Ocean Grove beach. Morning. 8/19/20 Paul Goldfinger photograph
Paul Goldfinger, Editor@Blogfinger.net
It was a beautiful August morning at the Ocean Grove beach, right before the crowds would begin. The sky still had faint pink remnants of the sunrise colors, and some clouds foretold the rainstorm which would appear a few hours later. The light was excellent for photography.
I went down to the beach near the waters edge. I was shooting with my phone (see photo above), and my lens was taking in surf walkers, clumps of relaxers, beach and sky, and the lifeguards who were setting up at bench #3.
I was unaware of the lifeguard who was walking near me, between me and the #3 bench.
Then he spoke to me, and I looked his way:
He: “Is there a problem?”
Me: “What?”
He: “Is there a problem?”
Me: Sensing that he was suspicious of me and that his questions were a form of interrogation, I knew that he had no right or reason to question me, so I said, “Is there a problem? It’s none of your business.” That ended the conversation.
I was offended by his persistent badgering. Even if I were not a journalist, I would have every right to photograph out in the open at the beach. I did not need anyone’s consent in this situation. But even more worrisome, he thought that he had the right and the authority to question me about it.
We do have a free press in America and we have freedom of expression. I hope my retort awakened him to be careful with the rights of others.
And I wondered also if the COVID-19 stresses and the horrible current political unease might have created a certain paranoia in our society.
All of us should be wary of creeping infringement on our rights.