Photographers' paranoia

[Steve5D]

Yes, I've run in to that. And I've probably also been guilty of it. And I've also shared many of my locations. Let me explain...

I run in to photographers all the time who aren't willing to do the work. They'll say something like "I don't know of anyplace in the Washington DC area that has good scenery" or "there are no waterfalls near here--where did you shoot that waterfall?" Frankly, I'm reluctant to reward lazy people who expect others to do the work for their lack of willingness to do research or invest a little bit of time or think or even just use google or google earth. At the same time, I'm very willing to support people who clearly are working at this art, I'll volunteer ideas or location suggestions all the time to people who have clearly invested some thought or prep in to their art.

The problem with that is, of course, if someone asks you where you took a photo, and you don't tell them, you have no idea what other effort and work they've put into their craft. The location of a particular shot may be that one piece of information they've not been able to determine on their own.

I dunno'. I just think it's silly. I honestly don't see where there's any logic in not simply telling someone where a photo was taken. That's like me telling a choking victim "Well, I learned how to do the Heimlich maneuver on myself. You should've learned it, too"...

 

[robbins.photo]

So how do you determine who has and has not "invested some thought or prep in to (sic) their art"? Do you simply say no if someone asks you where did you shoot that, and yes if they say where did you shoot that? I checked google earth and couldn't find it?

You just need a simple blood test. Punch them in the nose. If they still want to talk photography you know they are willing to suffer for their art.

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[batmura]

So how do you determine who has and has not "invested some thought or prep in to (sic) their art"? Do you simply say no if someone asks you where did you shoot that, and yes if they say where did you shoot that? I checked google earth and couldn't find it?

You just need a simple blood test. Punch them in the nose. If they still want to talk photography you know they are willing to suffer for their art.

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haha!

 

[BlairWright]

Wildlife photographers keep their locations pretty quiet, never heard anyone else say that but it's common with the wildlife guys/gals.

 

[gsgary]

I don't tell anybody anything and don't talk to anyone, when i get in the zone especially shooting on the street

 

[JoeW]

Have you ever run into any photographers that, when you approached them to enquire about where exactly a shot of theirs was taken or the location of a certain area, they acted totally selfish and paranoid to the point of obviously lying to you in the face and trying to avoid the question? Some may even openly say it's their secret. Others may act like total douches and say something along the lines of "sure, I shot this in Rio de Janeiro, if you've got the eye for photography, I'm sure you will find it. If not, nevermind. No one helped me out when I started. You gotta go out there and find it yourself."

Any thoughts as to why people behave like that? Are they scared others will go to the same location and shoot it better than he did? But no two photos can be the same, don't they know that? What's the point in being deliberately vague about it? Do they think they will be considered rude if they simply say no and therefore come up with ****ty photographic "philosophies" like the one I mentioned above?

I had such an experience about a month ago. How about you guys?

Yes, I've run in to that. And I've probably also been guilty of it. And I've also shared many of my locations. Let me explain...

I run in to photographers all the time who aren't willing to do the work. They'll say something like "I don't know of anyplace in the Washington DC area that has good scenery" or "there are no waterfalls near here--where did you shoot that waterfall?" Frankly, I'm reluctant to reward lazy people who expect others to do the work for their lack of willingness to do research or invest a little bit of time or think or even just use google or google earth. At the same time, I'm very willing to support people who clearly are working at this art, I'll volunteer ideas or location suggestions all the time to people who have clearly invested some thought or prep in to their art.

So how do you determine who has and has not "invested some thought or prep in to (sic) their art"? Do you simply say no if someone asks you where did you shoot that, and yes if they say where did you shoot that? I checked google earth and couldn't find it?

I'm not going to argue I always know. Or that I have some scientific method of figuring out. But when someone seems lazy...when they ask something that seems to indicate they haven't thought this through, then I'm less inclined to help. For instance, when someone says something like "there are no studios anywhere in this area to shoot--where do you find locations?" that tells me that they haven't bothered to do any research--I would probably say "well, you mean besides Carriage House, Sly Horse or Union 206?" and am probably not likely to volunteer a lot of other "found" site locations. When someone asks "I'm coming to Istanbul, I've never been there, can you tell me what photographic restrictions there are around the Blue Mosque?", that sounds like a legitimate request to me by someone I'd probably help (if I lived in Istanbul--only been there once--and found it amazing). But if someone lived in Istanbul and said "I can't find any good places to shoot, where an I go?" I'm more inclined to view that as a lazy question and may or may not answer it. I don't mind helping beginners. I don't mind helping others who legitimately seek information but also seem like they might pay it back (by helping others). But individuals who don't seem to want to do the work or help others, I'm not especially invested in.

 

[bribrius]

Photography, is a very private thing for some people. A private part of their lives. LEts face it, photography is the one thing you can do requiring little to no other human interaction. you can take pictures of people from a objective, outside looking in distance. And a mental distance. So by its nature, unless you are a wedding photographer or something. It is a private secluded gig for some of us..

Direct questions from the other side can crack that reality we have if we are in the mindset at that moment, of us being a outside looking in person.
Far as telling where a picture was taken... Depends on what it is. some places are fairly public, lots of people, you shoot there it isn't a big deal. So you might be more willing to tell people where the shot was taken. Or like obvious tourist like attractions. NO point in hiding it. This is where you take photos, and your private photog world enters the greater public world.

But other places, are held sacred, as part of your photog world. Your private little ambitions. Sentimental value for some places.
So telling where one of them could be, is like intruding into photog world, your creative process, and possibly even a sentimental location to you.
But if it is a picture taken in a public park or amusement park or something, yeah, not big deal telling that...
Course I really don't know any of this Im just guessn here..

im bad that way. And take it even further. My pretty good photos I wouldn't even sell I don't think,. they mean something to me. My bad ones, yeah, id sell them. Same with posting photos online here. some, I reserve for me. Some of the crap though, sure ill post it, sell it, whatever......

 

[Bossy]

When I was in school with a dozen other photographer classmates, you bet I kept my locations a secret. I honestly don't know what I'd do now, swap secret locations maybe?