Life Behind A Lens

While waiting for my partner at the local train station an hour or so ago, I was taking a few shots of lamp posts against the incoming storm clouds, a line of taxis and the shiny ticket machines. The main purpose of this was to find a satisfactory capture for todays Project 365 submission.

As my partner arrived, we were approached by a gentleman working for National Express and I was asked what I was taking photographs of. Apparently, the security cameras at the station had been watching me for ten minutes and had automatically swung around to view me as I had a camera.

I explained to the gentleman that I was a photographer and was merely taking photographs of things that appealed to me as I was waiting, not really looking to shoot anything in particular. The gentleman went on to explain that, because Colchester is a garrison town, any suspicious behaviour is watched carefully to ensure that any 'undesirables' are picked up.

To confirm my ealier story, he reiterated my statement about taking photographs of 'nothing in particular' and asked me if this was correct. I replied that it was and that it is what I do.

At this point, he proceeded to warn me about the risks of taking photographs in and around the train station and appeared content to allow me on my way.

I'm not certain which part of my behaviour led them to believe that I was some form of threat... Perhaps it was the suspiciously large Tamrac camera bag on my shoulder, the suspicious looking 300mm telephoto lens on my camera, or the suspiciously blatant way that I was waving both about in plain view of everyone.

I don't think that I'd ever quite describe my actions as furtive, at any rate.

The gentleman who questioned me was very polite about things but I was, none the less, made to feel as though I had committed some great heinous crime...

Probably best to chalk this one up to experience, I think...