A new experience for me

Now as much of a curmudgeon as I am, I don't mind helping people. Tonight at the football game I see this "new" guy I have never seen before and, he has a camera. No big deal, probably uncle Bob or Fester or something. Anyway about half way thru the second quarter, he asks me why none of his shots are coming out. I oblige and take a look. Opps, its a Nikon and I have about as much of a clue about them as I do rocket science. (Actually I think I may know more about rocket science lol)

He doesn't know how to change the apt setting, nor the shutter speed. He has the ISO at 1600 and can work that ok. I fiddled with it a bit, in between trying to keep an eye on the game and watching for my sideline feature. Finally I see he has a 1:3.3-5.6 80mm lens, with a 2x converter. I talk him into getting rid of the converter and he is closer to a good shot already. A little bit more messing around with it and I get a faster shutter speed, 1/250 and he had it at 1/60. Don't ask me how I got it changed but I did. It is now shooting better but not great.

Finally I give up, look around an no other shooters anywhere to be seen, damn cold scared em all off I guess. Anyway, about 5 minutes later I see this old guy who I know shoots Nikon and pass this "new" guy off to John.
Well a little later he comes up and starts showing me this shot and that shot, lol. John helped him get it dialed in.
Now the thing that really kind of bugged me, guy starts following me around like my assistant. I go deep, he goes deep. I am on the backside of the offense when the home team is on defense, he is right there beside me. And I mean right beside me.

Finally a pass in our direction happens, a tipped ball and the pass is incomplete. Punt team coming in, time to head deep. Well this guy is right there to show me his shot and asks what did I get, anything good? I just kind of laughed and complimented him on his shot and told him I hadn't looked and took off for the 20 yardline. Without looking back, I kind of mumbled "I hope he isn't following me", but sure enough here comes. Oh well.

He stayed with me pretty much most of the game except when I walked back to get some crowd and cheerleader shots.

Now what I want to know, have you ever helped someone and kind of regretted it? I mean I dind't mind helping him, I just didn't know he was going to hound dog me the rest of the night.

It's called your NBF... New Best Friend. That's what being nice gets you.

Hey Jeff, look on the bright side, at least he didn't get in front of you?

When I was doing the falcon shoot, carrying only the 70-200, this guy comes along with a big "wheelie bag" with a tripod strapped to it & starts shooting next to me. Thing is, there's this big white tent top-right & bright aluminum tentpole just out of frame to the right, & the bird is in it's shadow. I noticed that he still had his shade reversed on the lens so I said, "You know that your lens shade isn't on?" & I was informed that it's only useful in bright sunlight?
For once, I just said "Oh?" & otherwise kept my mouth shut & concentrated on the birds.
Sometimes I'm happy to help other people out, & sometimes...

I know what you mean Jeff and its hard. I really do like to help folks, but there is a point where they have to take over themselves and when they dont it gets irritating.

I like to help, I dont like to do your job FOR you.

Like you, I especially hate it when someone is following you around and mimicking every move, especially your shots. "Go find your own shot buddy."

Unfortunately it seems to be the thing of the newbies these days, they dont want to go through all our failures themselves, they just want all the answers now. They go out and buy a nice DSLR, they go out and buy the same glass you have thinking it will make their shots, they ask you questions about metering and exposure, they follow you around and stand, literally, in your footsteps once you move, they ask about pricing and make excuses about how they cant afford it when you suggest something like Fotoquote to them, etc, etc.

They want it all now and want us to give it to them. I dont mind helping here and there, but, like I said, I dont want to do their job and I dont want them to literally copy everything I do. Photography is about being creative and once they start to trample on my personal creativity, then it has to stop. They need to find their own creativity and learn for themselves.

Sorry I'm ranting now...anyway, yes I have regretted it.

I had the same thing happen when I was shooting an event. A few tips from me and it started to seem as if I organized a photo workshop.

IndyJeff wrote in post #2118148
Now as much of a curmudgeon as I am, I don't mind helping people.

...

Now what I want to know, have you ever helped someone and kind of regretted it? I mean I dind't mind helping him, I just didn't know he was going to hound dog me the rest of the night.

Being a surly old curmudgeon myself I'd say welcome to the club, but thats not what we're all about.

To answer your question, hell yes, but its never been about photography.

Next time have him carry your gear for you if he's going to be following you everywhere.

I love helping people, and get great satisfaction out of it in most stuations. I like being the one to answer questions, and teach...

...I have trained myself to totally keep my mouth shut about most things photography related, because these types of things happened to me too much. I got so sick of explaining things at length, only to find out that the person couldnt follow me because they hadn't even learned the basics.

