Being Approached

spacefuzz · Nov 20, 2012

Ive lost count of how many times Ive been harrased, perhaps I look suspicious?

The most annoying are the rangers at CA state parks who go all hardcore and try to kick you out because a tripod is "professional equipment" so you need a $250 permit.

jwbryson1 · Nov 20, 2012

Bitter Jeweler said:
I've been asked several times what paper or magazine I'm with, and what story I'm doing.

This last time, I was asked "who's here?"
I asked the woman to repeat the question.
She said again "who's here?"
I told here I am not understanding what she means.

She thought I was the paparazzi, and someone famous was nearby.

Dude, you could have had a LOT of fun with this one, but you blew it! What about collecting $100 from her to "get her close" to the action? You could have gotten a free dinner out of it! :mrgreen:

sapper6fd · Nov 20, 2012

I had someone follow me around when I was taking photos of wildlife in Banff. After about 20 minutes he approached me wanting to know why I felt it was necessary to take photos of the local animals where there are plenty of photos on the internet. When I told him it was for my own collection he asked if I was going to be selling them and wanted to see my "Filming License". I told the guy I don’t need one, even if I was planning on selling them. It was at this point he got in front of me and my camera and demanded again to know why I was photographing them. I snapped a photo of him quickly and said I planned on putting his face on the next moose I found. He didn’t like that too much and stormed off in a huff.

Funny thing is, in Banff if you meet up with other photographers, they act sort of similar as if they own whatever they are photographing.

PixelRabbit · Nov 20, 2012

I was walking through a local farmers market/flea market when a guy calls me over (not uncommon for the venders to try to get your attention). I look and he has a 400mm canon lens and is holding it out to me... He asks "wanna try this lens?" I tell him I'm not in the market for that beautiful, yummy lens *sigh*
He says nah it's not for sale, it's my personal lens but you are welcome to try it!
I took him up on it and taught him how to use the video on the 60d lol

jwbryson1 · Nov 20, 2012

There was this one time when I was in high school and I had drilled a 1" hole through the wall into the women's showers and there I was all alone one day minding my own business when all of a sudden this guy with a big badge in a pretty car comes up with these pretty red and blue lights on top and says what are you doing and I say taking photos of the cheerleading squad and do you want to buy one and I made like $1,000 in about an hour.

That was cool. :Joker:

sm4him · Nov 20, 2012

jwbryson1 said:
There was this one time when I was in high school and I had drilled a 1" hole through the wall into the women's showers and there I was all alone one day minding my own business when all of a sudden this guy with a big badge in a pretty car comes up with these pretty red and blue lights on top and says what are you doing and I say taking photos of the cheerleading squad and do you want to buy one and I made like $1,000 in about an hour.

That was cool. :Joker:

Well, THAT explains a lot about you. :lmao:
Your description of the "pretty red and blue lights" made me actually laugh out loud because yesterday, there was a police car that had pulled someone over just about two houses up from my driveway. It was just after sunset, so there was still plenty of light, but dark enough that the lights just really had an added vibrance to them--I don't know, the blue and red lights on that cop car were just so bright and pretty and compelling...it seriously ran through my head for a minute to get my camera out of the trunk and get some nice macros of those lights. Fortunately, Reason screamed at me, and explained that approaching a police car to take closeup pictures of the shiny lights WHILE the policeman had someone stopped like that, it was going to end badly. It still took a great deal of restraint on my part to just park the car and go inside.
If I'd done it, I bet I would have a VERY "entertaining" story about "being approached." But I'd have to raise the bail money before I could tell it.

jwbryson1 · Nov 20, 2012

spacefuzz said:
Ive lost count of how many times Ive been harrased, perhaps I look suspicious?

The most annoying are the rangers at CA state parks who go all hardcore and try to kick you out because a tripod is "professional equipment" so you need a $250 permit.

