Controversial Locations - Where do YOU draw the line?

So you're saying sanctioned buildings, shrines, graveyards with family visiting, hospitals, and places where they specifically ask you "no photography please" is free for you "as a photographer" to traipse in and irresponsibly take pictures just for you and a few other people's amusement? I'm sorry I may be misunderstanding you but you're coming off with this as your intention. I was raised with enough respect and manners to know better. A photographer should always know when not to take a picture.

Yukiya I too, agree with the public toilets, but who would want to take a picture of their doll in a public bathroom anyway? I wouldn't dream of taking anything other than myself and my purse into a public restroom.

 

There are things people do in graveyards that are a lot more offensive than preserving the memory of a loved one's resting place. If someone admires my grandfather's grave enough to give it the time of day for a photograph, regardless of if they drape a doll or a living human being over it, then so be it.

However, there's definitely a time and place for everything.

The only place I'd never ever take a picture and not even consider trying to get permission, is a public bathroom. Something about taking photos in a public restroom just screams "CREEPY, ARRGH" for me. ._.

 

They were trying to use the mirrors and the sinks as backdrops or whatever with their dolls.

I wouldn't carry mine into a toilet unless I have no choice. But taking photos, I'd rather do that in my OWN or at least a friend's toilet. not PUBLIC toilet... What if you accidentally snapped a reflection of a person in just her undies as she was stripping...?

 

For me that's easy if I catch someone taking a picture of whatever on one of the graves of the members of my family the camera will be reduced to a puzzle ...... I'm not religious at all but no way I let this happening happily!

Some persons think it's all normal and there is nothing bad, but hey come on, you are not everybody, and not everybody will be so thankful you dare to find the grave pretty and take a shot .... respect everybody sensitivity.

Would you take a shot on a child grave ? A recent/modern grave ? Damn that's creepy. When I see the ones here, they are for the most all modern and the graves are not appealing at all... it would be plain creepy to put the doll on the grave and take a shot.

I've visited Corsican cemetery, they are very different from those on the continent, I took pictures because some are beautiful or "weird" it looked like a pirate grave o-o but I wouldn't put my doll here, first I mind to keep my head stick to my neck ^w^ second, a big cemetery was forbidden for camera and I respected this and the fews shot I had ( from the free camera cemeteries) anyway show NONE name. But to bring a doll there ...... no way, no matter if it's a supposed art, no way, I show respect to those who are there and their families.

I don't know the laws everywhere but here, you can't post or publish a pictures if someone else is in the picture without asking permission to that person, you can't make appears a name or anything ...

 

Some may really not like me for bringing this up or think it has nothing to do with the topic but...

Is it wrong for TV shows to film scenes in grave yards of people being burried or, like in Ghost Whisperer, talking to ghosts?
Or shows about haunted places filmed in grave yards?
Or is it wrong for ghost tours to go to haunted houses and grave yards?

If its wrong for me to go and take a picture of a doll, or anything else, or just a head stone, then all of those things are wrong as well.

Or at least that's how I've been reading what people are saying. Even if its art its wrong, well one could argue TV is art or it's just entertainment.
But if a photo is art and entertainment and thats wrong.
Is it not the same thing?
Are we gonna start writing networks about how they shouldn't film in those places?
Not saying that people don't do that but it's just another way to look at it, more food for thought.

Or maybe it's just me having very few lines in doll art. And most of them take place around doll porn in public locations.
I think if someone is brave enough to take a doll into a public rest room... Well I'd laugh. Just don't catch anyone in your shot doing anything. Amusing as it may be later on more people would probably disagree with me and say its down right wrong...

Again. Few lines.

Edit!
Before it can be said that you don't see a person name or if you do its made up in those situations its just an example. People are complaining about how its wrong to take pictures in these places. So hence it must be wrong to film is all I am saying

 

To most people, TV shows/films/movies whatever...is entertainment, hence it's okay to film in graveyards. To me, photographs too. But most of the times, permission had been asked and granted for the shows to be filmed in a graveyard. Correct me if I'm wrong here. 'Cause what I know about filming in malls and stuffs is being applied here actually.

