Common sense or just rude ?

[blindz24]

So I'm just curious ... Is it an unwritten code, common sense, or whatever for a fellow photographer to know better than to walk infront of another photographer while they're taking a photo ?

I myself would find it rude, if you can see they're shooting there, and you can go around, I certainly wouldn't walk infront of them, I'd take the extra 2 seconds and walk around behind them out of their way. Perhaps thats just me.

I was shooting a motorsport event (not in a crowded track setting, a rented strip/area that isn't normally used for motorsports so there are no 'highered photographers' with claim to the property either) over the weekend and in the process of shooting my other half who was out there racing, a rude photographer decided to SLOWLY walk infront of me during my shots stand in the way pretend to take a photo of nothing and then continue on. Now I understand I'm no pro, I don't have the greatest gear, but just because you have 2 big fancy cameras with fancy lenses and monopods doesn't make it okay to be rude like that.
In your case ladies and gents, what would you have done? Because infact he did ruin one of my perfect shots I wanted to keep that day, during processing he was smack dab in the middle of the shot, had he not of been everything was set perfectly. :mad:

Just a little frustrated.

- T.

[Naturalist]

This happened to me as well. I was shooting a local political function with candidates speaking on various topics and I shot from back a ways so as to not distract anyone. I shot using an EF-S 60 and a flash but some other dummy was walking to within 10 feet of the talking candidate and snapping pics. I thought that was rude as hell ans was surprised that he wasn't told to get out of the way.

I consider it a sign of my professionalism to shoot from further back and not interfere with any events. I do not want to detract from the subjects moment that I am capturing.

[macroshooter1970]

Both I guess. Some people just don't care.

[joeseph]

So I'm just curious ... Is it an unwritten code, common sense, or whatever for a fellow photographer to know better than to walk infront of another photographer while they're taking a photo ?
yes - all of the above.

Sometimes keeping oranges in your bag could be useful (especially if your aim is good) otherwise you could always take their photo & post it here...

[neilwood32]

So I'm just curious ... Is it an unwritten code, common sense, or whatever for a fellow photographer to know better than to walk infront of another photographer while they're taking a photo ?

- T.

It is all of the above as well as common decency to keep out of someones way when they are taking a photograph.

I wouldnt keep oranges though - tomatoes work better!:lol::lol:

[Overread]

Sometimes people are just plain rude - doesn't matter if they own and use a camera or not, its just the way they are. Othertimes people mistake a situation or overlook certain factors and through that our actions and thus impede or hinder others.

It could be the guy really did just want to show off his stuff and be rude - or he might just have totally missed that you were there shooting and was just enjoying himself (many a photographer can apprecaite wandering around in a world of their own when doing photography ;)).

[snyderman]

the only problems I encounter with the issue is referees at sporting events who, (in many cases) stand in front of my lens on purpose! I move. They setup shop right in front of me again.

Most of the time someone walks in front of a shooter, they're just not paying attention. I'm ok with that. It happens. But to purposefully do this, like in the referee example, it IS rude!!!

dave

[blindz24]

the only problems I encounter with the issue is referees at sporting events who, (in many cases) stand in front of my lens on purpose! I move. They setup shop right in front of me again.

Most of the time someone walks in front of a shooter, they're just not paying attention. I'm ok with that. It happens. But to purposefully do this, like in the referee example, it IS rude!!!

dave

Nah he definitely knew I was there and that I was shooting. Here's the photo.

http://i594.photobucket.com/albums/tt26/dilaurot/Matts%20EG/IMG_7831.jpg

The direction he is pointing, there is absolutely nothing and nothing going on, as I was at the corner of the track where the car is is the farthest it comes out and no one was behind.

- T.

