What's the strangest gig you've ever shot?

This came to mind as I was recalling to a friend a time that I was hired to shoot a grad party at a local restaurant. I knew the place and figured they rented out the bar area of the night spot for the party, but I was in for a bit of a surprise, lol. When I got there I found that they simply had a long table in the middle of the (crowded, running at full tilt) restaurant! There were 16 people, all but TWO were sitting back to back with other patrons, cutting down on the angles I had to capture individuals. Not to mention dodging waitresses who were hauling butt on one of the busiest nights of the year while I had 2 cameras w/flashes draped over me. Funny enough, I was approached numerous times by patrons to see if I was working for the restaurant and if I would photograph their table. Made some friends that night.

So, how about you? What's the strangest situation you've ever walked into with your camera(s)?

Noone has any stories to tell? I'm surprised.

Backstage with Big Brother and the Holding Company, with Janis Joplin, and industrial kitchen sized vats of brownies laced with Southern Comfort (which she loved) and likely other special ingredients.

You've been doing this a while, Wilt, lol. I imagine it was a little strange being in that situation, esp if one is not used to that kind of atmosphere . I once tried to get back stage at a James Taylor concert I was covering for the paper, but it was a "no-go". Ah well...

twoshadows wrote in post #9184163
You've been doing this a while, Wilt, lol. I imagine it was a little strange being in that situation, esp if one is not used to that kind of atmosphere . I once tried to get back stage at a James Taylor concert I was covering for the paper, but it was a "no-go". Ah well...

I was still in my teens, and harldly 'used to' such goings on!
We had a private interview with Peter Albin for an edition of our newspaper. I still have the original negatives from that shoot.

I'm backstage a lot at venues around here (hey massachusetts!) and have seen a lot of really strange things. I've also photographed a lot of strange things backstage as well. The music scene is surely and interesting one.

This was back in the 1970"s with a film camera. I was hired by a group of people, best friends to a very famous, retiring, professional hockey star. The pics were taken at the hockey players summer home where his friends put the sail on his sail boat, which had the number of his hockey jersey. Of course, he was not at home, and was not aware of what we were doing.
When I pulled up to the home, there were all kinds of very expensive automobiles in the drive - his friends. We took the picture of about 20 in front of his sailboat.
The portrait turned out great, and was delivered. I hadn't worried about my money at the time as I knew these people were "well-heeled". Well, I had a terrible time getting my money and had to threaten court to get it, which I finally did.
Some time later, there was an article about the hockey player retiring and moving. The article said they interviewed him among boxes of belongings and pictures. Yeah, one of them was probably mine which I almost had to sue to get paid.
Wonder if that guy knows what kind of friends he has. ( Hockey player name to be witheld to protect the innocent).

Poor assumption to assume sports talent (or musical talent or acting talent) and common sense or good ethics or clean living are inherently linked!
Proven over and over and over.

DVW wrote in post #9184567
Wonder if that guy knows what kind of friends he has. ( Hockey player name to be witheld to protect the innocent).

It doesn't sound like he's innocent.

Yes Wilt, that was when I was young and naive about people. Believe me, after that incident I always collected an advance.

Karl, of course I don't know the famous player on a personal level, but he was known as quite the gentleman and a role model. I like to believe he would not have let that happen. But on the other hand, these guys and gals were supposedly his friends.