Sometimes, when you’re taking photos of people on the street, you get ‘caught’. In the case of a street performer, that typically means you’re going to have to dish out some money.
That was the case with Stinky Dog Man, as I’ve taken to calling him. He caught me taking photo no. 1, so before I really knew what was happening, he was holding my camera and taking this remarkable piece of portraiture. He then asked for his performance fee (tah dah!), saying he’ll split it equally between the four of them.
I have no idea why I let him use my camera, and nothing like that will ever happen again.
David
This is a great great photo. I love this bad boy. Kind of David Lynch meets Alice Cooper meets the Animal Planet. S., you are getting your chops–great story to go along with it–amazing how circumstances take you by surprise–the only way this could get better is if it were scratch and sniff.
Angela
Wow man. That first photo is top notch. The detail is incredible - I even love the clouds up top. Why, I even love the gap sign! So much to look at in this one… but I think I really appreciate the expression and composition of dog man himself the most. love it.
Matthew Medoff
hahahaha that picture of him holding the dogs with the cigarette in his mouth is classic! Fantastic work Stefan
lauren
So, you don’t want to get ‘caught’ and have to ‘dish out’ money?
So you deserve recognition for your photo, but the subject, who has obviously spent time and money in an effort to entertain, deserves nothing? Your work matters and his doesn’t? Arrogant. Selfish. Your photos would not exist without him.
–I live in New Orleans, LA, USA. I support street performers.
stefan hartwig
Hi Lauren.
In this particular case, the performer makes money taking photos of people with his dogs. However, because he ‘caught’ me taking his photo (from the hip), he grabbed my camera and sat me down, ‘forcing’ a payment. It’s not unlike walking past a burger joint and having somebody shove a burger in your mouth and then expect to be paid.
If I had stopped and shown interest in what he had to offer as a service, it’d be a totally different scenario. That being said, I support street performers across the board. He got paid. Somewhat extravagantly, might I add.
Regarding you calling me arrogant and selfish, I never said my work matters and his doesn’t. Thanks for visiting.