[Leica] Photographers and privacy - a tale from the 1970s

["Doug Richardson" <doug@meditor.demon.co.uk>]

All this talk about how close a photographer can get to you without
violating your privacy reminds me of one of my first trips to Paris in
the late 1970s.

There I was was trotting along the street feeling full of good food,
vin ordinaire and good cheer, when my astonished eyes sighted a
genuine cast-iron vespasian - aka a pissoir.  Now, for the benefit of
those who have never seen one of these relics of yesteryear, this
unique French contribution to public sanitation is for the use of the
male sex only, and provides only a modest degree of screening to
gentlemen who require its services.

The chance to say I'd used one was too good to miss. In I went, and
set about my business. Even as I heard the tinkling sound of
second-hand vin ordinaire striking the metal, I also heard the sound
of the mass release of camera shutters plus the noise of multiple 8mm
cine cameras.

Looking in the direction of this barrage of photographic activity, I
discovered that the facility I was using was overlooked by a higher
location, and that I could see an impressive number of camera lenses
pointed in my direction. Waiting for the unsuspecting victim was
obviously a well-known activity for coach-loads of camera-wielding
tourists. I was doomed to feature in dozens of holiday slide shows and
film shows that winter!

Regards,

Doug Richardson