Audio Content Reader[audio:101111.mp3]

This blog is dedicated to people you shouldn’t take pictures of or for any of you who are paparazzi wannabes, paparazzi of the common man, this is also dedicated to you because I was attacked this morning. Anyway, someone threw a punch at me. It happened about six times, I’ve been in jail once, had three good fights, two ended up on the ground and that’s after photographing close to 800,000 people, taking a picture close-up in their face.

Anyway, here’s a list of things not to take pictures of. When you see a man and a woman arguing and he’s like almost choking her, you can either take a picture or try to break it up. Usually taking a picture will make them stop for a second and the guy can come at you which happens. If you see a girl walking down the street with a medical band, sucking her thumb, holding a teddy bear – don’t take that picture. Policeman arresting someone – they get very upset, they ask you for all kinds of ID. Who knows, they might get mad and get you into a situation where you got to get arrested.

Walking through the streets of New York like I do, there are a lot of verbal confrontations and physical ones. Everyone’s seen them. I see a lot of them. As soon as I get on top and take a picture, it’s amazing how it makes them stop or one of their friends comes at me. I always say, “Just hold it. I’m undercover.” I never say a policeman undercover. I just say undercover because I’m a photographer undercover so that pretty much gets me out of it.

I probably broke up so many fights by flashing that camera. Nobody really wants to fight. I was doorman/bouncer for nine years of my life in my grandfather’s club and believe me, nobody ever wants a fight. They just want to ruffle their feathers and show that they’re tough. That’s why I never yelled at anybody. So for all of you paparazzi wannabes, be very careful of people in anger.

It’s funny there was a black gentleman walking down the street saying, “I hate all the white [02:40 inaudible]. I hate all the white [02:42 inaudible].” Much bigger than me and I’m 6’20” but my passion to catch that image made me take a picture. He stops, he stared at me. He just stared at me and I was more scared than anything just for the stopping and the staring.