I headed home and when I was almost home I saw an old stump between two hedges. I thought, to myself inside my head, that might be an interesting shot if I get the angle and depth of field right. So I proceeded to find that perfect shot. I was squatting on the side of the road holding my camera almost on the ground when I notice a car coming up the road. I pay no notice, thinking they'll be quickly out of my way but it slowed and rolled to a stop, blocking my shot.
I stand and give the driver a may I help you? look.
She is a prison guard. I live next to a prison and my lovely stump is in front of the parking lot (not one building, fence, or even a car was in my shot. Just stump, bushes, grass, and sky).
Guard: "What are you doing?"
Me: "Taking a picture."
Guard:"Why?"
Me:"Because I'm a photographer."
Guard:"Why?"
Me: (awkward pause) "uhh...because I'm an artist(?)"
Guard:"You do know that video and photos of the facility are prohibited."
Me:"I was taking a picture of that stump."
Guard:(uncomfortable and unable to maintain eye contact due to the inner knowledge she's being trite and bitchy)
Me:"I'll be done if that's okay."
Guard: "okay"
Seriously!?!?
These are the same guards that are busy cleaning the gutters on the superintendent's roof while a dozen prisoners are raking and mowing the lawn below. The same guards that stand at the entrance to the main building of the prison smoking and chatting while the prisoners they are "supervising" are 100 yards away IN MY YARD mowing because they don't friggin' know where the property line is!!
Apparently I happened to find one of the few guards that take their job (too?) seriously! Maybe she should be on groundskeeping/maintenance duty.
At any rate, no stump picture but here's some others around town.
Let it roll off your shoulders. It's less fun to be taking pictures of people anonymously when someone runs up angrily and tells you rudely that they don't like pictures of them. You're on public property. There are no rights to privacy. Go home and sit in the dark by yourself.
ReplyDeleteI particularly appreciate when said person explains that it steals a portion of their soul, especially when they clearly are not any sort of native American. Can you not distinguish between technology and magic?
Granted if people notice I'm taking pictures of them, I'll stroll up and strike up a conversation. I like the candid shots first.
And I'm not ranting. I find it humorous.
How did you arrive at the flower picture?
I was actually hoping to shoot a couple of regular townies. They're a couple with matching denim jackets and trucker hats that can be found most days sitting on the same bench sometimes with a guitar. They kinda creep me out but I'd love to get some candids of them. Alas, not there today. There weren't any other strikingly photogenic people around so I shot the town. The flower was just along the way.
ReplyDeleteAs for the prison guard, my sister is also a guard and she's not shy in any sense of the word. She'll have fun figuring out who it was.