Well, everyone already thinks my husband is eccentric, but I just tell people we are very attached to our plants, there are worse things you know.
One thing I haven't figured out how to do yet is how to take pictures of other people's roses, but it's just a matter of time.

Nothing weird about photography as a hobby, nothing wrong or odd about taking garden pictures--I do it almost every day, when new things are blooming. I wouldn't sweat it--go out and enjoy, and maybe your neighbor should worry that YOU think HE'S a little nosy, frankly. Now, my neighbors DO think I'm weird, but that's because I do most of my gardening in the evening when it's getting dark, or early in the morning--I'm terrified of bees, have to wait until they're in bed or not up yet. I also have "bee spazzes" routinely, screaming and running and flailing when something buzzes by me outside--I'm basically a public spectacle. Don't you feel better now?

I don't know why any explanation is necessary if the roses are on your own property.

I don't give a crap what my neighbors think.

Tell them to mind their own business. I can't immagine having to justify anything I was doing to my neighbors.

I have two of my main rose beds in the front and I am always out in the front yard taking pictures. If they have to ask you why you would bother to take pictures of beautiful roses, then they need new glasses. Honestly, to be more polite tell them you take pictures because the roses are beautiful.

I can understand being shy around the neighbors. Some people like their privacy. I can also understand why a neighbor might ask you why you are taking pictures. There could be any number of interesting reasons for you to take the pictures: legal matters, renovation plans, photography as a hobby, etc. Your neighbor was probably genuinely curious and trying to make friendly conversation.

Of course you don't owe anyone explanations, but making polite conversation (even when you don't want to) is just a part of life. In this case, there's nothing wrong with the truth. You're taking pictures of the flowers because they are pretty.

On the other hand, if this is not a good enough excuse for you and you want to have something else to tell the nosy neighbors, you could say you are using the pictures for a book/calendar/website that you are making. This excuse would cover you for a long time. I'm not a fan of lying, so please turn it to the truth and actually make one of those things! It's not that hard and you'll probably enjoy it.

Hope this helps!

I take pictures of my flowers - front and back yard - all the time. I've lived here five years and never had any neighbor ask me why. It's hard for me to imagine why they would! My guess, you just have one neighbor who needs to find something to do, besides watching neighbors. You could always suggest a hobby to him - photography!

I tell them I post pictures on the Internet because the flowers are beautiful:-).

Masha

Ms. Jam2,

Thank you for such an original posting. I, myself, have never thought to wonder what my neighbor's thought of when I've gone around my yard taking pictures of my roses while my roses were at their best. Personally, I'd have to agree with the general consensus here in that it's none of your neighbor's business, but then again we all are projecting differently on how your neighbor asked. If for instance it was in the stream of polite conversation, that is your neighbor greeted you with a friendly hello followed by a "what are you taking pictures of?", then I would respond in polite fashion with "my roses, aren't they just beautiful this time of the year?" This could lead to some semi-interesting banter along with an opportunity for your neighbor to maybe say some nice things about your roses.

However, if your neighbor, without any greetings or provocation, asked "what are you taking pictures of" then I would face the neighbor with a blank expression for five to ten seconds then turn around and continue what I was doing. This should send a clear message to your neighbor that you won't entertain rudeness (and yes, asking you what you are doing and why, outside of casual conversation, is rude). If your neighbor persists then walk to the other end of your yard and continue ignoring the person. No one has the right to ask you a question in rudeness, especially when it is none of their business. If there is a legal issue that your neighbor might be worrying about that really has nothing to do with you. So long as you are on your property you don't owe your neighbor a single response.

Trust in the fact that you are doing nothing wrong and take as many pictures as you'd like.

Enjoy your beautiful roses and the pictures you'll cherish during the winter months!

Adrian.

AHHH nosy neighbor with no life...she's jealous

If anyone asks I tell them I use them for cards I make, have them as my screen saver as well as my garden shots have been downloaded many times on screen saver / wallpaper sites.

Then there is uploading to a rose database (HMF)

It shuts them up.

