Very Disturbing... :)

recrisp wrote in post #15514934

I'm surprised they didn't ask you all kinds of questions about your 'big' camera. (Not lens, but BIG camera, that is what I get asked all of the time with my 400mm lens, people can't differentiate between the two) Randy

Very true, I do get that a lot as well. I don't really mind the questions (so long as I'm not doing like you mention above and advancing on a bird etc).
One thing which I quite often hear people say is, 'I bet that camera takes really great pictures'. I know that this annoys some photographers but It isn't meant to be offensive so I usually just smile and correct them with, 'actually no, I take the pictures'
I had one lady stand and watch what I was doing and then asked to see the results on the viewfinder. She was impressed and suggested she would like to replace her point and shoot with something similar. Then I told her the price. Her jaw dropped and she mouthed, 'how much?' before finishing with, 'maybe not, bye' as she walked away .

Heheheheh, yeah, the price will get them every time.
I also think it's funny if they think the camera does all of the work. (Come to think of it, sometimes in my shots, it might... heheh)

Randy

Where I usually go there are a lot of people that visit...it's a beautiful botanical garden full of plantings and wildlife. You have to get used to people asking you questions while you're photographing something or listen to the comments people make when they see the camera/lens I use. I had one guy and girl walk by me and without making eye contact he said "That's cheating". I turned to him and he just smiled as he held a 200mm lens. I just had to laugh and we talked about his camera and mine. I actually enjoy the conversations with people I've met over the years.

One of the most memorable events with the public was a family visiting the gardens and as they passed me I heard the little girl say to her Mom 'Can I look through that telescope and see the Eagle". I looked at the parents and nodded my head and proceded to set up my camera to her level and she just smiled as she watched the Eagle sitting on the branch. Her brother did the same thing but he kept his hands behind him as he watched the Eagle.

Not photographing but I went birding with my cousin (he's a very avid birder, and I took him for his birthday) We were waiting for some odd bird to come to it's nest. It nested in the ground so we were bent over a railing on the walking path waiting and a creepy old man pinched my bum. I think I scared every bird in the forest off as I did not see that coming.

Well I have a story too..
I had just bought my Sigma 150-500 and was at a local lake hiding beside a feeding dock trying to get some shots of a Heron that was about 30 yards away and was slowly coming around the bend toward me. I had been standing hidden from its view beside the dock. A man gets out of his car and waves at me then walks out onto the dock yelling at the top of his lungs "here ducky ducky ducky!" He is about 10 feet from me and needless to say the Heron flew away after nearly having a heart attack. The guy then raided the 3 garbage cans for aluminum cans.

So I went to my truck and gave him the three I had in my floor.

At Chincoteague this weekend, I was very annoyed with this pair of dudes who had point and shoot cameras on tripods, who would park, slam their doors, take a few shots of a heron and then yell "DID YOU GET HIM!!! DID YOU GET HIM!!!" Meanwhile I'm 25 ft down stream shooting a Hooded Merganzer that takes off because of their yelling. Sometimes I wish Chincoteague was much less known. Get too many people there with absolutely no idea how to act around wildlife or have no consideration for their fellow photographers. Was really difficult to hold back.

dfbovey wrote in post #15519730
At Chincoteague this weekend, I was very annoyed with this pair of dudes who had point and shoot cameras on tripods, who would park, slam their doors, take a few shots of a heron and then yell "DID YOU GET HIM!!! DID YOU GET HIM!!!" Meanwhile I'm 25 ft down stream shooting a Hooded Merganzer that takes off because of their yelling. Sometimes I wish Chincoteague was much less known. Get too many people there with absolutely no idea how to act around wildlife or have no consideration for their fellow photographers. Was really difficult to hold back.

I rarely go to the well known locations for that very reason.

2slo wrote in post #15520090
I rarely go to the well known locations for that very reason.

It's much worse in the summer when you actually have cars passing by you headed towards the beach with idiotic teenagers honking and yelling out the window at you while you're trying to shoot.

At least in the winter, it's just idiotic adults.

I did call them idiots loud enough to where I'm sure they heard me. Hopefully they understood why.

dfbovey wrote in post #15520727
It's much worse in the summer when you actually have cars passing by you headed towards the beach with idiotic teenagers honking and yelling out the window at you while you're trying to shoot.

At least in the winter, it's just idiotic adults.

I did call them idiots loud enough to where I'm sure they heard me. Hopefully they understood why.

Lol, I just wave at those kinds of people. Maybe not using all of my fingers...

Duane N wrote in post #15517570
I haven't run into too many rude people since I started this hibby...if I do it's usually a fellow photographer unfortunately.

You were brave to be that far from your camera with a strange little girl touching it. Children do weird things, like suddenly grab and pull on a camera for no reason until it falls upon them. They are crazy.

Bobweigh wrote in post #15521808
You were brave to be that far from your camera with a strange little girl touching it. Children do weird things, like suddenly grab and pull on a camera for no reason until it falls upon them. They are crazy.

I guess you just had to be there....both children were respectful. Plus I have insurance on everything.

It can work both ways. I had a guy come up and tell me where there were pelicans feeding. I never would have known this if he had not come up and told me. I think you are expecting too much from people, they see a camera with a long lens and they are curious so they talk. If you are on public property they have as much right to be there as you, whether it is a barking dog scaring your subject away or just someone making chit chat.

Speaking of dogs, one of the first times I went out with my big lens and expensive tripod to shoot shorebirds at the beach someone's dog came up and urinated on my tripod. The owners were walking a few steps behind and didn't even comment. I'm not an angry type of person but I went nuts when that happened.

I'd take people being disruptive any day over that again.

Most of the places I go, don't allow dogs or pets. Most, if not all of the National Wildlife Refuges are no pets allowed.

Chit chat is one thing. It's to be expected. But there is an etiquette. If you see someone shooting laying on their stomach or hiding behind a blind to get a shot of a skittish bird... it's just rude to walk up to them when you see them deeply entrenched in what they are doing. If you see them walking with their gear or not shooting, different story.

InternetJunky wrote in post #15524120
Speaking of dogs, one of the first times I went out with my big lens and expensive tripod to shoot shorebirds at the beach someone's dog came up and urinated on my tripod. The owners were walking a few steps behind and didn't even comment. I'm not an angry type of person but I went nuts when that happened.

I'd take people being disruptive any day over that again.

Haha I had a similar thing ...
Was sat down on the top of the hill (so to speak) , had been out before the sun was up , and am having a rest before the long walk home .
You don't get many people in this area due to the elevation , and any "casuals" that are there are from the built to order millionaires houses up in the wilderness .

So , along come this group of people , shorts Tshirts , no gear or provisions and a dog off the lead ..... yep some UK rich folks .
The dog runs straight at me , I panic and pick up my camera (with 70-200 L) and move it away from the dog .
The dog then instantly pokes it's nose into my rucksack and it steals my sandwiches !
The owners now decide to move towards their dog to control it , but only to remove the sandwiches from the plastic bag which they gave to me to dispose of !
I was literally flabbergasted and speechless at the ill manners .
Finally coming to my senses , I was just in time to be ready for the next run of the dog as it went for my last sandwich in the rucksack . A flat out right hook in the dogs face , a loud pop as its' head resonated . The owners looked at me , but chose to go away , and quite rightly so !
I was so angry at the treatment I received from these "upper class" people , I would have beat the tar out of every one of them if they returned to defend their dog .

I don't wish to come across as some kind of hot headed thug , I am far from that .
I take care of my community , will always help people out , but their disregard for myself and my property (as if beneath them) pushed a button IDK .