I've been harassed for taking photos in places I clearly wasn't supposed to be, but I've never been harassed for taking pictures in random public areas... until today.
So, I'm walking up the street and see some great window reflections on a panel of graffiti. In my peripheral vision I see some bicyclist coming through so I continue to compose my shot and wait for him to pass.
He hops off his bike and starts screaming at me that I was waiting to take his picture. Now, this isn't some young weirdo or anything, it's some older guy (50 ish) and he's being super confrontational, getting right into my space, waving his arms around, calling me terrible names, making unlikely insinuations about my character and soforth.
So, I calmly push him away from me - a gentle fingers to the chest kind of thing, not a start-a-fight hard push - just get the fuck out of my space, and say, clearly and calmly, "If you don't fuck off I will call the cops" and whip out my cell phone, which he promptly knocks out of my hand, and it falls maybe 4 feet from where we are standing. I wait a couple of beats to see if he tries to step on the phone or something, but he just hollers about me trying to take his picture and how I can go ahead and call the cops and what a faggot I am. So, to test the waters, I pick up my phone, and sure enough he comes at me so I take my stance, getting ready to duck or punch depending on how it goes, and he stops short. At which point I realize he's not actually going to start anything real so I can just ignore the whole situation.
He continues yelling his gibberish at me and I just look at him sternly, then calmly walk away. He continues following me for a couple of blocks, yelling, even throwing stuff (very intentionally wide), on and on about how I tried to take his picture. Every now and then I just turn around, look at him sternly, then turn back around without saying anything and continue on my way, strongly resisting the urge to escalate this in any way.
Frankly, I now have no idea whatsoever that was all about. The only really annoying part is that I didn't get my shot.
So, what amusing and/or interesting confrontation tales do you have to tell about taking pics in public?
Did you take his picture?
I've ever only tried the occasional puzzled look from people that was caught in a shot. But that guy sounds like there was something seriously wrong with him.
holy fuck, what a nutcase.
stealing someone's soul is no laughing matter. 
Way to handle the situ Ari :thumbsup:
I mean, doesn't your cell phone have a camera?
He didn't look like a bum or a regular disablity nutjob so I had no idea what to make of the whole situation. I was honestly more worried about my camera getting damaged in a scuffle than anything else
You should have just started taking pictures of him as he did this. It would have totally been worth it.