jerk

[drmac]

OK...

I wanted to wait until the event was over and people have "moved on" before I posted just in case the photographer is on this forum...


I was at an event as a Dad with my child... At the event was a "professional photographer". I approached him to say hello and just chat before the event and before he was taking pictures. I was curious where he was from, if he had done events like this before, etc. etc. etc.

He was rude, obnixous, and stand-offish... As if to say "I am the photographer hired to work here, what are you doing here?"

I explained that I was just a dad, taking pictures of my kid, but he still was not wanting to engaged in my conversation.

Now, I assume that he was a "professional" and that this was his livelyhood, but I explained that I was not trying to hyjack his gig....

Am I over reacting or do I have reason to be upset?

I wonder if he would have reacted differently if I did not have a camera around my neck?

What do you think?

[gjl711]

He was rude, obnoxious, and stand-offish, I agree. But I also believe that he should have been left alone to do his job. The last thing you want when your prepping for an event is to get distracted and engage in small talk with someone you never met.

I'm guessing that he was going through his last minute checklists, scoping out the place looking for upcoming potential shots, and just generally getting in the mindset to do a job. I tend to leave the pro photogs alone before a shoot staying far out of their way especially if I have my gear with me. And I know that when I'm asked to do an event and am approached, I have no patience for just chatting about photography and such but usually I just say that I am busy and cant chat. There is no need to get rude about it.

[NickSimcheck]

I think you are over thinking it, some people are just rude.

Most likely though, he was focused on his work and didn't want to be disturbed.

Don't think of it as a bad reflection of yourself...

[shannyD]

some are nice and some are jerks.

i like concert photography.. im not great at it.. but im better than the hired pro that this one venue pays. in fact ill go out on a limb and say he sucks really friggen bad.

anyhow... the club has no rules about hobby shooters being in the place.. so im free to shoot. but he has been known to jump in peoples way, and ruin their shot.. just because he feels that he should be the only one that is allowed to be there.

i have had several run ins with him. and i always look at his nikon d40 and kit lens with pop up flash( not that the gear is bad), and wonder how he makes his " bread and butter" so he calls it.

i have seen his work online, and even around town. and it is litterally not good. and in a small town in NC.. they think hes great... because he shows up and flashes the performers to death.

but hes rude, and a stright up jerk. i tried working withh im just once. and he told me to use my kit lens that came with my xti.. because i would have better IQ with that.. over my 30mm sigma.. or my 50mm 1.4 canon.

sooooooooooooooooo...

needless i say i think hes a douche nozzle, and dont care what he says. im glad hes getting paid.. i dotn give the club my photos. so if they pay him.. good on him.

bleh im rambling.. sorry.

[Thalagyrt]

I think it really varies from person to person. All of the usual suspects at the Heat games, myself included, talk to the fans sitting behind us pretty regularly and show them the good shots during timeouts, but during the game we're focused in. I would never be dismissive or rude to a fan, and definitely not to another photographer, I'd say hold on a sec and talk when I have a break.

Some people are just jerks.

[dmwierz]

I think you're being a little harsh. Consider this: you're there with a camera, which means he's down one customer right off the bat. This can't make him feel good.

Sure he could have been more cordial and friendly, but from my perspective, I consider myself to be "at work" as soon as I show up to cover an event. When I (and most other photographers) attend a youth event as a pro photographer, I'm not there to be social - I'm there to make money. Plus, I often get good shots before a game so don't assume he had nothing to do when you came up to him.

My advice, Mac, is to cut the guy some slack. Maybe he's just a jerk, but maybe he's just trying to do a job (just like you do every day of the week).

[drmac]

Good points... I will give the guy the benefit of the doubt... This was just the first time I experienced this. Usually people (photographers) will engage in small talk or simply say they can't talk right now.... Maybe the guy had a rough morning and the last thing he needed was someone chatting with him.

Thanks!

[Desertraptor]

Yep some people are just rude and their parents should be slapped hard for their up bringing

[Highlight_Photography]

Ive had this happen to me a couple of times including at "Moomba" in Melbourne. I have stood next to other photographers and said "Hi, How are you" and then get looked and mumbled at.

