angel_lemarchand

At edam: 'This thread is remarkably sensible for this forum. Reasoned and realistic posting. What's happening?!" ***************** actually, this is my first time posting on this site ever, and I'm finding myself facing passive aggressive behavior and being trolled, which is a shame as I was only trying to help people. So this new experience has been a bit unpleasant. Thank you to the kind people who have shown sympathy and support, but I will be closing my account after this last comment. Some people need to find a more constructive pastime. How very sad. It's no wander we live in the stressful world that we live in... and my faith in humanity, which already is rather faint, is fading even more quickly... PS Hurray for dogs!

at Loz: so I take it that I am talking to a professional photographer then? I do not have time for passive aggressive behavior I'm afraid. ********* Dogkennelhillbilly and Loz > I'm a professional photographer and I have to carry consent forms and get them signed to release > photographs of members of the public. It's also expected to ask permission (and also courtesy!). I > am getting tired of people waving cameras and phones in my/ other people's faces as they please. Yes, but you wish to use the photos for commercial reasons, which changes things as far as the law is concerned, but even then there are many limitations (else every press photographer would have an almost impossible job). If you are taking them on a commercial basis, you need no consent in a public place. Nor can you stop them posting them to social media. You might get them on libel, depending on context. You might get them on a charge of harassment. But trying to get someone charged with taking a photo of you in a public place will get pretty short shrift. As you are a professional photographer, I'm really surprised you don't know this.

At Rosetta: the reason why professional dog walkers go to the cemetery is because other councils/ parks etc... have enforced extreme and unreasonable rules (so many rules... all the time, new rules...) and can't go anywhere else. If a ban is enforced (and I, as well as many others, am going to campaign against it), the problem will be displaced elsewhere and someone else will then impose rules etc... This is not the solution. Professional dog walkers are needed, if they disappear, animal shelters, which are already full, will be the first to suffer as people who work will give up their dogs for adoption. Responsible professional dog walkers have a reputation to maintain which means they are often the ones cleaning up irresponsible dog owners' dog mess as they don't want to have a bad name. They also know about dog behavior and if a dog does not respond off lead, it is in their interest to keep that dog on lead, i.e. under control, which they then do. They also have dog walking insurances, which cover (I think) usually for up to 6 dogs, so this should be the reasonable maximum amount of dogs allowed (as per their legal documents). Targeting professional dog walker is not the answer. People who aren't responsible are the ones giving responsible dog owners/ walkers a bad name, and are the ones who will continue to ignore any rules set up. As I said, banning dog walkers is not the answer, it will create more issues, and irresponsible dog owners will continue to be the cause of problems. Finally, I know many dog walkers, and the majority (who work for themselves) don't earn as much money as people think, as they have costs (vehicles, petrol, insurances, taxes etc...). And those who employ walkers contribute to society by creating jobs. All this is beneficial to the economy. Not to mention that they keep themselves actively in employment and are brave enough to create their own jobs. Hope this helps!

I agree, the great majority of us are responsible, and we should not be penalized for a very small minority of people who aren't. FONC should not have a say in who uses public spaces which are maintained by our council tax just because they seem to think that they own the place, which they do not. It is their extreme campaign that encourages the unpleasant behavior of some characters such as the man feeling justified to point his camera in the face of people who have dogs and claiming to post those pictures online, without their permission.

I will talk about this in a new thread, the (not so friendly) FONC have been bullying dog owners and walkers for many years. I have personally experienced some aggressive behavior from a member of FONC which left me shaken for days and in tears. I am not an isolate case.

The only ASB I have experienced in Nunhead Cemetery was coming from a member of FONC. Twice from that person in fact. I also know of other people who have been victim of similar aggressive behavior that I have been unfortunate enough to be victim of. As for your comment, this post is here to help people being aware and staying safe.

thanks, that's very useful.

what they normally do for event photography etc... is put a note in entrances to make people aware that filming/ photographing is taking place, so that people who do not wish to be in a photograph can place themselves elsewhere. That's my experience, it's a tricky one...

Well, the man I saw was not part of (the not so friendly) FONC, but this consultation seems to have comforted unwanted behavior from certain individuals into bullying dog lovers and walkers further (than they already are).

Now that you mention it, I remember seeing this sign in the past, thank you!

apparently he was challenged by other dog owners and responded that he was posting the images online, hence me being concerned and warning people walking in that area. Thanks for the advice :)

I would not do this as I am against our naming and shaming culture and as a photographer I am aware that you need to ask permission and use consent forms. The police will have to deal with it, but thank you for the advice!

.

I pick up my dogs poop, as well as other people's dog poop when I come across it. When/ if dog walkers stop using this space, due to the unpleasant behavior they face daily, and are replaced by drug addicts, drunks, or people up to no good, people will miss having dog walkers/ owners keeping nature reserves safe for all to enjoy, service provided free of charge of course. People need to consider the benefits provided by dog owners. Unfortunately, some people are irresponsible, but those people will continue to ignore any new rules set up, will continue to not clean up after their dogs, will not exercise them properly, will not train them properly etc...

I will thanks, I thought he might be taking photos of leaves before my head but he was pointing the camera in my direction. I became concerned afterwards when I heard other people (all with dogs) reporting the same behavior.