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Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

petapixel.com

141–150 of 222 posts

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#141
post #19

I went to what can only be described as an "Instagram trap" earlier this month. It was the Rose Mansion exhibit (?) in NYC, I can only describe it as a mix between a fun house where the rooms are explicitly designed for Instagram and a cut rate wine tour. [0] I sense a market for a consulting firm that specializes in managing photoshoots at locations like the one in the post explicitly for Instagram. 0: https://www.r…

One look at that website and its immediately obvious that it is one of those social media photo staging expositions. What made you think otherwise?

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#142
post #121
post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t really get it. I studied film and therefore had to talk to many places about permissions (often without beeing able to pay any compensation) – usually just asking nicely and explaining whatbyou want can get you a long way. Sometimes people will even come on their day off and help you out. This is about mutual respect: if anyone takes the time and effort to open a place for people with cameras, if what you wan…

See also street photography, where just asking people if it's ok to take their photo makes life nicer and easier. Photographers are mostly allowed to take photos of people in the street, but some of them can be pretty obnoxious about it.

I did a lot of street photography, when I lived and worked in the downtown core of a major city. I still do whenever I can, making road trips to a nearby major city from my home in a minor one. I think it's the most difficult photographic genre to do well. On the one hand, a good street photographer is trying to document peoples' natural public lives - observing, but not interfering. On the other hand, it's rather invasive to single out a living subject in a photograph without their permission, even if the subject is in clear view in public.

Wildlife photographers don't need the animals' permission. Trees and mountains don't care about the people making landscapes. Buildings don't care about people capturing architecture. People sitting for a professional studio portrait sign model releases up front. Journalists generally only care about not getting in emergency services' way.

But us street folk? We're in that odd zone where we need our subjects to both give permission (either implicitly or explicitly) and act natural. Many can't manage that balance. They either start doing urban architecture with silhouetted people and pretend that it's street (which I am frequently guilty of), or they go full-scale Bruce-Asshole-Gilden and rampage their way into people's faces.

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#143

PLEASE change the URL from the blog spam Petapixel site to the photographer's own! https://www.paulreiffer.com/2019/07/photographers-instagramm...

Yes, it would be nice if the HN link went to the original article.

I suspect the author has decided to republish it for SEO as there is a follow link back to their site.

For intrigue:

petapixel.com domain authority is 90

www.paulreiffer.com domain authority is 48

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#144

I used to volunteer at a heritage railway in Northern Ireland. We had several old restored trains and we went to great lengths to make the station areas look authentically old. Naturally photographers loved it. Most photographers were Okay and respected the rules, but some some just refused and couldn't handle being called out. For example one rule was do not get in train cabs, unless by prior arrangement - which inv…

This is obviously terrible behaviour. As an amateur photographer myself I particularly dislike the Instagram driven “race to the bottom”.

However... I do think in a situation such as this it’s a missed commercial opportunity.

If I managed a highly “Instagrammable” private location I’d aggressively enforce good conduct and at the same time have paid access to alternative times for photographers.

You want to be a selfish dick and ruin the common good so you extract more value for yourself? Pay for it.

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#145
post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not nearly enough has been written about "travel as status-seeking". It is for some a way to portray that you're not materialistic, but still dunk on all the poors and other outgroup members while blowing thousands of dollars on what is ultimately a luxury. The sub-category of "travel as wasteful mating signal & ritual" deserves another novel on top of this. It didn't help that for several years (though it has thankf…

Absolutely. It seems to have become popular to value "experiences over things" as if that's somehow virtuous and makes you better than materialistic people who just want to accumulate stuff. It's really just another branch of the same kind of materialism. The mating signal thing is crazy too. I recently dabbled in dating apps (hopefully, never again). It seems virtually every woman on there is obsessed with travel (h…

They definitely think it automatically makes them fun/interesting, but it also functions as a way to automatically become an expert on something. I like to watch nature documentaries. Someone I knew started bothering me about how I should travel like them and see REAL giraffes, lions etc rather than just watching. Did they know anything about the animals themselves? No, but they’d SEEN them, which they felt made them an authority. Same with the dullards on dating sites who put up photos with impoverished children - it’s a nice way to signal that you tooootally know and care about such things without actually having to do any boring learning. And everyone who travels will jump at the chance to lecture you interminably about “authentic” food and drink...

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#146
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live a couple of hours away from Lake Louise, Alberta [1], which is a really famous photography spot because the lake (and nearby Moraine Lake) have beautiful bright blue colors. You've almost certainly seen one of them in Windows wallpapers, /r/EarthPorn, etc. A few weeks ago, we had a friend from the US visiting, and we decided to take him there. We hadn't been there in about 10 years now, and it was insanely bus…

I spent a week at Lake Louis in winter 2017. There was hardly anyone there, even around the Fairmont! Maybe 5 cars in the huge lot right by the water. Just a few dolts trying to take selfies in the middle of the frozen lake. Shame that it's usually swamped but it makes sense, it's a beautiful area. Maybe try again in the winter?

I was there in the winter once too (to ski), the blue lake was frozen though, covered in snow, and the entire week the temperatures never exceeded 0 Fahrenheit!

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#148
post #25

I used to think photography was an interesting hobby, not for me, however. Now, after the proliferation of cheap DSLRs I now think photography is the most obnoxious thing ever. Now ever asshole imagines themselves as a photographer and acts like a dick to get that one picture. I was out with a wannabe photographer friend and watched her climb over a safety barrier and dangerously close to the edge of a cliff in order…

As someone who‘s doing photography as a side business - so much this. Actually, let‘s add „I‘ve got a DSLR, so I have to produce good photos“ to the list. In reality though most of them have no sense for the moment or good composition.

And the worst part is: “my $relative has a DSLR and he’d shoot for free, do it for free and you’ll get exposure”.

Sigh.

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#149

I used to volunteer at a heritage railway in Northern Ireland. We had several old restored trains and we went to great lengths to make the station areas look authentically old. Naturally photographers loved it. Most photographers were Okay and respected the rules, but some some just refused and couldn't handle being called out. For example one rule was do not get in train cabs, unless by prior arrangement - which inv…

Indirectly related, living in the UK there seems to be a growing culture of 'fuck you' in this country. Not a lack of etiquette or the trivial please and thank-you, those I can do without, you can still be sweary and abrupt and still considerate, I mean a fundamental selfishness. It seems to be bigger among younger people, 20s to 30s, and I will emphasize that it's uncommon and that the great majority of people at an…

When I saw the politicians atrocious response to the Grenfell Tower disaster I was worried what that would do with the commoners behavior.

I guess I have my answer.

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Flyover suburbanite here: I never understood travel culture, but I've seen it contribute to depression in my friends and neighbors because they somehow have been convinced that a meaningful life requires global travel, but find it difficult with mortgages and children. I view travel culture as very toxic as a result. "I just want to see the world" I hear, a yearning for an experience that, when pursued, might tempora…

I can see your point but as a passportless 21 year old I can't help but feel I'm missing out on something. I've never really experienced anything outside of the US. It's such an exciting prospect to visit somewhere exotic that looks nothing like the place I've always known, has completely different food, language, animals. Maybe the joy is temporary but it's still joy and I hope if I ever get the chance to travel it'…

I recommend if you feel you're missing out is to travel to parts of the USA that you're not familiar with. If you're a city-folk, visit a rural agriculture town. If you're from a more rural area, visit a heavily populated region like NYC. Visit Chicago. St Lois. Baton Rouge. Austin. Phoenix. Portland. San Francisco. Buffalo. Detroit. Etc.
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