Personally I find it very rude as I was only trying to make convo.

[MJPhotos24]

I can guarantee some have said this about me at events! Usually pro events and people wanting to talk while I'm in the middle of my job not understanding why I don't stop everything and be there new best friend for 5 mins. Usually when I do start talking to someone I'll let them know immediately if it seems like I'm not paying attention or I run away it's nothing personal, just need to get some shots and be right back. Youth events there's more down time I think so will talk a lot easier. Depending on the overall situation I'd give the guy a break....maybe he's protective, maybe he's just a jerk, maybe he just got annoyed by some other parent with a P&S telling him her camera takes just as good images, you never know.

[geo1976]

Seems like all the jerks get the pro jobs!!lol I'm gonna try being a jerk for a while, maybe I'll get a better job.lol

[sandpiper]

OK, just putting on my devil's advocate hat for a moment.

Not everybody wants to chat with strangers. Although this was before the action, and he wasn't actually shooting, it doesn't mean he wasn't concentrating on his work. As others have said, the first part of the job is scoping out the site, getting a feel for the lay of the land, light etc., going through mental checklists and just getting yourself in the right frame of mind. Frequent interruptions from strangers asking questions (and you seem to have had a few questions .. " I was curious where he was from, if he had done events like this before, etc. etc. etc. ") can totally derail a train of thought.

I have missed many shots over the years because somebody has come up and interrupted me when I am planning a shot, or waiting for action to happen and distracted me from what I am doing. Mostly this is general public who see a big white lens and want to know what I am shooting, which magazine / paper it's for etc.

I try and be polite most of the time, which usually makes it harder to get people to go away and let me get on with what I am doing. Simply saying "sorry, I'm busy" comes across as rude and longer explanations seem to be taken as a prelude to a conversation. Fortunately the missed shots, due to trying not to be rude, are not vital to earning my living as I am strictly amateur these days and just shoot as a hobby. It's still annoying missing a potentially good shot though. If I were relying on the shots for my income though .....

Depending on where I am shooting, I can have anything from zero interruptions to somebody coming up to me every few minutes to ask questions or "take a pic of me mate" and stand in front of the camera. Sometimes you just lose patience and try and ignore everybody and get on with why you are actually there.

Yes, he could have been more polite about it. Equally though, it sounds as if you were quite persistant - after he was standoffish to your original approach, you say "I explained that I was just a dad, taking pictures of my kid, but he still was not wanting to engaged in my conversation." Perhaps you could have taken the hint that he wasn't interested and left him alone. He wouldn't be interested in WHY you were wanting to talk to him, or that you were there to take pictures of your kid.

Just because you both had cameras, doesn't mean that you are necessarily going to be best friends. He had a job to do and probably just wanted to be left alone to get on with it. You wanted to chat, he didn't, sometimes it goes that way.

I don't know what you do in your daily life, but would you appreciate strangers wanting to come up and chat while you are trying to concentrate on your work. Remember, he may have had others before you trying to have a conversation with him and just want to get on with his job.

Nobody HAS to make time for a conversation, just because you want to make small talk.

There is no excuse for him being rude or obnoxious (you don't say what that form took, just that he was) however being standoffish is usually the best defence when you really want to get on with what you are doing. Trying to say nicely that you really haven't got time to chat and smiling etc., usually results in the person just standing there and saying "that's OK, you carry on", then still attempting to carry on the conversation while you work, not realising how offputting it is.

[40Dude6aedyk]

First, I never tell folks "I'm a dad just taking pictures" even if I am. As far as they are concerned, I'm a professional photographer. My photos can all be bought if you wanted to pay me for them.

Some folks have the gift of gab and are outgoing. Some folks don't. You know this implicitly because some folks are outgoing sales reps and others are computer nerds who sit in a cubby all day interacting with a keyboard and a plastic mouse. Most folks are somewhere in-between.

