You… You… You… You Cannot Take Pictures!
Jian and I were taking pictures of my food and interior of the restaurant, just how like I always do whenever I visit a new restaurant or cafe.
It was until when the boss, who looked like a late 20’s chao ah beng that has quite about 30-40% resemblence to Singapore’s famous actor Mark Lee æŽå›½ç…Œ, came over and spoke to me.
The boss stutters (A speech disorder involving hesitations and involuntary repetitions of certain sounds.).
The conversation was in Mandarin, but translated for blog purpose.
“You… You… You… cannot take pictures, do you know that? Why are you… you… you… taking pictures? Do you… you… you… know that you are scaring away my customers?”
(Just for humoring purpose. “ä½ ã€‚ã€‚ã€‚ä½ ã€‚ã€‚ã€‚ä½ ã€‚ã€‚ã€‚ä¸å¯ä»¥æ‹ç…§ï¼Œä½ 知é“å—？ ä½ ã€‚ã€‚ã€‚ä½ ã€‚ã€‚ã€‚ä½ ä¸ºä»€ä¹ˆæ‹ç…§ï¼Ÿä½ ã€‚ã€‚ã€‚ä½ ã€‚ã€‚ã€‚ä½ ã€‚ã€‚ã€‚åœ¨å“走我的顾客。”)
“Huh? How does me taking photos scaring your customers? Why I cannot take pictures? I love photography and I want to take pictures to keep, that’s all.”
“You… you… you still cannot take pictures.”
“Why? You tell me why first, then I shall see.”
“You… you… you still cannot take pictures.”
“Why lah?”
The boss left.
Not satisfied with the answer, I proceeded to continue to take my pictures. However, with respect, I took off my external flash and proceeded to take pictures without any flash, to avoid disturbing other customers. On top of that, I have always choose a corner table at the end of the restaurant or a mcuh more quiet area to avoid disturbing other people when I take my pictures. Moreover, there was no “No Camera” sign.
After finishing my meal, I proceeded to call the boss for the bill.
“Boss, I just to love to take pictures. Don’t worry too much.” (I was trying to be nice.)
“You… you… you… still cannot take pictures, do you… you… you know that?” (The boss said with a very disgusted face and bad attitude.)
“What’s the problem?” (I said in a very agitated tone.)
“You… you… you… still cannot take pictures. I… I… I CAN CALL 999 AND ASK THE POLICE TO COME AND CATCH YOU.”
“……” (I was dumbfounded for 3 seconds.)
“Boss, you actually want to call the police to come to catch me just because I take pictures of my food? Are you out of your mind?”“……”
He left.
I left the restaurant in a very agitated mood and not wanting to go back there again even though the food was quite good.
Later, after coming back from home, when I tried to reenact the scene by speaking like the boss, I realized how funny it was.
I wouldn’t have laugh at him for his stuttering, but when he threatened to call the police to catch me because I was taking pictures inside his shop which has no “No Camera” sign, I couldn’t help it but to find it amusing, ridiculous and absolutely ridiculous.
Amusing, indeed.
P/S : I shall reveal the restaurant when I blogged about it on my own blog. :)
Yusry
on October 13th, 2008
Nice photo editing. Loved the newspaper mock. :)
hyperX
on October 13th, 2008
what’s wrong with taking pictures of nice food and nice environment of a restaurant? The boss seriously don’t appreciate customer to appreciate the restaurant. Too bad.
thamkngw
on October 13th, 2008
A restaurant is not really a public public place, if the owner request that you don’t take photo, as a decent human being perhaps you like to respect his decision?
His Food Blog
on October 13th, 2008
You should not even attempt to use flash photography for food - lighting is too harsh and food will look flat.
ladysilve
on October 13th, 2008
i guess he just doesn’t know what to say?
but it’s quite silly of him, you helping him to promote for free! ;P
anyway the stuttering reminds me of the smartie/xiao jie ba in young & dangerous.lol
Wendy
on October 13th, 2008
Hahahah he seems amusing.
narrowband
on October 13th, 2008
Nowadays where got restaurant managers/owners still apprehend people for taking photo of their food one? They should be proud instead. Who knows they get publicised on the net. Stupid restaurant owners, really dunno a single thing about publicity. I think they don’t even know the reason why people take photo. Most customers (general public) already used to all these ‘public-photography’ already anyway. That boss is really behind time.
andylkw
on October 13th, 2008
lol. winder what’s on his mind…
thiamhin
on October 13th, 2008
haha..i think he got infected with ‘zam-mo gossip’ from our ex-misinforminister….zaimuddin maidin..
jasonlioh
on October 13th, 2008
yusry : Hehe. I got to give credits to my friend who did the cutting for me.
hyperX : I absolutely have no idea. It could be afraid of people “copying” his food or afraid of them being put onto the internet with bad remarks.
thamkngw : Well, unless I see the reason behind it like in a design shop / museum or am given a valid reason, I would have stow away my camera. On top of that, he was very rude, the more I didn’t want to put down my camera. However, I took off my external flash though.
His Food Blog : I have this thing what we called external flash, which can bounce the lighting off the ceiling.
ladysilve : There was no reason to stop a customer from taking pictures in the first place. She died in the end still. Haha!
Wendy : Indeed.
Narrowband : Yes. I heard from some people that restuarants now even practice a very bias rule. They allow all kinds of camera, phone, point and shoot, compact or prosumer to take pictures but not dSLR.
andylkw : Me too!
thiamhin : LOL. I think that one is worse.
thamkngw
on October 14th, 2008
Finally got it after searching the net. http://www.krages.com/phoright.htm (The Photographers’ Right) Applicable in UK and US.
It will help you get out of tight spots, but please note about the part where “you should request permission when the circumstances suggest that the owner is likely to object. In any case, when a property owner tells you not to take photographs while on the premises, you are legally obligated to honor the request.”
Wuching
on October 15th, 2008
I think its up to the owner of the restaurant if he allows customers to take pictures or not. I would not do it if I’m told not to so it doesn’t bother me & I certainly would protest over the matter.
Wuching
on October 15th, 2008
I mean wouldn’t protest, sorry
lim0806
on October 15th, 2008
Well, if the boss say so.
jasonlioh
on October 16th, 2008
thamkngw : Wow, that is really handy. Haha. Not for that particular point though. :P
Wuching : Depends. If I am given a reason, I usually would put my camera away. Not when the owner is rude and offensive and unreasonable.
lim0806 : Even if its unerasonable?
lim0806
on October 16th, 2008
Well, normally I will just leave the shop.
jasonlioh
on October 18th, 2008
lim0806 : Too bad, my food was served already. Else, I would leave too.
Neo
on October 21st, 2008
I think the boss has no knowledge how popular you are… if you put his restaurant and food pics on your blog, that means free publicity.
Robin Ng
on November 5th, 2008
yes, sometime they really dont know what they talking about! no photography for no reason….i facing this for so many situation! if i see no ‘no camera’ sign i will shoot la…..than later argue with them lo!
or they r too shy to let u see their food being shoot haha!