It is okay, in my opinion, to take photos of a graveyard or gravestone without the names or photos(Chinese have photos of the deceased on the gravestones) being within the photos. So a photoshoot involving dolls in a graveyard is okay, as long as they aren't sitting on any graves as it is rather rude. Imagine it as someone sitting on your grave, you wouldn't like it.

So I totally agree with you about the filming in graveyard and dolls aren't allowed to be photographed and stuff. But in the end it all boils down to the names and photos as most people are anal about it.

And for public restrooms. Trust me. Those girls did not crop out my reflection from the photos when they posted up. And I had to threaten them a little before they took down the photos for some editing. Can't believe how they felt that they have the right to post their own photos and all that stuffs when my reflection had been caught in it.

If one wanna take photos of their dolls in a public restroom, please do so when there is no one else around the sink area. I'm sure it looks better too. No one would like to have their faces caught in photos not meant to be or something.

Dolly porn in public places. Hmm...that one...I'm very pissed off with those people in my own country's community. They did dolly porn in a cafe! A crowded cafe! I seriously couldn't be bothered about the looks I get from carrying my dolls around. But 3 of my friends and I went to that cafe, we weren't there for the doll meet held there. I was looking after the dolls while they went order some drinks and cakes/muffins/cookies. And I heard the cashier asking my friends rather loudly and in a very sarcastic tone whether we were gonna photograph our dolls doing some 'artistic porn'.

We were all stunned and said, 'no, we're not gonna do artistic porn. If we want porn, we can just go to the internet and watch real porn.' That shut the person up. And that was also how we found out that a doll meet had ruined some people's perceptions of us owners owning dolls. Dolly porn in public...

If I know who are those people, I'll give them a good lecturing or something...

 

I know (or assume) this isn't directed at just me. But if someone sat on my grave, headstone, ect, I would't care. So long as you aren't there to like... use it as a toilet or something I wouldn't anyways. To lean, pose with, sit on, is fine by me so long as you don't A) break it B) pose something lewd C) use it to snort drugs off of and other like things. That is not cool.

And yes, the permission thing does come in to play in graveyard filming and I guess I didn't touch on that because I didn't think of it but permission from the owners (maintainers? Whatever word applies) of the land doesn't really effect if it offends someone.
Example: The KKK are allowed to hold a peaceful, public march. Still offends someone.
That's all I was getting at.
Or is it okay and does it stop offending people if the people who own (again, whatever better word applies) say you're allowed to film/take pictures there?

Public bathrooms. Yeah I mean I don't bring my purse in if I can avoid it because even if they're clean they still seem scuzzy to me. If someone wants to bring their dolls in there and do pictures I say announce it, warn people if you're not willing to crop them out that you wont if they get in the shot, ect. But to just take a picture with someone in it who does not want to be part of it, wasn't warned properly and ect is wrong on another level outside of a good or bad location. I also don't think anyone should assume in the "well I had the camera" fashion. Don't care, if you don't warn someone then it's your fault. But thats a personal problem with people. Too many assumptions at the wrong times. Its always better to make sure people are aware of whats going on then just hope they are.

I think doll porn in public is bad taste for a few reasons.
One of which being what I think a lot of people learned when they were little. One person can ruin it for the rest of us.
Think before you act. If you wanna make dolly porn in the woods? Don't go to a public park, go to a friends or your own back yard.
In a cafe, set up your kitchen table.
One person can make the lot of us look like perves with sex dolls. Which bugs me a lot less then: Little kids seeing naked dolly smexing!
Little kids and naked dolls, whatever. Little kids around naked dolly smexing? Bad. IMO of course.

 

Hmm...after reading alot of this really I have come to a conclusion...

Some people will get majorly upset for messing with their loved one for picture amusement.
And if they caught you, as someone said before you'll be lucky if you walk away without a camera will be reduced to a puzzle pieces.
Better hope some nice person catches you.
I am sure that goes to the flower stealers and such. If it was me, I would rather avoid the just in case angry confrontation.

In my opinion, as for dollie porn, that's just raunchy, bad taste in public....common peoples were much better than that.
Besides I don't want bjd's to eventually become known for " look that's that kid with the sex doll!" stereotype.

 

Oizys >>> Definitely not directed at you. Sorry for not stating...

But in short, ya... I totally hate it when one person disregards common sense and logic and get the rest of us into deep trouble or being stereotyped.

