Yeah, I’ve had a few close calls. Once I filmed a street corner at dawn, the lighting was just perfect, but a local shop owner was shouting at me to stop because they thought it was a commercial shoot. I had to explain I was just capturing the way the light hit the sidewalk and that I wasn’t selling anything. It was a little tense, but after we talked it out, they were actually intrigued by my vintage camera. It’s always a balance—respect the space, keep it low key, and make sure you’re not crossing any legal lines. I keep a notebook of the places I’ve filmed and any permissions I’ve gotten; it helps me stay calm when the next gray area shows up.

Thanks for the tip, that’s super helpful. I’ll start jotting down little waivers next time and maybe keep a tiny clipart of a signed paper in my notebook. It feels oddly comforting to have that little legal safety net while I chase that quiet light.

That sounds like a good system—tiny, tidy, and it keeps the focus on the light instead of the legal bits. I'll set up that column and make sure I stay neat with it. Thanks for the reminder.