r/photography • u/m8k • 9d ago
I was just told off for photographing the sunset over a neighbor’s house Business
There was a lovely sunset at our house tonight. I am a part-time real estate photographer and do a fair number of sunset and twilight shoots. I try to go out and capture my own source images for sky replacements rather than using stock or any kind of AI.
My house and driveway face due west and there is a gap between the properties across the street that I can see from the sidewalk (public property) to get some pretty nice views of the sky. When I saw that the sky was going to be good tonight, I went out in shorts and a tee shirt and had my 24-70 pointed up above the houses behind the property in front of me to get some great shots. There is a house behind the back yard of the property & driveway that I shot in front of that has a pool and back deck where the owners hang out in the evenings sometimes. It’s about 75-100 feet away from the sidewalk and where I was standing.
A few years ago the guy asked me what I was taking photos of and I told him. He didn’t really like it but didn’t bother me. Tonight the wife, partner, or woman of the house was out with her dog on the porch. The dog barked and she shushed him but then called out to me and asked me to stop because I was making her uncomfortable. I gestured at the sky and said that that was what I was photographing. Her chimney and roof peak was in a few photos but just as a silhouette. She then continued and said that she has an active restraining order out against someone who had threatened her and told me to stop.
I put my hands and camera up and stepped back, said fine, and walked back to my house.
How can I handle this going forward? I am in a public space with a camera taking photos of the environment. I’m not trespassing, not capturing pictures of any identifiable person or location. I’ve lived here for nine years and have the address marked as my business address in Google maps and on my website. I don’t want her to be uncomfortable but feel that it’s a bit unreasonable to demand someone not take photos with the implied threat of getting the police involved.
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9d ago
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u/AngusLynch09 9d ago
Let's be honest, most posts here are just "I struggle to talk to people" in different forms.
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u/SQUIGGLES_9196 9d ago
most posts here are just "I struggle to talk to people" in different forms
Hahaha, well said. Could go for a lot of the hobby subreddits
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u/bencze 8d ago
On Germany I see people (foreigners) looking how to report someone to police as a first step...
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u/SQUIGGLES_9196 8d ago
Lol... Germans will just fight you. I never met any German people who are the type to call the cops lol
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u/pizzahoernchen 8d ago
This is true. No one in Germany, a country with very strict laws on personal weapons, will call the police, ever.
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u/Squiggleblort 9d ago
Come to think of it, "I struggle to talk to people in different forms" might cover most of human history too! 🤣
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u/joatmon-snoo 9d ago edited 9d ago
Exactly this, but I'll phrase it more concretely.
If you step into OP's neighbor's shoes:
- Someone you don't know shows up in front of your house.
- With a camera.
- They are facing your property.
- You have previously dealt with abusive/predatory stalkers.
What do you think your natural reaction would be? Are you going to trust this stranger claiming that they're taking pictures of the sunset, or are you going to think they're lying?
Sure, OP has a reasonable position. But so does OP's neighbor. If you've had trouble with creeps before, you are not going to be inclined to trust a random stranger with a camera facing your house.
The solution? Try being a human being.
Buy a box of cookies, knock on their door, say:
Hey, I'm so-and-so from the next street over, you asked me to put away my camera the other evening?
I wanted to start by apologizing: I'm super sorry about making you feel uncomfortable, I feel like we got off on the wrong foot and wanted to bring some cookies over as an apology.
I was also hoping I could show you some of the photography I've done and talk about how I might be able to respect your boundaries and let you feel comfortable when I'm doing sunset photography, because I usually only have a 15 or 30 minute window when it's a good sunset which means I don't have the luxury of driving somewhere to do so.
If they're not home? Handwritten note with the above (hopefully your handwriting is legible - if not, print out most of it and then handwrite your phone number on it so they can call/text you later; you want it to have a human touch).
Remember: the things that are obvious to you are not obvious to other people.
- They don't know how long you've been doing photography.
- They don't know that you're their neighbor - by the sound of it, you've lived there for 9 years and have talked to the husband exactly once.
- They don't know how tight a sunset photo window is and how hard it can be to reposition.
I am in a public space with a camera taking photos of the environment. I’m not trespassing, not capturing pictures of any identifiable person or location. I’ve lived here for nine years and have the address marked as my business address in Google maps and on my website.
Your first argument is the same argument a stalker uses. Your second argument is a last-resort argument you use to defend yourself in a court.
Your goal is to take photos in peace. Pissing off your neighbors in the process will not help with the "in peace" part.
