Hello everyone. I am coming here for some perspective, because I feel I have been treated very unfairly, and I am not understanding why. Perhaps you can tell me if my thinking is wrong, but I do not believe so.
I have recently taken up the hobby of photography. It is a very serious passion for me. I have invested much money into equipment, buying a very good camera, several lenses, and also a sturdy tripod. These are not cheap things, let me tell you. I take my art very seriously, and I believe in capturing the beauty of the world, especially the nature and the cityscapes. For this, I often visit the large public park near my home. It has many beautiful vistas, and the light is often very good for my work.
Last Saturday, I went to the park. The weather was perfect, a nice soft light, not too harsh, excellent for landscape photography. I had in my mind a very particular shot I wanted to achieve. It was a wide shot, showing the old oak tree with the pond reflecting the sky. To get this shot correctly, I needed a specific angle. This angle, unfortunately, required me to set up my tripod and camera in a location that was, to be fair, quite close to one of the main walking paths. But it was not directly on the path, more like to the side. And also, this location was next to a very popular bench. This bench is often used by people who like to sit and watch the ducks on the pond.
I arrived early, so I could choose my spot carefully and wait for the best light. I set up my equipment. It takes time, you understand. I must level the tripod, attach the camera, select the lens, adjust the settings. All of this is a precise process. While I was doing this, many people were walking by. Some looked at me, which is fine, I am creating art. But some people were walking very close, nearly bumping my tripod. My equipment is much delicate, and very expensive, so I was a little nervous. I would give them a look, a little glare, to show them they should be more careful around the artist at work.
After about twenty minutes of preparation, I was ready. The light was just becoming perfect. I was looking through my viewfinder, making my final adjustments. And then, a woman came. She was not old, maybe in her fifties, with a large bag. She walked directly towards the bench, the one I was set up next to. My tripod was positioned so that it was partially in front of one end of the bench, not blocking the whole thing, but certainly making it less comfortable to sit at that end. My lens was pointing across the pond, and for my shot, I needed a clear view, undisturbed.
She stopped and looked at me. I looked at her, then back to my camera. The light was beautiful, I was about to press the shutter. Then she said, “Excuse me, are you planning to be here for long? You are blocking the bench.”
I was very annoyed. I had been there for a long time already, waiting for this moment. I said, “Madam, I am an artist. I am capturing a very specific shot, and the light is perfect right now. I have been preparing for this for nearly half an hour.”
She looked around. There were other benches in the park, not directly next to the pond, but maybe a short walk away. She said, “Yes, but this is a public bench, and you are making it difficult for people to use it.”
I sighed. “The park is public, yes. And I am using the public space for my art. Is my art not also a valid use of public space? Surely, one person sitting on a bench is not more important than an artist creating something beautiful for everyone to enjoy.” I tried to be polite, but my patience was wearing thin. My shot was going to be gone!
She got quite red in the face. “You are blocking a public amenity! There are signs, you know, about not obstructing pathways or public seating.”
I laughed a little. “Obstructing? My tripod is a small thing. And I am not on the path. I am creating art. People should respect that. You can sit on the other side of the bench, or on another bench. There are many.”
This made her very angry. She started to speak very loudly. “You are so inconsiderate! This is not your private studio! You are selfish!” She was making a big scene. Other people started to look. This was very embarrassing for me. My artistic concentration was completely broken. The beautiful light, it was fading. My perfect shot, ruined!
I decided it was not worth arguing with such a person. She was clearly not understanding the importance of artistic endeavor. I packed up my equipment, feeling very disappointed and frustrated. It took me a long time to pack, and she stood there, glaring at me, until I was finished. She did not even sit on the bench after all that! She just walked away, muttering things.
I do not understand. I was not hurting anyone. I was simply pursuing my passion in a public space, just like she wanted to sit on a bench in a public space. But my activity, it requires specific conditions, specific light. Her activity, sitting, can be done anywhere. Is it not logical that the person with the more specific need should be given a little consideration? I was there first, I had my setup ready. She could have easily gone to another bench. My art was for everyone to enjoy, eventually, on the internet or in a gallery.
Was I wrong to expect a little understanding for my artistic process? Am I The Jerk for wanting to capture a beautiful moment in a public park, even if it meant a very slight inconvenience for someone else for a short time?
Please tell me what you think. I believe I was perfectly reasonable, and she was the one who was rude and demanding. But perhaps I am missing something. Please be honest with me, but also please consider my side of the story, as an artist trying to create something beautiful.
