The photo I should not have taken!!
Whilst wandering around looking for photo opportunities the other day, I had a look at this entrance which I had noted before:
I thought it had a little photographic potential and so I took a (not great) snap - the one above. I was going to take a few more shots when I was approached by a young lady, who came out of the door shown above and who politely said ‘We don’t like photographs.’ - in English to me. Upon asking why, in English, I was told ‘For security reasons.’, but she would add no more. So, I did not take any more photos and the large man who also came out of the mysterious door, sort of convinced me not to push it.
I won’t say where this ‘ere door is in Milan in order to protect their, obviously valuable, ’security’. Why all this secrecy? I’m not sure, but I think the place is something to do with the Italian communist party, so they may be planning a revolution or something, hence the ’security’ concerns.
Very odd, is it not. Just call me paparazzo. Not.
You do have to watch it a bit when taking photos because not everyone appreciates your artistic intentions. And in Italy, photographers currently do not enjoy a wonderful reputation as a result of the escapades of a certain Corona, who, allegedly, was blackmailing famous personalities into paying for images, so said images would not reach the press and potentially cause embarrassment. Even Mr B, it would seem, appears to have handed over cash to avoid compromising photos from falling into the wrong hands. Although it has to be said that the photos which Berlusco apparently paid for were not really compromising at all.
I shall have to be a little careful as to where I go sticking my lens. Or else I may find my lens sticking in me.
Funny. Reminds me of an incident so many years ago, when I was in college at N.Y.U. Working on a project for my documentary photography class, I had been taking pictures around my neighborhood. One night I came home to find 2 big ugly guys in my apartment. They’d broken in through by coming across the rooftops and down the fire escape - and had ransacked the place. I guess they’d already found what they were looking for, because they immediately hightailed it back out the window. After sorting through the mess, I realized that they had only stolen my two Rolleiflexes and a box of undeveloped film.
It wasn’t until days later that I realized what had happened. My neighborhood, in fact my block was the residence and headquarters of a certain well known mob boss. Seems I had unwittingly been documenting him, his family and friends… and they didn’t muck like it!
Since then, I’m pretty careful about who I take pictures of! ;o)
That’s quite a story Gege’ Bau!
Just as well they ‘only’ stole your cameras. They must have checked you out beforehand, and decided that you were no real threat. Luckily.
I myself have been ‘targeted’, or rather my posessions have, on more than one occaision. It’s a wee bit worrying, especially because you only know you’ve attracted attention when it’s too late, so to speak.
Moving back to the photo taking thing, it is certainly possible to photograph people who would rather not end up being the subject of a snapshot, especially in the south of the Living Museum….
Alex
Hey, don’t kid yourself Alex - there are moody people just as reluctant to have their portraits taken in the center and north of the Museum!