The perils of photography...

Todd Lambert wrote in post #9088025
I pay taxes too, just saying.

Not here in Canada.

I'd say we spend pretty equally rescuing locals and visitors. We have some pretty nasty back country just steps away from most neighbourhoods.

Then there's the skiers and snowmobilers that get caught in avalanches.

All public costs aside, what about the costs to your family, if you die those costs are fairly finite. If you get hurt, become an invalid or worse paralyzed then what?

Your family gets to feed you, change your diapers, and guess what? If you are in the US your friggin insurance will probably not cover you for very long. You can no longer make love to your wife, or hold your kids, you sure as hell won;t be a photographer. Forget work without some serious PT to retrain your next to useless body.

People just do not THINK about what could happen...

All of those things could happen anywhere anytime anyways. You guys are living in a padded cell.

Todd Lambert wrote in post #9088879
All of those things could happen anywhere anytime anyways. You guys are living in a padded cell.

I actually thought you were taking the pi$$ when you said;

Todd Lambert wrote in post #9088025
I pay taxes too, just saying.

...but I'm guessing by the post above you were serious.

Using a bit of common sense does not equal "living in a padded cell"...by your logic I suppose drinking and driving would be considered a thrill seeking activity?

So does that mean I'm waisting my time doing a pre-flight inspection, filing a flight plan and communicating my intentions to Air Traffic Control (none of which I really have to do...) because I might get T-Boned by a double-bottomed gravel hauler while driving to or from the airport?

Anybody remember Steve Fossett?

SOK wrote in post #9087786
...But the fact is, once you've been missing for a day or so and Search & Rescue missions are mounted, taxpayers start footing the bill....

We here in Arizona get lots of flash floods and have lots of nice arid desert, either of which a lot of people don't seem to understand. We got tired of spending our tax dollars rescuing fools, so we passed a "stupid" law.

If you have to be rescued (or your body retrieved) because you did something stupid, like trying to drive through a flooded wash or go hiking without water and a hat, you (or your estate) will be billed for every penny spent.

And trust me, we WILL collect, one way or the other.

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #9089223
So does that mean I'm waisting my time doing a pre-flight inspection, filing a flight plan and communicating my intentions to Air Traffic Control (none of which I really have to do...) because I might get T-Boned by a double-bottomed gravel hauler while driving to or from the airport?

Anybody remember Steve Fossett?

Do what you like, as long as you don't take to flying like a Northwest Airlines pilot.

[music] Flying high in the sky I'll be with you by and by...[/music]

Emphasis on "high"!

Steve Fossett, let's see. Search costs—approx. $690,000 spent by California, $1,600,000 spent by Nevada, and $1,000,000 spent by his family for private searches, mostly because he didn't bother to file a flight plan because he didn't have to. And he flew a plane with an emergency beacon known to be prone to fail during a crash (really good beacon to trust your life to!).

Is that the Steve Fossett you mean?

It can be, that's for sure.

Nah, my comments reflect something that often happens on here, people post about things that they don't normally do themselves.

Look, I'm not saying that people shouldn't be careful, prepared, etc... they should. NO doubt about it. However, I've done things very similar to this guy, and I think a lot of people on here have/do. Things happen. It's called life. You're much more likely to get killed in an auto accident than you are hiking in the woods.

I got into a habit of shooting night stuff in some very bad places. I often drive around bad areas at night looking for something to shoot. Most times I have no idea where I'm going. I get in the car and I drive. If something catches my eye, type of thing. More often than not, I end up in some very industrial areas which are generally in a bad section of town.

Recently, I did a series of shoots in the 9th Ward in lower New Orleans, which is about par with shooting in Afghanistan. It's virtually lawless and with a population of less than 8,000 people for a large metropolitan city region, there are no cops and often times they don't respond to calls from the area anyways because of the hazard of doing so.

This is MUCH more risky than going less than a mile off the beaten path somewhere.

That said, I always have a phone, 5-cell maglite, and my handgun with me. That helps to make me feel better, but it doesn't really make things any safer.

Same thing goes for hiking. You can bring every bit of gear needed, fall down a hole and die. Get mauled by a bear and die. Dead tree turns widowmaker and you die. All of the prep and gear didn't do a thing to protect you.

Life is full of choices and circumstances, but in the end, your number is either up or it isn't. You're either going to make it or you aren't. It really doesn't make any difference where you are or what you're doing.

Knowing this, I don't bother worrying too much about things like this when doing this hobby. As I said, I enjoy doing this more than anything else, and short of doing the things I can to limit the risk, there is nothing going to keep me from doing it.

20droger wrote in post #9089254
We here in Arizona get lots of flash floods and have lots of nice arid desert, either of which a lot of people don't seem to understand. We got tired of spending our tax dollars rescuing fools, so we passed a "stupid" law.

If you have to be rescued (or your body retrieved) because you did something stupid, like trying to drive through a flooded wash or go hiking without water and a hat, you (or your estate) will be billed for every penny spent.

And trust me, we WILL collect, one way or the other.

This is also in effect here. I doubt our photographer friend will get a bill though.

Todd Lambert wrote in post #9089281
It can be, that's for sure.

Nah, my comments reflect something that often happens on here, people post about things that they don't normally do themselves.

Look, I'm not saying that people shouldn't be careful, prepared, etc... they should. NO doubt about it. However, I've done things very similar to this guy, and I think a lot of people on here have/do. Things happen. It's called life. You're much more likely to get killed in an auto accident than you are hiking in the woods.

