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Yeah, I say "Would you like to be in the photo ?" (and smile) most people are afraid of confrontation, especially at night, and especially by some guy with a camera and a tripod.
If I had more guts, I would dress like a terrorist, well the media's representation of one. If you think about it, why would a terrorist take night photos, and if he/she was taking such photos, why would they dress like one :)
Posted 11 months ago.
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Better that than : "Hey man, how much is all that gear?"
Posted 11 months ago.
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I took this photo in downtown Willcox, Arizona at about 4 am. One of the local police cars kept cruising by, maybe because I was standing in the middle of a main street in Willcox. I just waved at him and he waved back, but he came back like three times until I moved.
Posted 11 months ago.
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LOL!
Another funny thing is people telling "Sorry, I wait until you keep the photo".
Hard to explain them that even if they walk in front of the camera during a 30" or more exposure it is impossible to see them, it they don't stop.
In the photo below
there is a wave "frozen" by the light of a flash.
To get that effect I ran back and forth from the camera to the shore, to light the flash at the right moment (and in the right place), and I made a dozen of similar shots before to get a good one.
I had a lot of audience looking what I was doing, and they are surprised that in the photos it was not possible to see me, even if I was in front of the lights.
Anyway, I'm thinking to wear one of those reflecting jackets with a "PHOTOGRAPHER" sign on the back, just to avoid to be shot with something else than a camera.
Originally posted 11 months ago.
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funadium edited this topic 11 months ago.
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If I see any 'passers by' when I'm taking my night shots....
I'm in trouble ..... ;)
Posted 11 months ago.
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For some reason I must look highly personable (which I most certainly am not) I would just as soon not speak to anyone but people come up and tap my shouder in the dark and I almost jump out of my skin if i'm engrossed in trying to set up a shot.
They want to talk about the weather or the local history of the building i'm shooting or about why i need to have my shutter over for 15 minutes. Knowing that i'm 6 minutes into a shot that I really want to get I usually force myself to be polite rather than packing up and trying to find a place where no one else is going to find me.
I only shoot night shots with one or two people with me because I don't like going out alone, but they don't seem to get bothered half as much as I do.
Posted 11 months ago.
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i've never really seen anyone whilst photographing at night.
I got some weird looks when I was driving around with my camera clamped to the front of my car though -
and the police had a go too.
Posted 11 months ago.
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Yeah, I had policemen cover over and ask me what precisely I was doing. Most of them had a hard time believing I was just taking pictures, and at least twice I flashed a journalist's ID to shoo them away...
Posted 11 months ago.
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I was in downtown Nashville last nite on a Saturday nite around 10-11 pm. There were tons of people asking me what I was doing. Either what I was shooting, what I was shooting for, or just asking me about my gear. Its not often your walking with your date down the street and you pass a building, and next thing you see is a person sitting on the ground with a camera and tripod looking up at a 50 story building. And then they ask, "what are you taking pictures of?"
Hello.....
Posted 11 months ago.
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Taking some light trails from a road bridge, I had only been going for ten mins when a police car stopped, and two coppers ran up to the bridge and asked what I was doing. "Your the police, camera, tripod, what do you think I am doing? You should not be taking pictures of car registration numbers."
When I showed him the image with no cars in it he walked off with a confused look.
Posted 10 months ago.
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I was taking some long exposures with my Holga & tripod the other night in the middle of a traffic island, and all of the cars kept slowing down, I think they must have thought I had a speed camera. Ha ha.
Posted 10 months ago.
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taking some road side night shots...you get the occasional horn..?? its not a video!!! der.....
Posted 10 months ago.
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I live more out in the country side in Japan and it's already weird enough for them that i am a medium height white guy... add camera gear and i think they're about ready to implode... even during the day time! i was taking night shots of a train one night and with the looks i was getting they must have thought i was going to blow up the train or something....
Posted 10 months ago.
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Getting this shot
"Fascination Continues..." by Eonn [?]
just two nights ago, I had a run in with a farmers dog over who had the rights to be out in the rain on a country lane in the dark ... the kelpy won ;-)
footnote to this an umbrella can be a wonderful deterrent to teeth ;-)
Posted 10 months ago.
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I have a friend who had the police harass him on whilst taking night phots of an industrial area on Teesside. They accused him of being a terrorist. He doesn't get it, google earth lets you zoom in on it to the point where you can tell what colour cars the workers drive.
I'm sure terrorists all use artistic long exposure shots whenever they take photos!
The other easy way of getting hassle is if you have a big zoom lens. "You can't take photos here as you are a professional" and other nonsense!
