Lets have a chat about photo shoots in residential areas + Instagram/blogger culture in general.
If you follow basically any London blogger at all, you will have seen those iconic Notting Hill colourful houses. If you’ve ever been to London you’ve probably seen the insta-gals/guys with your own eyes posing in front of pink porches and wisteria covered cottages.
I’m all for a beautiful, aesthetically-pleasing, gram-worthy background. But we need to have a little chat so we don’t ruin it for everyone. Yes, places like these are public streets, accessible to anyone and legally allowed to be photographed. However, let’s try to remember to be decent human beings, to put ourselves in the shoes of the locals and to be RESPECTFUL.
I have no problem with taking photos in places like Notting Hill, I have done it many times before, but I think we need to consider a couple of things… Don’t go on private property. If you’re going through a gate, standing in a front garden, or even walking up someone’s stairs, I think it’s a bit intrusive and you need permission from the owner. Would you like someone posing all over your front door? The footpath/street is anyone’s territory, however, respect others around you. If someone has to stop, walk around you or even cross the street just because you’re getting a photo for the gram, think again. Don’t block public walkways and try to be quick!
Think about the best timing. Maybe don’t go to Notting Hill mid-morning on a Saturday in the thick of the market busy-ness. Try to plan an early weekday morning before work, where the streets will be emptier, you won’t be in peoples way and your photos will probably turn out much better!
I was recently contacted by a journalist from The Sunday Times Home section to comment on the Notting Hill situation. We had a great chat and he ended up using some of my quotes in an article he wrote about it. You can take a look below. It got me thinking about social media culture in general, and how far we will go to get the best photo.
In the last decade travel culture has changed so much and many people’s holidays are centred around going to the most Instagram-worthy spots to replicate a photo they’ve seen online a million times. I’m 100% guilty of this as well and it’s not necessarily a bad thing, but, I do find some huge tourist attractions a bit of a let-down when you actually get there and find crowds of people, ruined natural environments and everyone fighting to get their shot for the gram. You might get an epic pic but the experience may leave a bitter taste.
I could go on about this for ages, and there is a whole other conversation not only about respecting people’s homes but respecting ecological animal habitats and historical sites. Paying attention to cordoned off areas, not putting yourself or others in danger and respecting locals. We’ve all heard the awful stories of people losing their lives trying to get a photo for social media, as well as seeing beautiful, natural attractions close to the public because of endangerment to animals, coastline or being littered with trash left behind.
So where to from here? Will public photography ever be banned? Do we really need to see another glammed-up girl standing in front of a pink house? It’s such an interesting conversation and I would encourage you to think about your social media footprint on the earth. Are you respecting people, the environment and rules in place for your safety? Are you being a kind human being?
Lets have a chat about photo shoots in residential areas + Instagram/blogger culture in general.
If you follow basically any London blogger at all, you will have seen those iconic Notting Hill colourful houses. If you’ve ever been to London you’ve probably seen the insta-gals/guys with your own eyes posing in front of pink porches and wisteria covered cottages.
I’m all for a beautiful, aesthetically-pleasing, gram-worthy background. But we need to have a little chat so we don’t ruin it for everyone. Yes, places like these are public streets, accessible to anyone and legally allowed to be photographed. However, let’s try to remember to be decent human beings, to put ourselves in the shoes of the locals and to be RESPECTFUL.
I have no problem with taking photos in places like Notting Hill, I have done it many times before, but I think we need to consider a couple of things… Don’t go on private property. If you’re going through a gate, standing in a front garden, or even walking up someone’s stairs, I think it’s a bit intrusive and you need permission from the owner. Would you like someone posing all over your front door? The footpath/street is anyone’s territory, however, respect others around you. If someone has to stop, walk around you or even cross the street just because you’re getting a photo for the gram, think again. Don’t block public walkways and try to be quick!
Think about the best timing. Maybe don’t go to Notting Hill mid-morning on a Saturday in the thick of the market busy-ness. Try to plan an early weekday morning before work, where the streets will be emptier, you won’t be in peoples way and your photos will probably turn out much better!
I was recently contacted by a journalist from The Sunday Times Home section to comment on the Notting Hill situation. We had a great chat and he ended up using some of my quotes in an article he wrote about it. You can take a look below. It got me thinking about social media culture in general, and how far we will go to get the best photo.
In the last decade travel culture has changed so much and many people’s holidays are centred around going to the most Instagram-worthy spots to replicate a photo they’ve seen online a million times. I’m 100% guilty of this as well and it’s not necessarily a bad thing, but, I do find some huge tourist attractions a bit of a let-down when you actually get there and find crowds of people, ruined natural environments and everyone fighting to get their shot for the gram. You might get an epic pic but the experience may leave a bitter taste.
I could go on about this for ages, and there is a whole other conversation not only about respecting people’s homes but respecting ecological animal habitats and historical sites. Paying attention to cordoned off areas, not putting yourself or others in danger and respecting locals. We’ve all heard the awful stories of people losing their lives trying to get a photo for social media, as well as seeing beautiful, natural attractions close to the public because of endangerment to animals, coastline or being littered with trash left behind.
So where to from here? Will public photography ever be banned? Do we really need to see another glammed-up girl standing in front of a pink house? It’s such an interesting conversation and I would encourage you to think about your social media footprint on the earth. Are you respecting people, the environment and rules in place for your safety? Are you being a kind human being?
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