Etiquette for taking a stranger's picture

[cobright]

This question can be read a few different ways, some a little creepier than others.

First off, when you see two people (obviously a couple or at least there together) trading the camera back and forth do you offer to take a shot of them together for them?

Next up, If you see someone who really digs where they're at but there is no photo-pass person around, have you ever offered to snap a pic and email it to them? Or borrow the SD card out of their PnS? Have you ever been asked to do so? This happened to me at Epcot in front of Alice's MnG, a family that really was in to AiW had no way to memorialize the meeting properly.

Last, have you ever seen someone else doing something blasted adorable or awesome or crazy and go all 'shoot first ask questions later'? I know it's creepy-uncle territory to take a pic of someone else's kid but I clicked a shot of this kid and Rapunzel playing with bubbles (blown by ... someone somewhere) and got a shot of the two of them noses about a foot apart with a 3" bubble right between their noses; and another a moment later with the bubble bursting. It was a once in a life time shot that I saw happening like in slow motion. I showed the kids mum and she was totally cool and I emailed it to her and the town hall PP guy was pretty impressed with the shot. And then I felt really weird for like the next 5 minutes.

 

[cisobe]

Lol, I've offered to take other peoples picture if I see them struggling to take pictures of them selves or taking pictures one at a time. Its a common thing, most of the time they will reciprocate, and take ours. Lol, one time some guy assumed this guy offered to take our picture and then proceeded to try to get some other random Asian person in our picture who wasn't even with us (we're Asian too), that was kind of awkward.

Regarding taking pictures of other peoples kids. That is a very touchy area because yes some people are OK but some people are crazy protective of their kids and may go ballistic. Yes they are in a public area, but they may, as you said think you are being creepy.

Regarding taking someone else's picture with my camera, this typically only happens with friends. However I did upload a lot of group and individual pictures of our tour group when we went to Europe. However, if someone asked me to I would probably do it, i just got an eye-fi sd card for my second card slot in my camera which lets me transfer pictures from my dslr to my phone, its really easy now to snap a picture and email it off.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Oh geez - I just recalled I had said I'd try and send a few pictures to a couple! Now I wonder if I can find their info......or at least I don't think I had emailed them. Oh geez......

So - yes, I will offer to take a picture or often am asked by people to take pictures with their cameras. Obviously it's far better for the people when I use their camera than when I use mine!

 

[MolonLabe]

1- I do sometimes ask if they'd like me to take their pic, with their camera.

2- a- No, I wouldn't use their SD card in my camera.
b- No, unless they were really cool and their was some sort of cool connection we made while waiting in a line for a long time. To quote Sweet Brown "ain't got no time for that!"

3- Hmmmm... Perhaps, in the situation you describe I may very well have snapped a few shots. Maybe even offered to email a pic, something that like is pretty unique.

I've never experienced anything quite like that though. Not with a strangers child/family anyway, lol.

 

[cobright]

For the third scenario I should say, I'm not in that habit either. What I do do is sometimes snap some candid shots if the character between guests before and after we meet them. Usually close ups on facial expressions and not usually anyone else in the frame. This particular time I was intending to just get Rap playing with a soap bubble.

That said, the conversation with the mum was really awkward. Like, "hey, excuse me I uh... I have a really great photo of your little girl. "

 

[mom2rtk]

I routinely offer to take pictures of others with their cameras. I do find myself doing this less and less now that so many are using their phones instead of cameras. I fail miserable on phones since my hands are too unsteady and I can't hold it still. I do sometimes offer to let my 13 year old daughter take their photo since she is much better at it than I am.

Tough call on the other situation. I had a creepy situation once where we were at the princess meet & greet at DL and the dad from the group ahead of us stayed to take pictures of my daughter with Aurora. He actually got under foot and interfered with our character meet. I was very annoyed and had to sort of nudge him out of the way. Oops..... was that my elbow? Yes, it was a public place (although quite secluded in that setup) so technically I didn't have a leg to stand on. But I found it quite creepy and just don't know what he was thinking.

Other times, I have had CMs ask me if such and such person was with our party, and when I told them no, they sort of step in front of that person's camera. Yes, I know at Disney you will end up being in lots of other people's photos. And yes, I know Disney is a public place with no expectation of privacy. But I do still find it a little creepy to make someone else's kid a close-up subject of your photo.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

First off, when you see two people (obviously a couple or at least there together) trading the camera back and forth do you offer to take a shot of them together for them?

