photography for senior citizen .. me

mysteryscribe · May 12, 2007

Here is the deal see......

I can't get around as well as I once did. I live in an urban residential neighborhood. People are suspecious as hell. Point a camera at them and the duck and come up with a 9mm pistol. And everyone knows a 9mm trumps a fed2 any day. Then again most everything trumps a fed2...

So I have to like take this walk twice a day. Only a couple of blocks at the moment but it should get longer. I am out and about on a regular basis for the first time in years. Seems like a good time to shoot just 'stuff' pictures. But again my neighbors don't know each other so... I most likely will be reported as a terrorist or shot as a police agent... Running is out of the question... for one thing it's hard to focus the camera while running and for another people will sometimes grab you to hold for the cops they think are surely chasing you. Might be a reward you know.

So I figure I'm gonna drive to the lake or to the big park. Wrong..... It would cost me 150usd to walk a half mile a day. I think that is a poor use of scarce resources... Still pondering the problem while using an ak47 as a walking stick in the hood.

I really do have to come up with a place to shoot pictures and walk a few blocks.

JohnMF · May 12, 2007

why is driving out the question, i don't fully understand?

I know what you mean about people being suspicious of people with cameras. I read a story recently of a man in the UK who was arrested, had his house searched and his computers seized. His crime? Taking a photograph of a pylon in a field. He was actually a pylon designer.

mysteryscribe · May 12, 2007

With the cost of gasoline skyrocketing and starting my car cost more than driving to the nearest park. It just seems foolish to pay a 150 bucks to walk half a mile twice a day. Im still trying to figure out a better way. To combine a small walk with a chance to shoot new images.

JohnMF · May 12, 2007

Hmmm... what about a bicycle?

keeps you fit and doesn't cost anything to run

mysteryscribe · May 12, 2007

Excellent idea and one of my thoughts at the moment.

From an excercise point of view it would fill the bill perfectly. However there is the hard to focus from a bike going ten miles an hour while trying to stay upright.

That and I would tend not to look for things to photograph, However there is the ride it to the park and walk around option but then lets no overdo this exercise thing.

mysteryscribe · May 18, 2007

Well I decided to walk in the hood after all. Just gonna leave the real camera at home. I traded it for a three foot pole with a substantial nail in the end. I am now the neighborhood trash collector.,,The curbs have never looked so good around here.

I might take my ebay toy digital along just in case I get mugged... I can get a shot of the villian fleeing with my litter picker upper hanging from his back. Then I can finally post something in the photo journalism gallery.

TomHuck-wa · May 19, 2007

Carry your camera and a monopod. The monopod makes a wicked whacking stick for muggers. Just dont whack them while the camera is attached.

Stretch Armstrong · May 19, 2007

Hey Mystery!

I have been thinking about your situation, and I can only come up with one idea. Why not get into or do more macro work? Wouldn't this prevent the need of having to travel out of the cloister?

Just an idea. I do hope you find a solution so that you can keep persuing your photography work.

Best of luck to you.

craig · May 19, 2007

Of course you know your hood a lot better then me, so I am at a slight disadvantage... Have to say that you should definitely bring the camera with you around the block. People may not be that paranoid. Not like you are trying to peek in any windows. Your just shooting. Does not sound like you live near any government buildings. You will be just fine.

I have lived, worked and shot in some gnarly areas. Scary at first for sure. Hold your own and you will find that people generally treat other people with respect.

Love & Bass

Hertz van Rental · May 19, 2007

HCB spent the last 5 years of his life only photographing what he could see out of his window

Chris of Arabia · May 19, 2007

Use an old TLR or something - no one will believe you're doing anything serious with one of those

The downside is that petrol may be cheaper than the processing costs though

mysteryscribe · May 19, 2007

I process my own but the price of chemicals and shipping is getting so high, I might have to save up the film so I can do more than one sheet or roll at a time. Oh well such is the price for getting old in this world.

The neighborhood isn't all bad as no neighborhoods are. What I need to do is to carry the camera empty for a while till they get used to seeing me. Make sure I carry one with little or no value. Hey that's any of my cameras.

JohnMF · May 19, 2007

what you need is one of these inconspicous camera hats.

Mike_E · May 19, 2007

Get a two wheeled scooter and a Chow-Chow dog to pull it (and you). The scooter will save your legs on down hill stretches and the chow should easily be able to pull you for short stretches on level ground and it has the added benefit of protecting you when you stop to take a shot.

Chows were originally bred for pulling wagons and guarding 'stuff', I have a Chow/Shepard mix that I rescued from a 7 lane street that would pull me around all day if I would let her and she only weighs 40 pounds.

So, if you don't already have a dog, get out and go save a dogs life (at your local pound or shelter). Maybe it'll save yours.

mike

(no I'm not mean to the dog, she thinks it is Great fun. You just need a halter instead of a collar)