personal safety / security while photographing

[Drew Wiley]

I've stated this before, but nearly every trip I've taken it's the first half hour that's the
most dangerous, simply till I get out of the bad freeway traffic. Wilderness travel seems
much safer to me than the morning commute. During deer season I move quickly away from the roads. A half mile back I can relax (and watch all the deer calmly feeding!).
Yeah, I did some really dumb things climbing and caving as a kid. Most kids do dumb things.
So to be fair, I'd have to include myself as a potential travel hazard!

[C. D. Keth]

You did hear about the Blonde who read this statistic, didn't you? That more accidents happen at home than anywhere else? She moved.

I thought you were going to say she wouldn't have sex at home any more.

[Jody_S]

[QUOTE=Dakotah Jackson;962090]

It might feel safer to stay home in bed (because the world is a bad place), but in fact more people die in beds than in hold-ups, shady campsites or wild animal incidents. I don't have any statistics on hand, but I'm sure that also more accidents happen at home than in secluded canyons, abandoned mining towns, or on crooked mountain trails. Of course, this excludes sports like skiing or mountain biking. Sports will most certainly get you killed.


You did hear about the Blonde who read this statistic, didn't you? That more accidents happen at home than anywhere else? She moved.

Also, avoid birthdays like the plague. Studies have conclusively shown that people who have the most birthdays are more likely to die.

[C. D. Keth]

Interesting thing happened today. I think I avoided being robbed by taking the guy's portrait. A pretty shaken up addict approached me telling me a big story and asking for money. The whole while he wouldn't take his hand out of his pocket, I think he had a knife. He kept fiddling with it and I caught a glimpse of a shiny thing in there. I thought gun at first but he would have hocked a gun. Anyway, I stalled by telling him I had a couple bucks if I could take his picture. I shot two portraits and by the time I finished, a couple police showed up to ask him some questions. It sounded like he maybe busted the window out of a car down the street. They asked if I was fine and I was so I shot what I went there to shoot and left. I developed the film a few minutes ago. I'll put the pictures in the portraits thread when they're ready. If they're reasonably sharp (he was really fidgety), they'll be interesting.

[Richard Wasserman]

Also, avoid birthdays like the plague. Studies have conclusively shown that people who have the most birthdays are more likely to die.

But they also live the longest—quite a conundrum....

[ImSoNegative]

about 3 months ago, i was hiking around the ocoee river region in eastern tenn, and had a run-in with an aggressive male black bear, I had my glock with me, he stood up on his hind legs, trying to scare me i guess, i pulled my pistol but couldnt bring myself to shoot him so i fired up in the air and he took off running, I felt good about not killing him, afterall i was on his turf what sucks is up in the smokey mountain national park if they have problem bears; they bring some of them down and let them go in the ocoee region, so we can deal with them.

[Greg Miller]

I'm glad that you did not shoot the bear. When black bears stand on their hind legs they are mostly just checking you out - it is not an aggressive move other than wanting to appear bigger and prevent you from attacking. It is rare that black bears will attack a person. When they get aggressive that will make grunting noises before they actually do anything. After that they might charge you but 95% of the time it will be a bluff run - they will turn around and run away. I have been very close to many black bears, including 2 cases with mother and cubs, and have never had one become aggressive. Just talk to them in a gentle voice and they will move along about their business (which can sometimes take a long time). They really do not want to attack you and will do everything else possible before doing so.

[andrew gardiner]

I had my glock with me

Wow- I've taken photographs in some pretty risky places, but next time I'm in the States its the LF photographers I'll be wary of!

[Harrison Braughman]

A few years ago I embarked upon a 13 month journey to explore and photograph the American Southwest, the American Northwest, the Alaskan interior and the various provinces of Canada including the Northwest Territories. I packed my trusty 10x8 dorff, 5x4 dorff, hassy, a few changes of clothing, passport, local currency, and a strong supply of adventure. Upon arriving in Washington D.C., I purchased a suitable vehicle, the necessary camping gear, stocked one ice chest with Ilford film and the other ice chest with the necessary beverages.

My plan was to merely follow the many by-roads (paved, dirt, pebbled, rutted, a few shelf roads and a few menacial goat trails posing as roads) and avoid the concrete ribbons. Some days I travelled 10 kilometers other days I travelled from sunrise to sunset. My meandering took me through small towns, rolling hills, and vast spaces devoid of human intervention.

One such location I explored was a small mid-western farming community. It was here I encountered the local "welcoming committee". After spending the night in a farmer's field, I awoke with first light of the day. The smell of the morning aire was intoxicating. As I eat my breakfast, my eyes began to behold the magnificent sight which stretched endlessly before them. As I drove these wide and well-groomed dirt tracts my photographic eye was mesmerised by the abandoned farm houses which appeared on the horizon as sentinels to a bygone era.

One house, which was a mere 20 metres from the road, was a particularly handsome structure. What a perfect opportunity to explore and make some images. I parked the vehicle on the burm in plain visual. After an hour or three exploring the property, I began to make several images. As I was photographing deep in the recesses of the house, I thought I heard voices, hmm my imagination must be running a muck. As I focused the camera, the image I desired appeared on the ground glass with the added feature of four burly men banishing various shotguns, pistols and rifles. Initially I feared I entered a warlords domain, damaged the property, or over stepped my boundaries. Oh hell I thought, what do these rough necks want?

The leader of the group demanded to know what I was doing. Removing myself from under my dark-cloth and leaning on my 10x8 dorff, I stated rather frankly I am attempting to photograph the scene you and your chums are blocking. Could you be so kind as to move? Then it happen!

Suddenly they recognised I was shooting a rather large wooden camera. Hey, what kind of camera is that? My grandpappy had one one of those? Hey can we look? Dang picture is upside down? What kind of film does this thang use? I didn't know they made film? How long you going to be here? How did you find this place? Are you lost? Do you know that Hizel guy (Ansel Adam) who makes those big pictures? Do you work for National Geographic?

I, or should I say, my old wooden camera had ignited a photographic curiosity. Not only did they have a thousand questions but provided me with additional photographic locations, told me many yarns, gave me a historical lesson of the land, the people, and sometimes personal histories. They told me about people I should visit, places to see, provided me with a place to rest my head, and more than thrice a delicious home cook meal. Many a time I would be photographing and people would stop to chat, inquire if I been to this old farm, down this dirt road, encountered any troubles or if I had a decent meal recently. I become known in the community as that guy with the big old wooden camera.

In return for their generosity and friendship I pledged (a pledge I have always honoured) to supply each of those who had befriended me a few images.

[Brian C. Miller]

First off, glad that you're safe and unharmed!

I thought gun at first but he would have hocked a gun.

Depending on the firearm, it doesn't need to be cocked first before firing. That's just the movies. Most of the sidearms today are double-action, where the cocking takes place when the trigger is pulled. And if the guy pulled a knife on you, the results would not be less dangerous. You have lots of arteries in your body less than three inches deep. (The worst wounds I've seen have been from kitchen forks.)

Anyway, I stalled by telling him I had a couple bucks if I could take his picture. I shot two portraits and by the time I finished, a couple police showed up to ask him some questions. It sounded like he maybe busted the window out of a car down the street.

I'm glad the cops arrived!