it's a tad comedic that after going through the chaos yesterday at high park, i only got a couple of good shots of the cherry blossoms and i'm not entirely happy with them. i have other shots that were better but not of the cherry blossoms. this morning on our drive after breakfast, we detoured to some park that had a couple of those trees and they were a lot more spectacular. so i started to shoot.
there was an elderly couple sitting on a bench nearby with their dogs. the dogs kept barking at me but i mostly ignored them seeing they were on a leash. the woman came to me and asked me, in a rather condescending way, what i was doing. if i wasn't brought up well by my mother, i'd have told her i was ballroom dancing. but because i am a nice person, i told her i'm taking a picture of the blossoms. her reply was "i could see that". so i just smiled. she told me i'm trespassing. so i looked at her straight in the eye.
"madam," i said, "this is a public park, isn't it?"
"that's not the point," she said.
"what's the point then? i'm on the sidewalk, which is a public place; i am taking a photo of the tree as you can see my lens is not directed anywhere else; the tree is in a public park and i'm not even touching the tree. so what's the problem then."
she said something like i could be a thief casing the neighbourhood, to which i replied that if i was, would i be showing my face to her and getting into this conversation? and i ended it with "now, if you would please excuse me, i got a tree to photograph." she started to walk towards her husband who had walked away with their dogs. she kept muttering something i didn't care to try and understand. but whilst she was walking away she kept turning her head so i told her with a wave of my hand, "go on, dear, move along!" tee-hee!
then she went to a house where a middle-aged couple was tending their garden and probably complained to them about me. when i finished, i purposely passed by the couple and said hello to them and they were quite cordial.
thank you for your kind visits and comments; know that they are greatly appreciated.
happy mothers' day to all you mothers, mothers-to-be, mothers-in-law, pretend mothers, surrogate mothers, mother f....igures hahahaha! hope your families treated you and pampered you well today.
beautiful blossoms and loved the story - some people have nothing better to do - poor dear probably drives her neighbourhood crazy - or - maybe she is the one who will catch any thieves lol
Very public- I mean pretty! I always feel sorry for people with negative attitudes like that. What made them that way? They become a challenge to get to smile. Annie is right too- there are some that are not happy unless they have something to complain about. Just think- you made her day!
I am with Ann I'll bet you made her day, safety in numbers soon, we three will move them along nicely. I was well brought up too but don't you just wish sometimes not to have been? ;o)
Some folks will never be happy. She should be happy and thankful that she has such beautiful blossoms to look at, or maybe she is blind to the beauty around her.
Ya know...I get tired of ppl with nothing better to do in life than b*/@# at others! I'm glad you stood your ground and continued taking your photos.
Btw, You, too, can stop along Lake Michigan later this month. The windmill I photo'ed is in Holland, Michigan - Windmill Park (I think it's called). There's a lighthouse there (the red one I'm posting) about 10 mins away and there's another in St. Joseph, MI. Or, if you prefer, there's a lighthouse in Michigan City which is - insanely - in Indiana.
I wish I could think of things to say in these situations having had a big argument once with a guy who grabbed my camera and said I was not allowed to photograph. I said it was a public place and I know i can as I am a photographer! Do you know what he said? " You can't be a photographer with a camera like that"! I was so furious but John told him off while I pretended to take more photos of him and the girlfriend he was snogging! It was only pretend as he had mucked up all the settings on my camera! BTW. Beautiful creamy blossom!
Really beautiful shot of these flowers! I can see why you were attracted to them. I really applaud the way you handled the lady! I mean you had every right to be there taking pictures as much as they had the right to walk their barking dogs. Some people.
Beautiful blossoms spoiled by that nasty lady. I so dislike when things like that happen I find it hard to just let it go and it spoils my day. Sometime you wonder What's wrong with people.
Rather lovely shot if you do not mind me saying, seeing how you are not keen on it. The story had me in stitches, some people are just not meant to be happy or see others happy
Just incredible what we have to put up with to take a few humble photos!! I think the next time you go out to photograph in a public space you should be wearing your ballroom gown!
May 13th, 2015
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Btw, You, too, can stop along Lake Michigan later this month. The windmill I photo'ed is in Holland, Michigan - Windmill Park (I think it's called). There's a lighthouse there (the red one I'm posting) about 10 mins away and there's another in St. Joseph, MI. Or, if you prefer, there's a lighthouse in Michigan City which is - insanely - in Indiana.