Your uncomfortable photography, WHY?

[Dylan777]

What type of photography that make you feel uncomfortable with? Why?

As a friend requested, I was a primary photographer in her family funeral. It was harder than I thought - not IQ or AF - it's more capturing those moments through viewfinder and editing the photos.

 

[Mikehit]

street portrait photographer - I am just very self-conscious asking and guiding people. Birds and bears don't care.

 

[ajfotofilmagem]

Once I photographed an autistic girl's birthday, which did not stand still for more than 2 seconds.
This was at the time of the negative film Fuji.

 

[Sabaki]

Definitely paid people gigs and it's generally because I'm loathe to screw up an event or have to deal with unrealistic expectations.

 

[Besisika]

I am uncomfortable with funeral as well.
A friend did it the other day and he didn't remove the sound, every frame he took drew people's attention. I was very uncomfortable for him. He was on the other side and I was about to scream "remove that freaking sound!". All I heard was crying and his bipping.

 

[slclick]

Street... yet everyone can shoot with a net connected phone but you're a perv with a dslr. The irony/hypocrisy is amazing.

 

[Ozarker]

Street... yet everyone can shoot with a net connected phone but you're a perv with a dslr. The irony/hypocrisy is amazing.

Very true.

My little town requires a permit for pros. I'm no pro, but needed to get the city's definition of pro. Thank goodness I still don't qualify, but would be cited if I start putting out modifiers, etc. because then I am defined as a professional. B.S.

Strange thing though: I was told I had to get a person's permission before snapping a shot on the street. It isn't in the city code. Just the person behind the counter trying to wield power she doesn't have.

In the meantime, people snap away all day long with their phones.

So, I'm uncomfortable shooting in public in my little town.

 

[Dylan777]

I am uncomfortable with funeral as well.
A friend did it the other day and he didn't remove the sound, every frame he took drew people's attention. I was very uncomfortable for him. He was on the other side and I was about to scream "remove that freaking sound!". All I heard was crying and his bipping.

I was on silent mode with my mirrorless gear. To minimize movements and distraction during ceremony, I used 2470f2.8 and 70200f2.8. Got all shots I need to capture.

 

[ethanz]

Street... yet everyone can shoot with a net connected phone but you're a perv with a dslr. The irony/hypocrisy is amazing.

Very true.

My little town requires a permit for pros. I'm no pro, but needed to get the city's definition of pro. Thank goodness I still don't qualify, but would be cited if I start putting out modifiers, etc. because then I am defined as a professional. B.S.

Strange thing though: I was told I had to get a person's permission before snapping a shot on the street. It isn't in the city code. Just the person behind the counter trying to wield power she doesn't have.

In the meantime, people snap away all day long with their phones.

So, I'm uncomfortable shooting in public in my little town.

Where do you live? That doesn't seem right. You can photograph basically anything you want.

 

[Ozarker]

Street... yet everyone can shoot with a net connected phone but you're a perv with a dslr. The irony/hypocrisy is amazing.

Very true.

My little town requires a permit for pros. I'm no pro, but needed to get the city's definition of pro. Thank goodness I still don't qualify, but would be cited if I start putting out modifiers, etc. because then I am defined as a professional. B.S.

Strange thing though: I was told I had to get a person's permission before snapping a shot on the street. It isn't in the city code. Just the person behind the counter trying to wield power she doesn't have.

In the meantime, people snap away all day long with their phones.

So, I'm uncomfortable shooting in public in my little town.

Where do you live? That doesn't seem right. You can photograph basically anything you want.

I'm aware of that (street photography). Like I said, it is just the woman at city hall trying to make one think her personal preferences are city code.

Putting out modifiers and light stands, etc. would get me cited for not having a permit for a photography business as these are indicators to the city that one is operating a business illegally. I'd win in court, but that is beside the point. I'd still have to defend myself or pay the fine.

Many national and state parks, wilderness areas too also have restrictions on equipment.

http://www.backpacker.com/skills/photo-skills/9-things-you-need-to-know-about-national-park-photography-rules/

 

[LordofTackle]

Where do you live? That doesn't seem right. You can photograph basically anything you want.

Not true (at least here in Germany). You have the right on your own picture! Meaning a photog needs to ask you about taking (and possibly using) your picture. There are only two exceptions to this IIRC: if you are a celeb you "loose" this right since people have an interest in you (includes also politicians), and big crowds, were you might be accidentally shot which can not be avoided. (And I think in the latter case you can still prevent publication of those pictures under certain circumstances).
A few years ago google had to learn this the hard way with street view since a lot of people in Germany processed against them to have pictures of them removed.

Re: the topic: A lot of friends like my pictures so occasionally I get asked to shot an event, like birthdays or a wedding. I'm uncomfortable with this since I'm not a pro and don't want to ruin their special moments.

I would find a funeral very hard to do. Too much special emotions involved.

 

[LordofTackle]

Many national and state parks also have restrictions on equipment.

Really? I wasn't aware of that when I travelled the US

Could you point me to a source, or tell me what these restrictions might be?

