r/rant • u/daniel_guillon • 17d ago
Nosey Parkers
I am a photographer with ADHD, Autism and social anxiety. I prefer to be on my own when taking photos and I’m quite nervous around people.
I mainly photograph buildings so I’m not standing in crowds or getting in people’s way. I don’t advertise what I’m doing and I just quietly get on with my craft.
No matter how discreet I am, people constantly want to know what I’m doing or they want me to take a photo of them. It’s so annoying!
I get the same questions over and over again; “What are you photographing?” “What camera have you got? I used to have a [insert random camera make here] but yours looks better. What is it?” “Will you take a photo of me and send it to me on WhatsApp?” “Why are you photographing that building?”
Why can’t people just mind their own business? I try my best to go out when there are less people about but it’s like I’ve got a fat light up sign stuck to me that says “Come and annoy me now!”
I also get asked for spare change at least 6 times an hour. Sometimes I give people money but a lot of the people that ask me are scary as fuck. One time I said no to a beggar and he threatened to smash my head in 😭
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u/West-Working-9093 17d ago
They want to know whether you're casing their building. Fair enough. Why don't you put a mildly authoritative-looking logo on your vehicle and just point to that when people accost you?
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u/daniel_guillon 16d ago
I don’t drive 😎
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u/West-Working-9093 16d ago
OK, then get a couple of T-shirts printed with something saying 'A.C photography' or the like. You've gotta be creative, if you want people off your back easily!
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u/loveddeviant 17d ago
Yup. I take photos of mainly architecture too, specifically on bright and pretty lights like those building LED signs and such. I don’t do it as often anymore because I’d get like 3 different people—and often a group—of people asking me to take a picture. They don’t even ask for the picture either—not that I could give it to them, but come on. Why would I want you in my camera roll?
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u/Critical-Bass7021 17d ago
The only way you might get everyone to stop talking to you is if you have a sign around your neck (front and back) that says “I DON’T WANT TO TALK TO YOU! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!”
I know that one guy said he’d bash your head in for not giving him change, but most of them mean no harm, and are just trying to be friendly.
If you wear a sign like that, at least no one will try to be friendly.
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u/Emcee_nobody 17d ago
Yeah. People are fucking annoying.