[Leica] Photojournalists and permission

[datamaster at northcoastphotos.com (Gary Todoroff)]

A couple years ago, the local Coast Guard group commander asked me to take
photographs of Admiral Collins (now the CG Commandant) who was coming to
Eureka for a visit. After a couple of hours of tours and photos, we were
walking down to the dock a few steps behind the admiral. The group CO asked
me how I was enjoying giving "orders" that day. "Orders?" I asked. "Well,"
he laughed, "you're telling the admiral to 'stand here,' 'hold that.' As far
as I can see, you're the only one giving any order today!"

What I discovered that day  was "positional authority". A sailor at a Navy
training station defined it more precisely when he described how he trained
officers in survival techniques - they obeyed him, an enlisted man, in order
to complete the training. For that specific situation, he had "positional
authority".  We photographers use it all the time, and if we are friendly
about it, don't take that temporary position too seriously or for too long,
then most people grant us the "authority" for the snap of a shutter. If you
can actually be *funny* for them at the same time, people will grant you all
kinds of authority as long as they are being entertained.

Taking that "positional authority" attitude into candid photography
("street" photography always makes me think of boring shots of asphalt) is
certainly not all there is to the discussion, but it is a frame of mind that
subtly applies to getting the permission, verbal or not, to shoot.

Gary Todoroff
(Tree LUGger)


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