How do you deal with these nutters?

[randal]

Normally I'd err on the side of the photographer about photography in public places, but as for copping the ump when an owner of a private house tells you to stop doing so - I'm with the home owner. TBH, I'd be a bit creeped out if someone was taking pics of my house.

I'd wager that if he was more polite in his request you wouldn't have bothered with this thread?

 

[Energize]

I'd wager that if he was more polite in his request you wouldn't have bothered with this thread?

It was more the fact that the guy seemed to be a paranoid nutter. I was taking a photo of the landscape opposite the house, then turned round to take some photos of the house, and instantly he's out the window shouting, so he must have been spying on me like a hawk.

Someone has asked you to stop taking photos of their house as it's upsetting them. Why wouldn't you comply with their request? Is your photography really that important?

Like I said, I don't humor neurotic behavior, if I did I'd never get anything done in life, some people get upset at anything.

Street photography wouldn't exist if you pandered to that kind of behavior.

The argument "Street View can see it though" is a bit weak, as he's hardly going to chase the car down the road while brandishing a pitchfork, even if he knew what it was.

You seem to be missing the point, anyone can see his house via the photograph on street view so it really doesn't make a difference if I take photos of it.

 

[koolpc]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thing is, it does make a difference when he has asked you not to take a pic of it.

 

[Aedus]

It is true that the way someone acts would dictate what I would do in the situation. If someone was to yell out of the window at me, it'd make me want to keep doing it just out of spite. However if someone came down and explained that they didn't want their house being taken pictures of for x, y and z, I'd probably just leave it.

It's amazing what actually talking to someone like a person can do, rather than throwing your toys out of the pram.

 

[Sh4rkie]

It was more the fact that the guy seemed to be a paranoid nutter. I was taking a photo of the landscape opposite the house, then turned round to take some photos of the house, and instantly he's out the window shouting, so he must have been spying on me like a hawk.



Like I said, I don't humor neurotic behavior, if I did I'd never get anything done in life, some people get upset at anything.

Street photography wouldn't exist if you pandered to that kind of behavior.

Just because you're in the right doesn't mean you have to be a c*ck about it. The resident was obviously aggrieved for whatever his reasons, offer to calm the situation, explain your a tog, show him your work would have done more good than ignoring him and riding off. If it'd come down to it delete the photo of his house and move on. It's not the end of the world.

Very few people take issue with street photography and those that do you can try and educate as best as possible but ultimately why re-enforce photographers are bad by being an arrogant c*ck about the situation.

 

[Energize]

It is very foolish to engage with someone who is irate like that, it is likely to lead to a physical confrontation and the best thing to do is to leave the situation, that is not arrogant, it is sensible.

It is true that the way someone acts would dictate what I would do in the situation. If someone was to yell out of the window at me, it'd make me want to keep doing it just out of spite. However if someone came down and explained that they didn't want their house being taken pictures of for x, y and z, I'd probably just leave it.

It's amazing what actually talking to someone like a person can do, rather than throwing your toys out of the pram.

Exactly, the guy was shouting at me out of a window from about 50m away after clearly closely watching me for about 10 minutes, there was no way I was going to engage him in conversation, it makes him come across as a total nutter.

 

[An Exception]

Op, you haven't been diagnosed with any conditions like NLD have you?

In the below thread I thought you were trying to purposely annoy people by pretending not to 'get it'.
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18614288&page=2

Now you have started this thread, I'm guessing you genuinely cannot see why that guy reacted the way he did. Hence you assume 'he' must be the one in the wrong?

I'm also assuming in your Op, you mean country (as in countryside) and not county.
If so, then people in the country are different than towns/city people. They require more personal space (you can't get as close to them before they feel uncomfortable).
Their privacy boundaries are much greater. I grew up in between two villages in the middle of nowhere, and never have I seen someone photograph my house. If someone did, I can assure you my parents would have felt very alarmed and would have reacted very similarly to that guy.
You see, your behaviour would have seemed extremely odd to that guy, and he would have been suspicious as to what your intentions were. To him you were likely some kind of creep/threat and was invading his (and his families) personal space, and he needed to suitably deter you. Hence the lack of polite warning or curiosity as to what you are actually doing.

 

[MrWhippy]

Maybe you fit the description of the bloke who's been following his kids home from school

 

[Raymond Lin]

What I would've done is just explain to him who you are, what you are doing, show him the photo.

Say something like, I love your house, against the backdrop makes a great landscape shot and smile.

If he says he is still uncomfortable with it, say that's cool, not a problem, you will move on.

Standing there arguing about your rights as a photographer on public space etc, as much as it is your right, life is too short, and how special was his house that you makes all that worth it anyway?

 

[413x]

What I would've done is just explain to him who you are, what you are doing, show him the photo.

Say something like, I love your house, against the backdrop makes a great landscape shot and smile.

If he says he is still uncomfortable with it, say that's cool, not a problem, you will move on.

Standing there arguing about your rights as a photographer on public space etc, as much as it is your right, life is too short, and how special was his house that you makes all that worth it anyway?

Offer him a copy of the photo might go down well too.

 

[D.P.]

Someone has asked you to stop taking photos of their house as it's upsetting them. Why wouldn't you comply with their request? Is your photography really that important?

