That Ahhh Haa moment

I get it... I am new, and have worked very!!!! hard to set up my .... " area" / stand/ gig whatever. only to have someone come in and take pics and video of me painting. I feel so foolish not to have gotten names, I just made small talk.

Weird story! Why would anyone do that, while saying they are an artist themselves and not explaining why they are taking pictures???

Dear A New Face:
I am overly sensitive to people unrelated to the child in my chair taking pictures of them or my work.
Do you feel that this was another face painter enjoying your set up? Or did you regret not getting their contact info because then you would have had some pictures of your set up?

xoxo

Wierdly enough this happened to me on one of my first jobs? She was getting group shots of people I painted and got painted herself. I had a wierded out feeling but said nothing then. I was there for 2 days when on the second day a parent tipped me off about her being the painter i replaced or somthing like that .I had been nice but when I found out, I did end up confronting her and she left.

But I have learned also Photographers love taking photos of quirky stuff I have been at partys and had them take angled shots of my kit, Brushes etc If its a professional photographer - I let them play.

I have been videoed too, and I make a point of positioning myself between the camera and client. And Painting with my crazy on e.g. doing all Linework with a long liner, or Dagger. and I tend to go with either step it up or dumb it down. videos make me very uncomfortable.

If they are another painter with ethics and they will often tell you if they are a painter, but don't be afraid to ask who and why. As if they are a nice person with some morality, they will tell you. If thats the case have a chat, get a card,catch up later, and make a new friend and network.

I suggest when people are taking photos, unrelated to the child ask them why? They can just be the guy/girl sent out by the organiser/owner with a camera. Their son daughter or husband relative. You can often get better pics working together for there promotional purposes. E.g. This is what happened at our last family day, for there website.

Ask why they are taking photos, If they have reason they will tell you. If they are not part of the event in anyway, ask them not too. tell them it interferes with what you are doing and simply state you do not consent to any photos being used of you in any way. Then really they have no good reason to continue doing it. Have the conversation in front of the parant, well loud enough for them to hear - parents are protective of there children. One of them will bite.

If you don't have time to deal, or they are in the distance label your sponge bag or something. Mine says Sue Judd face painting and plonk it smack bang in the middle of your kit mid job. As It basically will label your kit. Pass painted child to parent, don't move out of the way for photo, Use your body to block while painting.

It takes time to build the confidence to do this but do it with a nice non confrontational chit chat voice and it should come easyier. Hope it helps you.

Some times de patrons of the event like to take pictures o record, specially our tents as we get a lot of costumers they can say their event was a success just taking pics of us, I got a lot of pictures taken even I got in a calendar, the bad side was my helper who always got the front picture.

I've had people twice come to my booth and attempt to take close up pics of my menu board pics. Thanks to the great advice on here, I was watchful, and told them they did not have permission and why. (I either have parental consent for my own use, or the photo is of my own face)
The second time, the photographer got snippy with me and said, "It's free advertisement!" To which I replied, "Feel free to take I tires of my booth from a distance." She just left.
Listen to your gut. If you feel like something is off, tell them you don't feel comfortable.
The only other time I have been photographed while working, it was a newspaper reporter. That photog was obviously doing her job, and I hammed it up. Fun stuff.

I don't mean to be unsympathetic, but in most cases, people do have the right to photograph you (or your children) without your permission. Unless you are in a place where you have an expectation of privacy (like your own home, in a dressing room, etc.), they can snap away. A private venue can limit photography within that venue. So can schools and the government. But as of right now, no states have a law against photographing individuals without permission.

This is a bigger issue than just face painting. I'm sure anyone with a teenage daughter has read about the dirty old man sites where they post photos and make sexual comments about young girls.