Hico, TX, Photographer unfriendly - Update: Chamber Disbanded

[ppcass]

I ran into something just crazy this weekend in Hico, TX. We were coming back home from Stephanville and there was a shop on the main square in Hico my wife wanted to go in. So we stopped. the main square is full of old architure, cool textures and just seemed like a great place to shoot. I have been doing this for a long time, so I am aware of how sensitve shop owners can be about shooting thru their windows, ect....so I walked around the square shooting the building, fountains, gazebo ect. I had two shop owners come out onto the street and tell me not to shoot their shops or anything on "their" sidewalks....I assured them I wasn't gpoing to shoot anything propiatary, only to have them both stand in their shop doorway and watch me. I decided to give up and went into the gift shop my wife was in. I was chimping to see if I had grabbed anything I like when the shop owner shouted from across the store for me to "stop taking pictures" I told her that I wasn't, that I had been outside and was just checking the images. She then marched over and demanded that I show her what I had shot, so she could tell me to delete anything I took in her store. I told her again that I didn't shoot inside her store and that under no circumstances was she going to look at the images on my camera. I know I could have shown her, but by this time I was pissed. We left the store and left the town. Man, it will be a long time before I even buy a cup of coffee in that town!!

[d2creative]

I think I would have pointed the camera at her and started clicking away.

[brewercm]

I used to pass through there all the time when I was stationed in Oklahoma on my way home for vacation. What's the deal with the people there. I lived in Bandera TX for years and can't think of a time when anyone would get upset for this.

[ChristopherCoy]

Originally Posted by d2creative

I think I would have pointed the camera at her and started clicking away.

You damn skippy I would have!


And when the bitch said stop shooting on *my* sidewalk, I would have walked across the street, turned around, and shot that store up one side and down the other.

[ppcass]

Originally Posted by d2creative

I think I would have pointed the camera at her and started clicking away.

I thought about it....but my wife was mortified by the lady's actions and I was so mad I didn't want to make it worse. My wife did put her purchases down on the counter and did not buy what she had intended. We went down to the road to Hidden valley and spent our money there.

[brad]

That's weird.. I've shot in Hico several times and never had a problem.. everyone was friendly... there were even two other photographers wandering around shooting the last time I was there.

[ppcass]

I thought it was weird too. I have shot in lot's of small towns in the area and never had a problem....the whole attitude of those three people was really strange.

[hotshot38]

I've only ever stopped there for a cup of coffee. That's it...just passing through. Kind of glad that's all I've ever done now.

[KD5NRH]

Originally Posted by ppcass

I ran into something just crazy this weekend in Hico, TX.

Considering that Hico doesn't have much left but the occasional tourist, I bet their Chamber of Commerce would be interested to hear about shopkeepers running off visitors.

Contact

Failing that, anyone in the group who happens to be passing through could easily repeat the encounter, complete with setting down an armload of potential purchases and leaving when treated rudely. A few runs of that, and the lost profits might start sinking in. For bonus points, pick up spycams on eBay (the keychain video camera should work well, though the pen cameras might be easier) and post the encounter on YouTube. For double bonus points, add it to their Wikipedia page.

FWIW, the Hamilton County deputies have been very helpful when I was out there doing some night shots.

Besides, Hidden Valley makes a heck of a Reuben. <Hmm...no drooly smilie on here>

[brad]

And the chocolate shop right there next to the Koffee Kup is awesome.

[Redneck]

I've experienced something like it in Fredericksburg, too. I think the store owners are afraid you might take pictures of their merchandise items in order to reproduce the motifs.

[Orogeny]

Originally Posted by brad

And the chocolate shop right there next to the Koffee Kup is awesome.

And the Koffee Kup is damn good too!

[ppcass]

Originally Posted by KD5NRH

Considering that Hico doesn't have much left but the occasional tourist, I bet their Chamber of Commerce would be interested to hear about shopkeepers running off visitors.

Contact

>

Email sent. thanks Joe

[jfoureyes]

You handled it a lot better than I would have...

[ppcass]

Originally Posted by jfoureyes

You handled it a lot better than I would have...

My wife told me I was a lot calmer than she thought I would be, She said she expected me to walk outside....and burn the store down!!!! LOL