Lady taking photos at the park - concerned

[supasoup]

Yesterday at the park me and my ds was just leaving when a lady stood and took a picture of a little boy on his bike. I thought they were together but then the Lady thanked the mother of the child and walked away.

I smiled at the lady with the child and she asked me if that lady asked for a picture of my ds. I said no and laughed. Apparently the lady had spent the last 30 minutes walking round taking random pictures of children some from a distance some close up. No one questioned her.

Now I'm worried that she has pictures of my ds and many others without any consent.

What can I do about it?
Now I'm worried!

[Kazzyhoward]

@me4real

You're just miffed cos she didn't think your DS was cute enough to put in a picture.

Nail on head!

[mafted]

It sounds like the photographer was asking for consent.
In any case I don't understand the issue. It's not as if she popped her head in a changing room or over the toilet door and took a picture.
We went to a local food place with the DC and a photo of us wound up on their FB page, they didn't ask and tbh they didn't get my best side and DS2 has a gob full of nachos but I'm not going to the police about it!

[BigPyjamas]

I've had people ask to take pics of my baby in a park before.

She looked gloriously chubby and they (Asian tourists) were obviously taken with her.

Can't see the issue, how can this be a police matter???

[CandyLeBonBon]

@peaceanddove

I bet the OP messaged just about every contact on her phone about her nonexistant drama.

No doubts many, many replies of "OMG hun. RU ok? Stay safe hun xoxo"

Can you image the Facebook frothing??? 😂🙄

[Brefugee]

Do you know all the males in my family? What a ridiculous comment!

This comment together with your worry about someone capturing your child's soul with their evil contraption, shows that you don't understand risk or statistics.

[me4real]

You're just miffed cos she didn't think your DS was cute enough to put in a picture.

[IcedSpice]

@supasoup

I have reported it to the police. It may be legal and innocent but why take the risk.

What exactly did you report??

[Imnothereforthedrama]

I don’t even know how the call to the police went , operator a woman is asking parents if ok to take photos in a park and they are agreeing now I’m worried she’s took a photo of my dc isn’t this sinister? . Or did you just make it sound sinister for dramatic effect ? . Honestly I’d be the first to report strange behaviour but I really don’t think it’s anything and I actually can’t believe nobody in the park questioned it either .

[Kanaloa]

But she isn’t very likely to have photos of your son as she was asking permission to take photographs. She didn’t ask your permission so probably didn’t photograph your child. Of course he might be in the background, but that’s quite common. All my photos have people in the background, sometimes kids sometimes adults.

I think it’s likely she was some sort of student, I know that many photography students make portfolios and it’s common to have a theme. For example at the Manchester festival at the moment there is a display called portrait of Black Britain which is photos of lots of black people living in the UK, all taken in a similar style. Perhaps she was working on something like that, a sort of themed portfolio.

[pinkcircustop]

The photographer asked permission. Parents could say yes or no.

And the photographer didn’t even need to ask permission. The parents can say no if they want but the photographer can still legally take photographs of anyone in a public place.

[Birminghambloke]

@PrettyBlunt

Some of these replies are ridiculous.

Who actually wants a random person taking pictures of their child! If you do says more about you keeping your child safe tbh. I'd be questioning your safeguarding of your child.

Not one person has said they’d want it. The photographer asked permission. Parents could say yes or no. The child was clothed. It was a photograph. I’d not do it myself nor necessarily agree to it however it’s not a safeguarding concern if a parent agreed to it.

[Geamhradh]

@peaceanddove

girlmom21 Yep. And I expect she's telling everyone that the police praised her for reporting a totally innocent woman.

And I just bet the whole bus police station stood and cheered at such a public spirited citizen.

[NautaOcts]

@supasoup

I'm worried that she has photos of my ds!
Why would I be happy about that?

If I said a man was doing this I bet you would all be more concerned.

Yes but why

what do you think she might do with it?

I know it might instinctively feel uncomfortable but can you actually identify why? What’s the worst that could happen??

[pinkcircustop]

You can’t do anything about it. If you’re in a public place, anyone can take pictures of you and your kids.

Even if you’d seen her taking photos of your son and asked her to stop or delete the photos, she wouldn’t have to.

[DancesWithTortoises]

Well, OP really embarrassed herself with the police. I imagine it's given them a good laugh.

[GorgeousLadyofWrestling]

DS was on a swing - not on a swim!

[GorgeousLadyofWrestling]

A few years ago, I was at a local paddling pool with my toddler and baby. He was on a swim in his swimming trunks and I was by the next swing along pushing my baby. Some teenage boys came and stood in front of DS and started taking photos of him with their phones. It felt so off and weird, I asked them to stop - and they ran off straight away without saying a word to me. If felt so weird and unsettling, I rang the police. Not sure why really - reassurance I was being silly?

Anyway, they took it very seriously and sent out a car to look for them. They said it was common for younger kids to act as scouts for pedophile gangs. I was completely shocked and very upset. Took me ages to go back to that park, just avoided it for ages and went elsewhere. The police phone up a few times after to update me and to ask if I’d seen them again. They took it really seriously.

Obviously this is not the same as the OP but it’s not completely stupid or paranoid to question or wonder.

[peaceanddove]

girlmom21 Yep. And I expect she's telling everyone that the police praised her for reporting a totally innocent woman.

[Hellocatshome]

I've worked it out OP was annoyed the lady didn't deem her DS worthy of photographing and therefore wasn't asked.

[MargaretThursday]

When ds was a baby dd1 was holding him and a lady asked if she could take a photo of them. She was an artist and took pictures which she then painted later.

She'd clearly asked the Mum's permission so why are you assuming she was trying to get your dc on camera without asking?

[RoseRedRoseBlue]

@peaceanddove

I bet the OP messaged just about every contact on her phone about her nonexistant drama.

No doubts many, many replies of "OMG hun. RU ok? Stay safe hun xoxo"

You have completely summed this up. In the absence of a drama, just create one. Even better if you can be the hero.

[girlmom21]

@peaceanddove

I bet the OP messaged just about every contact on her phone about her nonexistant drama.

No doubts many, many replies of "OMG hun. RU ok? Stay safe hun xoxo"

It's definitely on the local community Facebook page with a few key points removed and other points exaggerated for maximum attention!

[peaceanddove]

I bet the OP messaged just about every contact on her phone about her nonexistant drama.

No doubts many, many replies of "OMG hun. RU ok? Stay safe hun xoxo"

[AbsolutelyPatsy]

how do you Know no one quesitoned her?

[gardeninggirl68]

@peaceanddove

I suspect the OP really rather enjoyed the drama that she totally self generated about this none event.

and she's pissed off nobody here was on board with it