How do you deal with these nutters?

[D.P.]

It hugely depends on the situation, essentially I just use common sense and courtesy, if it's someone's private dwelling and it's just a random photo, I'd respect their wishes.. In the same way I respect anyone's wishes to not have their photo taken in public.. If it's some jobs worth telling me I can't take a picture of Buckingham palace, then I politely ignore them.

It's probably legal to defecate through their letterboxes, but oddly, I don't do that either (for the same reasons of common courtesy)..

It is certainly illegal to defaecate through someone's letterbox.
The problem I have with posts like this is it is equating taking a photo of a house to vandalism.

Taking a photo of someone's house is actually no different looking at their house with your own eyes, which is why it is legal. If you uphold the request of the irrational homeowner then really you couldn't even walk down their street without being blindfolded.And that is exactly why their stance is so irrational.

 

[Rojin]

You are completely missing the point. The person described in the OP was hurling abuse form a window, not coming up to the OP and have a quite conversation and putting forward a rational request.

No one has argued at all that a calm and and reasoned request should not be met with a courteous apology, explanation and offer to delete the photos.

Abusing a harmless and law abiding citizen is not tolerated in my opinion.
And I would be much more worried about letting such options that infringe on our rights become widespread than some nutcase gets educated on the law.

all it take for evil to prevail is for a few good men to do nothing. Melodramatic yes, but if people don't stand up for their rights then they will slowly be eroded.

Change the scenario a little and see how it looks. There is a gay couple walking down the street holding hands when all of a sudden some bigoted nutjob starts shouting abuse at them. Sure, the couple could stop holding hands and walk away without kicking up a fuss but why should they tolerate such irrational hatred that infringes upon their rights? It is perfectly reasonable for them to defend their actions in a calm manner.

"shouting out of a window not to take photos of the house" is hardly hurling abuse, get a grip.

 

[An Exception]

It is certainly illegal to defaecate through someone's letterbox.
The problem I have with posts like this is it is equating taking a photo of a house to vandalism.

The problem I have with posts like this is.. (deliberately?) ignoring incredibly obvious points at the expense of the bigger picture.
DP I had assumed you intelligent enough to realise this. Is it really damning to his point that it's actually illegal to crap through someones letterbox?

No.. it's not.. and if you had to mention it, it warranted nothing more than an FYI at the end of your post.
Anyway in case you really missed his point. It's not illegal to be a dick, but that doesn't mean you should be a dick.

Taking a photo of someone's house is actually no different looking at their house with your own eyes, which is why it is legal. If you uphold the request of the irrational homeowner then really you couldn't even walk down their street without being blindfolded.And that is exactly why their stance is so irrational.

It's completely different. I can't communicate the image of that house to the entire world with just my eyes.
A good Camera + appropriate lens can be used to spy at distances not possible with just human eyes.
Man in window was not to know the OP wasn't a perv.

To me it seems this thread is divided into two types of people. Those with good manners and those without.

 

[D.P.]

"shouting out of a window not to take photos of the house" is hardly hurling abuse, get a grip.

Shouting out of a window is certainly not calm and courteous. Only the OP will no the details, did the nutter ask nicely, did he say please, did he curse?

Anyway, this is more of a general debate of what to do if some irrational nutjob does shout abuse at a photographer to stop. There has been no debate on what to do it someone asks politely and calmly, there is unanimous agreement.

 

[An Exception]

All of a sudden some nutter was shouting out of a window not to take photos of the house.

I assume the shouting was only necessary due to being 50m away. Nothing in the OP's posts indicate verbal abuse.

 

[D.P.]

The problem I have with posts like this is.. (deliberately?) ignoring incredibly obvious points at the expense of the bigger picture.
DP I had assumed you intelligent enough to realise this. Is it really damning to his point that it's actually illegal to crap through someones letterbox?

No.. it's not.. and if you had to mention it, it warranted nothing more than an FYI at the end of your post.
Anyway in case you really missed his point. It's not illegal to be a dick, but that doesn't mean you should be a dick.



