A fun trip to a local farm park turned into a chaotic encounter that left parents and children bewildered, says a poster on the Entitled People Subreddit recently.
What should have been a pleasant outing filled with animal encounters and playful laughter quickly escalated into a scene involving an entitled parent/photographer, a baby, and an attempted photo shoot that disrupted the play area and ultimately led to the park management’s intervention.
The incident occurred at a farm park that boasts a variety of attractions for families to enjoy, including a play area complete with climbing frames, slides, and swings. The park was bustling, with around 30 children gleefully navigating the play equipment on this particular day. However, the tranquillity was soon shattered when the Entitled Mom With a Camera (MWAC) made her appearance.
Clutching an armful of fancy scarves, artificial flowers, and a professional-grade camera, the MWAC arrived on the scene with her baby, who was less than six months old. It became evident that she had a specific mission—to stage a photo shoot featuring her baby at the slide’s base. As more kids tried to slide down, the MWAC’s frustration grew obvious, and she approached a group of parents who were engaged in friendly conversation.
Without consideration for the ongoing playtime, the MWAC declared, “I need all your kids to stop playing for a bit so I can get these photos on the slide.” The response from the parents was swift and united—this was a play area designed for children’s enjoyment, not a professional photo shoot. The request was denied, which prompted the MWAC to storm away in a huff.
Undeterred by the refusal, the MWAC escalated her efforts. She began shouting at the children. Her frustration apparently reached a boiling point when she attempted to block the slide using one of her scarves. The situation spiralled further as she yelled, “Get your *** kids out of the way, this is MY photo shoot!”
In an attempt to diffuse the situation, the park manager was called to intervene, and the MWAC was escorted off the premises.
As the MWAC begrudgingly departed, her shouts and profanities reverberated through the park, creating a dramatic exit that both bemused and concerned the onlooking families. In an unexpected twist, the MWAC later claimed that she was a victim of discrimination and proceeded to file a lawsuit.
Comments on the Reddit post conclude that the woman was likely a small-time ‘influencer’, using her unfortunate baby as a prop.
It seems like an amusing little anecdote. However, for the rest of us photographers, incidents like these can create tension and potential problems when shooting in public places.
There is no reason why this woman should have been trying to do a baby shoot in a busy park on private property without permission. Additionally, a slide is not a safe environment for photographing a baby. The potential for injury is far too great.
Many photographers do family and portrait shoots in public parks and spaces, myself included, and I have never had a problem. You must remember that you are not more entitled to the space than anyone else using the environment.
If you want people to avoid walking in front of your camera for a few minutes, be polite and ask nicely. Not everyone will oblige, and that’s ok. You definitely shouldn’t get annoyed like this influencer did.
I recently managed to shoot a short music video on the busy bridges of central Paris during the peak tourist season. We had no problems, just a few interested passersby who stopped to enjoy the performance. We all need to be a little more considerate of each other and remember that we aren’t the main character in everyone else’s lives.
Do you think the woman was justified in doing a photo shoot in a busy park?
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