This viral video is the result of an angry Broadacres woman for shooting on public property
Feb 20, 2019
Dunja Đuđić
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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On Saturday, 16 February, Kelyn Alyssa and her husband went to Broadacres in Houston to have some photos taken of their baby daughter to celebrate her first birthday. During the shoot, a woman started shouting at them from a car for taking photos. But then it got worse – she got out of the car and threw a tantrum. She was screaming at the couple and the photographer, she hit the husband and started moving the props, all while the terrified child was screaming.
https://www.facebook.com/kelynalyssa/videos/10102287811296341/
Kelyn posted the video of the incident on her Facebook profile and it quickly went viral. She writes that, at the time when they arrived, there were a few other photographers working with their clients. After about 35 minutes of the one-hour shoot, they heard a woman shouting at them through a car window: “You are trampling the grass that WE pay for.”
Then, she got out of the car, barefoot, carrying only a cell phone and her dog. She released the unleashed dog, which made Kelyn afraid for the baby and she warned the woman that she will press charges if the dog does any damage to her child. Soon, the photographer got involved, too, according to Kelyn.
Our photographer calmly approached her to let her know that she was the one directing the shoot. The lady tells her that she brought “these” people into “her” neighborhood. The lady had no answer when asked why she did not approach the other photographers WHOM SHE PASSED ON HER WAY TO APPROACH US. Her lack of response prompted my husband to take out his phone to record what was going on.
From here on, the incident was caught on camera. The woman hit Kelyn’s husband twice, screamed at the couple for taking photos “on her property,” and started removing the props that were set up for the shoot.
Kelyn writes that a police report has been filed. She and her husband will be pressing charges and they are currently seeking legal counsel on this matter. She adds that, when her husband spoke to a police officer, he confirmed that they were doing nothing wrong because they were on public property.
According to KTRK, the angry woman in the video is Franci Neely, Houston socialite and ex-wife of Astros owner Jim Crane. In a statement to ABC13 Eyewitness News on Monday, Neely said that she was very sorry to make the family upset, but added that “the couple whose photo shoot obstructed the walkway were not respectful after explaining the situation.”
Back in 2017, the Broadacres Homeowners Association posted signs that prohibited photography. The residents were frustrated with some commercial photographers who were going overboard with props, obstructing the paths and damaging the grass. However, the city of Houston confirmed that photography should be allowed, and the signs have been gone since then.
Cece Fowler, president of the Broadacres Homeowners Association, explained that “the city owns the streets on North, South and West boulevards as well as the brick sidewalks that run down the middle of the esplanades.” When it comes to the grass, it’s owned by the Broadacres Trust.
Now, although photographers are officially allowed to bring their clients to this neighborhood, there are still certain rules they must follow. One of them is that they must always leave the sidewalks clear for public use. Alanna Reed of the city of Houston’s Public Works department explained that anyone who needs to block part of the street must get a permit from the Mayor’s Office of Special Events, adding that “it’s about having respect for each other and being good neighbors.”
To be honest, the family and the photographer were blocking the pathway with the props they set, from what I can see in the video. However, I’m sure there was a better and more civilized way to solve this, rather than screaming, hitting and scaring a one-year-old baby to death.
[via Chron]
Dunja Đuđić
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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29 responses to “This viral video is the result of an angry Broadacres woman for shooting on public property”
People like her should not be allowed to drive
…or own dogs.
Ex-wife, wonder why ?
Lucky it wasn’t me. I woulda decked that woman the first time she swung at me.
So you beat elderly emotionally compromised women rather than back away and deescalate. Hou PD would come visit you to discuss, with warrant.
Letha Imboden watch yourself out there lol
Wow what a horrible hateful witch! They weren’t bothering her. And even if they were on the sidewalk what’s to say they wouldn’t had moved to let people through.
As someone who both lives in a frequently used neighborhood for photo shoots, and also a photographer I’m tossed to be honest. We only see much after the initial confrontation, that’s obvious. The mother seems to be a large instigator as well by not only her tone but her consistent aggression even after the woman leaves, which is pushing someone purposely to get a rise. I don’t agree with the slapping of the phone from his hands but they’re not helping by using their race and the assumption that a tiny dog was brought out to purposely bite a child. I’m sure everyone there knew that was not true. On the other side, photographers today, at least ones in the SA area, have an inability to be respectful of property. Private or public. They leave smashed cake, confetti, even chalk writings on sidewalks and walls. If you live in an upscale neighborhood this is NOT what you like to see, trust me. I, as the photographer, would have been the person handling this situation and not the mother. My concern was more for the crying child left on the ground (as the dog was still walking around freely ?) and what she is witnessing than the woman who lives there and deals with this on the regular. There’s more to this story…..