- Yes, just about always.

Next up, If you see someone who really digs where they're at but there is no photo-pass person around, have you ever offered to snap a pic and email it to them? Or borrow the SD card out of their PnS? Have you ever been asked to do so? This happened to me at Epcot in front of Alice's MnG, a family that really was in to AiW had no way to memorialize the meeting properly.

- A) Yes, I've done it a lot, and rarely I've asked someone to do it for me. This year I forgot my camera bag at my son's first-ever high school baseball game. As he was pitching I noticed a dad from the other team with a dSLR taking pics so I ran over and asked him if he'd mind taking a couple of my son for me. I gave him my email address but wasn't super hopeful I'd ever see them. Lo and behold, a great picture showed up the next day! So I'll keep doing it for other people because I know how happy I was to get that one.

- B) No, I've never asked to borrow a card, and that, I wouldn't do. I'd be content to use my phone in that case. I have lent out a card before, in a situation where someone was bummed theirs was full, and I never got it back, so I wouldn't jump into that one again.

Last, have you ever seen someone else doing something blasted adorable or awesome or crazy and go all 'shoot first ask questions later'? I know it's creepy-uncle territory to take a pic of someone else's kid but I clicked a shot of this kid and Rapunzel playing with bubbles (blown by ... someone somewhere) and got a shot of the two of them noses about a foot apart with a 3" bubble right between their noses; and another a moment later with the bubble bursting. It was a once in a life time shot that I saw happening like in slow motion. I showed the kids mum and she was totally cool and I emailed it to her and the town hall PP guy was pretty impressed with the shot. And then I felt really weird for like the next 5 minutes.

- I have, but it depends on the circumstances. I am mindful of people feeling weird about it, and I never want to make anyone uncomfortable, so I'd limit it to rarely.

 

[MICKEY88]

This question can be read a few different ways, some a little creepier than others.

1.First off, when you see two people (obviously a couple or at least there together) trading the camera back and forth do you offer to take a shot of them together for them?

2.A. If you see someone who really digs where they're at but there is no photo-pass person around, have you ever offered to snap a pic and email it to them? B. Or borrow the SD card out of their PnS? Have you ever been asked to do so? This happened to me at Epcot in front of Alice's MnG, a family that really was in to AiW had no way to memorialize the meeting properly.

3.Last, have you ever seen someone else doing something blasted adorable or awesome or crazy and go all 'shoot first ask questions later'? I know it's creepy-uncle territory to take a pic of someone else's kid but I clicked a shot of this kid and Rapunzel playing with bubbles (blown by ... someone somewhere) and got a shot of the two of them noses about a foot apart with a 3" bubble right between their noses; and another a moment later with the bubble bursting. It was a once in a life time shot that I saw happening like in slow motion. I showed the kids mum and she was totally cool and I emailed it to her and the town hall PP guy was pretty impressed with the shot. And then I felt really weird for like the next 5 minutes.

1 Always Disney or not.
2. A. yes I have taken pics for people, but rather than getting their email, I give them one of my business cards and ask them to email me.
B.memory cards should always be formatted the first time they are put in a camera, by using in multiple cameras without formatting, you risk corrupting the card.
3. I've done this many times.i take the photo, then walk up to the people, hand them one of my cards, and explain that I just took some pics they will probably like, and if they email me I will give them the digital file to do with as they please. I have never received a negative reaction.

 

[mamaCta]

I did stop to offer to take pictures of families on occasions where I was walking directly by them. I only ever used their camera.

I have a hard enough time trying to get the shots I want of my own kids, I am not looking for other kids to take pictures of.

 

[havoc315]

"Street photographers" take pictures of strangers (without consent) regularly, as an expression of their art.
Obviously, there are some people who might be uncomfortable having their picture taken by a stranger.
While I may personally occasionally snap a picture of strangers.... occasionally testing my own street photography skills... Personally, I think it is creepy to take pictures of someone else's children.

 

[OKW Lover]

I'll often offer to take pictures of a couple/family who are obviously swapping off the camera. I like to joke that I found it a great way to get a new camera, then snap the shot when they laugh.