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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

An Invasion of Privacy?




This sleeping woman is the best part of the drawing I did while chatting and laughing with the women in my art group yesterday afternoon. The rest of the composition was poor; the position of the figure was difficult and I chose the wrong medium. But a few adjustments when I got home and some cropping zeroed in on a respectable portion worth keeping. The photo I was using was one I had taken of this unknown woman napping under her umbrella poolside in Cancun a couple of years ago.

I love to draw people in crowded places going about their business--poolside, cafes, supermarkets, ballgames, anywhere where there's human interaction and lots of color, which brings up the issue of invading someones privacy.

This gal was taking a nap not knowing I was observing her--and her honey--from my position a distance away in the pool with a camera in hand. By taking the photo of them, was I invading their privacy or not? No.I don't think so. They were in a public place. I was entitled to shoot the scene. If I published that photo without their consent,however, perhaps? --But if I published any drawings that came from the photo, absolutely not. Drawings are my interpretations. Any thoughts?

I will be lurking on the Puerto Vallarta beach, poolside and marketplace soon and definitely will have my camera ready to shoot prospective drawing material. Fellow vacationers having a problem with this: remain in your hotel rooms. This is a public announcement.

( Seriously, I'd like to be able to show the photographs from which drawings are made--seen together clearly shows how artists inevitably deviate from the photo to improve composition, color, perspective etc.).

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