169: Children

Whoops! I'm so caught up in World Cup fever I forgot to post something yesterday. In return, you get two pictures. These were children on the streets in Baja California. Their mothers were asking for change, and also getting their kids to beg as well. My dad's wife always has some change and a few singles for the children, so I would snap a few shots of the children.

RANT ON

I got berated by some random guy while in Baja. I was taking some candids of the children, and was reviewing the pictures, and a guy came up to me. He said something along the lines of - you're gonna give those kids your taking pictures of some money, RIGHT? I was doing candids, and the kids, once you gave them money, would tend to pose for you which for that particular shot wasn't what I wanted. What bugged me the most about it was his tone. It was incredibly condescending. I understand that a lot of people new to the area/photographing unerpriveleged kids might not know about the unspoken etiquette of giving someone a bit of money in return for taking the picture, but geez, DO IT IN A NICE WAY. I really wanted to slap the guy, but I figured it wasn't in my best interest to do so. And anyways, if he'd bother to open his eyes, he would have seen that someone in my group WAS giving the kids money as he was berating me.
And FWIW I do know that giving a little bit of money to kids/homeless people/street muscians, etc. in exchange for taking their picture is common practice. Sheesh, I felt bad for taking a picture of some buskers once when all I had on me has a big bill. I still look for them so I can drop them so change next time I see them. I just found his tone so presumptuous and superior, it really irked me. Maybe next time I'll take his picture and give him some change.

RANT OFF

It's amazing how much those of us in first world countries take everything we have for granted.