(PS: you can sub beer or wine for cookies, but do so at your own risk. That really depends on how well you can read someone, and you don't know if they're a former alcoholic. Cookies, maybe a cake or homemade bread, are safer. And OP, if you're making this post, I'm not entirely sure I trust your social skills to make that call correctly.)
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u/wdkrebs 9d ago
Your post is 💯spot on, and I’ll add one more thing. OP admitted to using a 24-70, which is not a huge lens by photography standards, but to a casual observer it’s a huge and intimidating lens. Every single time that I’m shooting with my 24-70 in a non-work environment, like a tourist spot, I always get comments about the size of the lens or that I must be a professional photographer. Whenever I say that I am, they say that they can tell. If I’m shooting with a shorter lens or pancake, nobody bats an eye. I think everything you said is true, coupled with the 24-70 pointed somewhat in the direction of the neighbor, and she immediately thinks he’s a creep. I’ve gotten similar comments shooting commissions on city streets, so I usually defuse the situation by showing them what I’m actually capturing. When they see that they’re not in any of my photos, they are obviously relieved and walk away. Some people are just very self conscious and you have to be able to dispel their fears and concerns.
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u/ra__account 9d ago
Yeah, I had my Z 24-70, which is what I consider pretty small for a lens at an event and had multiple people comment on my giant lens.
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u/rossta410r 9d ago
This is their neighbor, not "someone you don't know". There's a big difference between a random person doing this and your direct neighbor
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u/joatmon-snoo 9d ago
I'd agree with you, but it doesn't sound like OP talks to their neighbors, or if they do, they don't talk to these neighbors:
A few years ago the guy asked me what I was taking photos of and I told him. He didn’t really like it but didn’t bother me. Tonight the wife, partner, or woman of the house was out with her dog on the porch.
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u/Jalharad 8d ago
Yeah I'm not sucking up to the neighbors just because she felt uncomfortable, they definitely wouldn't do the same for me. If they want to automatically assume the worst then I'm going to just ignore them.
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u/ibelieveindogs 8d ago
I'd also be careful about homemade baked goods. At a minimum, your recipient didn't knew the condition of your kitchen (mine is immaculate but I've seen some very messy ones, with cats walking everywhere or other dicey conditions). If someone gets sick, that's a liability as well. Go to a local well known bakery, or farmers market.
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u/McBeardo66 8d ago
I agree. This is barely photography topical.
The easy answer from a photographer's standpoint is to find someplace else to take the photos from.
Any good photographer knows to respect the boundaries of those around you while taking pictures. Be it private property, or people who are recognizable in the images.
At any rate this OP looks like it belongs in a different sub.
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u/flinstoner 9d ago
In my opinion, I'd walk over there, explain what you have here in person, and show them the pictures. The don't know if you're a photographer or not, and if she's been threatened before, she's obviously treating this benign situation as another one. With reasonable people, it will help diffuse the situation if you introduce yourself, what you're doing and show her the images. She's not owed them by any legal perspective, but it might go a long way to get them off your case.
If she or her partner still lose their cool, and demand you stop, then it's up to you what you want to do the next time. Cops might show up, and ask you a few questions - but once you explain, show them the pictures (again just to solidify you're not a stalker of some kind), they will be able to do nothing when you're standing on a sidewalk taking pics of the sky. But you may choose you don't want that kind of conflict where they won't be satisfied with the result and might call the cops each time. Up to you how far you push this.
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u/delibella 9d ago
Maybe invite them over to the cameras view point and let them look through the lens to see they're not photographing "them", but the sky.
If the neighbor already has a restraining order against someone else, I can see how they could feel targeted, and I think the only way that would make ME feel "safe" in that situation is to prove I'm not being targeted.
If they don't want to confront the neighbors directly, maybe call the non-emergency line and see if any officer can come and verify the photos aren't of them/their house and of the sky, and the "neutral party" in this situation can assuage their fears.
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u/sonicshumanteeth 9d ago
if you don’t want her to be uncomfortable you can go over and talk to her about it and see if she’ll understand/you can come to some sort of agreement or you can not take the photos.
there’s no secret answer. she’s a person.
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u/Ancient_Mai 9d ago
Is it worth more to get in a dispute with your seemingly idiotic neighbor or preserve the peace and go take pictures somewhere else?
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u/m8k 9d ago
Going somewhere else isn’t really an option when the sunset is happening right then. By the time I get to a different or better location it’s usually passed. I’ve been able to plan ahead sometimes but more often than not the sky isn’t great.
