Street Performers: "We ask people to give us a dollar for taking our picture"

I was out taking photos of street performers in the French Quarter. One pair of young women were dressed as oddly as they come. They were worthy of a photo so I took the shot. One of them approached me and said "We ask people to give us a dollar for taking our photo." I told her "I'm local, go hustle the tourists," and walked on.

I noticed several people doing this when their photos were taken.

Have any of you been approached like this? What do you do?

Given that I've already poisoned this thread with my curt remark, I may as well go all the way with it.

It's a public place. You have no reasonble expectation of privacy. You're dressed so as to stand out. Get used to it.

Yes, I know you're trying to make a living. Yes, I know that you're only here to be this way so that people will give you money. However, unless you're going to do this on private property behind a barrier, I get to shoot as much of you as I like. I don't owe you a performance fee or a modeling fee.

I think this is a New Orleans thing You handled it appropriately, most tourists don't want to cause trouble so they will throw them a dollar and that's EXACTLY what the street performers want. It's how they eat. I've seen them almost chase people for a fargin buck

Street people try to pull that crap all over. It is real common here in the San Fran of the east.

Kittygraphix wrote in post #5435372
I think this is a New Orleans thing You handled it appropriately, most tourists don't want to cause trouble so they will throw them a dollar and that's EXACTLY what the street performers want. It's how they eat. I've seen them almost chase people for a fargin buck

At what point does the demand for money cross over into a felony? I'm thinking that at some point, you can tell them "I'm officially frightened by you. Are you mugging me?"

Even if they put a sign in front of them which reads "All Photos $1 Each" they have no claim to my money. As it is public property, payment by others does not take away my right to take photos for free.

Granted, I pick my fights. There's a guy on Bourbon Street who looks like a construction worker climing a tilted ladder and carrying a piece of lumber on his shoulder. He's one of those "Living Statue" people who think that by standing still they are deserving of our cash. That piece of 2x4 is keeping me from taking his picture

I completely agree, but LOTS of people would give into that intimidation and just give them money.

Ha! What we could do is start our own cartel and charge them 30% kickback off of all the money they make! If it weren't for local photogs like us then tourists wouldn't know where to find the street performers therefore they wouldn't be making their little bucks.
Or the locals can just straight up charge them for each picture we take of them, we are in fact advertising them

I'm thinking of giving them the address to my Smugmug page.

"We ask for a dollar when you take our picture."

"That's nice. Tell you what. Here's the web address where I'll post your picture. I'll give you a dollar off the price of an 8x10. If you like, I can give you a larger discount on bulk purchases. My email address is on the card."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

ROTFLMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!​!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

You could tell them that's really convenient, because you ask everyone who has their photo taken by you to give you $1.

gymell wrote in post #5435521
You could tell them that's really convenient, because you ask everyone who has their photo taken by you to give you $1.

But I charge $2.

Then tell them to just give you $5.00 and you'll throw one in with the horse and carriage in the background

I got hustled for 3 dollars once. Never letting that happen again dammit! I was heated.

You have to really use your spidey sense too, I mean if you are walking down a dark alley and see shady looking "street performers" uhm well you shouldn't be walking down dark alleys.
Otherwise if you are in a public place and someone asks you for money, unless they have a gun on you, just tell them no, give them the "What chu talkin bout, Willis?" look and walk away. If they chase you then it becomes assault, in turn you can hit them and it's self defense

So Street performers aren't allowed to do a little marketing or diversification?

Here in NYC street performers and musicians are viewed as struggling artists. It is good form to give them a dollar or whatever change you have if you are pleased with their performance. After a hard day's work, weary commuters struggling to get home in the subway are awakened and refreshed by these performers, whose repertoire include classical violin, drumming empty cans to a primordial beat, crazy hip-hop/breakdancing routines, and everything in between. To me I view them as reincarnations of Orpheus, as they calm the beasts that reside within each weary NYC commuter.

They are our friends.