Anybody get robbed in the field?

I read the "Motorsports safety for photographers" sticky but do not see anybody mention anything about safety issue on location or at client house for photo session. How do you guys protect yourself when you have clients request to have a session done at their house? I think I saw it on the news last year that one of the female photog went to a client house to photo the client's car that he was going to sell or something like that, and she ended up getting robbed, raped, and killed by the client.

A few things come to mind...

1. Take an assistant along.

2. When you have to go alone, be careful. Avoid situations that appear risky. A lot of this is just common sense and extra caution.

3. Have first meetings with new clients in public places or at their place of employment.

This is really an issue for anyone who does location work - real estate agents, home decorators, service/repair people, etc.

I carry two things with me, insurance for my gear, and my pistol.

As far as I do not have permission for a gun, I carry both knife (behind my belt, hardly visible) and metal telescope bat. Enough for my security.

1.Never go a anywhere without first letting someone you trust know in advance exactly where you are going!!! Use preset check in calls with family for friends, if you don't call they call you. Miss two and the cops get called with your contact and last known location. If you leave the known location make sure you give them an update.

2. Establish a duress word that you can use in an emergency, make sure that family and close friends know it. if needed make more than one

3.Don't go to strangers homes alone.

4.Take a rape prevention or self defense course, get trained to fight and kill if need be

5. Learn and practice situational awareness, Keep your head up and aware of your surroundings at all times. Look around you when exiting your vehicle, a store, or your home, workplace. Pay close attention to your surroundings. Use yoru camera phone to shoot the location of your car along with a landmark - email it to yourself.

6. Establish a way in and a way out and secondary if need be.

7. Don't look like a target, don't flash your cash, gear or bling. Wear sensible shoes or have some in your vehicle.

8 Watch for weird looking folks. Warch for groups of like folks on different sides of the street / corner making eye, head or hand contact with one another.

9 Watch for people watching for you, following you or attempting to make unwanted contact.

10 Create a throw away wallet. And most important carry a whistle on the keys you have bunched in your hands.

Good advice. The points relating to situational awareness are the most easy to miss / forget in the field. Work hard to make a habit of looking around you and being aware, discretely, but all the time.

Have also read threads where photographers working in public locations have hired bodyguards, as well as having their assistants.
J

if someone hassles you, make sure you fight back, stand up straight, etc. Most thieves are looking for an easy way to get stuff without creating too much of a rucuss. (sp)

I also carry a swiss army knife all the time. I will most likely get a can of mace to throw in my bag as well.

I won't add anything productive to this thread, simply because I have never been thinking on something like this. And on occasions like this, I'm glad I live somewhere, where, at least for now, I don't need to worry about stuff like this. With stuff like this, we appreciate things, which appear to be obvious, much more.

Sometimes the need for protection changes upon location as well. For example, the Philippines... Bringing your gear out in that country, especially Manila, is a different level of risk, because well... the authorities won't really help you much, and the opposition usually outnumbers you. -=oP

Common sense is key here.

I regularly shoot alone. I always wanted to go and shoot derelict buildings/industrial areas but never unless there are AT LEAST 2 or 3 of us. I always make sure that I'm in well lit and busy areas, paying attention to everyone around me. I've worked in pubs and hotels for many years so you get a eye for the dodgey people.

I don't have any kind of self defence weapon, except my tripod (hit someone with that and they're going down like a sack'o'****) and fists. I work hard to buy my camera gear, no ****head is taking it from me without a fight.

Im sorry but i have to disagree with you adamlc but NOTHING should be more important than your own safety. You can replace your camera and all your gear but not if you are dead! I personally would rather escape unharmed with no gear than have all my gear and not be able to use it!

Personal awareness is the key - being aware of your surroundings and not getting into the situation of being under threat.

Make sure your gear is insured properly - it can be replaced - you cannot!!

neilwood32 wrote in post #5597414
Im sorry but i have to disagree with you adamlc but NOTHING should be more important than your own safety. You can replace your camera and all your gear but not if you are dead! I personally would rather escape unharmed with no gear than have all my gear and not be able to use it!

Personal awareness is the key - being aware of your surroundings and not getting into the situation of being under threat.

Make sure your gear is insured properly - it can be replaced - you cannot!!

I forgive you for disagreeing with me:p

It's impossible to generalise the subject of robbery. In a situation where I've just turned up on a scene with my gear and two guys approach me with a 28" O/U Remmington... I'll step back and say "take it fella's, all yours". If I've been doing the 3 peak challenge in Wales for two days; taken 1500 shots and gotten a blister, when some punk 18yr old druggie tries to steal my L's from me... I'll explain to him that "it's probably not a good idea right now fella"

Swings and roundabouts.

Do not restrict proctecting your safety to only when carrying your camera.
Don't put yourself in dangerous situations. Be alert and aware of your surroundings
Try to plan your routes. Do not have standard routes home or times when you leave to go places- mix it up.

Others have posted good advice like making trusted people aware of where you are, however while this will alert them to something wrong, it will not prevent you from getting robbed/injured/killed.

Carry a gun. You either shoot with one (the camera), or you shoot with the other.
Maybe that last part is not for everyone, but I was in the paramilitary and then military for 8 years total.

When I left the service, I did not own a licensed firearm and my girlfriend and I were accosted by two guys after a party in our way to where I parked my car.
One with a gun, and another with something we call a cutlass.

They robbed us of our valuables and then the guy with the cutlass threw down my g/f and attempted to rape her in front of me.
The guy with the gun was looking at them and at that point I disarmed him and he ran off. The guy with the cutlass who looked like he was shocked quickly got up and lunged at me and I shot him twice to the head.

I now own a gun

^
I hope you gave him a band-aid!

Seriously, I'd love to "arm" myself. Carrying a loaded weapon in the UK will land you in Jail.

If you outlaw weapons, only outlaws have weapons. these days the Gangstas have more guns than the old Bill.


To be honest though, if you shot a crim in the UK you'd be in serious trouble for trampling his rights. Crims have more rights than victims, see....