Posted 10 months ago.
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So far, mostly just get people apologising for walking in front of the camera (and not understanding why I just gave them a cheery smile!).
I've had friends with me though, as backup, I admit.
Oddly, the tripod seems to be recognisable enough that people assume I must be "professional" and I get left alone.
Posted 10 months ago.
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yeah, i was shooting this from grizzly peak and other people are just looking at me wierd for going back and forth and flashing the speedlight here and there and waving my led light around.
Posted 10 months ago.
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haha yeah thats happened to me a few times. Its worst when ur waiting for a long exposure to finish and you look dodgy just standing there waiting or running from the camera as to not cause a shadow.
Thats the fun of it though, i spose hehe
Posted 10 months ago.
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happens to me all the time, I must look suspicious or something, I cant take even a few photos without being watched. Almost everytime I go out to take photos, I get wierd looks or people asking me what im doing. At night people drive by and flash thier high beams at me or some people stop thier car and just stare. I Even had one guy tell me to leave before the cops showed up, I didnt wanna find out if he had called or not. The worst part is when your waiting for the shutter to close, just standing there next to a tripod in the middle of the night probably does look a little odd.
I have how ever had some cute girls stop and talk to me, so its sometimes a good thing :)
Originally posted 10 months ago.
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Brandon From California edited this topic 10 months ago.
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When I lived in Vegas, I would go down the strip and take pictures of rubber ducks in casinos and in front of casinos. I would get drunk people coming up to me and offering to hold my ducks while I snapped the picture-then they would ask me why I was taking pictures of rubber ducks.
Now, in New York where I live, people always stare as they walk by. I had a little girl try to swipe one of my ducks one day after I had set up a shot-haha.
Posted 10 months ago.
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My best experience so far...the tripod police. I was moved on recently (twice!) for using a tripod around Canary Wharf London. Apparently, you might make money out of the photos *stands back with hand over mouth in shock at the thought*
Seems it is private property and they can enforce dumb regulations like that without notice/signage/etc.
Sadly, my finger "slipped" here.... oh, I'm so sorry
Posted 10 months ago.
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I know the feeling. Just tell them that your performing a Jedi initiation right exploring the dark side, its funny lol.
Originally posted 10 months ago.
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Stuart K. Seels edited this topic 10 months ago.
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I was thinking the same thing the other night. Was downtown taking night shots in a park. People looked at me like I had two heads and seemed to think that I was up to no good. After several shots in that location, I moved to another location a couple of blocks away. There were some kind of big storage tanks there. A security guard came out (mind you I was on a public street) and started to tell me that I couldn't shoot around there. Said it was a security thing. I wasn't even taking pictures of the tanks. My camera was pointed the other way. Getting real tired of that excuse.
Originally posted 10 months ago.
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r_lutz edited this topic 10 months ago.
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Aah, but if you take a picture near them, a jet will probably explode, or a dignatory may get shot, or you may even be selling secrets of park design to a terrorist group. Lol. We are living in a paranoid age. Its a shame.
Posted 9 months ago.
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I don't get too much weird looks, since I am going out VERY late, when doing night photography. The only thing I noticed is, that cars slow down once they see me, because they think I am from the police or something and want to fine them. One other strange encounter was, when I was photographing a street and thus had to move as near as possible to an office building. Once I reached it's entrance a security guard quickly came, pointed the flashlight at me and asked: "Hey! What are you doing here?". I thought it was better to back off.. :o
Originally posted 9 months ago.
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andersdenkend edited this topic 9 months ago.
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who cares what people think anyways, do your own thing
Posted 8 months ago.
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Yes, thats allways funny how many people come around. When I arrange tripod, cameracontroll, laptop and stuff, at the latest they can see the bracketing series for DRI's its sometimes crowded ;) But its allways friendly, not realy weird, they ask for informations and often for help for their snapshot-equipment... Often met realy nice people this way, just interested in photography.
Posted 8 months ago.
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I stand naked while taking my night shots so they're too embarrassed to look my way.... just kidding, i'm only half naked. ;)
Posted 8 months ago.
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Ha, good stories guys! ;)
I recently had a lot of fun taking this one.
People driving by must have thought that I was a cop, flashing them for speeding (on a roundabout!?! :p).
They hit the brakes as soon as they saw me. No problem, because I was going for the light trail effect.
And a man in the building on the right was spying on me with binoculars, and ducked away when I waved at him. :D
Posted 8 months ago.
