Sunday, February 05, 2006

Corporate spying

About a month ago I tried to take some pictures in a Starbucks as reference for my short comic strip (the main character works in a coffee shop) and was told to stop. Today I asked at the Cafe Nero in town if it was possible to take a couple of pictures of someone making coffee and got a very flat ‘no’. I know none of this is personal and I’m also aware from my own job that chains frown heavily (until their eye brows and eyes disappear in a wrinkle of disdain) on people taking pictures of the premises, but it still feels like a slap in the face. The Cafe Nero one was particularly annoying as I’d just bought drinks for my wife and I and was politely asking permission, a friendly no and an explination would’ve been nice.
Actually what probably annoys me most is that I had hoped I projected an aura of ‘affable decent guy’ which is apparently not the case.

4 comments:

Gopher said...

I've taken pics in Starbucks before. In fact I've taken pics in a lot of places including a few top security facilities I've worked at. I guess I've got that look... that and many others.

Michael said...

I suggest using the powers Mr Porter has already suggested.

It's an amazing tatic and slaps them in their "you can't" faces.

Do first and ask later, though don't apply this to everything in life or you could get arrested.

paulhd said...

Well, I di take a few pix without asking, but the one's I needed to get were right in the coffee making bit so I pretty much had to ask. Maybe I should've just barged in like I was way to important and senior to be messed with?

Garen said...

Say you need to take a pic of your coffee being made "for legal reasons..."