Helaine and I spent an hour or so going up and down Sleeping Giant early this afternoon. There are still plenty of leaves on the trees, but the brushy growth along the trail has really begun to die back and it’s changed the entire look of our walk. The dropoff at the edge of some trail sections is now a lot scarier looking. It’s as if the mountain is balding–rapidly.
Up on the top this afternoon we ran into students from a middle school in the Bronx. the boys from that school were there a few weeks ago. Now the girls. The girls were louder and more physically active–at least when we saw them.
I was taking photos when one of the chaperones told me to stop. The truth is when you’re in public, no matter what your age, you have no expectation of privacy and photos are fine and unrestricted by law. Of course that doesn’t comport with what this guy wanted, so he made up a rule. I’m going to have to start carry my “photographer’s rights” in my wallet.
This isn’t about taking pictures of the kids. I would never take a photo that might compromise anyone’s safety. This was just about the increasingly hostile atmosphere toward photographers. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked to stop for no apparent reason.
It is great that these kids get the opportunity to spend some time in the country. It’s got to be the other end of the Earth for them.