[canonloader]

When I am set up where people walk by, I accept the fact that, well, they have to walk by. It's a public sidewalk. It would be far ruder of me to expect them to wait while I take a shot. In particular, it is embarrassing when people act all squinchy when they have to walk in front of my camera. Sometimes they act like it is a real cannon and it might just go off when they pass in front of it. They tuck down, they try to make themselves smaller, they stoop over and hurry by. It's down right comical, especially when I am standing there with my hands in my pockets. It must be something psychological, but like 95% of all people will do this. :)

[blindz24]

When I am set up where people walk by, I accept the fact that, well, they have to walk by. It's a public sidewalk. It would be far ruder of me to expect them to wait while I take a shot. In particular, it is embarrassing when people act all squinchy when they have to walk in front of my camera. Sometimes they act like it is a real cannon and it might just go off when they pass in front of it. They tuck down, they try to make themselves smaller, they stoop over and hurry by. It's down right comical, especially when I am standing there with my hands in my pockets. It must be something psychological, but like 95% of all people will do this. :)

lol I assure u, where I was shooting was wide open and we were the only 2 out there. He had more than enough opportunity and common sense to walk BEHIND me. lol

- T.

[krb]

Maybe it was a hyper-competitive thing trying to make sure he got better shots than you.

Or maybe he found you attractive but was too shy to express his real feelings...

[tsw910]

he apparently didn't have common sense .. or he was just pissed that you were in his koolaid !

but i would've said something thou .. as long as you have permission or its open to anyone to shoot

[blindz24]

he apparently didn't have common sense .. or he was just pissed that you were in his koolaid !

but i would've said something thou .. as long as you have permission or its open to anyone to shoot

Open for anyone to shoot. Next time I will say something and it certainly won't be nice.

Hyper Competitive maybe, but not when ur standing infront of someone shooting doing literally nothing lol GTFOTW lol

- T.

[Wilt]

synonym for 'anal orifice' or for 'intestinal outflow'

[birdfromboat]

maybe he is rude, maybe he is indifferent, or maybe he is just trying to get a lok at his LCD and the light was better for it at that angle.....who knows, who cares. guaranteed-if you say something rude, he will think you are rude. worth it?
I once saw someone pull a boat up onto a boat ramp, two guys jump out, one guy stands there and holds the boat while the other guy runs up and gets the truck. Three or four of us are circling waiting our turn but can't pull up to let our truck retreivers out and then pull back out onto the water and wait as most considerate boat owners do until this elbow gets out of the way by either walking off to the side a little or getting in the boat and circling like the rest of us. After five minuts of this, one of the boats pulls up to the mud on the side of the ramp and drops his driver. I hear the driver, as he walks by the boat holder say "whats your problem, are you blind?".
"yes" he replied. When the first driver returned with the truck, he stood on shore and yelled out to us "sorry about that, this is my Dad and he's blind".
never saw the other driver again, he must have been waiting for us all to leave. I would have.

[neilwood32]

maybe he is rude, maybe he is indifferent, or maybe he is just trying to get a lok at his LCD and the light was better for it at that angle.....who knows, who cares. guaranteed-if you say something rude, he will think you are rude. worth it?
I once saw someone pull a boat up onto a boat ramp, two guys jump out, one guy stands there and holds the boat while the other guy runs up and gets the truck. Three or four of us are circling waiting our turn but can't pull up to let our truck retreivers out and then pull back out onto the water and wait as most considerate boat owners do until this elbow gets out of the way by either walking off to the side a little or getting in the boat and circling like the rest of us. After five minuts of this, one of the boats pulls up to the mud on the side of the ramp and drops his driver. I hear the driver, as he walks by the boat holder say "whats your problem, are you blind?".
"yes" he replied. When the first driver returned with the truck, he stood on shore and yelled out to us "sorry about that, this is my Dad and he's blind".
never saw the other driver again, he must have been waiting for us all to leave. I would have.

Oh to have seen the look on that guys face - priceless i bet!

[blueM]

They are Space Monkeys. They've beamed in from another planet & they think they are invisible. You can find them everywhere, especially shopping & driving.

[20droger]

maybe he is rude, maybe he is indifferent, or maybe he is just trying to get a lok at his LCD and the light was better for it at that angle.....who knows, who cares. guaranteed-if you say something rude, he will think you are rude. worth it?
I once saw someone pull a boat up onto a boat ramp, two guys jump out, one guy stands there and holds the boat while the other guy runs up and gets the truck. Three or four of us are circling waiting our turn but can't pull up to let our truck retreivers out and then pull back out onto the water and wait as most considerate boat owners do until this elbow gets out of the way by either walking off to the side a little or getting in the boat and circling like the rest of us. After five minuts of this, one of the boats pulls up to the mud on the side of the ramp and drops his driver. I hear the driver, as he walks by the boat holder say "whats your problem, are you blind?".
"yes" he replied. When the first driver returned with the truck, he stood on shore and yelled out to us "sorry about that, this is my Dad and he's blind".
never saw the other driver again, he must have been waiting for us all to leave. I would have.
My reaction, they should have gone ashore adjacent to but not blocking the boat ramp. They were rude. The fact that the man holding the boat was blind is irrelevant for two reasons: 1: being handicapped is not a license to be inconsiderate; 2: the other guy was not blind, and as such just flat out rude, period.

