I was in the skywalk when I spotted this kid strolling down the sidewalk and texting. I probably wouldn’t have paid him any attention at all if he hadn’t come to a sudden John Belushi-style halt. He sort of bounced up and down on his toes for a moment, then rushed over to the standpipe, sat himself down, and began texting furiously.
I started to take his photograph, then hesitated. There was something about his posture that led me to think he wasn’t getting pleasant news. I watched for a bit, feeling sorry for the kid and feeling a little guilty for spying on him in his misery. At least I assumed he was in misery; for all I know he could have been involved in some furious last-minute Ebay bidding on an autographed Lady Gaga poster.
So I stood there for a moment. It occurred to me that I’d have had no hesitation shooting his photo if he’d appeared happy–so why shouldn’t I take the shot just because he seemed distressed? Why should his mood be the deciding factor on whether or not I take a photograph? Why should that matter?
But it did. All the same, I shot the photograph. I felt like a voyeur, and in the end I only shot the one frame–but I took the shot. Afterwards, I found an exit from the skywalk and strolled over to the drugstore, though I’m not sure what my purpose was. I guess I thought maybe I’d see or hear something that would give me some hint as to the kid’s mood. But by the time I got there, he was gone.
I wish now I’d taken my time and shot three or four frames. If you’re going to do a thing, whether it’s morally questionable or not, you may as well do it properly.
Absolutely. Just because you take the shot doesn’t mean you have to SHARE the shot.
But I’m glad you did.
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Even when people are happy, I feel like a voyeur. When Linus and I went moochin’ with John a few months ago, John had no hesitation about taking anyone’s photo. There was a certainty in his actions which was inspiring.
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Jolene, I get what you’re saying. But it seems to me that if you’re prepared to take the shot, you ought to be prepared to publish it. Otherwise you’re just photo-wanking. You don’t have to share it, of course, but why would you shoot a photograph you’re not at least willing to share IF the photo turns out well?
John, your Irish counterpart is a piece of work. I wonder if he was always comfortable photographing strangers, or if he developed that level of comfort over time. Oddly enough, I think I’d feel more comfortable doing it if I wasn’t using a dslr. For some reason, that gear makes the act seem more intrusive–which I realize doesn’t make a lick of sense.
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