“I want you to delete that photo, now!”

On a recent photo walk a man came running at one of the participants. “I want you to delete that photo, now!”

Fire in his eyes, from behind his glasses. We were in a public space and the participant had been around the block. “I am deleting nothing at all.” Within three seconds it had become a matter of principle.

Your attitude makes or breaks the conversation, but the attitude of the person you photographed can have an enormous influence on how it goes as well. It is your job to stay calm.

Long story short: the man called the emergency number. That is not what it is for, but the photographer was kindly asked whether he would like to delete the photo or whether a car should be sent round. I heard a heartfelt and entirely reasonable: “I will wait and see that car turn up.” I would have found it interesting, but of course we never saw the police; they are too busy for trifles like this. And of course the man, who was not recognisable in the frame in any case, eventually chose the safer option.

I am certain that if the man had said in a friendly way, “Look, I would rather not be photographed,” the photo would have been deleted within that same minute.

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