Yes, the world should try to accommodate the handicapped, within reason. But the handicapped should also try to accommodate themselves to the rest of the world. This includes not infringing upon the rights and activities of those of us who do not share their handicap.

As I've often commented when I see handicapped people abusing their privileges, "Mental handicaps don't count!"


On a related subject, have you ever wondered what genius thought it necessary to put Braille markings on a driver's-side drive-through ATM? How many people do you know who are so blind that they need Braille yet still drive?

[Overread]

Might be a near sight - far sight thing - some people (with or without glasses) might have perfectly fine longer vision for the purposes of driving, but when it comes to closer up things like reading the ATM machin they cannot read the letters and rely more upon brail. Clearly we are talking about quite a sevear case and so even though glasses might be an option often big changes from long to short focusing that the glasses allow might lead to other problems (they forget to take them off before they start driving or they might even cause discomfort for the person to alternat between the two quickly).

[CyberDyneSystems]

I've found the vast majority of people who would call themselves "photographers" do fallow "The Code" of ethics and manners we would expect of each other and practice ourselves..
But there are always the exceptions!

[20droger]

Might be a near sight - far sight thing - some people (with or without glasses) might have perfectly fine longer vision for the purposes of driving, but when it comes to closer up things like reading the ATM machin they cannot read the letters and rely more upon brail. Clearly we are talking about quite a sevear case and so even though glasses might be an option often big changes from long to short focusing that the glasses allow might lead to other problems (they forget to take them off before they start driving or they might even cause discomfort for the person to alternat between the two quickly).
I disagree. Driving safely requires not only being able to see the road, but to see the instrument panel as well.

[20droger]

I've found the vast majority of people who would call themselves "photographers" do fallow "The Code" of ethics and manners we would expect of each other and practice ourselves..
But there are always the exceptions!
Yup! In His infinite wisdom, the Good Lord saw fit to create far more horse's hind ends than he did front ends.

Some of the extra hind ends have learned to use cameras (at least to some degree).

[Overread]

Ahh true I forgot about that! Unless they make specail instrument setup/readouts for those with eye problems for close up viewing?
Only other things I can think of is that its a policy not to discrimonate against those hard of seeing even if they will never be driving a car (legally) or that its there for a passenger seated behind the driver to use (depends on the machin and how far forward the car can go).

[20droger]

Ahh true I forgot about that! Unless they make specail instrument setup/readouts for those with eye problems for close up viewing?
Only other things I can think of is that its a policy not to discrimonate against those hard of seeing even if they will never be driving a car (legally) or that its there for a passenger seated behind the driver to use (depends on the machin and how far forward the car can go).
You're reaching....

[Overread]

Well what else is a cat to do - I'm not getting up to find the proper answer and lose my spot to the dog now am I ;)

[blindz24]

maybe he is rude, maybe he is indifferent, or maybe he is just trying to get a lok at his LCD and the light was better for it at that angle.....who knows, who cares. guaranteed-if you say something rude, he will think you are rude. worth it?

I once saw someone pull a boat up onto a boat ramp, two guys jump out, one guy stands there and holds the boat while the other guy runs up and gets the truck. Three or four of us are circling waiting our turn but can't pull up to let our truck retreivers out and then pull back out onto the water and wait as most considerate boat owners do until this elbow gets out of the way by either walking off to the side a little or getting in the boat and circling like the rest of us. After five minuts of this, one of the boats pulls up to the mud on the side of the ramp and drops his driver. I hear the driver, as he walks by the boat holder say "whats your problem, are you blind?".

"yes" he replied. When the first driver returned with the truck, he stood on shore and yelled out to us "sorry about that, this is my Dad and he's blind".

never saw the other driver again, he must have been waiting for us all to leave. I would have.

