Take My Picture, Please

I’ve been having a little bit of fun at PhotoCamp with a couple of photos of someone photobombing me just to say he was in a photograph made by me. I found him in two photos accomplishing the goal.

One of the challenges I encounter is people wanting me to make their photos. Usually, they aren’t doing anything newsworthy or photographically interesting.

When I worked at the Ft. Lauderdale News in the late 70’s it was common to have the demand “Take my picture!” I gave up explaining that to be published in the newspaper it required more than a photo while standing on a street corner or posing with your best friend in a park.

Eventually, I surrendered to the requests and immediately made the photos. No explanation needed.

Often the subjects would ask which television station their photo would be seen on. I also stopped explaining that I worked for the newspaper, not a tv station, and I couldn’t be sure an editor would choose the photo I’d just made for publication.

I finally fabricated a response telling them it would be on the next news broadcast for the Miami CBS affiliate. They should watch the show and if they didn’t see the photo they should call the news desk and complain, loudly. I even gave them the phone number.

I’m not sure if anyone ever did complain but I enjoyed imagining the conversation.

I’m going to return to the policy of immediately making a photo of whoever asks me to. No explanations and no questions. None of the originals were ever published. All of the new ones will be published. Here.

The Photo Gallery of Recent “Take My Picture!”

My Final Photo News is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my photography and commentary, become a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe to The Westerville News and PhotoCamp Daily. My Final Photo News also recommends Civic Capacity and Into the Morning by Krista Steele.