just to expand on this a bit. Islam does not prohibit figurative art, and there is a long tradition of figurative art. There are even Muslim photographers, such as Abbas, working for Magnum. The Koran forbids idolatry and the decoration of religious places, and these prohibitions have led to this misunderstanding.
Did you think Muslims don't take family snaps? -- Cheers, Bob > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Bob W > Sent: 24 September 2006 22:55 > To: 'Pentax-Discuss Mail List' > Subject: RE: Street photography - religious objections > > Based on your narrative, there's no reason to suppose that she > objected on religious grounds. I had a Muslim girlfriend a few years > ago and have loads of pictures of her and her children - these things > are a matter of interpretation and of different traditions within > Islam. Equally, plenty of (apparently / obviously) non-Muslim people > object to having their picture taken, even in public. > > It's up to you to decide whether or not you want to take any notice of > their wishes. I suspect it will depend on the circumstances. Sometimes > when people ask me not to take their picture I acquiesce; other times > I ignore them. There is no religious aspect to this. > > -- > Cheers, > Bob > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > > Behalf Of Vic Mortelmans > > Sent: 24 September 2006 22:19 > > To: pentax epostlijst > > Subject: Street photography - religious objections > > > > Hi, > > > > This forum has discussed legal objections to street photography many > > > times. When I do street photograpy, it's not that often that I > really > > take a frame on individual people, so I don't really bother > > about that. > > If people are in the picture, they're mostly unaware and part > > of a crowd > > or passing by at some distance. Moreover, I'm an amateur and don't > > publish photographs, so I don't see any problem in that area. > > > > Today I was at a public street community fair (kind of garage sail) > > taking some pictures. Again: not framing individual people, but just > > > catching the environment. Since we live in a multi-cultural city, I > > happened to frame a sale stand where a family of muslim people was > > looking around. One of the women directly signaled me that > > she opposed > > to have a picture taken. I know that this is forbidden by the > > islam religon. > > > > I have a dual feeling about this. > > > > On the one hand, I can fully understand people to oppose to being > > photographed, be it for religious reasons, privicy reason or > > economical > > reaons (if the pictures are commercialized), or whatever. That's the > > > main reason why I'm not in to street photography with direct > > contact to > > the subject; I know the risk that the reaction is negative and > having > > arguments or even a row would make me loose the pleasure of taking > > pictures. > > > > On the other hand, I feel uncomfertable that a couple of > > muslim people > > mingling in a crowd can prohibit me to take pictures. What if I > would > > have been photographing my 2 year old son running around through the > > > street and they happened to be in the background... Strictly spoken, > > > that would have objected them as well, I guess. They're just > > part of a > > crowd. > > > > And I also have a third thought about this (but I hope I > > don't start a > > polemic discussion on this). I'm myself a practicing roman > > catholic, so > > I (think I) know what religion is about. Nevertheless, I > > can't imagine > > to interact with other people in my city community in this > > defensive (*) > > manner, based on my religious practice. But maybe I'm a bad > > catholic... > > > > Anyway, this is my (little) story... I'd like to hear some > > reaction to > > that! Maybe this forum numbers some muslim photographers? > > That would be > > really interesting! > > > > Groeten, > > > > Vic > > > > (*) note: I put the woman's reaction as being defensive, > > implying that I > > was the one to be offensive, starting to take the picture. > > That's just > > fair for the sake of the discussion. > > > > -- > > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > > [email protected] > > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > > > > > > > > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > > > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