 

[Click]

Street... yet everyone can shoot with a net connected phone but you're a perv with a dslr. The irony/hypocrisy is amazing.

+1

 

[mnclayshooter]

Street... yet everyone can shoot with a net connected phone but you're a perv with a dslr. The irony/hypocrisy is amazing.

Very true.

My little town requires a permit for pros. I'm no pro, but needed to get the city's definition of pro. Thank goodness I still don't qualify, but would be cited if I start putting out modifiers, etc. because then I am defined as a professional. B.S.

Strange thing though: I was told I had to get a person's permission before snapping a shot on the street. It isn't in the city code. Just the person behind the counter trying to wield power she doesn't have.

In the meantime, people snap away all day long with their phones.

So, I'm uncomfortable shooting in public in my little town.

Where do you live? That doesn't seem right. You can photograph basically anything you want.

I'm aware of that (street photography). Like I said, it is just the woman at city hall trying to make one think her personal preferences are city code.

Putting out modifiers and light stands, etc. would get me cited for not having a permit for a photography business as these are indicators to the city that one is operating a business illegally. I'd win in court, but that is beside the point. I'd still have to defend myself or pay the fine.

Many national and state parks, wilderness areas too also have restrictions on equipment.

http://www.backpacker.com/skills/photo-skills/9-things-you-need-to-know-about-national-park-photography-rules/

This is an often mis-understood "freedom". In many jusrisdictions, including the one I live in you DON'T in fact, have the freedom to photograph something just because you can see it. Private property, even if visible from public way has protections (presumably to protect the inherent privacy of one's own home/yard and the owner/guests/tenants usage of it).

A stage performance in a public park - the actors may have protection/royalty due. Public parks in general, the city may require you to have permits in order to "Conduct business" in their park.

To illustrate the point better... let's dig up the topic of drones and the legality of using one to spy on a neighbor, even if using it from airspace outside of their property.

It's even more gray when it comes to professional vs amateur status when taking the photos. A paid pro probably has more responsibility for gaining permissions than an amateur by virtue of making commercial gain from the photo(s). That said, the amateur is not any less guilty of violating a rule just because they are ignorant of it and "in the act" of being a photographer.

My advice - research the place you intend to take photos in and confirm with the owner if you need special rights (in the case of a park or street, it is the city, township, county or potentially even state/federal government).

 

[YuengLinger]

Ok, we get it! In some countries, a photographer can stand in a public place and photograph anything his/her lens can reach--unless the subject may threaten national security. In other countries, privacy of subjects has more weight.

But this is way off topic. The question of the OP is very interesting.

I wouldn't photograph acts of humiliation, shaming, bullying, or violence, and, to me, that includes graphic sex acts. I think the photography in these situations further degrades all involved. For the safety of my family, I wouldn't want to photograph actual crime of any kind.

And, even to pay for a great white, I would not photograph adultery (as in a PI who does so for lawyers).

 

[Ozarker]

Ok, we get it! In some countries, a photographer can stand in a public place and photograph anything his/her lens can reach--unless the subject may threaten national security. In other countries, privacy of subjects has more weight.

But this is way off topic. The question of the OP is very interesting.

I wouldn't photograph acts of humiliation, shaming, bullying, or violence, and, to me, that includes graphic sex acts. I think the photography in these situations further degrades all involved. For the safety of my family, I wouldn't want to photograph actual crime of any kind.

And, even to pay for a great white, I would not photograph adultery (as in a PI who does so for lawyers).

I disagree with any of this being off topic. I am uncomfortable taking photos publicly in my little town. Right on topic. Just like the rest of it. Including what you say you wouldn't do: as opposed to what makes you uncomfortable that you already do.

The OP's question is what makes you uncomfortable that you already do, not what you wouldn't do. If you want to nit-pick... there you go.

 

[Ozarker]

Many national and state parks also have restrictions on equipment.

Really? I wasn't aware of that when I travelled the US

Could you point me to a source, or tell me what these restrictions might be?

There's a link in my post above.

 

[LordofTackle]

Many national and state parks also have restrictions on equipment.

Really? I wasn't aware of that when I travelled the US

Could you point me to a source, or tell me what these restrictions might be?

There's a link in my post above.

Thanks..totally overlooked that :O

-Sebastian

 

[rfdesigner]

What type of photography that make you feel uncomfortable with? Why?

As a friend requested, I was a primary photographer in her family funeral. It was harder than I thought - not IQ or AF - it's more capturing those moments through viewfinder and editing the photos.

The most uncomfortable I've ever been taking photos was when I was manually guiding astrophotography onto film. One hour bent over the eyepeice tweaking the guiding constantly, I will NEVER forget the backache..

 

[Mikehit]

st here in Germany). You have the right on your own picture! Meaning a photog needs to ask you about taking (and possibly using) your picture.

A case is currently under appeal in the German courts on this and its outcome will be interesting.
But even then there is a lot of discussion when the person in the photograph is not the main subject (ie they just 'happen to be there'), but even then the issue is about showing the image in a public forum (ie posting on the internet) rather than a restriction on simply taking the picture.