The boat code is common sense, if you're a boater you should know about it. I watched someone do the same thing to us last summer, and it ended in them not paying attention to our boat behind them almost hitting our boat when they lost control of it trying to drive it up their trailer. The guy gave it too much gas fell back (so couldn't steer) and went straight for the rocks. It was an entire wtf had you of just waited instead of gunnin ur way ahead and in there none of that would've happened. Some people seriously are just ignorant. The worst part about those ppl is they're usually still the ones to talk **** about someone else for doing the same thing or similar.

I agree with 20Droger, just because you're handicapped doesn't give you the right to abuse it. And as stated the 'blind' man wasn't the only one standing there 'holding' the boat. For all you know he wasnt even blind they were still just being ignorant.

As for the braille, some ppl walk up to drive thru bank machines ;)

- T.

[birdfromboat]

My reaction, they should have gone ashore adjacent to but not blocking the boat ramp. They were rude. The fact that the man holding the boat was blind is irrelevant for two reasons: 1: being handicapped is not a license to be inconsiderate; 2: the other guy was not blind, and as such just flat out rude, period.

Yes, the world should try to accommodate the handicapped, within reason. But the handicapped should also try to accommodate themselves to the rest of the world. This includes not infringing upon the rights and activities of those of us who do not share their handicap.
As I've often commented when I see handicapped people abusing their privileges, "Mental handicaps don't count!"
On a related subject, have you ever wondered what genius thought it necessary to put Braille markings on a driver's-side drive-through ATM? How many people do you know who are so blind that they need Braille yet still drive?

this was a reservoir and the water was down. either side of the ramp was mud, possibly thigh deep. No one wants to be the first to try. Yes, the son should have moved dad off to the side a little, but being a narrow ramp, he probably assumed everyone else was going to have to wait anyway, didn't think about the fact that we would like to get our drivers onshore so they can get in the truck line waiting for access.
Personally, I don't care and wouild much rather be up there circling my boat waiting than most of the stuff I do everyday anyway.
My pointwas: making a rude comment to someone for doing something stupid guarantees that you are rude, but there is no guarantee that they are stupid, maybe just unaware or inexperienced or in this case suffering from an actual physical limitation. I think you got that, right?

[DeaconG]

"Um, 'scusi? Can I get my photo jones on?" Said with a smile.

Sometimes folks just don't know they're being rude, a simple reminder usually gets 90% of them out of the way. Most times people see you with the camera and they will kill themselves to get out of the way.

For the intentional ones...well...to use a pro wrestling/dirt sheet reference, "It's a shoot!" followed by escalating levels of ECW (not that wimpy WWE crap):lol:...

[JoePhotoOnline]

The drive-thru ATMs have braille on them because they are the same as walk-up ATMs and it would not be cost efficient to manufacture different kinds of keypads/instruction plates.

[drsilver]

"Um, 'scusi? Can I get my photo jones on?" Said with a smile.


There you go.

When I read the first post, I thought maybe a pro had stepped in front to get his angle. My first thought for the OP was, "watch and learn, son. Maybe you should go up closer too."

Pro photography is a cutthroat business. Decorum isn't a consideration if there's a shot to be got. You ever see papparazzi work? That's an extreme example, but even in everyday photo work, this is no business for the timid.

Then I saw the shot of the offender. This guy was no pro looking for a shot. He just looked oblivious. A quick, polite, "Dude?!?" and a palms up, WTF look would have probably resulted in an, "oops, sorry" response.

Use your big-boy voice and you won't have to whine about it on the internet.

[tsg1391]

Then I saw the shot of the offender. This guy was no pro looking for a shot. He just looked oblivious. A quick, polite, "Dude?!?" and a palms up, WTF look would have probably resulted in an, "oops, sorry" response.

Use your big-boy voice and you won't have to whine about it on the internet.

This.

[JoePhotoOnline]

Just use CS5 content-aware fill and delete the a-hole, lol.

