So today there I was minding my own business shooting 45 Fremont in downtown San Francisco when all of a sudden a Shorenstein Company employee security guard decides to give me the finger in my photographs of the building. Next thing you know I get the typical hassle. Except normally when the guards come out all polite like and all this guy instead comes out middle finger a blazing and telling me that I'm not allowed to photograph the building from the public space.
He goes on to tell me how he doesn't like to have his photograph taken, etc. (hint, if you don't like your photograph taken, probably best not to come swaggering out of a public building middle finger a blazin', remember any old asshole can have a blog these days). And insists on telling me how if I want to photograph the building I'm going to need to get approval from building management. blah, blah, blah.
Well, this guy got off on the wrong foot with me in the first place so I politely inform him that despite his objections that I'm on public property and as such have every right to photograph whatever I want and if he'd like he can feel free to call the police and the three of us can have a conversation. Of course he asks me why I need to be such an asshole and I remind him that he was the one giving me the bird, etc. etc. All I am is a lowly photography hobbyist but that since he was being so nice and all that he could look forward to his photo being on the internet.
He asks me if I *really* want him to call the police. Again, I answer nicely, yes.
Click through for the rest of the story... thomashawk.com/2006/04/photographing-architecture-is-not....
superkicky, Mike_Knowles, since1968, and 112 other people added this photo to their favorites.
View 20 more comments
Tim McDonald 47 months ago | reply
I'm sick of these people with their anti-photography antics. I ain't lettin' this fucker into the lightbox.
-Voted 'delete6' (by the Delete Me Uncensored Group) using photoratr
kin0be 47 months ago | reply
I can totally appreciate the story (I remember reading this when you first posted it), but the shot itself is a bit meh.
delete
d'namur 47 months ago | reply
default #3
delete
jrfphotography 47 months ago | reply
vulgar and intimidating
Bo Jangles Hyde 47 months ago | reply
Nice
michael.paul 47 months ago | reply
I've seen that guy, if he still works there I will tell him he's a prick.
delete
napolifd 47 months ago | reply
I f I see that guy on the street I will get a friend from Naples Italy and WHACK HIM DEAD!!! He won't get any mercy being that my friend DOES NOT speak or understands English.
Greg Hayter 47 months ago | reply
haha this is great, even though it really isnt a save worthy picture.. well written story.
nickgassmann 47 months ago | reply
lol this was the image that got me to start following you on Flickr.
lipjin 47 months ago | reply
nice story. but he gave the finger. delete
--
Seen next to a fellow photo of the group "DeleteMe Uncensored: DMU Magazine launched yesterday!". (?)
WarzauWynn 46 months ago | reply
Hahaha, ƒ awesome
rparson@btinternet.com 46 months ago | reply
Hello,
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Is it possible for us to offer your photos to our subscribers to access our image library so they can create their videos, we will quote your details in the "Preferred Partners" page.
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UK
E: rparson@lelens.com
eyeisaminta 43 months ago | reply
i've been looking through photographs for hours... and this is the first extremely original photo i've seen
seriously dude... i'm impressed
judyboy 38 months ago | reply
All I can say is, "what a d*uchebag".... great job setting him straight in a calm fashion.
ninolo 37 months ago | reply
fantasti real life photo
Truthout.org 37 months ago | reply
Great pic, thanks for making it Creative Commons. We adapted it for an image on our non-profit news site, hope you like it:
www.flickr.com/photos/truthout/4664969220/in/photostream/
spdd081603 11 months ago | reply
Outstanding !!!!!
Bill in DC 11 months ago | reply
So, Thomas, what's it like out there 6 years later?
judyboy 10 months ago | reply
This still gives me the chuckles... what a d*ck!
Larry de PalmSpringsCA 4 months ago | reply
ONE hope he sees himself on the net soon and then he will see how foolish he was. But Bravo to you for catching moment. Gods in the Heaven only know why I love photos of humans shring the middle finger.