I don't pay any attention to my neighbors when I'm with my roses. They can gawk all they want at me out there dumping stinky alfalfa tea around my 'babies', talking to my roses as I sniff their blooms or busy
taking pictures each and every day. My roses make me happy and I am in my own world when I'm with them. What really bothers me is that they don't care about the appearance of THEIR
yards at all and I am sandwiched between two of the dumpiest yards in the universe. There are junk cars and parts in one yard and a weed-infested, overgrown 'lawn' in the other, so that when I'm trying to take full-garden shots one of these ugly eyesores is in the background of every photo. Now THAT is what frustrates me.
I am often asked to share full-garden shots and I would love to do so.....
if only there wasn't a dozen rusty cars and a shirtless pot-bellied man holding a beer in the background.

Celeste

Celeste, I am with you. We had a crummy house on the block..their roof blew off in a storm and they a fight with the insurance company. The roof was never fixed. Then the guy died..the wife could not afford the house but for a year she tried to keep it..Anyway..it sold and I met the new woman and her two kids..her dad is a carpendar and he is tearing the inside of the house out for her and fixing it. I get the feeling it's a divorce situation..anyhoo she told me when it was time to sign the escrow papers the old owner threw a fit. Anyway, it's going to be great to have a fixed up house where that ugly one was. There is another eye sore house..but two old ladies live there..sisters. The house is painted a bright teal color..yeck

I always thought this was a guy thing. For some reason, I hate to be asked these kind of questions. When DW and I were dating, I made her pledge that she would never ask the dreaded question "what are you thinking?" If you gals really knew the honest answer to that, you'd have nothing to do with us!

"What are you doing" and "why are you doing that" are very annoying. OK, probably because we are screwing up the job and are totally frustrated and can't handle the scrutiny.

"What are you taking pictures of?" is usually met with "I don't know". Honest, because when I go out with the camera, it could be a rose, or a bug or anything.

Truthfully, I worry that people would think I am too weird...

I had a neighbor who asked me why I spent so much time in my garden and taking pictures. I just smiled and said , "This is what I want to do. It's a whole lot better then sitting on the couch watching the tube and turning into a couch potato.(which she was)". I was never asked that question again. I've learned a smile and nod or a smile and a wave of the hand (don't shoot them a bird!!) puts them in a position where they have to act in a posative way or turn around and go back inside their home and leave you alone.

I expect I would be rather blunt in my reply if someone asked me that and simply say "Isn't that obvious?", hoping the result would be that they would clap their mouth shut and walk away, nonplussed. Its this sort of thing that makes me glad that my nearest neighbor is a mile off.

By no means my neighbor was being rude, he was just wondering what I'm taking pictures of. I am blessed with friendly and good neighbors. :)
Although it's kind of embarrassing when I go out in the front yard with my big camera...because no one else is doing it, you know what I mean? I'm the only one in my street that takes pictures of my yard.

My neighbours get a kick out of me. They think it is grand that I enjoy myself so much, and are not surprised to see me out in all weather. If someone was to ask me they get more info. about gardening than they wanted to know. I deliberately enjoy stretching their good manners. I don't embarrass easily. Some even spend a little more time on their yards after such a 'pep' talk.

Most of our neighbors accept that I am garden obsessed and have either concluded that my taking pictures is an extension of my madness or just an innocent habit of a slightly eccentric woman:) No one really scrutinizes me for my picture taking. The only person whoever says anything odd is the woman who rents the barely standing property next door. She has made a few comments about thinking what I was doing was strange over the past three years but considering the source I consider that an affirmation that I'm doing right. Her primary task every day is to smoke as many cigarettes on her back porch as humanly possible so I'm not overly troubled by her opinion.

