Do you carry anything for self-defense?

Yeah, men can normally defend themselves against what? Bullets? Knifes? They are all trained in high level kung fu? In NYC, we see people with 1k to 2k cameras all the times. Is no big deal.

phantelope wrote in post #15976701
I don't frequent "bad" areas, see no reason to go there. I always carry a knife, useful tool, but I'd not fight over insured camera gear. Pepper spray out in nature, more for animals than people. Nothing I carry is worth fighting for and good luck running away with a 30+lb camera bag. Anyway, fully insured, I'll get new stuff.

If I'd go into bad areas (which I won't) I'd get a taser, shooting somebody over a camera is obscene IMO.

Problem is, there seems to be a trend (at least here) of giving up the goods and getting cut/shot/beaten anyway.

JakAHearts wrote in post #15976517
a 580ex at full power right to the eyes will probably be pretty effective.

Yeah, you point it to the attacker and telling him or "them" you are holding a weapon of mass destruction.

LV Moose wrote in post #15976722
^ problem is, there seems to be a trend (at least here) of giving up the goods and getting cut/shot anyway.

Let's put it this way, if you are strapped with gear, you better act like you belong and shooting something important. Normally, I have would my camera bag. When I am not shooting, I put my gear in my bag.

Thankfully most of my shooting is done from intrinsically safe locations (ex. a small motorboat or inside the aerobatic box at an airshow) so I don't carry anything...

Carry a knife, but not for protection.

Wit, forethought, observation, and ideally friends. Far better defence than any weapon.

It has nothing to do with how safe you feel or how big you are, you plan for the worst and hope for the best.

Rstanford wrote in post #15976502
why would going on a photo shoot be any different than going out anywhere else? on a photo shoot you could easily have 10 grand of equiptment on you. People will kill and or rob you for a few dollars.

Regardless of what your views of the world are.

But lets be honest, if your in a sketchy area, anything expensive makes you a target, a camera is one of those things.

I always have a pocket knife, mainly because it comes in handy.

airfrog, lucky you. I am 5'3, 138 lbs and no experience or training from any part of the military, though I will go nuts if attacked, I'd much rather have a weapon to use rather than depend on my own body in case the attacker does have a weapon.
butchcassidy, very true. I do carry all 3 even not out on shoots, but when running I only carry pepper spray.
Phantelope, I'm not exactly talking about over your gear, I'm talking about your life. As photographers, we probably put ourselves in danger more than we realize it, bad people are always looking for a victim.

I carry a pocketknife whenever I am wearing pants. A knife was almost a required tool to have as a mechanic. Old habits die hard! I had to enter our courthouse for duty as a juror and I had done 3 pants slaps and dang I Know they aint gonna let that go through better leave that in the car.

Joe Ravenstein wrote in post #15976928
I carry a pocketknife whenever I am wearing pants. ...

Well, I hope you have your pocket knife if I ever run into you somewhere...

FreeSoul1987 wrote in post #15976912
no experience or training...

Well, that is a very bad place to be, even if you are carrying weapons. And I would even say it is a very bad (and stupid) idea to have no experience or training especially if you are carrying a weapon of any kind. Carrying a weapon that you are not well trained in all too often leads to overconfidence, which makes it very easy to find yourself in a situation that makes things even worse for you.

Luckless wrote in post #15976783
Wit, forethought, observation, and ideally friends. Far better defence than any weapon.

Tell that to the soldier attacked by 2 men with a knife and a meat cleaver on a London st