Common people already think we're nuts for carrying, playing or even owning a BJD. By making dolly porn, it's just totally making them think we ARE nuts.

I live with my parents who think this way. My mum saw dolly porn by accident when she got curious about some dolls. And now she thinks I'm gonna make my 2 dolls have incestuous underage porn. SD and MSD... And it's truly hard to change her views.

And my dad once lectured me as being crazy for always carrying my doll around and out(which I don't always. It only happens that I either need him to be there for certain measurements of things or that I went to a friend's house to make clothes and accessories for him), and suddenly behind us, a group of girls whom I do not know told my dad off rather rudely that what is wrong with carrying out our dolls.

And my dad's view of doll owners are now very negative. He think we're crazy, attention-starved and just want to show off our dolls. I agree that up to a certain extent people might want to show off their dolls. But I always leave him in his bag when I do not need him to be outside.

To prevent this post from going off topic... Another controversial location might be...restaurants/fast-food restaurants. It is really, really okay. But it's the noise and squeals and loudness of the group or the people that start drawing attention that is a big issue. I'm totally fine with dolls being photographed with giant food(as compared to them). But at least keep the noise level down.

I acutally turned at the commotion(I hardly react to any commotions actually) to see what's going on. To see a few dolls sitting on an unwrapped burger, touching fries and drinks. The first thought that entered my head was, 'isn't that dirty? They're contaminating their food.' I didn't think of the oil on clothes and resin, nor did I thought of the wigs in soft drinks or resin in soft drinks.

I really don't know what to say about these girls...but I pretended not to notice...only to see my parents giving me the look that clearly said, 'I hope you're not one of them' or 'I hope they aren't people you know'.

 

Honestly, the only statement about graveyards is that, if used for a shoot, use a way older graveyard, one that isn't private. Secondly, if shooting in a graveyard, it would probably be less offensive (to others) if you took pictures of your doll near or touching a deceased family member's grave if located in a nearby cementary, other than a stranger's. Of course, it would also be a good thing if deceased family member liked dolls. Other than that, I don't really have any other suggestions.

Dolly porn in public: You wouldn't want to see two people getting down and dirty in public, now would you? It's logical, get a room!

I also agree that fast food or normal restaurants could be controversial...might draw unwanted attention from others, and it's a little annoying to try to eat while being inspected by everyone in the surrounding area.

 

The food places is an odd one to me. I guess it depends on how you act though and what kind of place.
I went to a meet up held where a guy worked, after work, where it was cleared with everyone who worked there (I believe, they were at least aware of it!) that we'd be there. We had good food, good fun, though we were outside for part of the time and we were all very respectful when inside. Thats a situation that I don't see as problematic.
Now if you don't want people coming up with the whole "Hey! What's that doll, why are you taking pictures of it, where'd you get it?" That's fully understandable but if you don't mind. Well then that's your own deal. However I think you should be mindful to take pictures of your doll and not people there enjoying a nice meal with their family.

Now if you're out to say. Fast Food Location A with your dolls and a ton of friends holding a meet up without anyone knowing and the place isn't large enough for you to go and hang out and not be in the way? Well, A) something may happen to a doll you don't want to B) Someone may get peeved.

Think before you act. You can't make everyone happy but you can at least save yourself some trouble by not being outright disrespectful with your actions.

Then again, if I was taking pictures in a grave yard and someone screamed at me, we'd have problems involving me talking to whatever grounds keepers I could about some psycho screaming at me about who knows what. If someone broke my camera, I'd call the cops. If someone asked me nicely to stop doing that with their relatives grave I'd say a kind "sorry" and be on my way. As so many things in life, if you act like a sane adult you get way better results.

 

I guess it can boil down two questions: Is it okay to take pictures? And is it okay to take pictures of dolls?

To me if it is okay to take pictures, it is okay to take pictures of dolls. Problem is not everyone can agree where it's okay to take pictures.

I do think most of us can agree that doll porn should not be a public affair...

 

I've never taken any dollie photoshoots in a graveyard, but I have done a people photoshoot in one.
Firstly, the graveyard itself is sort of a town landmark and somewhat of a tourist attraction. A bunch of the city's founders are buried there, you see. It's becoming a nicer place, and I think they recently put up gates because so many teenagers were coming and pushing gravestones over... but at the time, it was open for anyone to come in.

