To think someone has just tried to sell me an illegal photo?

[Llamasally]

Hands full on the drive getting the kids out of the car, a blue Citroen (?) pulled up and a guy gets out and starts showing me aerial photos of our house and garden, with some frames tucked in at the back. He got straight to showing me the images without introducing himself, professing what great quality they were.

I told him I couldn’t look now as I was busy with the children - trying to get very tired baby and toddler inside for a nap. He could see I had my hands full, my toddler started to cry but continued and was really quite pushy that I look at the pictures. I asked if he was here to sell them, while taking DS towards the house, he said yes. I told him not interested and like a bloody idiot to try to make him go away, asked if he had a business card in case my husband was interested. Strangely he had no business card, his explanation being ‘it’s just a little hobby, we don’t have offices or anything’. Very pushy for a hobby. I asked how do we contact you if we want one, could he just write down his number? No. But he would come again in the next week. I was being pretty short with him by this point and said we’re not likely to be in.

I was caught off guard and feel so annoyed at myself - for trying to be bloody polite and not just telling him to get off my drive. For not taking a photo of the car/reg plate and confronting him.

All that aside, the reason for my post is that I’m pretty sure you’re not allowed to take photos of someone’s private property including e.g. their garden without their permission?? Anyone who has any knowledge of this area /privacy law I’d really appreciate your advice as I’m sure he will be back. I’ve locked the doors now that we are inside, I’m home alone today and he’s made me feel uncomfortable.

Every grandparent I’ve ever met has these aerial pictures up

This is really common around here, every few years they appear on the doorstep selling photos. We bought one of our house about 15 years ago.

My family are farmers and they have various aerial shots over the years going back to the 70's which is really interesting when you can see how the farm evolved over those years.

Yeah my parents bought one years ago of our beautiful farmhouse.

Strangely he had no business card, his explanation being ‘it’s just a little hobby, we don’t have offices or anything’. Very pushy for a hobby. I asked how do we contact you if we want one, could he just write down his number? No.

All that lot sounds odd.

Maybe just a guy with a drone, trying to make a few quid.
Or maybe some kind of scam / theft attempt.

Yes, loads of people have arial photos of their property but that doesn't mean this guy is legit.
Be careful.

Don't ever tell someone who is photographing your property that you won't be in. He could be casing the joint.

Why didn’t you jusg say it’s a rental house (doesn’t matter if it is or not) so you won’t be there long so no need for a pic…

@Rachellow

Every Irish farm seems to have one of those! It’s effectively better quality google street view

Every Scottish farm too!

I like them - you can see how the farm buildings and steadings have changed over the years.

@Lasair

Why didn’t you jusg say it’s a rental house (doesn’t matter if it is or not) so you won’t be there long so no need for a pic…

Or just say ‘no thank you’. Why make stuff up?

@SoupDragon

People bringing up Street View and Google Earth do realise that 1) StreetView doesn't take photos of your rear garden and 2) Google Earth isn't photo quality.

Well it depends on the angle of your garden from the road doesn’t? I was looking for a house last night on street view and pretty much all the houses on that road had rear gardens visible from street view.

Plenty of rear gardens are visible from roads. I know a chunk of mine is.

I don’t understand why the worry about this. It’s a not uncommon hobby.
One person has a light aircraft licence and needs to keep their hours up, they have a mate into photography. Combine the two and sell the pictures and perhaps make a few quid.

Not so common in towns but not unusual in the country side.

Granddad had one of his farm and my parents of one of their house.

A family member has one that was taken by plane. You can see the house but as part of a wider view, not close up to the house.

We have one Mil us a few years ago from a newspaper offer but that's just a print out from Google earth. Again it's a street view so not close ups of people.

@PriamFarrl because she said that and he wouldn’t take that for an answer. Sometimes you just need something to shut down the conversation. No thank you doesn’t always work. You surely know that?

[quote Lasair]@PriamFarrl because she said that and he wouldn’t take that for an answer. Sometimes you just need something to shut down the conversation. No thank you doesn’t always work. You surely know that?[/quote]
I say no just harder. It always works for me.

@PriamFarrl
Or just say ‘no thank you’. Why make stuff up?

In the case of a complete stranger, making stuff up can be expedient, fun and/or safety conscious (probably not in this situation, though). Especially someone who is trying to take advantage of your harried state or hasn't left you alone when you've said "no.".

I generally disagree with "nice" lies to people you have some sort of relationship with that will encourage them to think their unreasonable request/pushiness/whatever is actually welcome and just stores up issues for the future. But a stranger you'll never see again - tell them whatever you like that doesn't put you out. You don't owe them the truth or anything else and lying is a perfectly fine way to get rid of them.

If he comes back and is pushy you could perhaps say I know what my house looks like, why the hell would I give you money for a picture of it?

I knew someone whose boyfriend had a hot air balloon from which he would take the photos. Then he'd go flog them.
My dad had one of their house with his red car on the drive. I liked the photo but suspect I wouldn't buy one ever.