An Aside: Now COME ON, this is just too much!

I ran across this thread on the Digital Photography School forum where a member posted this insane article. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1035315/Father-branded-pervert--photographing-children-public-park.html. A father was apparently branded as a pervert from passersby who saw him take photographs of his OWN children while they played at a public park.

I hope to God that this is a prank article and I, like everyone else who responded to this thread got hoodwinked because I'd rather look like a fool than believe we live in a society that has been so overcome by paranoia and fear. Now don't get me wrong; I understand how the nefarious actions of individuals who do prey on children could have all of our "Spidey-senses" on alert for any assumed threat. But after this man showed that he was the father of these two little boys, that should have been the end of it. Are we getting "way too perv sensitive" as one of my editors said when she read the article?

Maybe I'm a bit more touchy about this subject after what happened to me this weekend while I was shooting the Denver Food and Wine Festival for the Auraria Higher Education Campus. I had been patiently waiting to snap a shot of participant signing up a silent auction item. After making several passes throughout the event, I finally happened upon someone who was bidding on some wine. I took several quick shots of him only to have him stand up, put his hand in front of my camera and yell at me that he didn't want his photos on my Myspace page and storm off.

First of all, people have to assume that if they go to a public event like this, they will likely be photographed. Second of all, I explained to him I was working for the campus, taking photos for their business website and I had credentials to show it. And thirdly, chill, already.

Am I wrong here? I may have to chew on it some more. Mind you, at the same event, I took tons of shots of the only baby that seemed to be at this primarily adult event and the Mom loved the shots. Guess you just never know how someone is going to react when you whip out a camera.