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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> A funny thing happened at the Mall
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Showing posts 1 - 13 of 13, (reverse)
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 04/30/2005 07:52:13 PM · #1
I thought folks might find this interesting, as it's come up a few times before.



A snapshot of my Daughter, playing on a Big Bird ride in a Mall in Christchurch.. Nothing that funny about that really.

What was amusing, was what happened when I got my camera out.

There were 4 family groups with young children playing on a group of coin operated rides in the mall, including us. I had my camera bag with me as I'd been in a camera shop trying out a lens earlier in the day, and I don't like leaving it in the car.

I was having a coffee, watching Phoebe playing and thought to myself "That's cute, I'll get a photo". Now, to be fair the 20D with grip isn't exactly subtle, but the reaction to me pulling it out was almost like an air raid siren.

Instantly two of the families vapourised. One mother even left the ride running, and pulled her child from the seat! This was not what the poor young boy expected, Spot the dog was meant to give him more of a ride than he got! We was dragged off to the car in tears.

The third couple saw me but took no notice, either because they were already taking stealth photos of me to post on their web sites, or because they are not paranoid victims of modern society like the others.

This is the first time I've 'whipped it out' and had anything like that reaction. I've taken photos in parks and at a public swimming pool before with the 20D before, and not had this sort of reaction.

Maybe both of the people who left were in the witness protection program? Maybe it was because I didn't have Kate with me, and they though I was a paedophile with a borrowed child? I dunno.

Cheers, Me.
 04/30/2005 08:15:28 PM · #2
You weren't by any chance pointing at Pheobe and asking around "Does anybody know where this cute kid's parents are?"
 04/30/2005 08:21:44 PM · #3
it continues to surprise me how paranoia is getting worse. If i saw someone taking a photo of a child in a public place, i would naturally as a mother watch carefully, wonder if the child was theirs, check for any abnormalities and evaluate it. I certainly wouldnt run off and be scared. That is how paedophile's get away with stuff like that. Not enough public/private response. Although i am not calling you that by any means. I am just making a point. Am i making any sense??
 04/30/2005 08:34:08 PM · #4
I really think we are losing the structures that made us what we are (or were). With the not so subtle help of our leaders, we are able to find more things to be afraid of daily.

I think we need to switch off the internet and the TV and relax a bit. The more we invent things to fear, the more reason we have to be afraid.
 04/30/2005 08:36:49 PM · #5
Originally posted by lentil:
it continues to surprise me how paranoia is getting worse. If i saw someone taking a photo of a child in a public place, i would naturally as a mother watch carefully, wonder if the child was theirs, check for any abnormalities and evaluate it. I certainly wouldnt run off and be scared. That is how paedophile's get away with stuff like that. Not enough public/private response. Although i am not calling you that by any means. I am just making a point. Am i making any sense??


Exactly what any REASONABLE person would do. It never ceases to amaze me how people today react to these situations. Why on earth would they run off? If they were truly concerned, wouldn't they stay, watch and if something seemed out of order report it? The paranoid reaction serves no useful purpose.
I though the US was the only place that kind of idiocy happened, but I see the virus is spreading.
 04/30/2005 09:12:34 PM · #6
Here's one I took in Washington, DC at the Cherry Blossom gtg. Funny thing is I didn't even see Mom until I was editing the shot. I think the photo is better because of her presence. Wouldn't have wanted to be confronted by her though, she looks like she would mean business! (like any concerned mom or dad would, myself included).



Message edited by author 2005-04-30 21:13:31.
 04/30/2005 09:24:48 PM · #7
Maybe it was one of the earlier-mentioned possibilities, that those people had a reason to not want to be photographed in public.

But probably it was unreasoning paranoia ... : )

I take shots of my kid and other kids, generally without problems. I don't post pictures of other kids if they are recognizable without permission, but I also try to take photos (including some "stock" photos) where the kid is intentionally not identifiable, and I see no reason to limit the use of those ...
04/30/2005 10:37:39 PM · #8
I never go anywhere without at least one female escort. ;-)
04/30/2005 11:47:06 PM · #9
Originally posted by dickwilhelm:

I think we need to switch off the internet ...


but...but... how would you continually reload DPC to check your score? lol
 05/01/2005 12:02:08 AM · #10
Originally posted by nova:
Here's one I took in Washington, DC at the Cherry Blossom gtg. Funny thing is I didn't even see Mom until I was editing the shot. I think the photo is better because of her presence. Wouldn't have wanted to be confronted by her though, she looks like she would mean business! (like any concerned mom or dad would, myself included).



I looked at the picture and at first glance it looked like the mom was photoshopped into the picture.
05/02/2005 03:07:22 PM · #11
Originally posted by NathanW:

I looked at the picture and at first glance it looked like the mom was photoshopped into the picture.


She does look slightly off.I think that is because the light stiking her face is not from the predominate source (the sun) as the rest of the photo. She is apparently being lit up by reflected light off of the glass structure next to which the child is playing.

Just my $0.02.
Mike
 05/02/2005 05:00:48 PM · #12
Originally posted by lentil:
it continues to surprise me how paranoia is getting worse. If i saw someone taking a photo of a child in a public place, i would naturally as a mother watch carefully, wonder if the child was theirs, check for any abnormalities and evaluate it. I certainly wouldnt run off and be scared. That is how paedophile's get away with stuff like that. Not enough public/private response. Although i am not calling you that by any means. I am just making a point. Am i making any sense??


I think this is a very important statement here.

A few years back, my wife and 4 yr old daughter were in a K-mart and my daughter was kind of tired and acting up. After several attempts at convincing her to behave, I ended up taking her to the car while my wife stayed to grab the few items we were after. My daughter obviously threw a huge temper tantrum. While I carried her she was kicking and screaming the whole way, crying, yelling for "Mommy", the whole deal. After we had gotten to the car, and she calmed down and we were talking and waiting for Mom, the situation dawned on me. I had just rushed out of this store with a small child fighting me tooth and nail yelling for her mommy, I went through most of the store and past the front desk, through the parking lot, and not one person, or store personnel or anything confronted me or tried to ascertain what was going on or anything. And I thought, my God, what if this were a case where someone had snatched a child !!!

I vowed then, that if I were ever witness to a situation such as that, that I would stick my nose in and find out what was going on. I would rather have a parent innocently dealing with an unruly child mad at me for sticking my nose in their business than read the papers the next day about they're tragic loss. And if I was ever in that situation again and someone stopped me to see what was up, I would gladly explain the situation, even as far as showing ID or whatever, and sincerely thank them for their concern and action.

Sorry for the long post, but this thread brings the event to mind which had a strong impression on me, and I believe in adamently.
05/02/2005 05:06:38 PM · #13
Originally posted by taterbug:

I vowed then, that if I were ever witness to a situation such as that, that I would stick my nose in and find out what was going on. I would rather have a parent innocently dealing with an unruly child mad at me for sticking my nose in their business than read the papers the next day about they're tragic loss. And if I was ever in that situation again and someone stopped me to see what was up, I would gladly explain the situation, even as far as showing ID or whatever, and sincerely thank them for their concern and action.

Sorry for the long post, but this thread brings the event to mind which had a strong impression on me, and I believe in adamently.


Amen, taterbug. Amen.
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