Anyways, I wouldn't worry about this person at all. Maybe I am out to get his job and put him out of business? So what?

[liam5100]

I can guarantee some have said this about me at events! Usually pro events and people wanting to talk while I'm in the middle of my job not understanding why I don't stop everything and be there new best friend for 5 mins. Usually when I do start talking to someone I'll let them know immediately if it seems like I'm not paying attention or I run away it's nothing personal, just need to get some shots and be right back. Youth events there's more down time I think so will talk a lot easier. Depending on the overall situation I'd give the guy a break....maybe he's protective, maybe he's just a jerk, maybe he just got annoyed by some other parent with a P&S telling him her camera takes just as good images, you never know.

Me too, I try not to be rude when parents or people come up and ask me questions but there are times that 10 or 20 minutes before a game or event starts I'm very busy.

It may not look like it to most, but I might be looking at angles, committing background locations to memory, double checking camera settings etc.

I've had to push my magazine editors out of the way to get shots when they wanted to chat. Often when it seems rude, it really might just be busy.

[namasste]

Usually when I do start talking to someone I'll let them know immediately if it seems like I'm not paying attention or I run away it's nothing personal, just need to get some shots
I agree with Mike on this. I just say "sorry bud but I gotta get these shots" and off I go. If I am shooting youth stuff for spec, I might suggest they grab me post game or during the half when I'd have a minute. At NCAA or pro events, most of the guys/ladies that are close enough to chat are there to shoot as well and everyone understands that a non response simply means you're doing you're job at the moment.

Despite all that, being a jerk is uncalled for. There's a way to convey that you can't talk right then without coming off as rude. Some folks just don't get that part.

[primoz]

It's pretty funny to read comments like "he was concentrating for upcoming work, he was going through last minute check list etc.". Ok maybe this might be for someone who was never doing this before, but in reality, photography is not really rocket science, and I don't know anyone who would "go through last minute check list" before event. Ok maybe I, and colleagues I meet on races, did way too many sport events, so I have more experiences about this, but in general, we are joking around, having fun, talking with each other or whoever is standing by until everything starts. With skiing for example, I actually get ready 5mins before first skier, since there you have just one chance. With basketball, soccer, handball etc. I get ready when match starts. You have about 60+ minutes time to get photos, so I really don't need to stress up 30mins before start of match already.
Besides... what "last minute check list" could be anyway? Did I took all batteries and cards? Did I set right white balance and exposure settings? Like I said, it's not really space shuttle take off, so I don't really understand why you can't be talking with someone before match... or even during match.
But then again... I understand he probably didn't like to see competition around ;)

[ceegee]

I'm not a professional photographer but I do run my own company in another, completely unrelated field, and I can tell you that if you're going to be successful in business - any business - then you'd better learn not to be a jerk to your potential customers or competitors. You just never know; the person you're insulting might be your best customer's brother. It doesn't cost anything to be polite and there's really no excuse for rudeness. If you're in business, you need to learn to deal nicely with folks. Otherwise, you have much less chance of being successful.

I compete in a sport, and there's always a professional photographer at our events. I usually have my camera with me, and take a lot of pics when I'm not actually competing, but even so this guy has never failed to be anything but polite and helpful. As a result I've referred a lot of people to him - which I certainly wouldn't have done if he'd been unpleasant. When you're working with or for the general public, you can't be a prima donna; if you are, you're the one who's going to lose out.

[MJPhotos24]

It's pretty funny to read comments like "he was concentrating for upcoming work, he was going through last minute check list etc.". Ok maybe this might be for someone who was never doing this before, but in reality, photography is not really rocket science, and I don't know anyone who would "go through last minute check list" before event. Ok maybe I, and colleagues I meet on races, did way too many sport events, so I have more experiences about this, but in general, we are joking around, having fun, talking with each other or whoever is standing by until everything starts. With skiing for example, I actually get ready 5mins before first skier, since there you have just one chance. With basketball, soccer, handball etc. I get ready when match starts. You have about 60+ minutes time to get photos, so I really don't need to stress up 30mins before start of match already.
Besides... what "last minute check list" could be anyway? Did I took all batteries and cards? Did I set right white balance and exposure settings? Like I said, it's not really space shuttle take off, so I don't really understand why you can't be talking with someone before match... or even during match.
But then again... I understand he probably didn't like to see competition around ;)