Personally I think we were incredibly respectful. Because the graveyard is so old, there weren't really any on-site caregivers we could ask permission from and there probably are no living relatives of anyone who's buried there (all these graves were marked mid-1800's to early 1900's!), so we kinda... asked the people themselves. >.>; I'm not overly superstitious, but it seemed like a nice thing to do. When we'd take a picture near they're grave, we'd say, out loud, something like, "Excuse me, we very much like the architecture of your grave stone and we would like to take a picture with it. Thank you very much." And continue on with the shoot, careful to step in between graves and never on them. We didn't touch or remove or bother anything, and we certainly didn't damage anyone's stones, nor did we leave any trash. On that note, I think it went well and I really don't think it was inappropriate... we were certainly more respectful than the couple we found making out near a standing tomb (some "hardcore goth" kids, go fig.).

I haven't been to a food place yet, but I've seen plenty of people take pictures in them. I dunno, I think it's a fun place to meet up as long as the employees are alright with it, and someone should definitely check it out with management if there's going to be large groups of people with large amounts of resin. XD As for individuals and fast food restaurants- I would never expose mine to that much grease and oil if I could at all help it, but if the dollie owner doesn't care weather or not they're doll is damaged, that's thier five hundred bucks, not mine, lol.

And I haven't seen any objections to the public dollie porn rule yet, and it will not start with me. That's just innapropriate!

I think a good rule might be to think of others first. I've done plenty of photoshoots with people before and we always asked if it was alright to shoot in a location if there was anyone to ask. We tried to never inconveniance anyone and we never did anything innapropriate (well, nothing more than usual gaggle of giggling girls type innapropriate, you know how we be sometimes, lol.). If you ask permission, there shouldn't be any conflict on any location, if you want to do it there baddly enough.

...restrooms though. That's a little strange. XD

 

I wouldn't take any pictures in a cemetery, I'm not sure why... I'm not very religious, but it just seems like the wrong time and place for me. Maybe because I always go to a graveyard in order to visit a loved one (or part with one...), and not just for kicks. I don't really have a problem with someone taking pictures of their doll in a cemetery, but I think it's wrong to photograph it on someone's grave. If it's just in the background, and you can't really see the names clearly... Then I guess I'm fine with it.
I have much more of a problem with people taking pictures of *real* girls laying on gravestones (and no, wearing goth clothing doesn't make it much better...).

 

I've scanned through a few of the responses - man, you guys are detailed, lol - and haven't really seen a lot of views that share my own.

Someone already said it (and I sure many others have as well) but cemeteries are really for the living and ghosts, heh. Me personally? I would feel delighted if I saw someone taking pictures on/around/near my family's gravestones. Really? You thought they were that interesting to take photos of them? By all means, shoot away! As long as they're not breaking anything, it's fine by me.

Yes, even for dollie porn...though I do share the thought that those types of shoots shouldn't be a public thing. But hey, people have sex in public all the time and it doesn't hurt anyone.

Of course if there are specifically signs that say "no pictures" etc etc. Well...now it's posted and you're breaking some sort of law or regulation, so you're SOL on that (hospitals, for example. Unless it's your family/friend who says "lol, you want to what? Sure, go for it!"...then just no).


So far, this seems like a liberal thing for me to say. Most of what I've seen have been "Ok, so they're dead and don't care...but what about their family??? They might not like it!" There are people who don't get it, don't understand it, and never will...but ah, such is the way of the world. And if I walked around caring about what John and Jan Doe thought about me 24/7...well, then I'd *really* be crazy.

And I probably wouldn't be into BJDs, lol.

 

Having many close relatives who have recently passed away, I can honestly say that I don't think there is anything really wrong with taking photos in a cemetery. I wouldn't be offended to find out someone took pictures near their graves.

The only thing I would consider, would be to make sure there are absolutely NO mourners anywhere near where you are taking your photos. I would feel completely weird visiting a grave, crying my eyes out, while someone is laughing and taking photos a couple rows over. That's the only thing I can think of that would bother me about it... interfering with someone's visit.