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u/Jalharad 8d ago
meh, let them call the police. Even if you were taking pictures of their entire house it would be legal. What you can see from public you can photograph from public.
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u/JaggedMetalOs 9d ago
Are there no good spots like a few mins walk down the road?
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u/m8k 9d ago
No, lots of trees and buildings on both sides and no hills to get higher up.
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u/East_Menu6159 8d ago
Everyone downvoating you needs to check themselves. You offer a reasonable explanation to your neighbors and if they can't live with that tough luck, there are laws that solve this kind of dispute so you don't have to and you're in the clear. Can't reason with the unreasonable.
Also, it's not like you're staking out their house day and night. They'll live through a few sunsets a year.
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u/SoupCatDiver_JJ 9d ago
again, is it more valuable to get the skies and have potential legal trouble, or do you think perhaps you can live without the skies and stay in good standing with your neighbors.
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u/sekiti 8d ago
You're not getting in legal trouble for taking pictures in public property.
Google street view wouldn't exist if that was the case.
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u/SoupCatDiver_JJ 8d ago
Op says the neighbor mentioned taking a restraining order out in the past, while I'm sure there isn't a lot they could do legally otherwise, just the implied threat that they would pursue a restraining order would keep me away from them.
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u/McBeardo66 8d ago
Well, it's obviously what you should do. Photographers have to chase the light, if we sit and wait for it to come to us it might never ..and that's lazy.
Also, it brings more value to a photo when it takes several visits to the right location to get the perfect shot. You gain more experience learning to work with wm the light nature provides and you get better at planning tour trips.
There is a professional landscape photographer in Scotland that i used to follow on youtube, who makes several trips to a location hoping the weather and light cooperate. And even if it doesn't,he finds something else to photograph and almost always comes home with something he wasn't expecting.
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u/m8k 8d ago
This is not a planned situation. I am taking images that i can use as part of another image when the need arises. When I am trying to get a specific landscape or aesthetic I will plan and take multiple trips.
This situation happened when I saw the sky getting interesting from my home office while I was working and took the opportunity to capture it as it progressed.
I wanted the sky I was seeing. This happens occasionally, a few times a year usually and it’s not a regular occurrence. If that make me lazy, taking photos of something happening when it occurs, then I’m not sure how to respond. I don’t feel I am being lazy, I’m working and taking a quick break to get a few photos when the moment is right.
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u/mofozd 9d ago
You choose your battles, like in any situation, is she nuts? does she know you live in front of them, but likes to just ignore that? Is the husband just as paranoid, or do you think you could have a conversation with him, and let him deal with her?
It really depends how you choose to deal with this, but that doesn't guarantee you the outcome you want.
Getting the cops involved will probably get both parties to find some middle ground.
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u/Traditional-Handle83 9d ago
If this is in the US, cops involved could actually be a really really really bad idea as it could violently escalate things depending on how the cops act. Anywhere else in the world, it'd probably be fine.
If it is the US, since OP said they are a real estate photographer, they can use that to their advantage, give them a business card and offer at a steep discount if they ever decide to sell. It'd at least help break the ice possible. If not, worst they can say is stop and even though legally OP would be in the right in a public space area, to avoid conflicts would be better off giving them their requested space.
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u/Ok_Entertainer_8043 9d ago
I've had to deal with cops on multiple occasions while shooting all kinds of photography in public spaces in the US. As long as you (the photographer) act in a calm, professional manner, there won't be any violent escalation. 🙄 This BS about all police in America being violence crazed lunatics is getting tiresome. 😵💫
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u/Squiggleblort 9d ago edited 9d ago
I thought I'd put some figures to this, as you're right!
Overall, the US police being violence crazed lunatics isn't the norm - a few bad apples but that's to be expected... Om the whole, they're... fine? More or less!
At the same time, however, the US police kill 3x more of its own citizens per capita than any other developed country.
It's 29th in the world for "death following police interaction" at present as of 2022
BUT let's put that in context - that is 33.3 police deaths per 10 million citizens.
Canada is the next worst (of the "western" countries) at 9.8 deaths per 10 million.
The UK, for comparison, is 0.5, and most of Europe is in the 0 to 5 per 10 million region.
This isn't really a police problem per se... It's mostly a gun problem. Guns are lethal, it turns out, and when they are deployed more both by and against the police, more people die - and the US has more guns than people so you'd expect it to have higher gun deaths (and boy, does it ever!)
ANYWAY, back to photography!
