Sorry, but no

I got off the bus yesterday to photograph this cone arrangement in a local school’s sports field – sad, I know – but it wasn’t till I was up close that I realised it was surrounded by fencing. It’s funny how you barely notice obstructions, in this case the metal fence, until you try to photograph the thing behind them.

I thought I’d try my luck with the school, pleading student research, for an unobstructed view of the cones. After being buzzed in through the security gates, the woman at the front desk certainly seemed amenable. “What, you just want to photograph the cones, and there are no students present? Oh, that should be fine, let me just check with the office.” She dialled the office and maintained her agreeable smile despite clearly receiving an unexpected negative reaction to the request.

She took a moment to formulate her response, and knowing what it was going to be, I was curious to observe the approach she was going to take with me. “I’m sorry, but it’s no I’m afraid. We can’t let you in… we don’t know you, or your college… if we had a personal connection… it’s data protection, you see, with the students…”

I didn’t debate it, she’s there in part to be an obstruction after all, and I took a photo anyway, as you can see. Indeed, as it turns out, the presence of the metal fence in the picture feels like it should have been there anyway.

So perhaps I was simply lulled because the amenable woman didn’t bear any of the usual security guard signifiers. As with all of the front desk security of various nearby office blocks I’ve visited in the past couple of months to ask if I can photograph barriers or any other type of obstruction in their lobbies, the default is to say NO.

I’ll try a doctor’s receptionist next.