You ant to take photos of a nice house, and some one is upsetting you by demanding that you drop even although you have legal rights to photograph it. Why wouldn't you let the photographer go about their bussiness? It is a reasonable request from the photographer and is just polite not to interfere.

 

[Energize]

What I would've done is just explain to him who you are, what you are doing, show him the photo.

Say something like, I love your house, against the backdrop makes a great landscape shot and smile.

If he says he is still uncomfortable with it, say that's cool, not a problem, you will move on.

Standing there arguing about your rights as a photographer on public space etc, as much as it is your right, life is too short, and how special was his house that you makes all that worth it anyway?

Why would I stand there arguing about my rights with that nutcase? Soon as I saw him I started packing up and left.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Why would I stand there arguing about my rights with that nutcase? Soon as I saw him I started packing up and left.

I said

Standing there arguing about your rights as a photographer on public space etc, as much as it is your right, life is too short, and how special was his house that you makes all that worth it anyway?

I said I won't stand there to argue.

And you DID ask in the OP

My question is, how do you deal with these confrontational nutters (who apparently are not aware of Google street view), the law is clearly on the photographers side?

I now am confused what was your reply about.

You asked, I answered.

 

[Energize]

Op, you haven't been diagnosed with any conditions like NLD have you?

In the below thread I thought you were trying to purposely annoy people by pretending not to 'get it'.
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18614288&page=2

A lot of people must have been diagnosed with it judging by the number of people agreeing with me.

Now you have started this thread, I'm guessing you genuinely cannot see why that guy reacted the way he did. Hence you assume 'he' must be the one in the wrong?


I'm also assuming in your Op, you mean country (as in countryside) and not county.
If so, then people in the country are different than towns/city people. They require more personal space (you can't get as close to them before they feel uncomfortable).
Their privacy boundaries are much greater. I grew up in between two villages in the middle of nowhere, and never have I seen someone photograph my house. If someone did, I can assure you my parents would have felt very alarmed and would have reacted very similarly to that guy.
You see, your behaviour would have seemed extremely odd to that guy, and he would have been suspicious as to what your intentions were. To him you were likely some kind of creep/threat and was invading his (and his families) personal space, and he needed to suitably deter you. Hence the lack of polite warning or curiosity as to what you are actually doing.

I see why he reacted that way, it's paranoia, that doesn't make it socially acceptable behavior does it?

 

[413x]

I would argue that paranoia (if indeed the case) may be a medical condition and you are provoking it?

 

[Sh4rkie]

It is very foolish to engage with someone who is irate like that, it is likely to lead to a physical confrontation and the best thing to do is to leave the situation, that is not arrogant, it is sensible.

Exactly, the guy was shouting at me out of a window from about 50m away after clearly closely watching me for about 10 minutes, there was no way I was going to engage him in conversation, it makes him come across as a total nutter.

You are assuming it'll get physical so you bolted, well that just re-enforced to the householder he had something to be concerned about and makes the life of the next photographer even harder. Well done.

Grow a pair, talk to the guy as civil as possible and explain in clam and rational manner what you're doing and engage him. If he still doesn't like it while not 'right' delete the image and move on with your life.

 

[Tunney]

You ant to take photos of a nice house, and some one is upsetting you by demanding that you drop even although you have legal rights to photograph it. Why wouldn't you let the photographer go about their bussiness? It is a reasonable request from the photographer and is just polite not to interfere.

It's easier for the photographer to move on than it is for the home-owner. All of the arguments for allowing the photography in this thread are the same arguments that paparazzi use when defending their work. Even then, at least it's the paparazzi's livelihood at stake rather than just their hobby.

 

[Greboth]

Poo through hi.... wait this isn't GD.

The one time this has happened to me and I explained that I was in a public place so could take a photo's. He seemed to accept my explaination was correct but still looked peed off so I offered to leave anyway. I know I didn't have to but I am not going to knowlingly annoy someone just to take a couple of photo's.

 

[Energize]

You are assuming it'll get physical so you bolted, well that just re-enforced to the householder he had something to be concerned about and makes the life of the next photographer even harder. Well done.

Grow a pair, talk to the guy as civil as possible and explain in clam and rational manner what you're doing and engage him. If he still doesn't like it while not 'right' delete the image and move on with your life.

Bolted, don't be ridiculous. If you think me continuing along on my bike rather than going onto his property to talk to him through a window is going to impact the world of photography you over estimate my importance...

I now am confused what was your reply about.

You asked, I answered.

Sorry, I thought you were implying that's what I was doing/planning to do.

 

[An Exception]

You ant to take photos of a nice house, and some one is upsetting you by demanding that you drop even although you have legal rights to photograph it. Why wouldn't you let the photographer go about their bussiness? It is a reasonable request from the photographer and is just polite not to interfere.

In this case the legal law is at odds with natural law.

People are hardwired to fear strangers.. for good reason. This fear is reinforced in isolated areas, and particularly when a stranger appears to be behaving in an odd manner. Perhaps the man suspected the Op's intention was Voyeurism or worse, which of course is illegal.
Whatever the legality, it is simply common decency to unselfishly stop causing someone emotional distress.

p.s.
Please start typing properly. I'm literally having to guess what you are meaning to type.