I recently read some articles where people were discussing how to say no to travelers asking to have their picture taken. I was a little shocked at this and how annoyed people were getting, until I realized they were talking about people who ask to have their picture taken with YOUR camera. I thought they were referring to people who hand you their camera asking for help taking a photo.
This got me wondering, does it annoy anyone when a tourist asks you to take their photo for them (with their own camera)? Personally I can't see why it would. I've been asked here in Halifax and also while I was in Rome and I happily take their photo. So far, on my travels, I've always had friends or family to take pictures of me but if I was alone I'd hope asking someone wouldn't be annoying.
Thoughts? And has anyone ever been asked and had an odd experience? Example: person wanted to pose really funny or something.
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards. Tha... that's about it.
Posts: 1,906
I've never had any odd experiences. It never bothers me in the slightest when someone asks me to take their photo with their camera. Of course, it usually happens to me when I'm taking photos with my own SLR, which is large and impressive-looking to the non-enthusiast, and gives them the false impression that I'm some sort of pro photographer.
I've never had any odd experiences. It never bothers me in the slightest when someone asks me to take their photo with their camera. Of course, it usually happens to me when I'm taking photos with my own SLR, which is large and impressive-looking to the non-enthusiast, and gives them the false impression that I'm some sort of pro photographer.
A while back I was in Zermatt and saw/heard an American couple fretting over how they wished they had brought a camera so they could get a picture of themselves with the Matterhorn in the background.
I offered to use my camera to take their photo and email it to them. The girl was thrilled but her husband looked at her and shook his head 'no'.
What, I was going to spam them, use their email address to track them down and kill them?
People are weird.
__________________ "Capital is reckless of the health or length of life of the laborer, unless under compulsion from society."
Programs: Almost anything with six to twelve steps...
Posts: 866
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaimito Cartero
My problem is people want to take pictures of me. Asia and Africa are the worst.
I'm in Shanghai now, and had some aggressive folk, yesterday. Ended up just walking away to escape them.
Last year in Kathmandu, I had over 100 people following me. Perhaps I should turn my Buddha like physique into a paid photo op business.
We've had the same experience in some of the more remote parts of India: scores of people wanting to take our pictures, sometimes just jamming their camera phones into our faces and firing away. Several times people have put their babies in our laps and happily shot away while the little one has been screaming with fright in a foreigner's grip.
Cheers,
T.
__________________
Did William of Ockham ever nick himself?
We've had the same experience in some of the more remote parts of India: scores of people wanting to take our pictures, sometimes just jamming their camera phones into our faces and firing away. Several times people have put their babies in our laps and happily shot away while the little one has been screaming with fright in a foreigner's grip.
Yup, not always fun. I had one Indonesian guy in Bali ask for a pic with his 83 year old mom. He was nice, so no problem. However it turned into 10 pics with the whole family.
I've always thought about lugging along a travel tripod because I always have a hard time finding something to latch the gorilla pod to. In popular tourist areas I'd probably have no problem but in others, carrying a tripod with an expensive DSLR screams ROB me. I'd probably be more bummed about losing the CF card and pictures than the actual camera/lens thanks to insurance.
Programs: DL 2+ million/PM, YX, Marriott Plt, *wood gold, HHonors, CO Plt, UA, AA EXP, WN, AGR
Posts: 9,380
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thalassa
We've had the same experience in some of the more remote parts of India: scores of people wanting to take our pictures, sometimes just jamming their camera phones into our faces and firing away. Several times people have put their babies in our laps and happily shot away while the little one has been screaming with fright in a foreigner's grip.
Cheers,
T.
We had the same experience in Cairo. Mrs GHF in particular at the Egyptian Museum while I was off at work. Apparently school girls were amazed that a woman - a Caucasian woman at that - would dare to visit the museum alone.
I don't mind when someone asks me to take a picture with their camera. It provides me an opportunity to sharpen my skills (or lack thereof) and work on composition. I will admit it does feel good those times when they look at the picture I have taken and express their pleasant surprise with the result.
__________________ "The goal of terrorism, you see, is not to make a nation bleed but to make it fear." - Leonard Pitts, Jr.
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards. Tha... that's about it.
Posts: 1,906
A friend of mine who is a wedding photographer says that, back in the film days, before we could see out pics instantly, he would mess with people who asked him to take their pic by taking a good, and also taking a couple of odd ones like zooming up tight on women's breasts or men's groins or super tight on a nose or ear. When they got their film developed, they'd be in for a surprise.
+1 It lets me practice technique, and it's my little way of promoting tourism here. I usually travel by myself or with one companion, so it's always nice when people to return the favor.
Nowadays with smart phones so ubiquitous there's no reason not to take photos. If one does forget the camera, there often are equally ubiquitous gift shops in touristy areas that sell overpriced disposable ones.
A friend of mine who is a wedding photographer says that, back in the film days, before we could see out pics instantly, he would mess with people who asked him to take their pic by taking a good, and also taking a couple of odd ones like zooming up tight on women's breasts or men's groins or super tight on a nose or ear. When they got their film developed, they'd be in for a surprise.
How "nice" of your friend to waste other people's film and money.
