How gutsy are you?

[HiFiGuy1]

Dallas,


That is funny! I have found myself on an elevated causeway across the Mobile Bay, staring down brown Pelican after brown Pelican, Golden hour light gleaming from their feathers, thinking I should stop right on the shoulder and just take that picture. They glide for hundreds of feet, just following the concrete containment rails, right at the edge of the road, ripe for the photographing. Then I imagine trying to explain to my wife why I got arrested or a ticket for parking on a four lane divided highway to shoot a bird, and I just keep going. One day.......

[ddt0725]

Then I imagine trying to explain to my wife why I got arrested or a ticket for parking on a four lane divided highway to shoot a bird, and I just keep going. One day.......

I'm sure she would totally understand! [:P]

Even though I want to pull off onto the shoulder and put my vehicle's emergency flashers on to take a shot at the waterfall, the shoulder is for emergency stops only. I don't think a passing sheriff would consider my getting that picture as much of an emergency as I do!

[Pieter]

I agree that the 100-400 might seem intimidating, but have a look at this one, talking about rocket-launchers:


http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Pictures/Picture.aspx?Picture=2009-03-31_17-06-04

[Sean Setters]

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Pictures/Picture.aspx?Picture=2009-03-31_17-06-04

I think that guy's on a terrorist watch-list now....

[Colin]

[quote=Sean Setters]

[url="http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Pictures/Picture.aspx?Picture=2009-03-31_17-06-04]http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Pictures/Picture.aspx?Picture=2009-03-31_17-06-04[/url][/quote]


I think that guy's on a terrorist watch-list now....
<div style="CLEAR: both"]</div>

At least he's on the snappy dresser section.


As a woman, She has more freedom, I think. I was taking pictures of my own kids in the park, and a lady approached me thinking I was taking pictures of her son. I'm like, "Uh, no, who's your son?" Her child was convinced I was "aiming it right at him.", but with a telephoto, it's really difficult to tell. I should have said, "No. Would you like me to?"


I take pictures of other people's kids during field trips, but then I'm a known parent, and I give the pictures to the teacher to use in the yearbook, though sadly, they rarely have enough space to do much but cut out the heads and paste them in a big mess.


It's nice to shoot with permission, but if I can get a shot of somebody interesting without them knowing, I'll usually take it. Not many people are good at getting their picture taken when they know they're being shot. What I should do is step that up and, if I think it's any good, ask them if they'd like a copy, but I should carry some 'photographer' business cards in that case, to look like I'm not just some creepy dude. "Look, I'm more than just a creepy dude, I'm a creepy dude with a card that implies I do this regularly!"


As for the horses, I think it'd be funny if you said, "Hi, I'm a photographer, and your horses are beautiful. If you wouldn't mind signing a release, I'd like to shoot them." If they said, okay, just take the pictures. If they say no, say, "How about if I give you half the meat and the head to mount?"

[Dan Fleming]

I am pretty much not scared of looking like a fool. But in your situation I probably would be. What I am scared of is striking up conversations. I could probably pull off the highway and get the waterfall picture, but the horses scenario would have me running the other way. I am in several japanese tourists's foto albums as "that crazy american who was lying on the ground in the dirt aiming his camera at something" Seriously, more than one has walked up to me and showed me the picture they took of whatever contorted position I got into....I guess I should be used to it, my family does that as well.

[Sheiky]

I read a few different things now. I forget my own safety as well. I was shooting at a autocross which turned out into some sort of derby and a car crashed into the ditch like 2m in front of me. I didn't even notice untill my friend pulled me away just a sec before impact. When looking trough your viewfinder you might notice a lot less of your surroundings which may be a safety-issue. Therefor I wouldn't stop my car at an emergency stop along the side of the highway.


But when people are watching I get pretty shy and it takes me some time to addapt. I had shot quite a few sportevents, but mostly it takes me like 15-30mins to get comfortable shooting.


By the way Sean, I read that you dare to talk to random persons, but if I recall correctly I remember you telling (like last week) you could't find people other than Amber and yourself to pose for you...[A]


Oh and for everybody that have had issues with people thinking you took pictures of them or their kids. Sadly there are a lot of crazy and dirty photographers out there.


If you look at pages where amateur girl models sign themselves up for a free photoshoot (by a "professional" photographer) in trade of a portfolio-picture....let me tell it this way: some guys are really dirty and some girls are very much used... I've seen shots of a photographer who shot his models in normal clothes except for the top, they were in bra or bikini. Really the pictures sucked! And there was no reason whatsoever to undress his models in the shots that he made...truly.....


Funny thing is that an old girlfriend of mine also put herself up this sort of site and like every month she puts new photoshoot pictures on her online profilepage. And to be honest, I really enjoy it since it gives me a good laugh [:P] Really some poses and composures are the most stupd you've ever seen! Last year me and a few friends tried to copy one of her "newest" shots and believe me I had to do the posing and it was really hard! Anatomically impossible [:P] And sorry...no I won't post that image []It's really bad, but it was a lot of fun.


By the way only my best friends know that I even take photos. But they hadn't seen a shot from me untill my birthday this year when my girlfriend showed them my yearcomilationalbum. It made me feel very small, although comments were very positive. Yup I guess I'm a shy guy when it concerns photography...I also hate it when my girlfriend tells her entire family that I bought a new camera or that I made some needo pictures, but I get a little bit more used to it every time.


Learning curve is slow and sometimes very uncomfortable I guess []Sorry for the long story


Jan

[Sean Setters]

By the way Sean, I read that you dare to talk to random persons, but if I recall correctly I remember you telling (like last week) you could't find people other than Amber and yourself to pose for you...[img]/emoticons/emotion-13.gif[/img]

That is true...and this past weekend, I asked two different people (to which I had never spoken before) to pose for me. One said yes, so I set up my equipment. However, once I got everything set up, they said, "Oh, I'm sorry, I have to leave now" (she was visiting a neighbor of mine). So I knocked on another neighbor's house and asked if anyone there would like their picture taken. The college guy that answered the door said, "No man, I don't think so.."


So, I took a self-portrait.... :-)

[Dan Fleming]

So, I took a self-portrait.... :-)

Too bad we don't all live in one area, we could serve as each other's models. then we would learn from each other's techniques.

[Steve Combs]

Denise, one thing to be careful off.... For your horse photos, make sure that you EITHER have the permission of the owner OR you're NOT on their property (fences are USUALLY INSIDE the property line NOT on the line!). If you go on their property they can (not saying they will) have you charged with trespass. In the US, TYPICALLY, you can photograph anything that's 1) visible from a public right of way (i.e. the street, sidewalk, public park, etc) and 2) AS LONG as it's not of an area where someone could rightfully expect privacy (DON'T take pictures THRU a window! ESPECIALLY into/of a bedroom, bathroom, etc!). These are just general guidelines, but will keep you from getting into TOO much trouble!





I've found that horse owners ESPECIALLY are very good at giving you permission to shoot (with a camera! []) their animals... They'll often give you much greater access than you would think!





The waterfall one, you might ask the landscaping company if you can come on their property to get photos. THEN you're not stopped on the shoulder of the road and just waiting for a police officer or deputy to ask you just what the heck you're doing!