Primoz, this may be a first but I'm going to disagree with you. I'm usually at a game at least an hour early preparing and getting ready, not usually anything technical but checking different ideas, if it's indoors checking the lights, there's no way I could get there 5 mins before and feel ready to go. This could be VERY dependent on the sport/situation though (familiar field/arena for example). In Rochester I have to pass the fans, many of which I know, on my way to the dugout. They know by now on that first pass they're getting blown off as I go and set up and get ready. Will come back soon as I am done with everything "good to go" as there's always down time, but not that first few mins.

It has nothing to do with the camera settings, that can be done in about a minute just having done it so long. It's usually other things like checking the roster, cross checking guys I need, looking for new call-ups, marking numbers and stuff like that. Last indoor event I had one person start talking to me and they had no clue I was testing my lights as we talked, to them I did't look busy - in reality I had just finished setting up the strobes sitting in where I'd be shooting from trying to get the settings right, they didn't notice the lights going off till I showed them. Though in that case didn't blow them off to do it and was talking the entire time.

[Thalagyrt]

Primoz, this may be a first but I'm going to disagree with you. I'm usually at a game at least an hour early preparing and getting ready, not usually anything technical but checking different ideas, if it's indoors checking the lights, there's no way I could get there 5 mins before and feel ready to go. This could be VERY dependent on the sport/situation though (familiar field/arena for example). In Rochester I have to pass the fans, many of which I know, on my way to the dugout. They know by now on that first pass they're getting blown off as I go and set up and get ready. Will come back soon as I am done with everything "good to go" as there's always down time, but not that first few mins.

It has nothing to do with the camera settings, that can be done in about a minute just having done it so long. It's usually other things like checking the roster, cross checking guys I need, looking for new call-ups, marking numbers and stuff like that. Last indoor event I had one person start talking to me and they had no clue I was testing my lights as we talked, to them I did't look busy - in reality I had just finished setting up the strobes sitting in where I'd be shooting from trying to get the settings right, they didn't notice the lights going off till I showed them. Though in that case didn't blow them off to do it and was talking the entire time.

I really can see it both ways. There are definitely things that can go wrong, and that happened in one of the recent games. Victor has 5 or 6 (don't remeber) 1D IIIs set up around the arena on remote triggers, and one of them went wonky, and at the same time a few of the strobe sets stopped working. If he had just gotten there right before the game, none of this would have been fixed. Then again, on a good day when everything's working, he's just talking to everyone until about 2 minutes before gametime, checks his camera settings, tapes over the shutter speed dials, and it's game time.

[namasste]

I'll stick to what I said earlier...there's no excuse for being rude but politely removing yourself from a conversation while you are at an event is completely understandable imo. Consider this, does your editor/outlet cut you some slack if you miss something because someone was talking to you? If you are there to do a job, you need to do it and be as polite as you can in explaining that to folks if you don't have the time to talk.

[primoz]

Mike it's perfectly fine to disagree :) We are different, we have different opinions and I respect that :)
Anyway... sure I agree if you it's busy if you are setting strobes, remotes etc.. There's also difference between sports, but if I look in general my work there's not all that much difference between skiing or basketball for example. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I don't shoot basketball with strobes, nor remotes, so this part of work, can be skipped for me. So for both, skiing or basketball, I actually show up much earlier. For skiing about 3h before start (it's a bit different then with other sports, so I'm not going to details why this early, unless someone really wants to know), for basketball about 45mins before start of match. I set laptop, do all what I need, and then I wait for start of match or race. Even when setting up my laptop, connecting it etc. I can easily find minute or two for short conversation. When I'm done with this, I have half hour or more to kill, so being nice, even if question are stupid like "whoa cool lens, it has to take great photos, right?", is not all that hard to do. If nothing else, time goes by faster. With skiing, when I'm on hill for 1 to 1.5h waiting for start of race, it's really great if you have someone to talk about... no matter if it's about cameras, photography, skiing, or weather.
I agree that being nice helps. And if you don't have time, you can always tell this nice way without looking like idiot. But then again, sometimes there are people, who don't understand this and keep bugging you ;)

