Why might someone take a picture of you in public?

This person who I refer to was not FULLY a stranger, but for the most part. I was in a grocery store few years ago when a guy I used to see at a bar sometimes walked in. He stopped shot when he saw me, in the front of the store. I am pretty sure he recognized me, but we don't really 'know' each other. I believe he is married, which sucks b/c I always thought he was quite attractive. So a few more minutes after walking around in the store, I turned my head to look behind me, to see if I still saw him, (in the store) and he was not too far behind, and was taking a pic of me. I just turned around quickly to my front again and kept walking. I didn't say anything but always wondered why someone would snap a pic randomly. Perhaps he wanted to trigger his memory b/c he may have recognized me? He always seemed very kind and WAS kind to me at the bar in the past, (even offered to help me once when a drunk guy was near me) so I don't believe it was for any pervy type reason, to take the pic. I still wonder though now a few years later.

This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »

SW-User

I love photography. There are moments I have seen I would love to take a photograph, candid, but my respect says, no. That is also me, though, I'm private in nature, so I extend that respect if I don't want mine taking without permission, I don't take of others.

You got me thinking of something that happened to me years ago. It's far off-topic in a certain kind of way yet on topic in another way. There I was when I was going through photography school and needing to capture photographs. You learn to look at scale, context, and more..... visually,

So there I was walking under a train bridge that fascinated me. I liked the rain from yesterday dripping down from the tracks above. To give (human) scale, I saw two women walking who had to be 200' away from me. So they were not a feature on my photograph, other than offering scale, and human context. I could see they were Muslim. I knew the Muslim custom, you don't photograph Muslim women, as a stranger.

I was surprised, as I thought myself clear of boundaries, being so far away (200+ feet)..... They were polite about it, asking me to delete the photograph. I would have, but it was a film camera. I remained silent about that part as I was not wanting to say I couldn't.

There could be many reasons why one might photograph you in public. But if they were this close to you when taking the photograph, they should have asked you for permission.