I got into a habit of shooting night stuff in some very bad places. I often drive around bad areas at night looking for something to shoot. Most times I have no idea where I'm going. I get in the car and I drive. If something catches my eye, type of thing. More often than not, I end up in some very industrial areas which are generally in a bad section of town.

Recently, I did a series of shoots in the 9th Ward in lower New Orleans, which is about par with shooting in Afghanistan. It's virtually lawless and with a population of less than 8,000 people for a large metropolitan city region, there are no cops and often times they don't respond to calls from the area anyways because of the hazard of doing so.

This is MUCH more risky than going less than a mile off the beaten path somewhere.

That said, I always have a phone, 5-cell maglite, and my handgun with me. That helps to make me feel better, but it doesn't really make things any safer.

Same thing goes for hiking. You can bring every bit of gear needed, fall down a hole and die. Get mauled by a bear and die. Dead tree turns widowmaker and you die. All of the prep and gear didn't do a thing to protect you.

Life is full of choices and circumstances, but in the end, your number is either up or it isn't. You're either going to make it or you aren't. It really doesn't make any difference where you are or what you're doing.

Knowing this, I don't bother worrying too much about things like this when doing this hobby. As I said, I enjoy doing this more than anything else, and short of doing the things I can to limit the risk, there is nothing going to keep me from doing it.

And all we said is chance favors the prepared.

And as I said, we'll miss you.

Todd Lambert wrote in post #9089281
It can be, that's for sure.

Nah, my comments reflect something that often happens on here, people post about things that they don't normally do themselves.

Look, I'm not saying that people shouldn't be careful, prepared, etc... they should. NO doubt about it. However, I've done things very similar to this guy, and I think a lot of people on here have/do. Things happen. It's called life. You're much more likely to get killed in an auto accident than you are hiking in the woods.

But we buy cars that are developed for safety (seatbelts/airbags/ crumple zones). Hiking in the woods with no gear= driving an antique car at 70mph (I dont rate your chances in a crash)

I got into a habit of shooting night stuff in some very bad places. I often drive around bad areas at night looking for something to shoot. Most times I have no idea where I'm going. I get in the car and I drive. If something catches my eye, type of thing. More often than not, I end up in some very industrial areas which are generally in a bad section of town.

Recently, I did a series of shoots in the 9th Ward in lower New Orleans, which is about par with shooting in Afghanistan. It's virtually lawless and with a population of less than 8,000 people for a large metropolitan city region, there are no cops and often times they don't respond to calls from the area anyways because of the hazard of doing so.

This is MUCH more risky than going less than a mile off the beaten path somewhere.

That said, I always have a phone, 5-cell maglite, and my handgun with me. That helps to make me feel better, but it doesn't really make things any safer.

So what would you want the police telling your family when you die there? "He loved taking photos so thats why the crackheads killed him to sell his $5000 gear for $100 dollars for their next hit". Not me.

Same thing goes for hiking. You can bring every bit of gear needed, fall down a hole and die. Get mauled by a bear and die. Dead tree turns widowmaker and you die. All of the prep and gear didn't do a thing to protect you.

But if you prepare properly (and use sense), these accidents are far less likely and their effects are minimised. Take bear mauling -if your in a bear area, bring a gun and ammo, pepper spray, air horn and you are a lot less likely to be mauled. Walk in in shorts and a T shirt = no chance of protection.

Life is full of choices and circumstances, but in the end, your number is either up or it isn't. You're either going to make it or you aren't. It really doesn't make any difference where you are or what you're doing.

It does make a difference what your doing - if you are situationally aware, you stand a far better chance of not being injured in the first place or minimising the effect if you are hurt. Taking photos is fine but be aware of whats happening or can happen around you. Thats the difference.

Knowing this, I don't bother worrying too much about things like this when doing this hobby. As I said, I enjoy doing this more than anything else, and short of doing the things I can to limit the risk, there is nothing going to keep me from doing it.

I'm quite certain you would feel very guilty if you were hiking, got injured because you didnt take precautions and someone died or was seriously injured trying to rescue you. Or wouldnt that bother you?

Todd Lambert wrote in post #9088879
All of those things could happen anywhere anytime anyways. You guys are living in a padded cell.

What really chaps my a$$ is that I plan all shoots very carefully with safety at the top of the list. You will probably live forever and I will get hit by a wayward bus... lol

LBaldwin wrote in post #9091822
What really chaps my a$$ is that I plan all shoots very carefully with safety at the top of the list. You will probably live forever and I will get hit by a wayward bus... lol

Can I have your Wemberly?

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #9091834
Can I have your Wemberly?

Well I guess you're back ain't ya!! Ya have to be able s.p.e.l.l. Wimberley first wise guy

The wife sez NO! it will back on ebay before my corpse gets scrapped off the front of the #69 bus... DOH!

I do like however, that Karl was as well prepared as he was. If anything I want all of us to come home in one piece without casts or bandaids and lie about the shot that got away.

I felt so sorry for that family that got lost two years ago. The Dad decided to go and search for help, turned into a popsicle.

LBaldwin wrote in post #9091890
Well I guess you're back ain't ya!! Ya have to be able s.p.e.l.l. Wimberley first wise guy

The wife sez NO! it will back on ebay before my corpse gets scrapped off the front of the #69 bus... DOH!

I do like however, that Karl was as well prepared as he was. If anything I want all of us to come home in one piece without casts or bandaids and lie about the shot that got away.

I felt so sorry for that family that got lost two years ago. The Dad decided to go and search for help, turned into a popsicle.

Definately a sad story.

BTW, that would be s c r a p e d off the bus, Wise-r Guy!