I'm torn about this. On the one hand, I really value consensuality. I don't feel that my image is somehow public property, or that other people have a right to take my photo without my permission. I shouldn't need to wear a burqa for privacy -- I believe the burden is on the photographer to ask my permission, not on me to hide if I don't want to be photographed.

This is especially true when I'm involved in ritual, where I and others might be naked, or weeping, or praying, or in other ecstatic states. I shouldn't have to have to worry about seeing a photo of myself in that vulnerable state the next time I open my browser. I think photographers at Faerie rituals should show respect for sacred ceremony, just as they would (or should) if they were at a Catholic mass or a Lakota sun dance.

I especially don't like it when I feel an intrusive subject/object observer energy from photographers, rather than a subject/subject participant vibe. It's one thing when photographers are emotionally enagaged and magically contributing, and another thing entirely if they're just sucking up the experience and consuming it through their lens. Plus, I hate the thought of an outsider/observer photographing our rites and doing whatever they want with the images without our consent.

On the other hand, I want to support Faerie photographers in their art. Plus I enjoy looking at photographs of gatherings -- it makes me happy to see all the beloved ones and remember those peak moments together.

It feels good to me when photographers ask the circle for consent before taking photos. Another idea is to offer people who don't want to be photographed an easy way to opt out, like giving them a ribbon or armband to wear. I also feel that photographers should make every effort to gain consent from subjects before publishing photos--even on Tribe.

love Stella