Would you be paranoid about this man with a camera?

[NeoMaxiZoomDweebie]

DH rides our DDs to school...it's 3 miles, they are 8 and 5. The route is along a rural cycle track...very picturesque. Towards the end of the journey today, he said there was a man on the track...with a dog and a camera.

As DH approached with DDs, the man said "I'm just taking picturs of the park" and as DH and DDs passed, DH said he thought the man took a photo of them.

Is that odd? Or is DH paranoid>? He feels he should have said something...but what? I just called him as I often do to see how the ride went...

[Eyesunderarock]

The reality is that the most likely danger from abuse those children face is from a close male relative.

[Canidae]

Why should the man have to explain his actions to your DH? He was walking his dog in a public area that you yourself said was picturesque and taking some pictures. Do you think he was waiting for your DD's to come along just to take a pic of their backs as they cycle past? Get a grip!

I am often out with a camera when I walk the dogs and love taking pictures of them. Didn't realise I may be branded as a pervert!

[Pantone363]

I wouldn't think twice about it. And a man asked me if he could take a snap of my kids on the beach yesterday!

I said yes because meh...it's a photo. And also he showed me his card, link to his website and recent photographic exhibition at a local gallery.

[Pantone363]

And DD3 was NAKED

[Eyesunderarock]

'Didn't realise I may be branded as a pervert!'

Are you female? Because that cuts the possibility of you being seen as a threat immensely.

[NeoMaxiZoomDweebie]

Canidae take a chill pill I did say I was happy to be told IABU.

[HepsibarCrinkletoes]

Yes YABU

[Manchesterhistorygirl]

Yes yabu. Can I suggest you go and have a look at some photo blogs? Start with humans of New York. Most have comments from the subject, some are just random snaps of human moments!

[Eyesunderarock]

So what was the problem your OH had with a man doing something perfectly legal OP?
What would he have said, and why?

[BrokenBanana]

Can I hijack a little bit and ask what you would all think of this situation?
On the beach front at a local town, they have some of those things were the water squirts out the ground. Lots of children running round half naked and wet. There was a man there taking photos on his phone, didn't look as if he was with anyone in particular. Then he walked off on his own.

[cozietoesie]

Probably from the local council checking out a elf & safety complaint.

[hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman]

My DS is 21 and an amatuer photographer, when he's walking our dog he often has his camera on him. It makes me very sad to think that anyone would be suspicious of him because he is male and has a camera while walking in the park. His photographs of wildlife and nature are just that, photos of wildlife and nature. Other photographers are good at taking shots of everyday life. It doesn't mean they are up to no good. YABU.

[BrokenBanana]

He definitely wasn't from the council!

[Eyesunderarock]

It's still not illegal to take photographs in a public place, so if he did want them for personal perving there is nothing you can do to stop him other than not allowing your children to play in public.
He might just have loved the combination of children and water and joy.
Or he could be accumulating evidence of how easy it is to take photographs of children.
Or he could be part of a campaign to ban all public nudity for all humans.

[Eyesunderarock]

A camera can't steal pieces of your children's souls.

[Floggingmolly]

Why did your dh think he took a photograph of your family??
The guy was quite openly photographing the scene before your dh even got there, nothing surreptitious about it. Did he hear the camera click behind him and just assume that his back view was the subject of the shot?
Paranoia in the extreme...

[Pennyacrossthehall]

BrokenBanana
On the beach front at a local town, they have some of those things were the water squirts out the ground.
So basically a tourist attraction?

Lots of children running round half naked and wet. There was a man there taking photos on his phone, didn't look as if he was with anyone in particular. Then he walked off on his own.
Sounds like a man on holiday? Who could have walked back to his family to show them what fun they could have back at the fountain. Or just wanted some photos of what he did on his holiday on his own. Or liked the "contre jour" effect of the sunlight on the water. (That one's a bit of a stretch given I wasn't there)

I think that your starting point should have been If it was a woman would I have asked the question?

[cozietoesie]

Well you could always have a word with the police on a non-emergency basis, BrokenBanana but bear in mind not only that he probably had a perfectly legitimate reason for the activity but that such a report might easily lead to banning of cameras, followed by banning of phones, and then followed by closure of the facility by the powers that be - 'in case'.

If that's what you want.......

[Eyesunderarock]

As has happened in many schools, no parental recording of events.

[thetrackisback]

We walked round Windsor with our twin girls! They were like celebs to the Japanese tourists must have had about five different people taking pictures of them. I think it's lovely but I am a baby bore!

[WafflyVersatile]

I'd guess that with paedo fear being at fever pitch these days the man is a bit paranoid (and has possibly had people be aggressive to him before) so got in with his explanation before there was a question.

[thetrackisback]

They have banned parental recordings because we have a child who is on a child protection order so it needs to be confidential. Unfortunately with social media the school can't protect anonimity. This does step up the paranoia though.

[DarkWinter]

PAEDOGEDDON!!!

[ImTooHecsyForYourParty]

BrokenBanana - He could have been taking pictures for an article, or brochure or anything really. Just out of interest - how do you know that he definitely wasn't from the council?