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the cops in Portsmouth, NH know me now (click the photo for the full story).
but i got some folks gawking and one asking what i was doing for this-
if you view it large, you can see the aperture stars in the on-coming headlights as one of the cars stopped for a sec to figure out what i was doing
Posted 8 months ago.
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I've been searched/questioned by cops 3 times, have had them called a few times, etc. It seems the 2 chief concerns there are burglary exploration and terrorism. While it may seem silly, it does make sense if you view the outing on which you make a big fuss with a camera and flash etc as a test run for one where you sack the house or plant charges on a bridge -- you can fell out the security of either while doing something innocent.
Posted 7 months ago.
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I am a Canadian living in China and that alone attracts so much attention. But when I am lugging around my tripod and snapping long exposures, I'll usually have a group of Chinese watching my every move. Also, they look at me funny when I'm doing multiple exposures for HDR. I prefer shooting at night because I have "cover of night" so I am sometimes "less noticed!" When I took this photo (HDR) an American friend came by and we were chatting while I was shooting, the group of Chinese just stood there and watched us. Pretty funny I find.
Originally posted 7 months ago.
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Alphafish edited this topic 7 months ago.
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@silvermeat : You are so right -- to plan & scout a location for malicious intend, I would rather use a cellphone camera or P&S, so I won't attract attention to the surveillance. And shooting at night really isn't all that useful for such an intend anyway (I think...)
Taking creative nightshots cannot be done without "big" equipment and still the officials are more worried about people like us than the millions of cell-phone user's out at night (and day).
Originally posted 7 months ago.
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stargazer95050 edited this topic 7 months ago.
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On a recent night shoot downtown, I had a very drunk woman (just came out of a club) tell me "No way man, don't do it, it's not worth it!" as I was setting up a shot with my tripod. I kindly thanked her for her input.
This past weekend, I was experimenting with some ghost images. I found this great alley right off a main street downtown. Thankfully, I did not run into many people because I most certainly looked strange. I was constantly walking up and down the alley, ducking out of the camera's view etc. Earlier in the evening, I did the same thing in a parking area underneath a raised building. Hopefully, there aren't video camera's because I may end up on the local news as a "suspicious character."
Posted 7 months ago.
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I often scout places using my mobile, and then later return with my camera. In this day in age, It's a good idea.
Posted 7 months ago.
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I get a lot of strange looks, especially when doing the ad hoc panoramics where I actually invest the time to level my old tripod. People don't usually ask what I'm up to or anything, they seem to just try and figure out what it is that I'm shooting and then go on their way.
The police around here all know me by sight because I'm such a nightowl. Unlike many people, I actually feel like they're looking out for me.
Once while shooting in a very small town I had a young man walk up and ask me what I was doing. At first he was suspicious, but then he became interested instead. We had a good conversation about it, in the end.
Another time, while shooting full-moonlit clouds behind trees at a yard party, I had a group of teenage girls wander by giggling because, "Doesn't he know nothing will show up? It's NIGHT TIME."
All that said, my most commonly-received comment is "HEY FAGGOT!" from rednecks driving by in their pickup trucks.
Posted 7 months ago.
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I get weird looks using my Gorillapod more than anything. Since it's not they typical tripod I get tons of weird looks.
Posted 7 months ago.
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The weirdest thing thats happened when I was out shooting night shots is some clown thought it would be funny to set off his car alarm everything I went to see if the capture I got was worth keeping. I'd frame the photo take the shot and then look at the monitor and have the alarm go off. It usually doesn't take me three takes to get it right, but at least I got what I wanted. www.flickr.com/photos/21678819@N07/2112614728/
Posted 7 months ago.
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Yeah, I have gotten some wierd looks before. Last time was when I was shooting an awesome Christmas lights display at this guys house. Was out there with my tripod, cable release and camera. All the point-and-shooters were looking at me like, what is she doing lol.
Posted 7 months ago.
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Was out shooting with a friend and his dog last night, got a few weird stares but noone said anything. I wonder why...? :-)
Posted 7 months ago.
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I've gotten plenty of weird looks, sometimes people ask questions but that's about it. I learned to ignore it pretty quick.
Posted 7 months ago.
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This guy walked past me later and said loudly "HAHAHAHAHAHA You're still taking pictures!" I think he realized he was being rude so switched to Spanish to tell his wife how I must be crazy to be taking pictures at night.
I smiled and said to myself " You fish out of the Miami harbor and I'm the one who's crazy"?.
Posted 7 months ago.
