How to Ask Someone Politely to Stop Sending You Photos

Advice for students / By

The best way to ask someone politely to stop sending you photos is to say, “Please, I would appreciate it very much if you would stop sending me photos.” While that may seem simple enough, there are nuances and every situation is different.

This means that context, photo subject matter, and frequency will all play into the equation. Also, how well you know the person sending you photos will dictate how nice you should be. In some cases, you may not want to be polite.

Weighing the Situation

When someone constantly sends you photos and you want them to stop, first evaluate the circumstances. People send photos in varying situations for different reasons. Some of these are benign and others can be horrific.

For instance, if your sister or cousin sends you pictures of their child every day, it can get a little annoying. But, if you’re a woman and a strange man keeps sending you pictures of his genitals, kindness doesn’t have to be a priority.

There’s a gray area between all this as well. Some situations could include things like a friend sending you pictures every time they are on vacation and every day they’re away. A relative could send pictures of the same Christmas tree for 12 days before the holiday arrives. Perhaps an enemy consistently sends photos they know will bother you.

Using the Right Request According to the Situation

Once you assess the situation, you have several options available to use. When in doubt, say the sentence from the beginning of this article. However, you can choose something like the examples given below.

Polite; Subtle

Thank you for the pictures, but I don’t have time to look at them.

I love that you send so many beautiful photos, but it’s taking over my email. Could you stop for a while, please?

Assertive

I implore you to stop sending me photos, please.

I’m requesting that you stop sending photos.

Firm; Forceful

This is not a request, I’m telling you to stop sending me photos or I will report you to the authorities.

Stop sending me photos!

Conclusion

Word choice is everything when it comes to asking someone to stop sending you photos. Of course, you want to use the most polite language possible. But, if that doesn’t work, you will have to become more demanding about it.

 

Conor
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