[Thalagyrt]

I'll stick to what I said earlier...there's no excuse for being rude but politely removing yourself from a conversation while you are at an event is completely understandable imo. Consider this, does your editor/outlet cut you some slack if you miss something because someone was talking to you? If you are there to do a job, you need to do it and be as polite as you can in explaining that to folks if you don't have the time to talk.

Exactly! I don't see why some people don't understand that. You're there as a professional and your job is your priority. If you have a bit of free time to talk to people then sure talk to people, but don't stop doing your job just to talk to someone. Also, since you are there as a professional and are representing the venue/league/whatever, you still have a responsibility to act professionally, which means don't be a jerk. :)

[S.Horton]

What you encountered is probably that person's nature and has absolutely nothing to do with you, what you had around your neck, or even that you were there.

[ChrisRabior]

While we're all a bit touchy when we're trying to rush to get things set up, there's never an excuse for being rude. What if this guy was feeling you out and hoping to get a card for contact info so he can buy some prints? Kiss that opportunity goodbye. What if the guy was going to inquire "hey, we're looking to hire a photographer for the ____ league". Kiss that goodbye too.

Being a professional shouldn't end with what we're capable of doing with a camera. So yes, absolutely, you have a right to be offended, but don't take it too personally. Doesn't matter which walk of life you deal with, you'll always wind up encountering someone with a pole permanently stuck where the sun don't shine. I have to agree with S. Horton. It probably had more to do with this guy's personality than it did with you.

Shrug it off and move along. No use fretting over someone else's crabby outlook.

[morob7]

Maybe his wife had just walked out on him and took his favorite lens with her. You walked up right after he realized it was gone.:rolleyes:

[Mike R]

if it's one of my regular teams @ home. I still show up early, knowing that parents will talk to me, every one is more potential business.

[jmorales]

OK, let's give him the benefit-of-the-doubt that he is not jerk ALL the time. He could have just told you he was busy getting ready for the event. As a photog I would have understood it completely and would have wished him luck. I understand not everyone likes small talk but no need to be rude. I interact and with other photogs (who I never met before) and some of them interact with me first at different sporting events. I have never been rude or had anyone else be rude. We always scope out each others' gear and ask how they like what they use. It must be a non-rude photog thing.


Good points... I will give the guy the benefit of the doubt... This was just the first time I experienced this. Usually people (photographers) will engage in small talk or simply say they can't talk right now.... Maybe the guy had a rough morning and the last thing he needed was someone chatting with him.

Thanks!

Another rough morning not having a Canon for work. Tough! I think this is what may have set him off, seeing you had better gear.:)

[birdfromboat]

Oposite story- I was at a dance competition to photograph my daughter and the team (fifth place, state) and had a great second row seat, center court. Right before the event, a pro starts setting up right in front of me. He asked me questions about my gear, what I like to shoot, what lens I planned to use, how i handled the lighting (poor sports venue sodium soup) etc. He gave advice to a couple of people near me with p and s's, even called out to the truck to see if some one out there might have a few rolls of 800 for some hapless soul with 200 loaded in an old rebel G. I think he knew he was going to have to be in our way some of the time, and wanted to be friends first, It worked, I saw him give cards to a few folks. Lots of potential customers with that many parents of high school age kids present. I thought he handled his pro gig as pro as I have ever seen- I have no idea what his stuff looked like!

[FOX2PRO]

I understand that he was prepping for an event, but that was no reason to be rude. He could have just said that he was busy. No need for rudeness.

[DDCSD]

I take the time to talk to anyone who wants to talk to me. I can do my job and chit-chat at the same time. Half of the time the action is at the far end of the court, and those shots don't sell well anyways. It is easy enough to get out of a conversation politely if needed.

