People of the Eye

Okay, I’msetting the date back a bit so you won’t see this as my most recent entry, because I don’t think it’s really important, but I just need to get this off my chest.

 I AM SO SICK OF PEOPLE WITH NO RESPECT FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS!!!

Yesterday, I left Gallaudet for a short time to shower, eat and get changed. I recieved a page from a friend informing me that people were being arrested, so of course, I grabbed my camera and ran over. It was a mob scene, and I knew I needed to get to the front, so I politely asked people to please move so I could wriggle through to the front and get the pictures I needed. Obviously, with an average of 5 thousand hits a day for the last few days, I knew the world was watching. Most of the people who knew me were very cooperative and generous, allowing me to sneak through to get the fabulous shots you saw in my site. However, a few VERY RUDE people made my life hell for a few minutes, complaining that I had no manners for coming in the front, and trying to make me get out of the spot I was in.

They tried to make me kneel on the ground, even though I explained that I had broken my leg the previous summer (in over 30 places, with pins and rods in permanently) and had limited mobility. One boy actually said, “I’m a football player. Stop being a wimp and get the fuck out. Go to the back.” He wouldn’t stop harassing me, shoved me more than once, and blocked my shots. I had to have a friend stand between him and me, and the fury on his face was sickening. I truly believe he would have grabbed my camera and thrown it to the ground if my friends had not been around me.

I held my ground. The photos were more important than their being able to see, in all honesty. People from around the world are visiting my site, and I feel that thousands of people seeing a picture is much more effective than one asshole at the front lines seeing the live action. I thank Anbo and April Bottoms, Mez Malzkuhn, and of course, Muck, for helping me get a good vantage point. To those assholes who gave me hell and blocked my view: FUCK YOU. You ruined several pictures of Tim Rarus for your selfishness.

I was livid then, and still am now. As Jesse Thomas admonished those people yelling at me, “We are in this together.” Damn right. As a photographer, I plead those people to see the light and next time a photog wants to get in front of you, LET THEM. They probably will get a better picture with their zoom and image stablilizers than you would ever be able to see with your mere eyes. I ask you, even if you’re fuming and feel that we are rude and brusque, please respect us. We are trying to do a job, and I know that many of us are lacking sleep- myself included. I went to bed at 6 am after working for hours to get the pictures up on the site, and got up by 9 am and have been working all day.

Also, those opportunistic photographers who have *just* joined in, please respect those of us who have been there since day one. Dick Moore, Muck and I have spent many, many hours at Gallaudet, and we deserve the shot more than you do. So don’t block our shots or get in front of us. It really made me mad to have several wonderful pictures ruined by your goddamn heads or little pocket cameras. We have the equipment, the experience, and have spent the time. Thank you for taking pictures, yes. We can use all the images we can get, but DO NOT BLOCK OUR SHOTS.

Thanks for reading this little rant.

Shalom.