I get so happy when another person i know goes out and gets an XT, but i shudder with the thought of what will happen after the first time i help them get something right. LOL I tell most people to READ READ READ and practice alot. After i do that, i think they kinda get the message.

mbellot I will be expecting my Curmudgeon Club card in the mail this week

My biggest dilemma with this guy was he was really a nice guy and I didn't want to do or say anything which might have mad him mad or embarrassed. I do like to help people and do it about every chance I get. I am sure there are numerous members here who could tell you about PMs I have sent helping them with this and that. It all comes down to the Karma, so to speak. I truely believe everything comes around full circle.

Another big problem I seem to have is commenting on peoples shirts LOL. Once I told a guy I liked his shirt, a watermelon printed hawaiian type shirt. That turned into a 20 minute conversation that I couldn't seem to get out of. Yesterday while going in the bank I saw a guy with a St. Louis Cardinals shirt on. Just had to say, "Cardinals fan? Cubs fan myself" and we both kind of chuckled. After my transaction was over he caught me walking by and began talking baseball. How he and a friend went to see a Cubs game in his 32 chevy at Wrigley field. His times seeing Babe Ruth play and wayyyy tooo much baseball info and history for the time I had. The wife and kids were in the car waiting on me and finally after about 7 or 8 minutes I told him he better get his transaction done before they closed. Of course when my wife asked what took so long and I explained, she shook her head and and said, "You'll never learn will you?" I guess not dear

my cousin bought herself an XT.. and has a couple of my hand-me down lenses.. she shoots on auto mode always. unless i'm there and she can get me to set her camera for her... she listens, understands and I think knows how to do it herself next time and then it's next time and i'm telling her that her ISO has to be way too low by the sound of her shutter and what is she on?.. her response, to hand the camera over to me to have it set again.. is it getting a little old. Yep. but, I figure at some point in the next year or so her seven year old is going to be able to do it for her while she's snapping away in the green box..

sari

I too have had this happen...and have been on the other side. I have learned alot from asking questions in the field. I try not to be bothersome, and can tell from body language if I should git. I did that when I first started and even now will ask questions. Fortunately for me my first shoot had a couple of other people shooting (one professional that shot for Smithsonian), and when the pics were printed in the newspaper realized that some of my shots were better. I think that was one of the best things that ever happened to me, because it enabled me to have confidence in my own eye. I use POTN exhaustively and my camera club. I don't mind helping someone out, but I don't like to be shadowed. I suggest tell the newbie to move around on their own and get used to their own style...and POTN or whatever the competitors site is.

There is one good thing with this. Somewhere on half of game you walk out to get beer. Of course your new best friend follows you and just to do everything exactly as you, he pulls out money to pay for his beer, so as you intend to do too. Now you just tell him "well I didn't really think you will pay but since you offer already... thank you"
Ok being serious... I didn't have exactly same problem, but I had few very similar ones. I got guy glued up on me few times without me even offering help. He just all of a sudden started to be my shadow. And with stuff I shoot it's even more obvious. On sidelines he can still somehow have excuse that there's not much space. But on some cycling or skiing race where lap is few kilometers long it's a bit harder to say, he's there because there's no space somewhere else. It feels stupid but what can you do anyway. I guess you could tell him to move on, but usually I'm not really person who would argue with people, so I just try not to notice him.

Boy, you really hit the spot on this one. I shoot horse events. A customers husband had been bugging me about a simple camera choice to buy. I gave him the usual whatever feels and looks good to you spiel, thinking that he was after a P&S. Next show he walks up with a new 20D and kit lens. "I figured you use one so it must be the one to buy" was his opener. I had a shadow from then on and the term NEW-BEST-FRIEND was driven home to me. After interrupting me the third time and causing a blown opportunity for a money shot, I let him know that I was not giving camera lessons while I was working. Crude statement and not my typical way, but this guy just couldn't take a hint. He wandered away and damned if he didn't start the same thing with my wife (we work together). Being smarter than I. Sharon just kept saying "I really don't know" to all his questions. He finally shut up but shadowed us all day.

If you and your wife are the OP's the show judges should oust them for you. Then you have less of a chance of jeopardizing customer's business.

Which reminds me, as I was shooting cars last Summer, this elderly gentleman ("codger")comes along with his 20D and...

Oh, wait...

That was...

PhotosGuy wrote in post #2127599
Which reminds me, as I was shooting cars last Summer, this elderly gentleman ("codger")comes along with his 20D and...

Oh, wait...

That was...

Silly!