Being branded a 'pedo' for carrying a camera

[el-ahrairah]

i don't do a lot of photography but i have to admit that i have never, ever, ever had anyone complain about me taking pictures. some of you must look way more noncey than me.

 

[el-ahrairah]

mind you, i have had people email me through flickr to tell me to stop taking pictures because i'm shit. i guess that is kind of the same thing.

 

[sim667]

i don't do a lot of photography but i have to admit that i have never, ever, ever had anyone complain about me taking pictures. some of you must look way more noncey than me.

It's something to do with big cameras I think, only paedos carry big cameras to make themselves really obvious to the anti paedo masses

 

[fogbat]

"I may be a paedo, but I wouldn't be caught dead photographing your kids. Ugly little buggers, they are. "

 

[Vintage Paw]

I had occasion to watch this again the other day http://2point8.whileseated.org/2007/03/23/garry-winogrand-with-bill-moyers/ (brilliant little interview).

It made me sad that it's highly unlikely he would be able to take those photos today. He looked incredibly suspicious as he wandered around snapping off photos, but I believe that was because a) he wanted the shots to be as candid as possible, and b) he comes across as being a bit shy and awkward anyway. But if you saw someone like him wandering around with a camera like that today, what would you think? We've had this 'anyone acting suspiciously' shit rammed down our throats to the point where even the best of us might just have taken a second look and had it rush through our minds "what's he up to?"

Greebo said being a woman helps. Probably. But I've never felt comfortable taking my cameras out because I can't stand the thought of being approached and questioned by someone. I really fucking hate feeling like that.

 

[scifisam]

To be honest, although I see your point and don't disagree, I think maybe it's more pronounced of an issue in the UK. Like, the US (or any other country) seems more focused on other problems, than turning people into paedos at a desolate park. Then again, I can only speak from experience in Boston and Fort Myers, two very different tourist cities.

I know a lot of avid / amateur (and pro) photogs up in Boston used to rely solely on abandoned buildings and isolated areas to get a really well rounded shot. Some of the architecture in the city screams "take my picture", and it was captured perfectly. However, it was always in areas where people less frequented.

Maybe it's just the crowd I hung around and their way of thinking.

I'm on a mostly US forum similar to this and there have been multiple threads just like this one.

 

[weltweit]

.........
Greebo said being a woman helps. Probably. But I've never felt comfortable taking my cameras out because I can't stand the thought of being approached and questioned by someone. I really fucking hate feeling like that.

I also have the impression that a female photographer has more licence, because everybody knows, most paedos are men!! ..

 

[Greebo]

I also have the impression that a female photographer has more licence, because everybody knows, most paedos are men!! ..

Not only that, but female photographers aren't usually expected to be photojournalists, terrorists, spies, or taking anything other than a few harmless snaps.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I've taken a fair number of pictures in parks etc where there are kids about and IME that sort of reaction is the rare exception. The very idea of it happening can put people off though. I was in a park last week when the weather was nice, with my camera, and even though I knew almost everyone is sensible and knows that people take pictures of stuff, I was still thinking "I better be careful about what shots I take". For a bit anyway.

The only trouble I've had taking pics of kids has been from kids themselves, though they would not have liked being called that at all as they were obviously proper revolutionaries and I was MI5 or something.

 

[Grandma Death]

I know fuck all about peados but I should imagine most would do what they do in the privacy of their own home and on the internet rather than go out and expose themselves to take pictures of kids?

It's all very bizzarre. People are so ultra aware of it now which on balance isn't a bad thing-but the downside is you get reactions exactly like this. These kids sound morons though-probably the type of kids that would go with badly spelt banners and petrol bombs to a suspected offenders house.

 

[Utopia]

"I may be a paedo, but I wouldn't be caught dead photographing your kids. Ugly little buggers, they are. "

Indeed........its a known fact that the biggest cause of Paedophilia is indeed sexy kids, take them out of society and the temptation is no longer there for the weak minded.

 

[Mr Smin]

expose themselves to take pictures of kids

Unfortunate choice of words. Made me imagine a human-camera cyborg whose "flasher's mac" was add-on made by Canon.

 

[ViolentPanda]

What would these people do if you actually said "Yes, I am indeed a pedo and I'm going to get my pedo friends to pedo at you because your a pedo magnet made of delicious pedo juice"

Paedo Jews, eh?

 

[ViolentPanda]

Urmmm, What exactly where you doing with the swans at the time?

Hoping to get some beak-up-arse action, probably.