Opening a Can of WORMS!!!

[GAinGa]

Okay... my question...

I live in a small town... of which there are atleast 3 other professional photographers. Recently I was contacted in regards to the "biggest" studio owner's rude actions. Apparently, he walked in a hair salon, which happened to have a few of my business cards and brochures displayed, and grabbed them up, scrunching them together and stated that "these should not be displayed here!!!"......at which time, a co-owner of the salon instructed him to put them back down and leave immediately. He did in fact leave, but as there were customers present, everyone got a little show that day and it's hitting the rumor mill. Obviously, for me, at this point, it's kind of funny and has generated some added interest to my website, etc.

My question is this...... although I do not "know" This man, he advertises that he has been a professional for over 35 years..... he has nearly knocked me down while we were simultaneously shooting pictures in public at a concert before....and actually came up behind me and rammed a tripod down where one leg went into the toe of my shoe!!!! (ha ha ha)... I believe he is a member of PPA....and I am concerned about his behavior and consider him ruthless. Although I have always ignored his existance in the past.... I am now a member of PPA and feel that his behavior is unacceptable. Should I "report" the man and risk starting an all-out war...or continue to ignore him and hope that he displays his rude behavior more often so that folks will see his true colors??? and...hopefully, give me a chance to be their photographer??

I used to laugh at this, as technically I am a just beginning to advertise and you would THINK that I would be of no concern to him.....

Curious for comments...... GA in Ga.

[Chris Dana]

Ignore him. If he keeps up his rude attitude around potential customers, he'll be his own demise. If anyone asks you about him, say nothing. Focus on building your own business and not engaging him.

[FlyingPhotog]

Stay above the fray.

The fastest way to make him implode is to continue to succeed on your own terms!

[meh_meli]

That is assault and battery, that should fix him.
Note the place of the hair salon, day and any names possible. That would prove motive.
back in the day assault may not have been actual touching but battery was. Battery is harder to prove. ( we are talking HS criminal law here)
Even if he may be rude to people, if his product is worth it....................

[GAinGa]

Stay above the fray.

The fastest way to make him implode is to continue to succeed on your own terms!


Thanks..... That's the plan from my end right now....~G

[GAinGa]

That is assault and battery, that should fix him.
Note the place of the hair salon, day and any names possible. That would prove motive.
back in the day assault may not have been actual touching but battery was. Battery is harder to prove. ( we are talking HS criminal law here)
Even if he may be rude to people, if his product is worth it....................


LOL.... the "touching" incident was almost one year ago...the salon incident was recent. But I think I will stick to ignoring him for now. I have had atleast 3 new clients who had used him in the past but now come to me..... this could be a new trend!! I am liking the thought of that!!

[WRCfan]

Just carrying on like you intend to do will bring more satisfaction to you personally I feel, beat him fair and square then the revenge is twice as sweet mate!

[blackshadow]

Stay above the fray.

The fastest way to make him implode is to continue to succeed on your own terms!

Exactly.

I'd be asking the hair salon if you could display some of your photos in their... that should irk him even more.

If he tries anything similar to the tripod trick call the police and have him charged with assault. (BTW what kind of photographer uses a tripod shooting concerts?)

[neilwood32]

Stay above the fray.

The fastest way to make him implode is to continue to succeed on your own terms!

Agree whole heartedly. This guy will put himself out of business without any help from anyone else.

Just make sure you dont stoop to his level by making comments or anything against his organisation. That would be wholely counterproductive.

Even if he does jab your foot with a tripod, turn the other cheek. That will win you more respect than taking him to court (which might be seen as vindictive). Just make sure you are wearing stout boots when he is about!:p

[FlyingPhotog]

Agree whole heartedly. This guy will put himself out of business without any help from anyone else.

Just make sure you dont stoop to his level by making comments or anything against his organisation. That would be wholely couonterproductive.

Even if he does jab your foot with a tripod, turn the other cheek. That will win you more respect than taking him to court (which might be seen as vindictive). Just make sure you are wearing stout boots when he is about!:p

Good point that...

If that knucklehead is willing to resort to physical intimidation, I'd bet a dollar he's actively looking for a reason to accuse the OP of Slander (spoken lies) or Liable (written / printed lies.)

[dipps]

and actually came up behind me and rammed a tripod down where one leg went into the toe of my shoe!!!!
i'm sorry, and this may be the wrong answer, but given the information regarding how he had nearly run you over at some other shoot, about this point is where i'd fake yelp in pain, stumble against his tripod as you grab for your "injured" toe, and sending it clattering across the floor. make him think twice about trying to "bully" you next time. what a jag.

[GAinGa]

Yeah... I was interested to see what position most others would take if in my shoes... thanks, everyone, for the input.

BTW.... the comment about the tripod at a concert got me to thinking.... he had a helper there filming on video...but I was 10 or more feet away.... and I am certain he did infact have a camera on that tripod.......maybe low light shots (concert was at night.... with christmas lights all around....) .... I myself, got some decent ones with handheld...... but left the scene for a happier place after the toe incident, LOL!!
(it was personal friends of mine in concert.... can get pics of them anytime... I think he saw them as a possible coat-tail to ride....)

Okay.... do I need to "close-out" a thread or some funny jargon such as that... so folks wont read this a thousand times over and waste their time??? I have what I was looking for..and dont necessarily believe this will help anyone else out..... what are the odds of them being in the same situation... lol.

[Woolburr]

Since you started the thread, if you feel that it has run it's course and requires no further comments, simply click on the little red triangle at the bottom left of any of your posts and ask for the thread to be locked.

[GAinGa]

AH...no...actually...that was cute, but I see where that is simply reporting my post as harassing or inappropriate, etc. LOL:cry:
I dont wanna do that! ..................

[number six]

Anne, Wool was being perfectly straightforward. Nothing at all wrong with reporting your own post, for something as simple as correcting a spelling error in the title.

OTOH, this is an interesting thread to many of us. If it fails to interest people, it'll slip down to oblivion on page 179 in a few weeks...

-js

[JasonBr]

Just keep doing what you are doing and advertise. Have the Salon put up more of your flyers, if the bully comes back and is told to leave, the salon owner can call the police and have him arrested for criminal trespass. (Not to mention goons coming in and damaging things are bad for business).

Find out what he does/promotes and learn to do it better! That will teach him.

[yogestee]

Don't get angry,,be successful..

[LBaldwin]

Nah, don't stay above the fray, after 35 years he'd never get it. Time to mace the crapola out of him, just as many of my friends hav told me here when I had the run in Santa Cruz, just get the mace out and let em have it, trust me he won;t cross your bow again. I was just talking to someone who had to use it in Oakland at a police scene, the gel works pretty darn according to the unedited video I saw. If he touches you or your stuff it's on.

I know many of you want to use the "turn the other cheek method" I just don't think that this knuckledragger will understand anything but pain...