The Curious Case of the Camera in Kensington

If there is one thing we learned this semester, it is that people are both intrigued and intimidated when a camera is around.

Each and every time J.T. and I whipped out that tripod, people ran or at least walked the other way, knowing something was about to get filmed.

When we first pulled out the camera on Somerset and Kensington, people glared at us, telling us we better watch our stuff. Filled with a little fear, we obeyed.

As the weeks progressed, we began to feel a little more comfortable. People still walk away from us or yell out, "Are you ABC!" We politely respond with a "No" and keep going.

Past fame in the press has led some people to approach us reminiscing of their glory days. While there are some people like that who are dying for another glimpse of fame, there are others who want nothing to do with the camera such as one man who explained he was on “America’s Most Wanted.”

In the event that we are filming on the streets of Kensington, people continually want to know who we are and what we're up to. "What are you doing?" "You filming the hood?" They don't necessarily want to know who we are; they just want to know what we are doing in their neighborhood.

It is understandable why they would think that. When Kensington is put in the light, it usually related to the drugs and crime, which is going on in the neighborhood. Hardly ever, is the community put in a positive light. It is unfortunate because many people in the neighborhood have a lot to say but are too afraid or simply refuse to do so.

Many people screamed out of their car making sure we didn’t get their face on camera. A homeless man persisted on helping us seconds before asking J.T. if he had a quarter. A group of four teenagers threatened to steal our stuff. And all of that happened in one day.

By Bonnie Dugan and J.T. Salzer, Group 4 Kensington