Elan Mudrow
Smidgens
Fishing
The fireman walks down to the dock, where the fisherman adjusts his line every few minutes. I see the fireman asking the fisherman questions. The fireman seems concerned, looking towards me as he talks.
You see, I’ve been taking photos of the firehouse, the river, the station’s flag, the freeway, a freeway bridge nestled right above the firehouse. I understand the fireman’s concern.
Also, I’ve been taking photos of the fisherman.
When I was taking pictures of him, I tell the fisherman, “I do art.” Just in case I use his image. He is cool about the whole thing. Maybe it’s fishing. Helps him. Calms things.
Fishing: The act, occupation, or diversion of catching fish.
I know nothing about fishing. Well, maybe a little. I mean I had a fishing pole as a kid, lead weights, salmon eggs in a jar, a few hooks, a green spool of line, plastic bobbers, red and white. I think I caught a carp once.
No one ever wondered what I was doing or for what reason I was doing it. Back then, I mean, when I was fishing.
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Elan Mudrow 
People see someone with a camera, and the possible reasons which come to mind are not as innocent as they used to be.
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I liked that last line… “No one ever wondered what I was doing or for what reason I was doing it. Back then, I mean, …” I caught multiple meanings.
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Ahhh!!
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the looks I get shooting manhattan and things like the verrazanno bridge, I mean I get it but it is not like these things are not public/public records
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My daddy and I went fishing a couple of times when I was a girl only caught a perch I remember. The time we spent was memories and life.
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Great post. It does get you thinking though 🤔 an innocent snap can be taken in so many ways especially in this day and age. How different the world is through our younger eyes to how we interpret as adults. If that makes sense. I was the big sister to two little brothers. They got these little plastic type fishing poles, I wanted one but was told by my dad it’s not for girls 😂 I think that’s why I definitely grew up being more of a tomboy, taking jam jars from the kitchen so I could catch tadpoles. Oh the innocence back in them days 🙂
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I once took photos of the public library in the city centre – where I used to live. I was doing an assignment for a course. I walked right round the building trying to find interesting angles, or at least different ones, also to ‘see’ the place where I used to spend quite a bit of time better or differently. Across the road from the library was, or is, the headquarters of the leading political party of the day. I later realised they were watching me very closely to see what I was up to, had questions asked about me and so forth.
Yes, people are and perhaps should be very guarded of having photos taken of them – this now on an interpersonal level. Some people lost track of their drone while visiting a tourist spot close to where I lived. There GPS-thingey brought them to my garden. I had a mouthful about my personal privacy being compromised by thoughtlessness. With the prolific abuse of people’s identities on the internet it’s probably right to be cautious.
When you were little it wasn’t so bad as it is now, besides the fact you were a kid and was taken lightly.
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great story, maybe the fisherman is ok with it because you may just get the hoped for fish on record.
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Yes, Jazz. You’ve hit upon something. Thanks so much!
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Ahhh … all photographers are fishing! For just the right angle, just the right light, an opening to new interpretations … I guess we do need to heed sensitivities of others pulled into our “net”. Usually I ask permission, even if aiming at a wild animal or my own cat … more attentive to response when the sought is human. Humans have a unique need to guard identity.
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A few years ago, I gave my very young daughter an old digital camera to play with. She took it out one day when we went on a hike. She was merrily clicking away at anything and everything, catching a passing jogger in the process. The jogger threw up her hands and snapped that I should teach my daughter not to take pictures of people. I was so stunned I laughed at her. I forgot to check later whether my daughter did actually manage to steal the jogger’s soul and capture her image. Though I suspect I would have seen a blurry photo of a knee instead.
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Everyone is very paranoid these days about photographers…be careful out there…one photographer was attacked by a couple for taking their photo..
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Cameras do seem to make some people nervous these days.
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