- Location
- Switzerland
- Name
- Matt
Thanks for the encouragement; however, people here are often hostile and very keen on privacy; I'm pretty sure that any police called in would intuitively (though not legally) have supported claims that private property shouldn't be photographed by strangers. Which is silly. Especially since, had I used a phone, noone would have bothered. I usually smile and wave (remember the penguins in "Madagascar"?Always stare back as hard and long as you feel alright to do so. Mostly these people give in and move on.
My last encounter with a person belonging to an habitually intolerant minority happened when I did some urban images, which took some time to find the right place for the intended composition. In this case I had worked on double exposures of posters on an advertising pillar.
As soon as I had finished, this fellow, trailed by wife and child, put himself in my way demanding: "Why did you take a picture of my wife"?
I had not noticed these people at all before, so I snapped back at him: "Who are you and what do you want"?
This counter-attack shrank him visibly and he became very unsure and with some soothing explanations I let him go his way. Otherwise I always suggest
that the police should be called in, but not by me. With lots of people being cowards and shy to get mixed up with the legal authorities there has been no need for this up to now.
).Here's one from today ... an old lady drove by me rather exaggeratedly slowly and seemingly threateningly ; I didn't even bother to make eye contact, though she tried. Not even a wave ...
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She probably thought I stole some photons off her flowers (I think I heard her park her car - I didn't look back).
M.