I find that a little bit of good will goes a long ways. Even if it is with someone that you know isn't going to be buying from you. Parents talk and people watch how the guy with the big camera treats others.

[Borderfox]

No matter how busy I am before an event I always talk to anybody that comes up to have a chat, it doesnt pay to pi*s customers off. I have given people with cameras advice on how to improve and that all works in my benefit as most of these people go on to buy prints off me.

[DDCSD]

No matter how busy I am before an event I always talk to anybody that comes up to have a chat, it doesnt pay to pi*s customers off. I have given people with cameras advice on how to improve and that all works in my benefit as most of these people go on to buy prints off me.


Yep, and it doesn't help to have someone out telling everyone one at the event what a jerk the photographer is!

[RandyMN]

Sometimes in my free time such as at a wedding I love having people sit and keep me company. Then other times when things are tight and my focus is on something related to the event, the last thing I want is a distraction from someone wanting to chat camera's.

It's all about using good judgement and making certain the photographer is free and not concentrating on the event.

Personally, I have also seen some jerks photographers out there too! As a matter of fact we probably even have some of those in this place!!!

Funny thing is I have been given a speeding ticket by some of the nicest policemen just doing their job, and then I have been written tickets by jerks! Good thing it's been over 12 years since my last or I'd be in trouble with my jerk insurance man.:)

[SYS]

I just LOVE talking about photography to anyone, friends or strangers, even while I'm shooting, so someone approaching me while I'm preparing to shoot is never a problem. The only time I find it problematic is when someone interrupts me in situations where I only have a very brief "window of opportunity" in which to capture the images I need to. When you're shooting something very important to you and the window of opportunity is pretty brief, this is precisely the wrong time for someone to approach you, tap on your shoulder, and say, "hey, dude, what kind of camera you got there?"

[I26]

I think your over reacting. He was probably a guy caught up in his work. Just cause he is a photog doesn't mean he has to oblige and talk gear or whatever with you. Perhaps he does this job cause he is good at it, perhaps he would rather be doing something else. I work with people who are really good at their job but flat out hate what they do, but they do it cause it pays and is easy for them. My suggestion, perhaps harsh, say hi and move on.

[NickSimcheck]

I'm not a professional photographer but I do run my own company in another, completely unrelated field, and I can tell you that if you're going to be successful in business - any business - then you'd better learn not to be a jerk to your potential customers or competitors. You just never know; the person you're insulting might be your best customer's brother. It doesn't cost anything to be polite and there's really no excuse for rudeness. If you're in business, you need to learn to deal nicely with folks. Otherwise, you have much less chance of being successful.


I completely agree.

Missing a couple shots is far less harmful then pissing off a potential client.

Most photographers tend to only care about making the best photo they possibly can, then fall apart when it comes to the people they meet and work with.

Recipe for failure.

[dmwierz]

Missing a couple shots is far less harmful then pissing off a potential client.

Unless the shots you missed are those of a paying client's kid doing something remarkable or shots of a kid whose parent is a prospective client and who would have come up to buy that shot you didn't get of his son getting his only base hit of the year.

The thing about sports is ya never know when something cool is gonna happen.

Friday night I was covering a local NHL game and a guy sitting a couple rows behind me twice disrupted me in the middle of the action to show me the shots he was taking with his iPhone, as in "look at this shot I got of that goal - you wanna trade?".

And, a Mom behind me interrupted me and asked me three different times to take pictures of her kids, as though I work for LifeTouch or something. Ironically, when I actually DID want to get shots of her kids (right after the game - celebrating a victory), I turned around and they were both asleep.

Now, this was a professional sporting event and I was clearly a credentialed photographer, but why treat a gig covering kids with any less focus and professionalism?

I'll stand by my original statement that there's certainly no reason to be rude to people when they try to chat, and that of course you never know who that person is who is trying to engage you in a conversation, but I'm not there to be social, to chat or to make friends. I'm there to do a job - to take the best pictures of every player who is in (and event those not in) the game so that each kid's parent takes home at least one memory they will have forever.