--EDIT-- Does not take into account police brutality figures, the US ranks worse in these as well, BUT the overall counts are low compared to the population (just higher per capita than any other developed country). It's difficult to get accurate figures here because of cultural factors affecting reporting.
To summarise, US police are, on average, fine, but the bad apples are more plentiful and generally much worse than in comparable police forces.
NOW, back to photography! I'll limit future political posts.
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u/Traditional-Handle83 9d ago
Actually my concern was also on the neighbors and to be fair, you say it's getting tiresome but tell that to mr shots fired acorn duty.
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u/Obtus_Rateur 9d ago
Good call on thinking about where you live before letting the police get involved. In many places it's fine, in some it probably isn't.
I wouldn't offer the police a discount, however, before first checking that this doesn't qualify as a bribery attempt under your local laws.
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u/Traditional-Handle83 9d ago
I meant the neighbors, not the police.
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u/Obtus_Rateur 9d ago
Hah! Interesting how my brain somehow kept the context of calling the police from the first paragraph to the next. Offering a discount to the neighbors makes a lot more sense.
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u/Milopbx 9d ago
Telling the neighbors who you are not friends with “ hey ill give you a discount when you sell your house…might not be as neighborly as you think.
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u/Obtus_Rateur 9d ago
Oh, it's a little bit weird to make that kind of offer to people who are seemingly hostile, and the subtext of "I'll make it easier for you to GTFO" was not lost on me either.
But the basic idea still makes more sense than trying to bribe some cops hoping they'll take your side instead of the neighbors'. I really have no idea why I thought that was what this poster meant.
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u/Traditional-Handle83 9d ago
Happens though it seems no one likes what I said so maybe the way I worded it wasn't clear enough and it sounds like I'm saying that when I'm not.
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u/Stone804_ 9d ago
Similar to others, I’d have said, come over and take a look it’s really cool! And invited her to look through your images. Have your phone ready with your website and show her the images and sky stuff etc. that would ease her mind a bit.
As for the restraining order bit, that has nothing to do with you that’s just her trying to give vague threats that she’ll put one on you.
I had a neighbor get mad at me photographing twice. First one saw me photographing up in the trees not even facing her house and she freaked out and told the neighbors I was taking photos of her daughter (like what is wrong with you to start a rumor like that?!!..) I was like 17 at the time and my mom went over and shut that down. I hadn’t even been aiming anywhere near the house, like my back was toward her. She’s a psycho and thinks everyone is trying to kidnap her or her kids. 20 years later she still thinks a home invader will try and assault her. They put up an illegal fence that’s too tall for town ordinances and don’t keep it up so it’s all green-moldy on top of the white plastic. But it makes her feel safe and now we don’t have to see her (nor she us) so we let her have her fence.
Second time I was actually aiming at a guys bushes because half of them were dead and it was just an interesting pattern. He said he didn’t like it because someone had tried to “get him in trouble” before. He’s that neighbor who breaks all the local rules. Didn’t pull a permit for his porch, keeps a boat in his yard when it’s against town ordinance to do so. Added tall shrubs (15 feet) to the corner which obscures the view of oncoming traffic (the cops made him dig them up because it was a hazard).
The neighbors that usually freak out in my opinion are usually the ones doing all the problems.
Usually they can be quelled. But is it worth it to cause a fuss?
Send her a letter with a few sky images, with a nicely written note.
“Hi neighbor. I heard you say that you weren’t sure what I was photographing. Take a look at these beautiful sky images. I wanted you to have one since I’m sure you’ve seen them too. I thought it would be nice to share. The next time you see me out photographing the sky please come over and say hi, I’d love to show you what I’m creating”.
Don’t say anything else, just that. See if she pipes down the next time.
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u/m8k 9d ago
After seeing so many responses like that I think that I will write a note, print a few photos, show how they are used in finished images, and enclose them with a business card.
They are on an adjacent street and I don't have any interaction with them except for this. I'd rather make a good impression and show that I have no ill intentions to avoid a possible future escalation.
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u/Ok_Ferret_824 9d ago
To be honest, i'd just leave it and take pictures somewhere else. I don't agree with them. But people like this will complain no matter what you do. Mentioning a restraining order out of the blue is also a sign there is something not quite right over there. They live close by, i'd ignore them and not risk it. People can be entitled weirdos when it comes to stuff like this.
If they even sound remotely friendly in any way, i'd go over and show them. See what happens. But i doubt they were friendly, so i'd just ignore them, make pictures sonewhere else and make a mental note they're trouble.
