Taking photos in public

[Anonymous]

Summer tourist season is in full swing, and I'm curious to know what the consensus is on tourist photo etiquette. When you see people taking photos in public areas and blocking walking paths, or taking photos of famous landmarks in a crowded area, do you wait for them to take a photo before you pass by if you know you would be in their frame? If so, how long is reasonable to wait? Or if you are the one taking the photo, do you expect others to stop for you or not access certain areas behind you so you can have an unobstructed selfie of, for example, a statue in a park?

[Anonymous]

Always be polite and curious. Wait, go around. Whatever.

[Anonymous]

I think if you're blocking a walking path in a crowded area, you can't expect people to wait for you.

[Anonymous]

I can only think of one or two times in my whole life that I felt there wasn’t enough room to walk around someone trying to take a picture.

How is this like something that you are worrying about on a daily basis?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can only think of one or two times in my whole life that I felt there wasn’t enough room to walk around someone trying to take a picture.

How is this like something that you are worrying about on a daily basis?

Really, just twice in your life? I was just at the Met and encountered this about 5 times in a single hour. Lots of people were blocking indoor walking areas with group photo taking, and some exhibits were difficult to access because of it.

[Anonymous]

I do my best to not block their photo, but if it's very crowded, sometimes it's not always possible. Also, I try to avoid crowds as much as I can. No vacationing in highly touristed spots in the summer for me!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do my best to not block their photo, but if it's very crowded, sometimes it's not always possible. Also, I try to avoid crowds as much as I can. No vacationing in highly touristed spots in the summer for me!

I live in an area that gets lots of tourists. I avoid the tourist hot spots, but they're still everywhere at times. Some are better behaved than others.

[Anonymous]

I just don't go many places in DC during peak tourist season. Not worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Summer tourist season is in full swing, and I'm curious to know what the consensus is on tourist photo etiquette. When you see people taking photos in public areas and blocking walking paths, or taking photos of famous landmarks in a crowded area, do you wait for them to take a photo before you pass by if you know you would be in their frame? If so, how long is reasonable to wait? Or if you are the one taking the photo, do you expect others to stop for you or not access certain areas behind you so you can have an unobstructed selfie of, for example, a statue in a park?

Usually avoid those people. But yes a little polite behavior goes a long way. Offer to take pictures for them so everyone can be in the shot and get them to reciprocate so you don't have to do the silly one arm selfie thing.

[Anonymous]

I try to wait a reasonable moment before getting in the way of tourists taking a photo. If it is going on and on forever, I just duck through quickly.

Influencers aggressively hogging space to create content? I'm not going to be patient for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I try to wait a reasonable moment before getting in the way of tourists taking a photo. If it is going on and on forever, I just duck through quickly.

Influencers aggressively hogging space to create content? I'm not going to be patient for that.

I deliberately photobomb obvious influencers. Cherry Blossom season is rife with their crap. I make them do re-takes.

[Anonymous]

I have changed the way I take photos, and I don't like to take photos in crowded places as a tourist. Sure it's nice to have a big group photo, but otherwise I'd rather have a few nice candid shots than hurried posed photos in front of the colosseum, louvre, etc. I don't need a mediocre photo of myself standing in front of every major attraction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Summer tourist season is in full swing, and I'm curious to know what the consensus is on tourist photo etiquette. When you see people taking photos in public areas and blocking walking paths, or taking photos of famous landmarks in a crowded area, do you wait for them to take a photo before you pass by if you know you would be in their frame? If so, how long is reasonable to wait? Or if you are the one taking the photo, do you expect others to stop for you or not access certain areas behind you so you can have an unobstructed selfie of, for example, a statue in a park?

Are you in Barcelona? If yes, just stop taking so many damn photos.

[Anonymous]

I don't expect others to stop for me, nor do I stop for others beyond 1-2 seconds. A photo only takes a second or two.

I'm not waiting for you to finish your instagram photoshoot so you can get the perfect shot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Summer tourist season is in full swing, and I'm curious to know what the consensus is on tourist photo etiquette. When you see people taking photos in public areas and blocking walking paths, or taking photos of famous landmarks in a crowded area, do you wait for them to take a photo before you pass by if you know you would be in their frame? If so, how long is reasonable to wait? Or if you are the one taking the photo, do you expect others to stop for you or not access certain areas behind you so you can have an unobstructed selfie of, for example, a statue in a park?

I wait for them and I also offer to take photos of all of them. Good lord, patience and a little kindness cost you nothing!