The ol' Scarriest Moment Thread.

craig · Mar 3, 2010

Inspired by Overread's "You think you're dedicated to the art?" thread featuring the incomparable Greg du Toit I Photographic Safaris I Wildlife Galleries

The question is what is the scarriest moment or experience in your photo life?

I have had a couple of instances of being hit and or threatened. Scarriest moment has to be when I first started photographing horses. I jumped the fence that I was shooting through and was imediately sourrouded by 7 horses. I did a lot of fast talking and slowly made it to the other side of the fence. I quickly learned how to hold my own around them mostly because I know a lot of horse owners. I guess I should have consulted them before venturing out on my own.

Love & Bass

Snyder · Mar 4, 2010

Well I do Combat Camera so I have had too many o crap I could have died moments. I hate IEDs and random rocket attacks, nuff said.

craig · Mar 4, 2010

Whoa! Hard to beat that.

Are you a Marine? I only ask because I work with Marines everyday and occasionally drive past Combat Camera on Camp Pendelton.

Love & Bass

Snyder · Mar 4, 2010

Nope, good ole Air Force. We specailize and become experts at our jobs rather than the Marines and Army who are grunts first than their job is secondary.

craig · Mar 4, 2010

The world needs ditch diggers too.

Love & Bass

benhasajeep · Mar 4, 2010

Photo wise, I caused it myself and not really a life threat but one to my nearly new equipment.

Walking up the Virgin river in Zion NP with my nearly new Nikon F100 and a bag full of the same nearly new f/2.8 lenses. The water was high and moving a little quicker than normal. Footing was very slick in some places. Nearly fell in half a dozen times. And no I did not have anything in a water tight bag! Was a nice but nerve racking hike.

Village Idiot · Mar 4, 2010

When I woke up next to this girl and had no idea of what city I was even in...

craig · Mar 4, 2010

Village Idiot said:
When I woke up next to this girl and had no idea of what city I was even in...

Now that's livin'

Love & Bass

chitownDSLR · Mar 4, 2010

On A hike in Teton National Park I was Shooting what you will see is the first shot (which I never got right) and I hear this sound behind me that sound like a pounding sound. I freeze and look over my shoulder to see a Bear Beating the hell out of a down log trying to get what ever was inside of it for a snack. I did not know if it knew I was right there, but it came right down on the trail and then Walked in the opposite direction... Hungry bears in September can be interesting encounters, they get pretty bold!

I was too shaky to get any really good shots... So Shaky that my VR at say 50mm was not really clear! LOL

I was shooting through the clearing on the other side of those trees..

craig · Mar 4, 2010

Very cool! I used to live in Jackson. I am familiar with the area.

Love & Bass

dtzitko · Mar 4, 2010

Snyder said:
Well I do Combat Camera so I have had too many o crap I could have died moments. I hate IEDs and random rocket attacks, nuff said.

Not to get off topic, but where have you been? I'd be interested in seeing some of your work. I was in Baghdad in 07-08. Feel free to pm me to keep the thread from getting cluttered with side chatter.

craig said:
The world needs ditch diggers too.

Love & Bass

God damn right.

pbelarge · Mar 4, 2010

chitown
That is a great story and photos to back it up. If the bear did come towards you, where/what would you have done?

Also, did you hike up to that elevation?
or
Were you able to drive up and hike around?

Love the photos!

chitownDSLR · Mar 5, 2010

pbelarge said:
chitown
That is a great story and photos to back it up. If the bear did come towards you, where/what would you have done?

Also, did you hike up to that elevation?
or
Were you able to drive up and hike around?

Love the photos!

I think that your question is the anser as to why I posted in the Scary Moment thread on the forum. I was a dumb ass and did not have pepper spray so I was prepared to use my camera and strap as a swinging weapon if I had too...

The hike went from 6200 to around 10,000 at the top Near Amphitheater lake, This hike gives some of the closest views of Grand Teton. What is so great about Teton NP is that there are no roads up in the Mts. You Gotta hike it and there are Huge Moose and Bears all over up there!

pbelarge · Mar 5, 2010

Essentially you are into fitness and photography :mrgreen:

That is not easy, and the time involved just hiking absorbs a large portion of the day. Especially if you have to get off that mountain before dark.

I am impressed. I am hiking small 2500-3200ft elevations that really are only about 1500-2000ft climbs.

Hooligan Dan · Mar 5, 2010

Scariest moment would be when I was working on my Sacramento Tent City story. In the two days I was there everyone was really friendly and they were very happy to have me there with them because they wanted publicity in hopes the city would let them stay.

Anyway, at one point during my second day, around sundown, one of the guys pulled a knife and held it up to me and said he could rob me if he wanted to. I kept my cool while he held it up to me but it was pretty sketchy.