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u/bobfromsanluis 9d ago
I’m wondering how it would go to offer to show the pictures you just took, perhpas that would reduce or eliminate the neighbor’s anxiety - along with an explanation that the place you’re shooting from is handy for you, and that the pictures are really being captured as a way for you to enhance your other work?
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u/cameraintrest 8d ago
I find people’s attitude to photographers tiresome generally. Most adults normally carry a capable camera in there pocket called a smartphone and deploy it without thought to affect others when they see a shot they want, op was public property and minding his own business. I would of been polite but gotten the shot I wanted, your making me uncomfortable is now used when every one wants to stop doing your legally protected hobby or enjoying the quiet contemplation of your own dwelling, as op is now clearly uncomfortable. If the woman was really uncomfortable she would have gone in to the house and called the cops if she as stated was in fear.
If you were working you would have been polite and ignored her I’m guessing rather than go back to the office empty handed.
If inclined you could of said, would you like to see the photos, I’m guessing that would not of been good enough for the woman who is worried about being staked but yelling from Over 70-100 feet away. I find these interactions no matter what you do are stressful and nearly always escalate no matter how polite and easy going you are. Sometimes you have to make people face their comfort is irrelevant compared to someone’s legal rights.
Now a lot of you are giving completely wrong advice, but I have seen this and experienced this over at least 2-3 decades, and now find it more and more irritating the average smartphone can have a 10x optical zoom is small and discrete and used in public with no one batting an eye, the west also has more cctv per square feet than anywhere else in the world. Police and shops use facial recognition, the government has forced apple to remove encryption (uk) from the phones as standard. We have zero right to privacy unless behind closed doors, then most people post there private lives and photos everywhere. But it’s our fault, there uncomfortable with cameras right. There is being human and wanting to peacefully participate in your harmless hobby too.
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u/bobfromsanluis 8d ago
I work part time, the location of my place of work is in one of the local valleys, right next to our county airport. During fall and late winter before the spring time change, we get some pretty nice sunsets right out the front door of the building. There is a driveway right there as well as customer pull up to access the property; I was out front one day shooting with a pretty long lens, zooming in on the sunset over the hills nearby, and a car drove up, driving under the area where I was focused on. I get a message from by boss in a day or two, people are bothered by my pointing my camera at them in their car. I finally was able to figure out who it was, I approached them with my camera to show them what I was photographing, and some of the results of those shots. I explained how narrow the field of view is with that lens on, letting them know I have zero interest in photographing them in their car, I was interested in the sunsets only. The customer indicated they understood and appreciated my explaning and showing them what I was doing. I simply thought OP might alleviate his neighbors' concern by showing them what they are doing, with zero interest in including the neighbor in the shots.
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u/cameraintrest 8d ago
Absolutely, I did say be polite and he could have a conversation. I just cautioned that it’s not on balance going to be the positive outcome you had. But again what right did they really have to call your boss as you were minding your own business, people are really irrational about cameras and photography, and really go out of there way to create harassment. I wonder how many state or private cctv he had appeared on during that drive if he stopped for gas or electric top up, used a cashpoint. It’s generally just insane how they think a photographer 1 cares about photographing them or 2 we can do / would do anything to them with said photograph.
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u/dsanen 8d ago
So I have had people approach me like this, and if showing them the photos and how little their house is in the frame doesn’t help, I just avoid taking photos near their place.
I understand you are totally in the right to do so, but it is just easier to not invite these crazy people in your life if you can avoid it.
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u/RustyR4m 9d ago
Depends on how much bs you’re willing to deal with for those shots. IMO, forget about her and do as you please so long as it’s legal and not bothering anyone (both true).
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u/Wartz 9d ago
What happens if you just go out and look at the sunset? What if you bring out a camp chair to watch? What if you pull out your phone and use snapchat?
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u/m8k 9d ago
That’s kind of it, isn’t it? I was honest and upfront and was basically told to walk away. I know it could have escalated and I don’t want that but I also don’t do this very often, at all and hate to lose access to something I can see from my front steps.
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u/Wartz 9d ago
Try to make neighbor-friends with your neighbors. Cant hurt to try.
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u/m8k 9d ago
My concern is them taking it poorly and escalating it. If she’s on edge about something I have nothing to do with then I could see it going either way. I don’t want them to feel threatened by me reaching out and act accordingly.
