People getting nasty with photographers

Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD MACRO w/Canon Nikon mount

05/27/2008 12:30:37 PM · #51

I totally agree with you Louis. They did seem more carefree days. I remember going out at 8 am and not getting back till dark and no one knew where me and my brother where, but it was safe then.

I think alot of it boils down to the media and the exposure we are now so exposed too. Also, in those days, a lot more cases where not reported becuase of the stigma that went with it. It was hushed up and swept under the carpet, where as today, it is more widely reported.

We have lost the age of innocence and we do live in a big brother state, even in our own homes.

I know that I try to keep my children from the horrors of what is going on, they dress in old fashioned clothes versus the "Brats" and "Barbie" clothes that are too revealling and cheaply available. They have no idea as to what my job is, but they know that there are some bad people out there and know what to do if approached, even my parents dont know becuase to them, it is too horrific to even contimplate and this sort of thing doesnt happen to 'good' people. You guys and my friends know what I do and that is it, and that to me is enough.

I want my children to grow up with a childhood, but you can be assured that they are carefully watched over.

Message edited by author 2008-05-27 12:34:03.

Louis

Nikon D800

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D

05/27/2008 12:37:20 PM · #52

I think part of the issue for many parents is that they think "times have changed". Check out the Free Range Kids site. If there's time, spend more than a few minutes there. Times haven't changed, attitudes have.

Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD MACRO w/Canon Nikon mount

05/27/2008 12:42:15 PM · #53

Originally posted by Louis:

precisely, and we know more than we did

05/27/2008 12:45:37 PM · #54

Juliet, thank you thank you thank you for your detailed reply. It is obvious I took your position wrong assuming you were being aggressive. I think everything mentioned seems reasonable. With the exception of the business cards.

Giving out my name and address to strangers seems... to be more invasive than taking pictures does. It is also troubling since I have no idea who will then have that address and how they will protect it. I can imagine this just off the top of my head...

"Wow, I about freaked out at the park today, some man was taking photos of all the kids. But I talked to him and he seems really legit, even offered his business card if I ever need his services."

"A man was taking pictures of kids? And you are ok with that? Let me see his 'card'."

"Umm, yeah I'm ok with, shouldn't I be... umm, sure here it is."

"Yeah see, I can have 100 of these printed up for a dollar. You know child molesters have all sorts of tricks. You should contact the police and have them check this guy out, if this is even his real address and name. Did you get a picture of him?"

"Oh god, do you think he is after Ann? I didn't even think of getting his picture, I didn't check his ID. Yeah I'll contact the police, he had no business being there anyway. Oh god I'm never taking Ann to that park again."

"You don't have to go that far, just make sure this freak gets what is coming to him."

"'Hello police? I would like to report a possible child molester...'"

05/27/2008 12:45:42 PM · #55

Originally posted by toddhead:

Originally posted by togtog:
JulietNN, no offense but are you ashamed of your kids? If not then what is your concern about photographs of them if they are out in public? Are you concerned about people looking at your children if they do not have cameras? What about security cameras being watched by strangers?

Again, I mean absolutely no offense. I am trying to understand.

I don't think you can truly understand the concerns of a parent until you are one. I take pictures of kids all the time at my daughter's school events, but when I'm in a public place I don't take pictures of anyone's children. If someone was taking a picture of one of my daughters in a public place you better believe I would find out why... in a civilized manner of course.

Having a child changes everything about the way you look at life. It amplifies your typical emotions to levels you never knew existed. If you thought you were protective of something in the past, have a child... you won't believe how protective you can be.

and often to excess.

Mostly this hyper-security paranoia on the part of parents is not due to an increase in the dangers to kids, but the media sensationalizing extreme cases.

The sad part is when the parents' paranoia and protective urges extent to everything in the child's life. That's why colleges and universities have such an increase in calls from parents inquiring about a student's grades and getting so upset when the school won't let them know their precious is getting another F in Calculus 1 or why they had to go to the student health center for antibiotics.

Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD MACRO w/Canon Nikon mount

05/27/2008 12:50:43 PM · #56

Tog in all honesty, I even think you are over reacting now. lol

I dunno what you have on your cards, but the only thing on mine is my web addy and cell phone number. If you have a street addy on there, then you more than likely have a studio.

We all see things differently and how we react is up to us.

05/27/2008 12:55:17 PM · #57

I tend to over-react yes. Which I am sure helps when I am always jumpy when people ask what I'm doing. "Ah what? Huh? Oh photos, the sun.. I'm taking shots of the sunset (which should be completely obvious you dum... err), it should start to get really colorful in a few minutes."

