It's kinda wierd to me asking folks if I can take their picture. Some folks don't care, some get kinda defensive, some others down right wierd. This picture is a fine example. I have always loved this old building near my house. So one Saturday AM, I decided to go and shoot it. Well I must have taken 20 pictures from every concievable angle and distance. I NEVER noticed the guy on the bench. Well, he was dressed up in a suit and was I guess kinda distiguished looking. I figured he was waiting on the bus, it being about 7:30 or 8:00 in the morning at this time. Well I went up to him to ask him if I could get a closer picture of him sitting there, thinking I could get a great angle and setting with him all dressed up with the old building as a contrast....i went up to him and introduced myself and told him what I was wanting to do..... Well it turned out this guy was DRUNK on his ass! He started telling me I had to pay him to be in the picture and going on about he needed money.... needless to say, I didn't get the shot I really wanted, I kinda kept my distance from then on... So you see boys and girls, things aren't always as they seem, so just be careful who you walk up to.... Jack

dont ask till they pull out the Uzi... lol

Ah, yes - this is one subject that never fails to pop up every couple of months, and it's one of those fun ones!! Permission or not? hmmm - depends where you are, as any Frenchman would attest....tee hee I've started working on it in my own way - it's the eyes. If they look confused, scared, nonchalent - I snap. If they look aggravated / annoyed / murderous I pan to the left, pan as if I'm following something in the sky/road/water and click as I pass them......tee hee..... either that, or just click quickly, lower the camera with a very "bored photographer who's just had another shot spoiled" look on my face. That one works best. (",)

Ack! the issues i'm having to confront right now..it would surely make all of you laugh incredibly hard seeing me out in the field in my many modes of observation. I've been known to chase for blocks in hopes of capturing that magic which happens not nearly enough, but still quite often.

My advice Jack would be to have no doubt and to take the picture whenever-wherever-and as-soon-as you see it . Often i can get the first shot or two in before they even know i'm there... Regret sucks! so i try to avoid it.
Gosh jordy, sounds like you and i have a few things in common. My fav is to pretend im just making adjustments to my camera and to seem entirely disinterested in them. It's cruel, i know. But it's definitely the most effective. I've fooled many a mullet! At least 6 today, in fact...8)

8(

maybe it's just that I've got a few years (ok more than a few)but Eartho, this last guy/gal/person is just scary looking LOL! Jack

Here's a short comment (a friend of mine sent this to me) from the website of a professional American photojournalist named Rob Miracle... Model Releases/Permission Another common question comes up is the question of what permission do I need to take or publish a photograph. Rules vary by country, but in the United States, as a rule of thumb, if you are taking a photograph for editorial purposes, such as for a news paper, or to document a story, you do not need releases. However, if the image is going to be used in an advertisement, you have to have a signed release by everyone identifiable in the photograph. Thus if you shoot the beginning of the Boston Marathon and you get the opportunity to sell the shot to Nike for a shoe ad, every runner you can see in the photo has to sign a release. The release for children is similar to the one for adults, but it written so that an adult can sign for the child. Any private property in the photograph must also be released for commercial work. On the bright side, we are journalists, and 99% of what we shoot does not need a release.

thanks for the info starshuffler! it took me years to track down all the folks in the marathon shot...LOL Jack

Hey, no prob, Jack. ;-)

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=166377&Start=19&Artist=eartho&ByArtist=Yes

Yup, we raise em tough up here in Oregon!

you can see a friend of hers at the link...

Be brave, Jack

I bet they have fun going through the metal detectors at the airport... Jack