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My favorite is telling people, go ahead and walk through the photo, I have a special camera and it takes out all the bad stuff so you won't show up. They usually don't laugh but ask the question what? Then I must explain that in a long exposure they won't show up. I guess it would be easier to not be sassy to people then to explain it every time to them.
Posted 7 months ago.
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Heheh what a funny stories! I roflmaoed quite hard. :)
Posted 7 months ago.
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^To STARBOOKO up there, I was up at Grizzly a couple of nights ago.
I was in the middle of this shot with my friend who's in the frame, and there were two other girls sitting in my car, and we were the only people parked there at the time. But then, another car pulled up to where we were stopped and I guess they saw me running around with my flash plus my friend James running around those logs (and all of my other stuff was just scattered all over the ground), and they put it right back in reverse and left. Didn't even bother to park.
Originally posted 7 months ago.
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Six Shooter edited this topic 7 months ago.
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americans are not the biggest mother fucking terrorists and u are one sick paranoid fuck ups, u are on your way down, very soon u wont be able to breathe outside ur houses.
shame on you, sick bastards
Posted 4 months ago.
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eyezrme787 - What? I'm sure this isn't the place for things like this.
Posted 4 months ago.
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Getting the thread rather more on topic, I was once taking photos of the landscape from the side of a country road, facing away from the road, when the driver of a passing car beeped his horn at the exact moment he passed me at speed. I'm sure I jumped an inch in the air.
Posted 4 months ago.
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Yeah, im in China right now too.
People tend to crowd around you, even front of you to see what you are looking at. Because if some big foreign white guy is looking at it, it must be good. So they end up walking into the shots. During the day it can be nice to have people in your shots, but at night it tends to ruin my long exposures. And waiting for them to leave doesnt work, because they will stay pretty much until I go. So I just need to move onto the next spot. It really makes it important to capture it the first time around.
Originally posted 2 months ago.
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mach5_kel edited this topic 2 months ago.
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yes i do, specially when i laid down my cam on the street to get this :
Posted 5 weeks ago.
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i always get werid looks when i'm working but then again not many peoepl are seen using 5x4 wooden cameras anymore...got werid looks workin in londonon a resent body of work though
Posted 5 weeks ago.
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yeah for sure. I just started taking photo's with my OM-1 recently, and I use a mini tri-pod, so when I put it on the ground or on a curb, I get some weird looks lying prone or on my back on the street or something looking through the viewfinder haha
Posted 5 weeks ago.
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i was taking some pictures with a mate near the train tracks at night, and a couple of kids statred shouting at us because they were spraying on the side of the tracks, and they thought we were the police or somthing. it came to nothing, but surly if we were the police they would keep their heads down and not start to shout at us.
Originally posted 5 weeks ago.
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danger joel edited this topic 5 weeks ago.
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I like to make night pictures in industrial areas and many times I get disturbed by security guards..
standing there with tripod and cam they come ask what I'm doing.. Well what does it looks like? is my answer many times but many times I have to explane them or police that I'm not a terrorist or danger to society..
Posted 5 weeks ago.
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i get it all the time. i really hate the "how much is that gear worth" question too.
a lot of people cant comprehend long exposures, and that they dont pick up people walking through them etc...
Posted 2 weeks ago.
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If you notice in some of my photos i am standing in the middle of the street @ 11 pm on a Saturday night, so yea i have seen the strange looks.
Posted 6 days ago.
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I shoot nights ocassionally here in D.C. You can imagine who I get approached by. I've been questioned by the Secret Service, the FBI, local DCPD and even a NSA agent.
Of course, when one is kneeling next to the barrier pole in the middle of Pennsylvania Ave and 12th street just to get a shot of the capitol building, I guess I do look sorta strange...
Posted 6 days ago.
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Speaking of the D.C. area, remember the sniper shootings a few years ago? Perhaps, given the public's level of hysteria, it was not wise to go hiking/shooting at my favorite park in Sterling with a tripod slung over my shoulder. In twilight. Past the ball fields, with at least one twitchy parent speed-dialing 911 with my last known postition.
At least, that's what three of Virginia's finest conveyed to me, with weapons drawn to further emphasize the point.
Oops.
Posted 6 days ago.
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I was doing pictures of an old garage next to the road (don't have it here though, it didn't turn out that great). Standing next to a (slow traffic) back road, waiting for the shutter to close. Suddenly a SUV drove up, slowed down, stopped about 10 feet away from me, rolling down his window, pointing out a small point and shoot camera, taking a picture of the same garage, with flash (GNAAA!), rolled up his window again and drove off.
I wonder what he thought when he checked the picture at home. Weird people...
Posted 6 days ago.
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