm, not yet.....but I am usually only at events where media coverage is expected, thus I usually tell people " if you don't want yourself or kids photographed, please make yourself scarce"
Most photo journalists have a waver to shoot what the hell they like in a public place, but usually at their own discretion.
common sense prevails

 

[Andy.]

I think different rules apply to Journos (and yourself). I don't mind if I am at an event and I see a pro point his camera in my kids direction, you know that the pics will either be used in a paper somewhere or end up binned. Either way, there are no ill intentions.

The random old guy threw me a bit, as a couple of people have pointed out, what would you want with pictures of other peoples kids? My wife is still on about it now and saying that she should have checked his camera to make sure he deleted the photos.


Nick, I wanted to take my camera along to take pics when my kids were first swimming, but I just didn't want the hassle and stares. I went to a competition a while back and cameras were not allowed at all, one of the kids dads was told off pretty loudly in front of all the other spectators and made to sound like a perv.
it is a pity that the world is as it is, but I agree, it is the lesser of two evils.

 

[vibrio]

I have a creepy female freind at work, the terminally single type, and on her phone as a screen saver she has a pic of her with someone elses daughter cuddling up. She also has a photography business on the side, and her business cards have a pic of my mates daughter which she used without his permission. Creepy again!

if she took it she don't need permission

 

[bully]

Good thread Andy, a tough call for the pros but that old guy seemed a bit weird. You did the right thing going with your gut instinct.

If I was challenged then I would be happy to delete etc. But if you are in public then basically it is tough s**t, you may be photographed.

People are over protective of kids these days anyway, but the media and the way the world is has caused this attitude. However erring on the side of caution is better then giving a suspected pedophile a chance to pick up some easy snaps.

 

[Gaz.]

I think it's at least common courtesy to ask the parents if you can, as I know Nurseries/Schools etc have to ask written permission from parents these days.

 

[SharkyUK]

I was asked to photograph a Police organised Community Event last year... and it was an absolute nightmare. So much so I'm never prepared to put myself in such a position again.

I had the necessary forms filled-in, I was regularly 'introduced' to the crowd that I was official photographer for the day and I had the usual 'media' emblazoned garb to highlight the fact that I was there in an official capacity. It made sod-all difference. The abuse was quite frankly ridiculous and getting 'natural' looking shots (which was my primary brief) was made nigh on impossible. The net result was I had to have a female police officer accompany me to put people's minds at rest before shooting.

:S

 

[Tigger]

It is a MINEFIELD when it comes to taking shots of kids!
- my photography has kind-of started out from taking photos for a Scout group, but I am one of the leaders and have parental consent, all my checks done etc etc

 

[JJ!]

I always take loads of pics at horse shows, there are usaully cameras everywhere so no one is ever too bothered!