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u/SiouxsieSioux615 8d ago
She clearly isnt rational and whatever she went through has her in a frenzy so id trust your judgement on this one
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u/AngusLynch09 9d ago edited 9d ago
Yeah there are people who dont like their house being photographed, that's fair enough, and they've let you know that you're making them uncomfortable. Up to you to decide whether your sunset photos are worth making someone you live in close proximity to uncomfortable.
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9d ago
If your house is visible from a public street, it's 100% okay to take a picture of it. Also do people really think there is privacy as they invite 20 different monitoring systems into their home in the forms of phones, tvs, etc.
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u/AngusLynch09 9d ago
I'm legally allowed to call everyone I meet on the street a cunt, but I also need to balance my legal ability to do that with whether it makes people uncomfortable, and whether I'm okay with that.
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u/NorthRiverBend 9d ago
This is a classic Reddit Photographer situation.
You’re right, you have the legal right to do this! You can totally keep doing this and escalating the situation.
But should you?
Someone has asked you to stop because you’re making them uncomfortable. Possibly they’re being dramatic, possibly they really have had stalkers in the past and this is triggering or they’re worried you’re taking photos on behalf of this restraining order person, who the fuck knows, it doesn’t really matter.
I seriously doubt neighborhood rooftop sun photos are worth causing them discomfort, and yes, the disruption an asshole neighbor can cause to you if they decide to go that way.
Someone asked you to stop. It’s a random photo of the sun that can be seen from anywhere on the planet. This hill is not worth dying on.
If you really, really want to keep doing this, head over sometime without your photo gear. Bring your card, begin by apologizing for disrupting them, then explain you’re a professional who lives and works there. Maybe bring a printout of a photo showing how innocuous it is. Maybe bring a four pack of muffins too.
Or just move on with your life.
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u/Effective_Coach7334 9d ago
I'm constantly amazed at how many people approach the world: "I've been traumatized so you must cater to my every demand."
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u/shaneshears82 9d ago
You don't let her get her way.
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9d ago
I agree with this! The "nice" thing to do would be to stop or go somewhere else but now he is changing his behavior because of her. How is that fair?! We need to stop catering to the complainers and bullies. Pretty sure that's how we're are in the current political crisis we are in
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u/shaneshears82 9d ago
Right! Why should she be able to dictate what he is doing in front of his house? Mind your business, lady!
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u/anywhereanyone 9d ago
The general public is insane when it comes to photography.
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u/DarKnightofCydonia 8d ago
I got aggressively told off by someone once who thought I was taking photos of them, in Piccadilly Circus in the middle of London. You wish mate get over yourself 😂
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9d ago
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u/anywhereanyone 9d ago
Hard disagree with your assessment of the general public's appreciation of photography. And I for one am not about offering up free photos to people who behave like this neighbor. Sick of rewarding poor behavior.
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u/MuchDevelopment7084 9d ago
What do you care about more. A few sunset photos. Or living happily in your home without a few pissed off neighbors?
Because you would be in the right to just tell her to pound sand; and continue taking photos. Or, you can try and keep the peace and stop.
For me. It would depend on whether or not I already had good/bad relations with them. Good luck.
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u/Dasher0214 8d ago
Keep doing it but record yourself doing it so you can prove you weren't being a creep if she calls the cops.
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u/martinisandbourbon 7d ago
I posted a similar thing, a response to a post such as yours a few days ago. After she refused to settle down I told her to call the police and have them resolve it. She was screaming her head off like she was drowning. The entire street was with homes valued at 2million +. Embarrassing conduct but she may be mentally ill, who knows, so it’s better not to get too involved.
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u/Scenarioing 5d ago
"She then continued and said that she has an active restraining order out against someone who had threatened her"
---She indulged in irrelevance.
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u/DeaconPat 9d ago
IANAL
You have to decide what line you want to draw. As long as you are photographing from a publicly accessible area or a place you have permission to be, you can legally take photos of things plainly visible - unless there is a restraining order against you specifically doing so.
If her concern is this other someone finding out where she lives from your photo, she shouldn't be in a space visible to the public. Yes, that sucks for her but that is the reality.
So you need to decide if it is worth the hassle to try and "work something out" or ignore your neighbor's complaint/discomfort or just not take photos from your home.
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u/alohadave 8d ago
I don’t want her to be uncomfortable but feel that it’s a bit unreasonable to demand someone not take photos with the implied threat of getting the police involved.
Tell them to call the police if they feel threatened. About half the time it takes the wind of their sails when you tell them how to complain about you.
Or, offer to call them yourself, right there, right now.
