Taking Photos Without Being Obvious

Hi, I'm new to mystery shopping and have a couple shops scheduled. I'm also interested in one shop that asks for two photos of the inside of the store. I took a look at it today while in the area. Problem is, the store is very small with what looks like one employee and I'm not sure how I would take photos without him/her seeing me with the camera. How do you experienced shoppers surreptitiously take photos ? Thank you!

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I'm hopeless at taking covert photos and it stresses me out so I don't take those kinds of shops anymore.

Covert photos are easiest if you have a smart phone with a decent quality camera. Just pretend to text or practice taking photos while pretending to talk. It takes some work, but is doable. Just make sure your flash is turned off. Depending on the type of store and what you need to photograph, it might not need to be completely covert. People take photos of many items these days, often to show to a spouse or partner before making a purchase. For non-mystery shops I've photographed everything from flowers to grill covers to furniture.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
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To add to Lisa's post, put the phone on vibrate. Many phones will not make a sound when you take a photo while in that mode.

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Thanks everyone. My husband said I should conduct the shop first and then on the way out, take the two photos as quickly as possible. I thought that was a good idea.

Having someone else along makes it even easier. Pretend to be taking a picture of him.

Before you leave the location, take a look at your photos to make sure they are not fuzzy. I had this problem once and had to go back to the store the next day. At first, I was deathly afraid to take covert pictures. No, not so much. Just keep an eye out for anyone who might see you and decide the target before you take the pic. I think it will be easier than you think once you get inside the store and have scoped it out.

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What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals. -Henry David Thoreau
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LisaSTL Wrote:
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> Having someone else along makes it even easier.
> Pretend to be taking a picture of him.

Or you can also pretend to take a selfie if you're shopping alone.

Very infrequently shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado these days.

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Taking Photos Without Being Obvious

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