[blindz24]

Just use CS5 content-aware fill and delete the a-hole, lol.

lol where do I get the other half of the car to replace his figure then if he's in the way of half the car lmao

I'll be sure to say something next time, during the shoot I was hoping that he had been missed in the shot but unfortunately wasnt the case. As usually I work around the inconveniences to avoid inconveniencing others.
As for getting closer, I was about as close as I felt safe, had the car spun out of control being closer would've resulted in danger for me and my gear but also distracting to the driver. I stayed back a certain distance out of respect for the drivers on the course. Dunno about you guys but if I was out there booting around and saw a photographer an inch away from where I was driving towards I'd be freaked out lol Obviously the other photog didn't share the same respect, about as obvious as the lack of respect he showed having walked infront of me. He knew I was there as he looked at me a couple mins before deciding to walk my direction and infront. lol

- T.

[DennisW1]

So I'm just curious ... Is it an unwritten code, common sense, or whatever for a fellow photographer to know better than to walk infront of another photographer while they're taking a photo ?

I myself would find it rude, if you can see they're shooting there, and you can go around, I certainly wouldn't walk infront of them, I'd take the extra 2 seconds and walk around behind them out of their way. Perhaps thats just me.

I was shooting a motorsport event (not in a crowded track setting, a rented strip/area that isn't normally used for motorsports so there are no 'highered photographers' with claim to the property either) over the weekend and in the process of shooting my other half who was out there racing, a rude photographer decided to SLOWLY walk infront of me during my shots stand in the way pretend to take a photo of nothing and then continue on. Now I understand I'm no pro, I don't have the greatest gear, but just because you have 2 big fancy cameras with fancy lenses and monopods doesn't make it okay to be rude like that.
In your case ladies and gents, what would you have done? Because infact he did ruin one of my perfect shots I wanted to keep that day, during processing he was smack dab in the middle of the shot, had he not of been everything was set perfectly. :mad:

Just a little frustrated.

- T.


If the other guy is going to be ignorant, and deliberately walking in front of your field of view and then stopping to shoot is indeed ignorant, then I have no problem with yelling loudly, "Hey, down in front!!" If that doesn't work then I guess you might want to resort to a blow gun with tranqulizer darts.

[birdfromboat]

patience, grace, and distance will solve most problems. I know for a fact that my wife has better results in situations like this because she always uses her friendly voice and is as non threatening as non threatening can be. I practically scream crusty curmudgeon to strangers, and when my friendly voice comes out as smooth as I can make it, the best reaction I seem to be able to score is "look out, hes a passive aggressive".
Thats why I tend to opt for patience, grace and distance. Sometimes moving to another spot is an excellent idea, even if it is just to get away from some embodiement of a total lack of the thought process.

[CyberDyneSystems]

...In His infinite wisdom, the Good Lord saw fit to create far more horse's hind ends than he did front ends.
....

Yeah, sorry about that, I was having an off day... ;)

[20droger]

Yeah, sorry about that, I was having an off day... ;)
I know what you mean.

These days, it seems I rarely have an "on" day.

[Oppositeday]

I can't stand it. I was shooting an event last saturday, and there were some NBC photographers there taking shots of some of the newscasters present. They were some of the RUDEST photogs ive ever met.

[CalPiker]

Maybe he was trying to impress you with his 70-200 2.8? Some people are just like that.

I saw this tool this weekend at Olvera Street in Los Angeles walking around with his 70-200 2.8 on his camera (Not a place to be using a telephoto BTW). He saw me with my camera (XSI with 24-70 on it) and actually backed up to stand in front of me so he could make sure that I "saw" him. Some people are just that insecure about themselves I guess. If I was you, I would have gone and stood in front of him and said, "I hope you don't mind if I stand in front of you and mess up your shots like you just did to me." I'm not a very subtle person. lol

[blindz24]

Maybe he was trying to impress you with his 70-200 2.8? Some people are just like that.

I saw this tool this weekend at Olvera Street in Los Angeles walking around with his 70-200 2.8 on his camera (Not a place to be using a telephoto BTW). He saw me with my camera (XSI with 24-70 on it) and actually backed up to stand in front of me so he could make sure that I "saw" him. Some people are just that insecure about themselves I guess. If I was you, I would have gone and stood in front of him and said, "I hope you don't mind if I stand in front of you and mess up your shots like you just did to me." I'm not a very subtle person. lol

Impress me, he throws (literally) his gear on the ground and around lol My other half watched 'em just chuck around his gear. Clearly he has a not so great attitude lol

- T.