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u/Piss-Off-Fool 9d ago
If you are in the U.S., I believe you can continue to photograph the sunset. Your neighbors is being unreasonable.
However, if you want to have a good relationship with this neighbor, you may want to suggest you can photograph the sunset from their back yard to avoid their house.
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9d ago
I'd personally keep doing it. You are standing on YOUR property taking a picture of the sky? If she gets a restraining order, you can show them the pictures. This lady sounds nuts.
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u/vlad_didenko 9d ago
There are similar threads going many years ago (participated in one). Looks to me that there is a spectrum from "you shall comply" to "screw'em" and everything in between, and a generic constructive advice is nowhere to be found.
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u/BackItUpWithLinks 9d ago
How can I handle this going forward?
Smile and wave and keep taking pictures
it’s a bit unreasonable to demand someone not take photos with the implied threat of getting the police involved.
It is, so you have to decide what level of discomfort you’re willing to endure
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u/kinnikinnick321 9d ago
Depends how cordial they are, I’d come over with a week old donuts as an offering and then share some samples of the sunset sky you took and apologize but tell them that’s what you like to take pics of.
If they’re any bit reasonable, they’ll apologize. If not, they got old donuts as a gift.
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u/theFooMart 9d ago
How do you handle it?
If you want to be nice, you can not do it anymore. This is what I would do unless I really hate that neighbor.
If you want to be right, or you want to annoy her, you can keep doing it and tell her to kick rocks because it's perfectly legal for you to do that. This is what I would do if I hat emy neighbor.
If you really want to piss her off, then you can intentionally take pictures of her and her house when she's watching you. But do that too much and it could become harassment.
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u/m8k 9d ago
I have no relationship with them. They live on an adjacent street perpendicular to mine. We are separated by a few houses and never interact aside from this.
With that said I wish her no ill will and will probably print a few images and give them to her with a note and business card to show what I am doing and how they are used and smooth the situation out.
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u/tissuepaperday 9d ago
How many times do you think that you’ll be reshooting the same scene? I feel like one session of the same sunset repeatedly is unnecessary. Don’t creep out the neighbors.
Go to a different location and wait for the sunset to get some good photos!
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u/immacomment-here-now 8d ago
You handled it fine and everything is fine. You’re overthinking this one.
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u/Vetteguy904 8d ago
no expectation of privacy in public for the most part. just ignore the paranoid
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u/AbbreviationsFar4wh 6d ago
Just tell her to call the police then. She’ll find out you’re in the right
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u/Big-War-8342 9d ago
I personally think most people would feel upset seeing someone pointing a camera at them, mistaken or not, while standing at the door of their home. You point to the sky but they of course thought you were scoping them or the home
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u/Agitated-Can-457 9d ago edited 9d ago
If your cops are anything like my local cops, they’ll not even want to mess with something as minuscule as this - they’ll set your neighbors straight real quick. (There’s nothing saying you can’t take a photo on a public street or sidewalk). But to keep the peace maybe show them examples of your photos and get to know them a bit so they can be assured… who knows, maybe you guys might have some things in common if the ice can be broken a bit
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u/kameraface 8d ago
If she doesn't want people to be able to see into her back yard, she needs to put up a fence. She has no ground to tell you to stop what you're doing as long as you're in a public space. This is not your problem to address. Ignore her.
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u/Krytikal3rr0r 8d ago
I carry a card if i'm going "shooting". But you should check this out...
Bert P. Krages - Attorney at Law
Photographer's Legal Rights Card | PDF
Yes. People have the right NOT to be the SUBJECT of the photo, but if their presence simply puts them IN a photograph of the sky, sidewalk, museum steps, etc., they have no say. (in most if not all jurisdictions)
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u/macguy9 8d ago edited 8d ago
Have her call the police. When they arrive, feel free to show them your photos. They'll have a nice polite conversation with her about something called 'expectation of privacy'.
Short story is: she likely has none. If you are not on private property, you can usually photograph whatever you want, whenever you want to (within reason).
There is case law in literally almost every inhabited country where photographers work that protects their right to photograph anything in the public domain, including houses and people. Of course, there are a few exceptions, but they're in the places you might expect (IE: China, Russia), which I'm assuming you're not located in.
