"Tijuana, Mexico"

More children selling trinkits, etc. The one on the right began to bolt right when I raised my camera to shoot.

-- Tony Rowlett (rowlett@alaska.net), October 02, 2000

Answers

It's a great photo, but I'm curious as to why you shot the photo when the subject was so clearly not wanting to be recorded.

-- Steve Leroux (steve@bigadventures.com), October 02, 2000.

Because I'm ruthless with a camera, that's why.

I regularly respect the wishes of potential subjects, even in candid scenarios, and I even have been asking permission sometimes (as opposed to waiting for a specific smile or welcoming "glint" in people's eyes), especially in countries other than the U.S. But I also make a conscious effort not to take the notion of "victimizing" too far or too seriously. The fact of the matter is, I don't always ask permission, and sometimes I get shots of people who would prefer not to be photographed. It's sometimes the nature of being a street photographer, and it requires judgment and sensitivity. Was I insensitive here? I don't know the answer, and neither do you for sure. You gotta admit, though, if you had to ask permission from everyone you took photographs of, you'd end up with quite a few boring, posed shots, wouldn't you?

It didn't appear to me that this little girl specifically did NOT want me to take her photograph. From a few minutes leading up to the moment of the exposure, it was clear she was simply playing hide and go seek me and other members of my party. Here, she bolted to behind somebody standing next to me, not because she was afraid of being photographed, but because she was playing a game. And she won!

-- Tony Rowlett (rowlett@alaska.net), October 02, 2000.

I apologize if my question sounded judgemental. I was just curious.

-- Steve Leroux (steve@bigadventures.com), October 02, 2000.

. From a few minutes leading up to the moment of the exposure, it was clear she was simply playing hide and go seek

I have had this happen numerous times in Mexico. Kids will come over, I lift the camera, they run away. They come back a minute later, stand in front, when I lift the camera, they run away. Eventually they either tire and let me take the photo (click here for an example), or you end up with no photograph or photographs of them playing. So I think that regardless of what ethical theory you subscribe to, this was probably just a kid at play and perfectly acceptable. And a pretty funny shot it turned out to be...

-- Jeff Spirer (jeff@spirer.com), October 02, 2000.

Steve, no offense was taken, but I did seem to be in a desperate search for the firmest ground possible, didn't I? Sorry about that. I didn't mean to come off as vigilant. You brought up a hot and current issue. That is why I've actually tried to get some positive acknowlegement from subjects before I shoot, but it isn't always possible or beneficial to some "photographic goal." (and boy does THAT bring up some questions!)

-- Tony Rowlett (rowlett@alaska.net), October 02, 2000.