It's completely different. I can't communicate the image of that house to the entire world with just my eyes.
A good Camera + appropriate lens can be used to spy at distances not possible with just human eyes.
Man in window was not to know the OP wasn't a perv.

To me it seems this thread is divided into two types of people. Those with good manners and those without.

I have repeatedly said that being a dick is not acceptable, but that goes to both the photographer and the homeowner.

Taking a photo of someone's house is completely unrelated to crapping through their letter box so it is an entirely stupid comparison and meaninglessness comment.



It is interesting that you divide people into those with manners and those without. Manners has nothing to do with this. Hurling abuse at a photographer certainly doesn't count as having manners while politely pointing out one's rights does show manners.

I would rather divide the debate into those that don't mind their rights being trampled on and those those that defend their rights (but would happily comply to polite requests).

 

[Rojin]

Shouting out of a window is certainly not calm and courteous. Only the OP will no the details, did the nutter ask nicely, did he say please, did he curse?

Exactly, you don't know. So posting that they were hurling abuse is wrong, but it suits the argument you are trying to make. Also I can shout shout quite calm and courteously from a window, it's not difficult. I have done it many times.

The home owner doesn't know why someone was taking pictures of their home or for what purpose. They are also unlikely to know if the photo is of their entire house, or through a window. To be challenged is quite natural and is easily dealt with. It's no different to being challenged when shooting street.

 

[D.P.]

I assume the shouting was only necessary due to being 50m away. Nothing in the OP's posts indicate verbal abuse.

As is said above, only the OP know the details and this thread has moved on form discussing a specific instance to discussing how to handle irrational nut jobs. Again, no one has denied that you shouldn't respect a polite request if a sound reason is provided. If you want to discuss how to handle polite requests we can start a new thread.

 

[D.P.]

Exactly, you don't know. So posting that they were hurling abuse is wrong, but it suits the argument you are trying to make. Also I can shout shout quite calm and courteously from a window, it's not difficult. I have done it many times.

The home owner doesn't know why someone was taking pictures of their home or for what purpose. They are also unlikely to know if the photo is of their entire house, or through a window. To be challenged is quite natural and is easily dealt with. It's no different to being challenged when shooting street.

you don't know either, but form the tone given in the OP shouting would appear to be abusive. There is no need to shout, even form a window.


yeah, the homeowner doesn't know, and shouldn't care. Should the homeowner be suspicious of every single person walking down the street in case they are a terrorist or pedophile? It is irrational behaviour to accuse every photographer of untoward behavior. If they have a concern then they can come outside and ask politely why you are taking a photo of their house to verify the facts without resorting to shouting baseless commands.

 

[neil_g]

as the others above said, the OP does not mention abuse.

for all you know he simply shouted "excuse me, would you kindly not take any photographs of my property. thank you"

the OP mentions it was 50m away so would justify shouting to be heard.

 

[Nyvo]

you don't know either, but form the tone given in the OP shouting would appear to be abusive. There is no need to shout, even form a window.


yeah, the homeowner doesn't know, and shouldn't care. Should the homeowner be suspicious of every single person walking down the street in case they are a terrorist or pedophile? It is irrational behaviour to accuse every photographer of untoward behavior. If they have a concern then they can come outside and ask politely why you are taking a photo of their house to verify the facts without resorting to shouting baseless commands.

If the homeowners property was broken into a week/month/year earlier, and they see someone they don't know randomly photographing their home, should they care then?

 

[Cuchulain]

I'm guessing it was far too much effort for the op to just knock on the homeowners door and ask politely if he'd mind having his home photographed.

 

[D.P.]

If the homeowners property was broken into a week/month/year earlier, and they see someone they don't know randomly photographing their home, should they care then?

Nope, because burglars aren't known to photograph people's houses (they might simply walk down the street or sit in a parked car) and they wont go back to the same house they hit recently.

Plus it is quite obvious from behavior and body language of the photographer. As the OP describes, he was just walking around in the country taking landscape and architecture photos and happened upon a nice house. He was not hiding out in the bushes with a pair of binoculars.