Kate

Since the neighbors have asked to take their own pictures of my flowers for their use, I somehow don't expect they have any problems with ME taking pictures.

they have fancier cameras and take better pictures than I do :-(

Prairierose: "I'm basically a public spectacle. Don't you feel better now?" I don't know about msjam, but I sure do, lol! Your post brightened my day right up!

msjam, you'll find it less and less embarrassing as time goe son. just do what you gotta do, and don;t feel like you have to justify your actions. I hav e more pics of my garden than I do my kids, ha ha! 'Course the flowers hold a lot more still than the kids...

Kate, LMAO

Msjam, I've never considered photography to be a source of embarrassment. My neighbors see me with a camera around my neck all the time. But if this feels like an uncomfortable situation to you, I suggest you try to imagine it in reverse.

Envision yourself approaching your neighbor, who is snapping pictures of her quack grass. No, let's make this more realistic: She's taking pictures of her hanging basket. You say, "Hi! What are you up to?" and she replies, "I'm just taking some pictures."

I'm guessing you'll think her answer is sufficient. No further explanation is necessary. It was a simple exchange, and that's all it really needs to be.

Do you see the point I'm trying to make? Taking pictures does not require an excuse or an explanation. It's really quite a normal thing to do. Trust me--the advent of digital cameras has turned 90% of the population into photo freaks. :-)

Why should walking around with a camera embarrass me? Considering the quality of my gardening outfits: ripped shorts, stained shirt and sneaks with so many holes that they look more like sandals, could anything worsen the spectacle?
Oh yeah, all that dirt. And the beer cans.

No wonder DW tells the neighbors that I am the hired gardener.

You guys are too funny. Well I think my neighbors think I am weird already. Whenever I put down soybean meal for the grass, I hide from my neighbors for a while, especially when I drench my roses with the almighty alfalfa tea. :)

Harry,

Guess I am too old to pass for the "Pool Boy."

I am into composting also, so all the folks think I am nuts for begging for grass clippings and leaves in the fall.

By sharing some of my "bought" compost (one can never have too much compost,) I even had a neighbor help me unload my long bed P/U Tuesday.

As long as I am not "Starkers" or have my fly open, I don't know what they have to complain about.

One of our neighbors even gives tours of our garden to her friends. It is kind of a thorny business, considering I havent finished my pruning yet. Still have the back 40 (feet) to do, with a lot of winter kill in the Albas and Gallicas. -27F is kind of unusual for our area.

F.L.
IAGL

Quite frankly, I feel too many prople just don't flat out don't mind their own business. If someone stops by when I'm in the yard just to say hello, and then perhaps get into a conversation about my gardening, I don't mind. In fact, it is fun. However, I live in one of those "gated communities", and hate it..... hate it to the point that we have our house for sale and are going to move out in the country again. I wish I could take my houise with me because I love it.

Most of my neighbors go around nightly on golf carts just to see what they can see. I mean, they actually crane their heads around trying to see into your house, etc. For example, I have a great number of potted roses in clay pots that I am taking with me when I move. I actually had a neighbor stop by and say "I've never seen anyone rip roses out and replace them as much as you". My reply was, what are you talking about?! Do you see me ripping anything out? Or I get, why are you moving that, I liked it where it was.... you must have been a farmer in your previous life... you only swam in your pool two times this week....it goes on and on.

It is a constant thing with the nosiness. I don't even want to go out in my yard anymore, and can't wait to move so I can do what I want without constant scutiny. After 12 years of this, I am so done with neighbors.

Sandy

Here's a thought : maybe your neighbor is in the witness protection program ! he may be more interesting than you think !

As for me, I have just learned where the "close up" button is on my digital camera, so I'm having a great time ! I send my photos to just about anyone I have an email addy for ! including my youngest daughter, who is working in the United Arab Emirates...she is growing roses too ! in weather temps just like those here in the low desert ! Except for winter time...they have no winter there ! LOL

Years ago, I learned a response to the question "what are you doing?" or similar question: you might try it! response is "why do you ask?" It's all in the tone of voice as to whether or not you p--- them off ! LOL

"Go away."
Mine don't ask, I've been in my house a long time now, they know I'm a nut.

Great post-----I'm with you Diane-----LOL

Florence