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How do y'all deal with people who are hostile to photographers?
First of all I don't earn my money with photography, I am just an hobbyist.
A pro surely would/could/should answer your question different.
So when I am asked what I am doing or if somebody does not want me to take photos, it is always depending on the situation I am in.
So if people are acting or looking agressive I try to avoid trouble and scram.
If taking photos of people, e.g. at an event, I mostly say "Look around! Do you ask everybody with a cell the same question?"
If someone says "No! Don't take pictures of me." I respect that and don't take photos of her/him.
If taking photos in public, I nowadays avoid taking photos of people without asking them first.
Laws in Europe and a lot of other countries in the world are practically the same:
You have full right of your own picture/picture taken of you (except some event situations, see above).
I like street photography but I don't do this because of that reason.
If I take pictures of things, buildings or animals I tell this to the people asking and if they are polite I even show them pictures from the camera.
(not now because of corona and social distancing).
Until today I've done fine with that behavior and strategy.
edit:
I'm fundamentally in agreement with you, which is why I started this thread - I know I'm legally in the right, so I'm certainly not going to stop shooting, I just wanted advice about how to handle people who don't like photographers. This has happened to me multiple times, often seconds after leaving the house; people must see me through their window (??) and then just come out and and start hollering from their porches.
I ask this question especially because these are people who live near me. If I were doing street photos downtown in a city, it would feel different.
In this situation it really depends on who these neighbours are, if you think they are after you and don't like you at all or if they are just concerned.
So talking to them, explaining what you are doing and why, and - most important - what you are never doing without permission (photos of people, esp. children) could be fine and ease the situation.
If you find out that those don't understand or don't want to understand, I think it's up to your will and nerves if you want to stress the legal situation and rights.
I always try to be polite but I am also the type "What goes around, comes around."