I have yet to see anyone where I live take photos of dolls in public. It makes me feel really self-conscious when I even take my dolls out in my yard, because I wonder if people will think I'm a whack-job. Not that I'm totally concerned with what they think, but I still feel funny!

 

Ok since there's 23 pages of this, and I didn't have time to scan them all, I hope this isn't a point someone brought up already but here it goes. We've all been concerned about what society and mourners would think of taking pictures of dolls on people's plots, but most cemetaries have at least 100 plots that are bought before the person has died, sometimes years in advance (there's one that I've seen since I was a child in a local graveyard that still has no date of death on it.) I think if people HAVE to take pictures of dolls on graves YES asking the people whose loved ones are burried there is fine, if you can find them, or if you can convince them your not crazy for wanting a picture of a doll with their tombstone. OR you can take the time to look through your local cemetary, and find a nice plot that doesn't have anything in it. You won't have to worry about offending anyone living or dead if it's just a marked patch of dirt that won't be used for anything else for who knows how long. Honestly if I bought a plot in a graveyard (and if I didn't own a BJD), and I found out someone set up a doll next to the tombstone to take pictures I'd be LMAO, and patting the person on the back for being funny.

Now on a related subject, IDk if anyone's ever done this before, but I don't think taking pictures in a prison or police station is appropriate. #1 at a prison people are there because they commited a crime. I know any smart doll owner wouldn't ask a prisoner to pose with one, but when I take my boy out I see the amused looks of people. Imagine how much more amusing that is to a convict. THEY DO NOT DESERVE THAT AMUSEMENT! Some of them are in for serious crimes, and the less they have to think about that ammuses them the happier I am. They need to spend their time thinking of the people they hurt. #2, for police stations I feel it's a complete disrespect to the men and women of the law. Many people don't understand our love for dolls, and could be offended. The last thing I'd wanna do is offend someone who someday might save my life. Like I said IDK if anyone ever attempted these things, but they're two places I think are inapropriate to take doll photos. Your oppinions?

 

Police stations to me are in the same area as police cars and knowing some cops for various reasons (my boyfriends last car got us real cozy with the local cops for noise) depending on the situation they may not care.
Example, if for whatever reason A you're waiting outside because you're there with someone for whatever reason that you can wait outside and not be involved in the drama (god am I the only one with a world this broken?) and you're taking pictures of your doll and not anything that could be seen as useful to someone who wants to say... Destroy the building, they wont really care. If they're in a bad mood they may but if they aren't they may stop and ask you about your doll.
As for the cop cars. Well if you get really board at a car meet where lots of idiots are and wander around and find the board looking cop you may get away with them cuffing the doll, putting it in the back of the car, posing, whatever. It always depends on the drama of the location but on a nice night with no drama and a very low turn out the cops can be really awesome. More so if you are not there to cause trouble. Then they really like you! They deal with enough idiots in those situations that if you're not being one of them they're rather friendly. In my expierence anyways.

 

i've taken shots of headstones and flowers and all sorts of things in cemetaries, and i would photograph my doll there -- was actually planning to when i went with a friend up to Wells, but the weather didn't agree -- and i think that so long as you don't fiddle with things and leave everything the way you found it, it's alright.

 

A few years ago my mother, who is very into genealogy in her later life, took me to an ancient little cemetery tucked away in the country here so that she could get rubbings of the gravestones for an internet pen-pal. Seemed weird to me, but I'm told that this is something fairly common to that field. So, I took pics of nuthatches while she worked. Was either activity "wrong?"

Often, there isn't even anyone left alive to object to a particular headstone being used -- or to give permission. I personally don't see a problem with cemeteries or churches (as long as the photographers are respectful). They are indeed places for the living, but for all the living among us.

The last time I was in St. Patrick's Cathedral I thought "oh, how I want to photograph my dolls here!" But I doubt I could get permission. This is ironic to me, since I know that there are magazine photo-shoots and the like permitted, but I don't wield the cash that those folks do (and if I had it, it would go to dolls, as so many of us here like to point out ). And rather than doing it for some corporate-run glossy that's going to run all kinds of ghastly ads and depress millions of girls, I'd be photographing my dolls for my own spiritual enrichment. Isn't that the point of such places -- to allow us a space in which to nourish our non-physical selves?