Animals and Children

W.C. Fields had something to say on the subject along the lines of "don't work with them". Not being the type to take advice I accepted some commissions recently from Country Life to do just that. I wonder what he was on about.

Ola nice attitude!

Religious Procession. from Brendan MacNeill on Vimeo.
It's not often that I get grabbed by the police. In fact it hasn't happened since the late 70's when I used to shoot demos in London. Those were turbulent days. But recently it happened again. This time in Spain. I was on holidays but taking time off from our R&R to photograph a religious procession with my crappy point and shoot. Stretching and attempting to photograph from the sidelines I was grabbed and dragged into the (now static) procession itself by a policeman. "Do it properly" or some such was uttered in Spanish and I was left to roam and shoot.
And then there was an unfamiliar reaction from all involved. I was actually made to feel welcome. Welcome despite the fact that I was shooting teenagers and even very young children. In fact parents encouraged their children to turn to my camera. What I wouldn't have imagined doing in the UK I was free to do unhindered in Spain.
Ola nice attitude!