WWYD? A stranger in the park taking photos of LO

LorMor · August 2013

I was just in the botanical gardens, and a woman came up to me and asked if she could take a photo of LO. I said yes, and she did and that was that.

Then I wondered whether I should have been more cautious/concerned or something. It's a big and famous botanical gardens, gets loads of foreign tourists, this was a foreigner (couldn't place her accent) and she was maybe my mother's sort of age. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but then got to wondering why a woman would take a photo of a strange baby playing in a sand pit. Apart from the fact that LO is desperately cute.

On another note, when we first got there, there were some geese with babies. Someone got too close, so the geese started quacking. LO sat there and quacked back at them. Some Asian tourists walked past and started quacking at LO. It was all very funny.

lady dixneuf · August 2013

I feel like if she was truly a creeper she wouldn't have asked

blondie42107 · August 2013

Not the same but last summer we had a couple gals on our sidewalk taking pictures towards our house. My husband went out and asked if he could help them with something. They explained that they were working on a photography project, mentioned the college and professor (which I recognized the name) and showed dh some photos. They were snapping pictures of our tree and the sun peaking through.

LorMor · August 2013

Thanks. Yeah, it wasn't a fancy pants camera, just an ordinary point and shoot. I guessed it was part of her holiday collection.

Ziegeficker · August 2013

This is an interesting topic of discussion, especially in the field of photography. There is a debate about whether or not photographing people is an intrusion of their privacy or whether, being in a public space and all, they forfeit the right to privacy.

Photography is my hobby, and I often see beautiful shots I'd love to take of other people -- especially children -- interacting in public spaces. I often opt not to take them for fear of upsetting someone or looking like a total creeper, even though I am definitely not. Being a woman helps -- A lot of my male friends who enjoy journalism-style photography don't even bother most of the time because men are judged as perverts immediately in this context.

I completely understand why this would make parents edgy, but I don't think your first instinct should be that this person has an ulterior or malicious motive. Still, it is well within your rights to ask about the intended purpose of the photo or to say no to her question.

ellcore · August 2013

This happened to us at the Farm Center. @rachelmichelle1 and I were having a playdate and this older lady came up to me and kept telling me how beautiful Kaley was and asked if she could take a picture. I said sure and looked at Rachel like she was BSC. Kaley, being the ham that she is, even smiled and reached for the lady. I didn't know what to do but we agreed if she was a creeper she wouldn't have asked for a picture.

jessilynnwilliams · August 2013

It makes me uncomfortable thinking about it, but I'll admit I'm an overprotective mom. Personally, I would have asked why, but that's just me.
If you felt comfortable with her doing it, I am sure everything was fine and she wasn't a creeper. I truly believe in trusting your gut feeling!

jessilynnwilliams · August 2013

Ziegeficker said:
This is an interesting topic of discussion, especially in the field of photography. There is a debate about whether or not photographing people is an intrusion of their privacy or whether, being in a public space and all, they forfeit the right to privacy.

Photography is my hobby, and I often see beautiful shots I'd love to take of other people -- especially children -- interacting in public spaces. I often opt not to take them for fear of upsetting someone or looking like a total creeper, even though I am definitely not. Being a woman helps -- A lot of my male friends who enjoy journalism-style photography don't even bother most of the time because men are judged as perverts immediately in this context.

I completely understand why this would make parents edgy, but I don't think your first instinct should be that this person has an ulterior or malicious motive. Still, it is well within your rights to ask about the intended purpose of the photo or to say no to her question.

Agreed. And if it was being published, most photographers will have you sign a consent form.

Clovesjellybeans · August 2013

I don't know...it kind of wierds me out, but I don't know if I would have said no...I think it all depends on the situation and how you feel at the time/place

Wally3 · August 2013

I would probably said yes. We were at the mall before Christmas and a photographer took pics of Santa handing my son (the 4 year old) a candy cane (out in the mall not in the normal "take a pic with Santa line"). He introduced himself to me gave me his card, he was working for the mall, and had me sign a waiver. I think if the pictures would to be published she would have done something similar.

CnAnA · August 2013

We were on a road trip last week and someone asked to take a pic of Alice sitting on a cooler. She is too stinking cute for words so I didn't think much of it.

Want a personalized experience?

WWYD? A stranger in the park taking photos of LO

Re: WWYD? A stranger in the park taking photos of LO

Choose Another Board

Search Boards