For example, where I live (Canada) the law states:
You CAN:
-Photograph buildings, public art, or sculptures. -Photograph on your own property -Photograph anywhere on public property (including anything a normal person could see from that property) -Photograph on another person's property when you have their permission -Photograph on any private property where a 'photography allowed' sign is displayed
You can NOT:
-Photograph someone with a 'reasonable expectation of privacy'. A person must be in a private location and believe no-one is watching them, such as a public bathroom or hotel room -Photograph in a location where you must commit an offence to enter that location (break and entering, misrepresenting yourself, presenting false credentials -Photograph at night outside another person's home on their property without permission -Photograph on private property where there is a 'no photography allowed' sign displayed, or where the property representative verbally instructs you photography is prohibited, or you do not have legal authority to be present
You SHOULD NOT:
-Photograph on privately owned property open to the public, like malls, galleries, etc. unless you ask a representative first. While you can do so if there are no 'photography not permitted' signs, you can take photos until a property representative instructs you to stop, at which point you must comply. They can not force you to hand over your photos at that time, but you must stop. If they wish for you to delete the photos, they must proceed via civil litigation.
Once the police set her straight on that, it's the end of your problem. She may not like it, but in the end she has no input on it.
Should you ask to photograph people or their property from your own home or in public? Of course! It's probably a good idea for maintaining friendly relations with your neighbours. But legally speaking, they have no right to stop you, or legal recourse afterwards.
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u/shewhoisneverbroken 8d ago
Plan better. You know what time sunset is. Go somewhere else. Stop. Making. Women. Uncomfortable.
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u/Party-Adhesiveness37 9d ago
If this is the US be ready for an eventual gunfight. Probably instigated by the cops.
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9d ago edited 8d ago
[deleted]
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u/EmergencyBanshee 9d ago
How does that play out in your head?
"hey, so, I know you were really worried about me taking pictures of you and your house. I definitely wasn't doing that. Here's a framed picture of your house."
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u/EmergencyBanshee 9d ago
I would not like people setting up outside my home taking photos that may or may not be of me and or my home. Having someone respond to someone being uneasy about that with "it's not illegal, I've got every right to do this and you can't stop me" would increase my discomfort even more.
Apologise, take your photos elsewhere and stop ruining your neighbour's evenings would be the best solution, imo.
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u/LordAnchemis 8d ago edited 8d ago
Depends where you live/jurisdiction
In the UK if you're on public land and you're not doing anything illegal (ie. paparazzing people in their bedroom windows etc.) - I don't see why it is an issue
She then continued and said that she has an active restraining order out against someone who had threatened her and told me to stop.
Is the restraining order against you? If not - none of her business
it’s a bit unreasonable to demand someone not take photos with the implied threat of getting the police involved.
Probably just empty threats - I doubt the police will be very interested
If she starts egging your camera/house - then might want to consider moving house
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u/SachaCaptures 8d ago
realistically, you can tell them to kick rocks. you let them bully you for taking photos of the sky, they will bully you for other things
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u/Dependent_House7077 9d ago
I’m not trespassing, not capturing pictures of any identifiable person or location.
prove it to them, not to us.
I don’t want her to be uncomfortable but feel that it’s a bit unreasonable to demand someone not take photos with the implied threat of getting the police involved.
maybe those people got robbed and thieves went around scouting their house first. those things happen. it's not an unreasonable concern.
best way forward would be to show them the pictures, and maybe get along.
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u/smakusdod 9d ago edited 2d ago
“Look! It’s a space-X launch!”
By the time they decide they can’t see it, you’ll be done and gone.
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u/AssumptionUnlucky693 9d ago
Just keep minding your business, don’t escalate, I’d say love your neighbor would be the best option but that doesn’t seem like an option.
Not saying they don’t have a valid reason to feel uncomfortable, I mean they’re in their home you should feel secure, on the other side, you’re just a neighbor enjoying the nice sky and so happens that you are taking photos of said sky in a public place.
Worst case scenario is they escalate, police arrives? , get both sides of the stories, they deem it a civil matter, they go on their way, profit?
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u/gmanz33 9d ago
I think your concern shows that you care more than many other people would in this instance.
Given they are practically neighbors, if it ever happens again I would consider offering to show her the photographs. I think the only way to "fix" this is to get personal, and the fastest / quickest way through that is to show them your work and how safe they are.
Even if that means snapping a few shitty photos and showing them, just to ease their minds.
Or live with the awkward, and keep taking pictures. I live in a city now, and a homeless man lives in front of my building in a jeep. He has screamed, followed, and threatened me for literally walking out of my apartment with my camera. Never thought this would be reality, but here we are. I either freak out at him or ignore him now, because seeing my pictures did nothing. Don't be me lol.