To be honest, I was thinking of my home address being on the business card. I didn't even think of omitting it, but a website and cell number is a thought. :)

Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD MACRO w/Canon Nikon mount

05/27/2008 12:56:30 PM · #58

Your a nut! lol, you have your home addy on your biz cards???????

05/27/2008 12:58:02 PM · #59

Originally posted by JulietNN:

Your a nut! lol, you have your home addy on your biz cards???????

I know plenty of photographers that either have a studio at their home or live in their studio.

05/27/2008 12:59:09 PM · #60

I don't have any business cards, I need to make some. For some odd reason I thought the address was required, lol. I am a genius most of the time but I can be really stupid some days. xD

Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD MACRO w/Canon Nikon mount

05/27/2008 01:00:16 PM · #61

well mine is set up in garage, but I would never put a home addy on there, yes for a studio in the city, but not home one, that is why just my web addy is on the cards,

toddhead

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

05/27/2008 01:21:37 PM · #62

Originally posted by Louis:

Originally posted by toddhead:
Having a child changes everything about the way you look at life. It amplifies your typical emotions to levels you never knew existed. If you thought you were protective of something in the past, have a child... you won't believe how protective you can be.

Assuming you had a typical childhood, would you consider yourself more, less, or about the same as protective of your own kids as your parents were of you?

I didn't have the typical childhood as my parents were divorced and we moved a lot. I was pretty free to do what I wanted, so I would say that I am more protective than my parents were of my brother and me. It probably has a lot to do with the fact that I have two girls.

My mother probably should have been more protective of me and we'll leave it at that, but I don't feel that anything that happened in my past really affects the level of protectiveness that I have for my girls. I just love them more than life and the thought of any pain or suffering that might occur to them because of my lack of attention is more than I can handle. SO, I watch them like a hawk, but not to the point where I don't let them have fun. If there is someone that seems out of place to me I will investigate and if it turns into a bad situation I will use my Marine Corps training to hurt them in ways they never knew possible. ;)

My girls are still young, so I have the luxury of being over protective. As they grow older I'm not sure how it will all play out, but I know I will once again use my Marine Corps training to scare the living crap out of any potential suitors. I'll probably even use my Photoshop skills to put me in some pictures with high level law enforcement agents, big game hunters, and Rambo. That ought to work in scaring the crap out of any teenage PUNK!

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

05/27/2008 01:36:46 PM · #63

Originally posted by JulietNN:

well mine is set up in garage, but I would never put a home addy on there, yes for a studio in the city, but not home one, that is why just my web addy is on the cards,

I have a PO Box I use for business address purposes.

Yes, phony cards can be easily made (where art thou, Jim Rockford?), but I can show them a driver's license with the same address on it.

05/27/2008 01:40:21 PM · #64

Originally posted by toddhead:

My girls are still young, so I have the luxury of being over protective. As they grow older I'm not sure how it will all play out, but I know I will once again use my Marine Corps training to scare the living crap out of any potential suitors. I'll probably even use my Photoshop skills to put me in some pictures with high level law enforcement agents, big game hunters, and Rambo. That ought to work in scaring the crap out of any teenage PUNK!

I used to date a girl whose father was a Marine Corps Drill Instructor. He was generally a good guy, but every once in a while, he'd get into DI mode and start yelling orders and making me do pushups. My girlfriend would just remind him that I was not one of his recruits and he'd back off immediately. She had him totally wrapped around her finger.

I had to keep inventing excuses to not go shooting with him. I was afraid I might come back with a few extra holes.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

05/27/2008 01:44:39 PM · #65

You have a PO Box address on your driver's license?

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by JulietNN:
well mine is set up in garage, but I would never put a home addy on there, yes for a studio in the city, but not home one, that is why just my web addy is on the cards,

I have a PO Box I use for business address purposes.

Yes, phony cards can be easily made (where art thou, Jim Rockford?), but I can show them a driver's license with the same address on it.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

05/27/2008 02:13:15 PM · #66

Originally posted by togtog:

You have a PO Box address on your driver's license?

Yup ... as long as you reply to the DMV they will accept any valid mailing address ... and I put it on my luggage tags and just about everything else (e.g. tax returns) as well -- if you get to know the personnel at the Post Office, they will take care of you.

05/27/2008 02:24:17 PM · #67

Oh cool, I had no idea you could do that. Can you also register a business to a PO box? I need to get my ID renewed and the address changed and I do have a PO box, so that might work out nicely.

About business cards, to give out business cards with my website address, etc. do I need to have a preexisting registered business or doesn't it matter?