Sidework.

Lately, I've been doing some sidework for a friend. It's nothing major, yet it still gives me nervous diarrhea and makes me fear for my life every time I do it.

I'm taking photos of houses that are either a) about to be refinanced (1% of the time), or b) about to be yanked by the lender (99% of the time). I have to get four shots of each house: One head-on, one at a side angle, one of the address, and one of the street it's on.

Although I need the money and foam at the mouth every time I receive a new list of houses, it still scurrrs the shit out of me. Especially when the properties are in a less-than-desirable neighborhood.

So far, I've had the following encounters:

1. Neighbors across the street or next door are watching me like a hawk because they know I'm up to "no good", so I have to pretend like I'm lost and making a phone call.

2. The owners and/or children who live at the house are outside washing the car and I have to sit in my car across the street like a fucking creepazoid until they turn their back.

3. The next door neighbor gets in his car and follows me through the houses until I manage to lose him with Mario Andretti moves.

Now, I know I'M not the one in the wrong. I pay my bills and I don't let shit fall behind to the point where the bank is knocking on my front door. But I know these people are looking at me like I'm the bad guy. And when "these people" look like they could be featured in a collection of Homies dolls, you do NOT want to be the bad guy.


How would you feel and what would you do if you were in my situation? Would you go undercover brother style and try to make it look like you're not really doing what everyone knows you're doing?? Or would you stand your ground and not be ashamed to take pictures of these houses that you know are about to be foreclosed on?

Or- how would you feel if you were the person whose house was being photographed? Or if it was your neighbor's house?