 Roy Blinston |
Photographing Kids Your latest eNews displays a nice photo of a young boy playing Baseball. I live in Australia and the rules here are quite strict when photographing kids. For instance: (1) Even parents are not allowed to photograph or videotape their own kids in school plays or at school athletics; (2) Many Australian beaches do not allow cameras. Has all the media scares of pedofiles running amock changed our society forever? Not that long ago nobody would have batted an eyelid about these things. Let's face it, if you are walking around with a large SLR snapping away you are hardly doing it in secret. If someone nasty really wanted to get pics of kids then there are many surveillance cameras available that can now be concealed in very discreet locations (nobody would know). I just think it's all gone crazy. It would be interesting to hear what others think.
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Samuel Smith |
your right,and they will pass one thousand more laws tomorrow. so.can we do anything about it? how much money ya got roy? and yes I would say forever.it's the law?c'mon roy,were're being sold out because of legalities and the lawyers become elected officials and...make their own set of rules and their appointed officials enforce them. when government legislates morality?we all lose. get a grip roy.the lawmakers are making laws to protect them,not us. ya think they care that some are living below poverty level?ha. but they sure don't want their neighbor to have the right to own a gun. so roy,i am ashamed that our preamble says the right to keep and bear arms.or shoot a photo.might show them in a bad light. ya caught me off guard ,sam
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Brendan Knell |
Yes, I agree, it's a sad sad day, when we can't take photos, for fear of being thought of as pedophiles.
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anonymous |
Roy It is not illegal in Australia to photograph in a public place. You may be asked not to, but legally you have every right to.
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Irene Troy |
I spent 26 years working with children affected by trauma – many of them survivors of child abuse. I strongly feel that, as adults all of us have a responsibility to do whatever we can to ensure the safety of all children. As photographers - either pro or amateur – we need to act in a responsible manner when photographing children for any purpose. For example, no one should be taking pictures of a child without the permission of the parent/guardian. This should be basic, but I cringe every time I see someone with a camera wandering around a playground and talking to strange children. Sure, 99% of these people are simply stupid, not evil; but, why take that chance? I also get upset when I see adults approaching a strange child to ask directions, ask permission to take their picture or any other interaction. If we teach children not to talk to strangers (a dubious practice at best) then why do we, the adults, talk to strange children? Having spewed out all of this, let me also say that I think that banning or even restricting photography of children is very wrong headed. First, it does nothing to help children. Most countries already have laws forbidding the exploitation of children and most have laws forbidding the production, sharing and distribution of child porn, and we all know just how effective these laws are – not. Second, such laws are, IMHO, a legislative knee jerk reaction to the horrors of child sexual assault and exploitation. Whether it is in Australia, the United States or anyplace else in the world, we know that the overwhelming majority of child victims are victimized by someone in their own family or someone close to their family. If we are serious about stopping the epidemic of child sexual exploitation we need to look this ugly fact in the face and start dealing with this reality instead of trying to legislate away the lesser threat posed by mostly innocent photographers.
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Samuel Smith |
well goodnight irene, well put,see I still lack tact at town meetings.of course I can't vote I live out of town,but I still voice my opinion.sir would you kindly leave the building. it p's me off we aren't smart enough to regulate ourselves.ooh.. and irene yes,we have to safeguard THE children,all children.at all cost. yet I myself have been at a playground with my gear,it's next to the baseball field.i don't take pics because of what you mentioned. it is so sad,thanks for your comment irene,i could not have done your job without disposing of a few. and yes bob I read through this and this is my opinion.so I will hit the submit button. I can't,or don't want to,change me. sam
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Brendan Knell |
Don't get me wrong, protecting children should be our top priority(as much as I don't like it, I'm still a kid myself). But like Roy said, when you can't take photos of your own kids, that's when it's gone too far.
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Kerry L. Walker |
"If we teach children not to talk to strangers (a dubious practice at best) then why do we, the adults, talk to strange children?" Because I like kids. I hade 2 of my own and wish I had more. I never take photos of a kid without the parents' permission though.
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Irene Troy |
Hi Kerry – Of-course, you speak to strange children; we all do, its natural and, for the most part, a friendly and kind thing to do. That is one reason why I have always had serious objections to teaching children not to talk to strangers. It is, at best confusing and at worst, it can put children at risk. What I want every adult to understand is that it is our responsibility to act in a manner that helps to reinforce safe behavior on the part of children. This means that we do not ask young children directions; we do not ask them to approach our cars and we never offer them anything without first having them consult with their parent/caregiver. It does not mean being so afraid that we stop saying ‘hi’ to kids on the street, in the market or in a restaurant. This business of not being able to photograph your own or someone else’s children (with permission and knowledge of parents) is ridiculous and potentially dangerous. It’s a little like the sex offender registry: sure it’s a good idea to know who and where these people are; however, it is not the known offenders that I worry about the most – it’s the ones who have yet to be caught. I also think that we focus on the mysterious stranger; the member of NMBLA and other organizations; the shifty eyed guy in the back alley because we are afraid to focus attention on the real threats to kids – their own family members. Anyway, sorry for the lecture, I get a little hot on this particular topic. Irene
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Kerry L. Walker |
"I get a little hot on this particular topic." No problem here. In my opinion, child molesters are a bit lower than whale manure. I think Jessica's Law should be passed everywhere (25 to life for first offense.)
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Samuel Smith |
well ,i disagree.laws are in place.but yet offenders aren't punished.i think it boils down to ethics.or morality.no a vote isn't necessary. if a lawyer takes a client,who he knows is guilty,and for a certain fee,will do whatever to prove him not guilty,legalities or whatever,i become ashamed.what?? I had a little girl come over to me at the local convience store a few years back and ask me if she could talk to me while I was getting gas and I said,ok. your a referee she said.sometimes I am.people talk about you.yeah I know. she said,no I mean bad things. I said yes I know.but doesn't it bother you?not hardly,i'm a volunteer. she replied: that's not right! at 7 or 8 years old??i told her that if a person does the best they can at whatever,no one should question their ability.so after the frown on her face went away, she said; I don't care, I like you.ahhhh. irene,lecture away, I wish I had your way with this word thing.you overlook the blatant stupid,and rationalize so well.boy I gotta way to go.ya know,you say there's an answer here and I say your stupid.not you irene.overall. ok; subjective; don't pull in my driveway and honk for my daughter,this is not a drive-thru? once you jerk the first one out of their car, word travels fast.works pretty good! pole or no pole,sam
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Mark Feldstein |
To sort of paraphrase Brandon: "...it's a sad sad day, when we can't take photos, for fear of being thought of as pedophiles" or paparazzi, or spies or terrorists, or threats to national U.S. security. For once I agree with Roy. The world has gone crazy and I'm a believer that nowadays, we sense and often react to everyone elses anxieties, apprehension and fears. Take it light gang.
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Brendan Knell |
"That is one reason why I have always had serious objections to teaching children not to talk to strangers. It is, at best confusing and at worst, it can put children at risk." That just reminded me of something. A young boy(Brennan Hakins, you might have heard about it), had gotten lost up in the mountains, about a year ago. It was about a week before they found him. But when they did, he had said that he had heard the searchers calling for him, but he had hidden from them because he had been taught not to talk to strangers. Mark, yes all those other things too!
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