Looks like everyone is an asshole in this situation
Jup. Both parties have done an absolutely terrific job in trying to deescalate the situation. Just listen to the tone in their voices, look at the car, the dog, terms like “shame on you”, the urge to involve the police, threaten of legal action and smartphone clips being published on social platforms. Also consider the implications of “a few other photographers working with their clients” and being 35 minutes into an one-hour shoot.
For sure a nice neighborship to live in, whatever weird and egocentric interpretation of “public property” one might have. Don’t those people have something better do do with their lives than to get on each other’s nerves? I’m sick and tired of that sh*t.
by what I’ve just read, the photographer and clients were blocking the pathway, which is against the bylaw they have in place due to past events..
Saying that,..this woman could have been less OTT ….. :o
The reason photographers schedule 1-hour shoot times out there is so they can account for repeatedly moving out of the way of joggers and walkers. Watch the video, no one was being blocked. No one else was there. The only person there was the angry woman attacking the baby’s parents, and she walked up from her car through the grass, not being blocked on the sidewalk.
both seem to be as bad as the other to be honest
Well, we didn’t see everything that happened before the camera started rolling. Everyone involved is overreacting. You’re blocking the path and you’re upset that the dog was unleashed because you thought it would bite your baby. Then you verbally engage with the dog walker and call her a racist. She hits your phone twice. Seems like you were all looking for trouble. I bet the whole thing could have easily been avoided. I saw a few props but no lights. IF this was a professional photographer there would have been an assistant or two on set. Hopefully the assistant(s) would know how to be polite to the public. If you are shooting in a public space do note that public is in the description. You have no more right there than anyone else. Be polite and apologize for blocking the path and smile. You will find that you’ll probably not have problems like this. Most people are very nice and understanding.
Robbie Keene “professional photographer” is the key word here. I’m hard pressed to believe they are personally.
As am I.
Some people feel like they need to be vigilantes and bring justice if they see anyone breaking rules, but this is a damned rug on a public sidewalk for a baby’s photo shoot. Is that really the issue to go loco about? I live in Houston. This street always has photo shoots. ALWAYS. I wonder if she does this to everyone who blocks sidewalks for shoots or just the nonwhite people?
Britt Thomas earlier reports mention that she did, to two others earlier the same day. Clients were white. The only racial thing I heard was the mother saying “my black baby” as if to try to use it as leverage? I live where photographers often come and use areas for shoots then leave their messes behind. We don’t have restrictions in place but we’ve started to strategically park cars in areas to give crap backgrounds. It’s helped for now but come spring, when the blue bonnets are back they’ll also be back. It’s incredibly annoying to have people walking around your neighborhood with props, people in tow and gear. I’m a photographer and my opinion is why would you want your images to look like all the others who use the same spot. Laziness and zero originality….
Just my opinion.
Deborah Berard that momma didn’t know that. All she saw is a woman who drove directly up to them versus the others. I live across from a park with a baseball field, dog park, and bluebonnets in spring followed by sunflowers. I constantly have people parked in front of my house. Never got my panties in a twist about it though because I knew what to expect when I decided to live in a high traffic area. That shooting spot has been a prime shooting spot for decades. It’s like people who move near bars or music venues and then get them shut down because they’re disruptive. Happens all the time because of no zoning in Houston. Rich/connected people gentrify and then shut down local bars and venues even though they knew what they were getting into when they moved there. They expect everyone to acquiesce to them.
Sadly, here’s all the details: https://heavy.com/news/2019/02/franci-neely-crane-video/
It’s not about race, Britt. She’s been doing this for years. In 2017 after being caught on camera attacking a photographer, she put up a bunch of no photography signs that the city made her take down.
There have been some situations where photographers took it to extreme, parking a car on the esplanade for photographs for example.
But the majority of the photographers that visit this area are respectful, move out of the way of joggers and walkers, and do not harass anyone or cause damage to the sidewalk.
I’ve run HoustonPhotowalks.com for 10 years, and every so often this issue of “get out of my neighborhood” comes up. This lady takes it to extreme.
It sucked and the lady was definitely an ass, but it had nothing to do with race and I hate it that the victims started pulling the race card. That ruined it for me.
when ppl say “these people” its pretty clear that they are racist trying not to say outright racist comments
The black girl clearly called her a racist. I’d like to see what happened before the video started too. The lady was clearly over-reacting and rude. But to be honest, if I were the photographer I would be looking for another place to do my family portraits in order to avoid confrontations with asses.
true, yes, and no. hard to say what really happened before video rolled, and what we would do in that situation. the family should be allowed to be defensive when confronted over a public place with their baby. and yes, another place is advisable to avoid conflict. but also, no, that behavior should not be tolerated. so, yeah, complicated…sigh
Only if you want it too!
a socialite that hates people in her neighborhood! that’s the face of entitlement, smh, and she needs some criminal assault charges to make her think twice, since she’s a repeat harasser
Two wrongs make a “Fight”!
What a mad bitch.