I’ve just spent the weekend in London and had a great time taking photos of all the scenes and sights. Luckily I managed to photograph my way around the city without too much bother – something which cannot be said for an elderly woman in Southampton recently, who was brandished a possible paedophile for photographing an empty paddling pool.Recently, more and more stories are cropping like this in which photographers (both professional and amateurs) are being branded as a nuisance or in some cases even paedophiles simply for taking pictures …
I’ve just spent the weekend in London and had a great time taking photos of all the scenes and sights. Luckily I managed to photograph my way around the city without too much bother – something which cannot be said for an elderly woman in Southampton recently, who was brandished a possible paedophile for photographing an empty paddling pool.Recently, more and more stories are cropping like this in which photographers (both professional and amateurs) are being branded as a nuisance or in some cases even paedophiles simply for taking pictures in public areas. Is it just me or is it political correctness gone mad? I too have been at the receiving end of such treatment in my local train station, being asked by the guard not to take photos of the trains due to ‘security reasons’. How on earth a photo of a South West train is breaching security I shall never know!Obviously, as a photographer you have a responsibility to conduct yourself in an appropriate manner. When photographing people, ensure they are happy for you to do so and don’t break any trespassing laws etc etc. But when you are singled out for no reason other than the nervy, twitchy reactions of a society we live in today, who can help but feel frustrated and angry?Photography is something that should be an enjoyable hobby, not a risky escapade. Let’s hope the jittery kill-joys learn to distinguish the innocent photographers from anything more sinister, before outdoor photography is banned altogether.