There was some Calif countryside that I was photographing at nightfall by myself, and I would see occasional mountain lion tracks in muddy areas on trails. I could never shake the feeling of being watched and being considered for dinner, particularly when it got very dark. It got to me after a while, not helped by all the warnings about not going out by yourself at the trail entrance.
John Youngblood
www.jyoungblood.com
That's how I feel, too. Although I do keep alert during hiking for 4-legged critters.Originally Posted by Eric Rose
In almost all the states except that Bastard Illinois, but expecially in the Southeast and Midwest and parts West, all the photographers I know are packing guns. Once, back in some real boonies and down in a creek bed, some unsavory characters cruised by my parked vehicle 3 times, looking at me down in the creek bed. I casually let my concealed weapon become un-concealed. Fortunately, I was finished shooting and departed the spot. No need taking a chance.
Those living where they cannot get a concealed carry permit or otherwise protect themselves need to move. You are just asking for it unless you keep a Navy Seal around to body guard you. Think about it, you might have 10,000 dollars or more in gear you could lose, not to mention your life. At least go out shooting if that is what it takes...take them with you! In the meantime, get a concealed carry permit.
I'm a lot more worried about Dennis the Menace types throwing a pebble or using a
slingshot at my lens or groundglass. That's why I never photograph from busy Natl Park turnouts. I speak fluent redneck when necessary, but as a matter of policy do
my best to keep a serious distance from meth freaks. Never worry about mtn lions;
they're one of the least dangerous large carnivores in the world. Used to get them to
deliberately stalk me out of curiosity by stuffing a flag in my back pocket; then I'd
duck behind a tree to watch them. In fact, quite a few wild critters have walked right up to me to figure out what kind of beast goes around with three wooden legs
and two denim ones, and wears a big black thing over its head. The only time this
got a little dicey is when I heard numerous grunts, lifted the darkcloth, and found
myself surrounded by about thirty wild pigs, including four boars. I grasped the neck
of my tripod with one hand, and latched onto a tree limb with the other. But before I
climbed the tree, I tried whooping and hollering. The pigs got all confused, started
running around me in a big circle, then ran off. I got a fabulous chrome of the tree
itself, plus this fun story.
I've got the axe handle in the car. If it ever gets so bad that I feel like I have to carry a handgun I will just emigrate.
Emigrate?
Washington d.c.? After all, 535 crooks live there and feel completely safe.
Mexico?
I shoot in the streets of Perth (Western Australia) and assault is a real problem when shooting at night, usually it's just a thrown bottle by groups of stupid bored kids or at least that's all it's been so far apart from one stolen camera. Is use a viewer rather than a darkcloth. I was surprised to see the comments re firearms. If your scared enough to arm yourself you have to be prepared to either take anothers life or have it used on you, neither option has much going for it. Most cases you can walk away and a camera is just a hunk of metal after all.
Chris.
It's been said many times to me "A polite society is an armed society".
The reasons are very clear, take a look where ever self protection, i.e. owning or carrying a firearm or comparable weapon, has been prohibited by law. People who follow the law are left with no available means to protect themselves. Those who disregard the law, get firearms and commit crimes since they have no worries of being challenged.
The places around the world with the worst crime is where there are the strictest firearm prohibitions.
People around the world may see the US as gun crazy, but it nothing like those ancient western movie shoot'em ups. Concealed carry means no one knows who has a firearm or not. Open carry means everyone can see who has a weapon. Apart from public or private shooting ranges, they are rarely handled let alone used. Regardless, criminals want life easy and with out risk, which is how firearm possession lowers crime.
My weapon is a small Leinad derringer, loaded with 410 birdshot shotgun rounds. Over any distance, It'll just leave someone really hurting. Other than practice, I've never used it.
If there is a concern for safety, I'll take along a friend or two. Sometimes this is hard to do (like shooting in a foggy industrial location at 10:00 PM---not too many friends are willing to go out on nights like that even though the saloons don't close around here until 2:00AM)
Out in the countryside, there is little to fear and common sense is the best weapon.
If anything, pot plantation owners, cougars, stray pit bulls and rattlers would be the most formidable of threats I'd expect to come up against and these are fortunately rare in places where I shoot.
"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White
Those quotes represent an advanced state of paranoia. If those people live in such fear, how can they even use a toilet in a public place, a taxi, a bus or an airplane? I feel sorry for them.
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