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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think men wanting to photograph DS aged 1 are weirdos?

96 replies

BlackSwan · 08/03/2011 06:15

At a nice shop on Sat... total stranger declares to his entourage "What a sweet boy!" in my DS's direction. Flattered, I smiled back and said thanks. Then he asked "Would you mind if I took a picture of him outside?"....
"Sorry, no..." I said.

Think the guy was an American. Middle aged, well groomed.

Has happened once before. Anyone else had this happen & did it make you feel uncomfortable?

Think that next time (if there is a next time) I'm going to ask why they want to take a photo. To make a point.

OP posts:

eddiemccready · 08/03/2011 13:27

Just remembered something which in hindsight probably was a bit weird. When I was 6, I won a beauty contest, I know, I know! But it was fairly high profile and was in the press. We got a letter to our house from a woman who said her daughter collected school photos of children as a hobby and would love one of me! My mum sent one! Thinking back now I can't believe how strange this was. But the person gave their address and details so could not have been trying to hide. That was in 1982, we didnt think much of paedo s then

jazz412 · 08/03/2011 17:09

When I was little I remember several occasions on which Japanese people wanted pictures of me... The one I remember most is on a school trip and they asked me to pretend I lived in the house they were photographing as I looked like "english flower". I was quite flattered (about the age of 9 or 10) but now wonder if my picture has been published anywhere or anything! I've never thought that that could be the case!

jojane · 08/03/2011 18:33

When we went to London a couple of years ago Dd was chasing pigeons in trafalgar square she was about 12months but had been walking since 9 months so was quite a sight running round at such a little age.and some older lady asked if she could take a photo, assumed itnwas coz she looked so cute and wanted a reminder of that moment as shenhad been watching her for a bit. When were in Thailand we took some photos of a toddler who had been playing with us on the train, obviously we asked the parents. The boy was amazed at seeing himself on the camera screen. So cute.

artyjools · 08/03/2011 18:55

MakesCakesWhenStressed. Are you in the USA? I know you need model release forms there, but I am fairly sure you don't in the UK. If that were the case, those awful intrusive photos of celebs which appear in the Red Tops wouldn't exist.

I am an amateur artist and I mostly paint portraits. I am trying to build up the confidence to ask complete strangers whose faces I take a fancy to (in an artistic sense)whether I can take their photo. I don't think it's wierd to be fascinated by faces. In fact, I think it's wierd not to be!

ZZZenAgain · 08/03/2011 18:59

that's funny about portraits. Just rmeembered I was sitting in a cafe abroad one day when this man came loping up and said I looked English and I said yes, I am English and he said, no , no , you see you look like the colonial English in India during the Raj kind of thing.

I have no idea what he meant. I mean I was drinking a cafe au lait in jeans and a black pullover early morning. Anyhow he asked if he could take some photos and he painted me from them. seriously. Happened to me twice actually. Another time when I was living in London, neighbour painted me for a portrait exhibition.

I am nothing striking to look at mind. I wasn't offended by it, they both came across as pleasantly bedraggled and loopy you know - artistic.

myhouseisnotamess · 08/03/2011 19:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LittleMissHissyFit · 08/03/2011 20:31

DS has curly hair, blue eyes and is half egyptian. In Egypt they don't even ASK to take pics, to try to grab him off you. I never understood why someone, girls mostly, teens, and women would want a picture of someone elses child who they don't know nor will ever know.

I used to say no, because I believed cameras would take our souls... while they were working that one out, I'd make my getaway..

Mind you, in Egypt over 98% of foreign women are sexually harassed and I'd hardly ever venture out due some nut job or another following or photographing me/us.

Morloth · 08/03/2011 20:38

Happened all the time with DS1, I think many tourists view much of the world as a theme park with us 'natives' as cast.

All over the world there are photos of DS1 in people's holiday snaps, mostly young Japanese women.

Morloth · 08/03/2011 20:50

The thread just reminded me of an American tour group we encountered st the NHM like a previous poster DS1's uniform was very posh and there were a bunch if people in the group who wanted to take photos.

Also agree about the photo thing being almost a superstition in the UK. I guess all superstitions have their roots somewhere.

artyjools · 08/03/2011 21:43

By the way, I am on the look out for a beautiful black woman and toddler for a painting I have in my head that won't go away, so if this is you and you are approached by a "pleasantly bedraggled and loopy" middle aged blonde - please be kind

fastedwina · 08/03/2011 21:55

had it in asia with my fair skinned, blue eyed bond boy. Most of the time it was harmless and you understand folk are just interested. One guy followed us about though and kept taking sneaky photos, so had to say something in the end. another time the 2 year old was running along a beach and a whole busload of Chinese tourists literally ran after him taking his photo. Had another load of chinese tourists snapping and filming and laughing at my 6 yr old having a full on fist fight with his friend before i got the chance to wade in and separate them. Still expecting to see it appear on YouTube.

fastedwina · 08/03/2011 21:56

Bond boy would be nice but meant blond!

HecateTheCrone · 09/03/2011 07:07

Professional photographers aside, wtf do these people DO with all these photos?

Do they ever even bloody look at them again?

Oh look, here's that photo of those strangers
And here's that photo of that child I don't know
And here's that photo of those strangers
And here's that photo of those people I have never met before
And here's that photo of those children I don't know
And here's that photo of those people I am unfamiliar with

[boggle]

You people are really, really , really odd. really.

GregorSamsa · 09/03/2011 07:57

Hecate, I think people regard it in the same way as having their photo taken with some exotic pet at the zoo.

It's the same mindset that makes people want to have their photo taken with Mickey Mouse at Disneyland, or standing in front of the gorillas at London Zoo, or (even weirder) a pic of themselves standing next to the Mona Lisa in the Louvre (pointless, the painting is tiny, won't be able to see anything).

I do think that kind of 'to prove I was there' photo is weird fullstop, cute strangers' babies notwithstanding, but loads of people do it.

lesley33 · 09/03/2011 08:09

My mum used to love photography - had her own darkroom (so that tells you how long ago this was!). I have a lovely photo she took of a mother with a toddler on my wall. No I don't know the child. But the expression of joy in the mother and toddlers face as they look at each other always makes me smile.

Original poster

BlackSwan · 09/03/2011 08:34

Hecate - I'm still with you. Unless my DS was about to become part of some stock imagery or the face of a bucket chicken outfit in the mid-west, or part of an ad campaign for the republicans or a GM crop company (I like to think big), then WTF was the point?!

Pity the poor people who are invited to this guy's slide night.

OP posts:

lesley33 · 09/03/2011 08:37

Galleries all over the world sell paintings and photos that have people in them. You wouldn't know these people, but it doesn't mean that many people wouldn't enjoy having these photos or paintings on their walls.

belgo · 09/03/2011 08:46

Some people are just more interested in other people rather then looking at buildings etc. It doesn't make them weird or boring.

HecateTheCrone · 09/03/2011 09:16

boring is in the eye of the beholder. as is weird.

belgo · 09/03/2011 09:25

Quite, Hecate, that's one thing we agree on!

HecateTheCrone · 09/03/2011 09:26

I get you...

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