Re: Avoiding harassment when shooting in the street
Wait, some of you are going into back alleys in Phoenix after midnight to "photograph?" And others are trying to photograph known targets for terrorists like tunnels, alone? Others go to film the Antifa thugs and May Day riots? You go looking for trouble, you're going to find it.
Re: Avoiding harassment when shooting in the street
Likewise here, whenever i'm in an area that may attract strange looks, i wear a Hi-Viz jacket.
If you go out dressed in black clothes at night, then you will look suspicious.
Make yourself obvious and no-one will come near you!
Mike
Re: Avoiding harassment when shooting in the street
I am always looking to be alone in the middle of nowhere. Difficult.
I have been stalked in many cities, sometimes from both ends of an alley. I have seen at least 5 dead in a city before the Bus arrives. One guy died in a flash where I missed the punch, so I could not testify. The punch didn't kill him, his head hitting the sidewalk did.
The quick and the dead, is a wise phrase.
Re: Avoiding harassment when shooting in the street
Or you can use Simon Norfolk's camouflage when he photographed in Afghanistan in the early 2000s. He wore Hawaiian shirts and shorts—he wanted everyone to see him and think he was a bit of a harmless lunatic. It worked....
http://www.simonnorfolk.com/afghanis...onotopia#essay
Re: Avoiding harassment when shooting in the street
Quote:
Originally Posted by
goamules
Wait, some of you are going into back alleys in Phoenix after midnight to "photograph?" And others are trying to photograph known targets for terrorists like tunnels, alone? Others go to film the Antifa thugs and May Day riots? You go looking for trouble, you're going to find it.
For the record, I have never knowingly gone looking for trouble, only for scenes to photograph.
I have also been hassled at least as often in the neighborhood where I live (which I believe is as far as possible from being sketchy) as I have in the truly sketchy parts of downtown Phoenix.
Unfortunately, in today's often hysterical climate, the only way to absolutely avoid being harassed is to stay home and that's not an option for me, because that's not where the photos I want to take -- no, make that the photos I'm compelled to take -- can be found. <shrugs shoulders>
As always, YMMV!
Re: Avoiding harassment when shooting in the street
At a Chicago airport my friend and I were approached by a cop who asked in a friendly way, "Can I help you?" and he let us pass through a gate with the security fellow who turned off his scanning wand. I asked my friend, "What just happened?" and he said, "Look at yourself. You dress like a sloppy off-duty cop!" (True - black leather jacket, black pants, utility boots, blue shirt.) and he added, "And I'm the spitting image of the Cook County prosecutor. You work for me." He did, and I did!.
Re: Avoiding harassment when shooting in the street
Sure, I too, had a camera set to photo GG Bridge (from Ft Baker) @night and couple cop cars came about. By the time I finished....at least 1/2 dozen drove by....some of those were the same vehicles. I believe they had been advised not to mess with folks....so I was left alone.
The only time I ever came close to being "harassed" (if I could even call that) was when I was in Europe. Saw this cool and active stork nest and pulled over. The tripod was within public space. Appx 20 min later this woman comes over to me and claimed as if I was taking an image of her house. I corrected her and instead of throwing legal jiberrish at her, I invited her to look through the viewfinder (yes, digital). She got to observe a landing parent-stork....as they were feeding 3 beaks :>). Eventually, I got the shot that I was after....and all ended w/o drama.
Les
Re: Avoiding harassment when shooting in the street
Ha! High Vis jackets? Yellow hardhats? Clipboards? White panel trucks? That's what parcel thieves do when they follow Fedex and UPS trucks around the neighborhood. That's how burglar scouts dress up. So that's who smart cops tail and angry homeowners get into even bigger trucks to tailgate.
Re: Avoiding harassment when shooting in the street
I don’t know what it is about nuclear power plants and oil refineries that tickle me so much as an LF shooter. The stacks? The steam? I know if I ever set up my tripod within minutes I would be facing down SWAT. A few years ago near the Nevada/California border I came across a solar farm. I didn’t know what it was at the time. There were beacons with spot lights on top spread across square miles of desert with sparkling reflections on the ground. I had never seen anything like it so I pull off the highway got as close as I could, parked and walked to a field near the fence and started shooting with a 90mm 135 format with a tripod. On my way out of the empty field 10 minutes later 6 SUVs with tinted windows drove passed me entering the field I just left. It was a Duh moment. I had expect them to cut me off but they kept going and stopped.
Re: Avoiding harassment when shooting in the street
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BrianShaw
It’s important to know two things: when your right and what your rights are.
no, not necessarily true. it's not easy for someone who isn't a minority to understand how they are surveilled and harassed by the police and " very good people".
unfortunately the last time I was in public on a sidewalk photographing a site I forgot my own protocol and didn't call the police. like clockwork some do-gooder called the police on me making 6 minute long mid day ( 330-4pm ) exposures with a 120 year old box camera ... 2 cruisers pulled up and questioned me for IDK 20 minutes. they ran my plates, and my license. thankfully I had my instagram feed to show them, and nothing happened. my previous experience with my local police not as "happy" ....
Quote:
Originally Posted by
invisibleflash
If you must, carry a 5x7 pocket portfolio to show off your photos.
EXACTLY.