 

[D.P.]

I'm guessing it was far too much effort for the op to just knock on the homeowners door and ask politely if he'd mind having his home photographed.

In the real world this is infeasible. You want to photo of the Eiffel tower, so do you go around knocking on everyone's houses in the periphery to ask permission? That is the whole point of the law to give people permission inherently.

sure in isolated cases it can make sense (especially when asking people for their portrait) but in general that doesn't work.

 

[Rojin]

Nope, because burglars aren't known to photograph people's houses (they might simply walk down the street or sit in a parked car) and they wont go back to the same house they hit recently.

Plus it is quite obvious from behavior and body language of the photographer. As the OP describes, he was just walking around in the country taking landscape and architecture photos and happened upon a nice house. He was not hiding out in the bushes with a pair of binoculars.

You're not speaking from a position of knowledge there at all are you? It is in fact quite common in targeted rural areas. They spot ornamental garden items which may be of value to scrutinise later etc. I got all this from the Police who were called out when I was photographing a barn...

You also now know the body language and behaviour of the photographer, oh wait, no you don't.

 

[Nyvo]

Nope, because burglars aren't known to photograph people's houses (they might simply walk down the street or sit in a parked car) and they wont go back to the same house they hit recently.

Plus it is quite obvious from behavior and body language of the photographer. As the OP describes, he was just walking around in the country taking landscape and architecture photos and happened upon a nice house. He was not hiding out in the bushes with a pair of binoculars.

That's common knowledge is it? Everyone knows that thats how burglars operate? I think there are far too many variables to be that dismissive of the situation and of peoples mindsets.

If someone has been broken into previously, there will be a certain amount of justified paranoia that it may happen again. And people would certainly be suspicious and react if they saw someone taking photographs of their home. To suggest that they shouldn't care if just plain wrong.

 

[D.P.]

You're not speaking from a position of knowledge there at all are you? It is in fact quite common in targeted rural areas. They spot ornamental garden items which may be of value to scrutinise later etc. I got all this from the Police who were called out when I was photographing a barn...

You also now know the body language and behaviour of the photographer, oh wait, no you don't.

Well you learn something new every day but it doesn't change the argument.
I don't assume every person walking down the street is a burglar or pedophile and someone living in a nice house should either if they see someone casually taking photo of the hay fields who turns around to snap at their Tudor cottage.



Anyway, this is just going round in circles.

 

[An Exception]

I'm guessing it was far too much effort for the op to just knock on the homeowners door and ask politely if he'd mind having his home photographed.

To be fair I wouldn't have asked beforehand either as where do you draw the line with asking for permission?

Op was probably 'in the zone' just trying to take a good picture of something.
He turns around and sees a house. "Oh that looks pretty" he probably thought.. Click.. click.
Then the 'man' opens the window and shouts loudly not to take pictures of the house.
Op taken by surprise and overcome with fear and confusion pauses for a moment unable to respond.. petrified by the volume of the manly voice..
Op is then thrust into action by the coursing adrenaline in his bloodstream and takes off like the wind on his bicycle.
Angry with the man with the loud voice.. Op makes a thread.
He brands the man with the loud voice a 'nutter' and seeks reassurance in the guise of a question.

 

[Surfer]

Possibly the "nutter" thought you could see inside house (telescopic lense) with your camera so felt his privacy was being infringed upon. I thinking photographing outside the house is fine. If you are photographing ppl in a garden it might seem as stalkerish.

Though like others have mentioned its common courtesy to stop if the owner doesn't like it.

As long as is it doesn't infringe upon the privacy of any person(s) then photograph away to your hearts content....often though your average joe bloggs photographers get the bad rep they do from the soulless paparazzi.

 

[An Exception]

If the homeowners property was broken into a week/month/year earlier, and they see someone they don't know randomly photographing their home, should they care then?

It's not uncommon actually in rural areas. My parents have been broken into a few times. Not the house anymore as have alarms etc. but the outside buildings/barns are still sometimes targeted. Lost a few motorcross bikes now...