This is interesting because Neil van Niekerk says in his book "Off Camera Flash" that you can't have a tripod in Times Square without a permit. I wonder why?

jowensphoto · Nov 20, 2012

jwbryson1 said:
spacefuzz said:

Ive lost count of how many times Ive been harrased, perhaps I look suspicious?

The most annoying are the rangers at CA state parks who go all hardcore and try to kick you out because a tripod is "professional equipment" so you need a $250 permit.

Click to expand...

This is interesting because Neil van Niekerk says in his book "Off Camera Flash" that you can't have a tripod in Times Square without a permit. I wonder why?

My guess, in terms of location, would be limited space. It's hazard, the city may as well bank on it

dbvirago · Nov 20, 2012

Probably way back in my AE1 days. Was at a Falcons game at the old stadium with a bunch of people. Following the famous last words of 'watch this,' I walked down and out on to the field with my zoom lens following another photographer who had credentials. Not believing I actually got that far, I decided to set up at the line of scrimmage just behind a reporter writing in his notebook, hoping security would think we were together. Out of the corner of my eye, I see security approaching and fired off a few quick shots before I got booted. Security walked up, tapped the reporter on the shoulder and said, 'behind the photographer.'

rexbobcat · Nov 20, 2012

I recently shot a homeless community "tent city" this past weekend.

I was surprised how chill they all were with me walking around with my big telephoto around my neck.

Many were just curious what I was doing.

The most hostile response I got was

"Do you mind if I photograph you?
"I'd rather you not."

It was still awkward as hell though...

KenC · Nov 20, 2012

manaheim said:
I was shooting a building ... standing on a sidewalk shooting across the street. A cabby honked at me and waved wildly. I kinda smiled and waved and went back to what I was doing. I heard a honk again and looked down and saw the cab had pulled up and the cabby had rolled down the window and was waving wildly at me to come over. I approached cautiously.

"Ummm... yes?" I said.

"I'M READY FOR MY CLOSEUP!!!! DO I NEED TO DO ANY NUDES? I CAN TOTALLY DO THAT!!!"

He then started laughing and peeled out and drove away, cackling as he went.

I have plenty of others where people have accused me of being a terrorist and such, but this one was more upbeat than those.

You seem to meet the most interesting people! Is Boston known for funny cabbies?

sm4him · Nov 20, 2012

rexbobcat said:
I recently shot a homeless community "tent city" this past weekend.

I was surprised how chill they all were with me walking around with my big telephoto around my neck.

Many were just curious what I was doing.

The most hostile response I got was

"Do you mind if I photograph you?
"I'd rather you not."

It was still awkward as hell though...

Oh, that reminds me--I did have the guy about a year or so ago who just about had an apoplectic fit because he thought I was taking his picture. I was up on our bus platform, just shooting things at random. This one guy, who looked like he'd had a pretty rough night--or more likely a string of bad nights--saw me, backed up away from the bus he was about to board and started LOUDLY protesting, "You can't take my picture. Don't take my picture, because I'm not doing ANYthing wrong--I'm a law-abiding citizen, and you can't take my picture."

Well...in my own private Homeland Security book, I call THAT "suspicious behavior." So, I turned and started to walk away and as soon as he started to board the bus, I turned around and took SEVERAL pictures of him.
The ironic thing is I'd had NO intention of taking his picture until he went off like that.

spacefuzz · Nov 20, 2012

dbvirago said:
Probably way back in my AE1 days. Was at a Falcons game at the old stadium with a bunch of people. Following the famous last words of 'watch this,' I walked down and out on to the field with my zoom lens following another photographer who had credentials. Not believing I actually got that far, I decided to set up at the line of scrimmage just behind a reporter writing in his notebook, hoping security would think we were together. Out of the corner of my eye, I see security approaching and fired off a few quick shots before I got booted. Security walked up, tapped the reporter on the shoulder and said, 'behind the photographer.'

Awesome, now I want to try it!