I expect other people to respect what I'm there to do and to not interrupt me or otherwise be a distraction. After a game when it's clear that I'm having some down time, by all means stop by and I'd love to chat. but please not when I have my "game face" on (even when you think I might not be doing something - if I've got a camera in my hand or in front of me on a monopod, I'm probably working).

I even don't mind people coming up to me when I'm eating, and this is saying something since some weekends I might get maybe 15 minutes for lunch between games.

[Sibil]

I have been on both side of the fence.

When I am a guest, spectator, or whatever at an event, I stay the hell out of the photographer's way who is there to do a job, paid or not, especially when getting setup initially. I love to chat gear and photography in general, and will wait until I see the guy has some down time. Then I'll approach and try to start small talk. If the guy is interested I'll continue, but if I get the cold shoulder, or the hint that he is not interested, then I'll walk away and not take it personal or anything.

For example, at weddings, there is no way I'll approach the photographer in the church, or at times when I know it is critical timing for him to get certain shots. I'll wait for the reception and then walk over. I find most photographers are open to shooting the breeze if you approach them at the right time. On the two occasions, the wedding photographer handed me his camera and invited me to walk around and shoot candid shots while he was swallowing down his dinner.

Being on the other side of the fence, I have been irritated and almost hunted down by folks constantly talking and even getting in the way of shots. Even direct hints of apology that I can't talk and need to get setup or whatever doesn't sometimes help. Most people don't do this on purpose; they just don't understand how they are getting in the way. I understand a photographer who wants to stop the possibility of that kind of interruption right at the beginning. I am not saying this is this case of the OP, but I can see where some photographers might be coming from.

[Dmab]

ya know, maybe he's that way when he's not working as well.
If that's his personality so be it...everyone know or has met someone like that mutliple times over in our lives. Just because he was also a photographer maybe had nothing to do with it....

[dolfinack]

Some people are just jerks. Actually.

Like many have said before, be polite, smile, say you're busy, as move on. Win - win.

I actually get a small buzz from being polite, and the person on the receiving end often obviously does too.

The thing about jerks, is this: they LOVE being jerks. I just posted a "Lets have your portrait posing secrets / tips" thread over in the people section, and I get "try google" as the first reply. He may as well have typed "try google" (.... p.s. you're an assh**e.)

I feel like replying to him and saying "actually what I was looking for was the good folks of POTN to share in a fun and friendly way so we can all learn together", but i'm not a jerk.

The fella in this thread, yes, a complete pillock.

[AJ05]

I'm going to play the devil's advocate here. We don't know the whole story. Is it possible that, when drmac first approached this photog, drmac either missed a hint about that particular moment in time not being a good time to talk or, even worse, deliberately chose to ignore the hint?

As I said, we don't know both sides of the story. Sometimes the person initiating contact is rude to begin with because they are only focused on what they want. Doesn't excuse the pro being rude but maybe a hint that now is not a good time was misconstrued as "rude"?

[drmac]

This was before the event started........

UPDATE: The owner did not care for that attitude (nor pictures) of the "pro"......... next event???

[DeLarren]

He was being a jerk. If he was professional, he could have simply gave you a business card and asked you to get with him after the event or a few days later. I am pretty sure you were not asking for him to write a paperback at the time.

I forgot to ask if it was a 5' job? Might have made a difference with his attitude that was portrayed.

[birdfromboat]

I have taken to wearing a set of bright yellow headphones that clearly state " I am unable to hear you, don't try to get my attention". I wouldn't recomend it in a venue where being able to hear might get you a shot (basketball, car racing) but I started doing it at drag races.definitely cuts down on the "i bet you could see Uranus with that lens" comments.
If you are a pro that doesn't want to be disturbed, would a great big shiny blutooth ear thingy work, especially if you started talking as if in the middle of an important conversation whenever someone started to bother you? My daughter told me she uses the phony phone conversation ruse regularly to ward off unwanted approaches from undesirable approachers. could it work with a hands free device too?