Do You Feel Vulnerable When Out With Your Photo Gear???

MadDogMcQ

MadDogMcQ

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Tom McQuiggan
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I don't know about you, but there's many a time when I feel quite vulnerable when out in the field with what amounts to some very expensive gear! I know you don't have to take everything with you when you go out, but if you're not sure what sort of opportunities may pop up, there's a good chance you'll want to slip a few lenses in your bag.

If I choose to include my Sigma 10-20, 150 Macro and Bigma, I'm already up to quite a figure with the Nikon D300 body. If I took the full kit, I'd probably be carrying £4k around. :nono:

I sometimes (not often) come across a gang of lads who look like a bunch of outlaws :lol: and I'm always on my guard until they've gone well past me.

Obviously, we'd all put up a bloody good fight :boxer:if anyone tried to nick our gear, but I just wondered if I was being paranoid or if anyone had ever experienced any trouble in the past?
 
just because people may look dodgy, doesn't mean they are. never judge a book by it's cover! thats one thing i've learnt from the past and most of the people around my end that most people would class as dodgy, I have a good chat with and get on with them well. if you're prepared to have a laugh with them, they'll have a laugh with you and soon you'll find they're more likely to help you out than rob you blind!
 
I was out yesterday taking pics of some Wall art (aka graffiti) when 3 drunks (street drunks) came up and asked what I was doing. I struck up a conversation with them and ended up talking to them for over 30 mins. At no point did I feel vulnerable because anyone who wants to take my equipment is welcome to try...another reason I carry my monopod everywhere with me. ;) They even asked if I wanted a drink. :)

To be honest, I've never felt vulnerable while out with the camera as the one place I never go is out on a Friday or Saturday night to a town centre when things are more irrational.
 
Shadow said:
...another reason I carry my monopod everywhere with me. ;)

To be honest, I've never felt vulnerable while out with the camera as the one place I never go is out on a Friday or Saturday night to a town centre when things are more irrational.
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:agree:
I always carry my monopod when I'm out, (usually just tucked in my tripod bag with the handle poking out the top,
but have never really felt that I needed it.

Spence
 
I try not to judge people too much, but often fail LOL. Mind you, after 50 years, I think I've got pretty damned good at it. I think I can tell the difference between a set of scrotes and a set of boisterous teens. Whether I'm right or wrong though, I'm usually "ready".

Hiking sticks with tungsten-tips are pretty handy things to have with you LOL. And you can get them with a tripod mount on the handle.
 
paseodj said:
just because people may look dodgy, doesn't mean they are. never judge a book by it's cover! thats one thing i've learnt from the past and most of the people around my end that most people would class as dodgy, I have a good chat with and get on with them well. if you're prepared to have a laugh with them, they'll have a laugh with you and soon you'll find they're more likely to help you out than rob you blind!
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Whilst this may well be the case, I dont want to be the one to come across the minority.

I certainly dont want to go looking for the minority, and the only way to avoid the minority is to avoid everyone.

Very very sad, but true.....
 
I understand what you are saying but it happened once where i was mugged from behind and my phone was taken. within two days of me asking a couple of people, that very same phone was returned in the same condition sim card still inside. kind of shows its not what you know it's who you know!

but yeah it probably could be best to try and avoid everybody to be on the safe side.
 
Slimbert said:
Just out of interest, what Monopod would people recommend for maximum damage to a thiefs face?:thinking:
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lol i don't think that's the answer

isn't there any insurance out there that might cover for any loss or damager etc?? it might be the better option as you don't want to end up getting arrested
 
Have some faith in human nature folks.:eek:

I was commssioned ot set up a studio at EXPO in the Queens Hall, Dunstable. This is a tattoo and piercing show and exhibition. The stage was for showing off your tattoos and piercings (regardless of where they might be on the body)

I was in the set up studio for the duration and the judges sent the people up they wanted photographed, for a glossy book and the tattoo magazines.

I saw a whole spectrum of society in that weekend - Hells Angels through to lawyers and authors (Linda and David La Plant were there and I photographed them too.) Anyone a little "sheltered" from life might see these people, the rougher end of them anyway, as being the sort of folks to avoid. While, of course, the top hatted folks in the enclosure at Ascot would be bound to be pillars of society and quite alright and honest.

Well, on the Sunday, there came over the tannoy that a wallet had been dropped and would the owner come and collect it from the organisers office. That wallet had £4000 in it in cash, and it was handed in by the so called scrots of society with their tats and Prince Alberts.

If that wallet had been dropped at Ascot, do you think you would have go tit back with the cash in it? Or do you think the pillars of society would have had a bit of a flutter on you with it?

I think the Politicians, who are supposed to set a prime example to society, and their theiving practises from the public purse might just give you a clue. And "fiddling the expenses and making honest mistakes (dozens of them for 10 years.....) is hardly settng the prime example they are supposed to.

I know which of the groups of society I would put my money on.

Treat people as you would like them to treat you - and they will. Treat people with respect, not out of fear, and they will reciprocate.

Carry a hikng stick with tungsten tips - and you will end up wearing them. I carry a lot more than you have suggested with me and I have no fear whatever. If you look for trouble, it will find it. Ignore it and it won't.

I leave the keys in the ignition of my bike everywhere - they live there. Yesterday, i some bloody idiot take the keys out and leave them in a shop - they stuck a note in my ignition switch where my keys should have been. Bloody interfering Annies....first trouble I have ever had and it was from bloody do gooders!
 
Not really, my Giottos monopod is pretty hefty and apparently I look 'intimidating'. Had a few ned's eyeing up me and my kit while walking past once, it was a fairly rough area so I had my monopod out the case and in my hand anyway :lol:

Yesterday I found someone sneaking around the back office as the back door was open and someone from upstairs had left there expensive mountain bike padlocked outside our door, he must of been looking for the keys while I was sat just about 4 feet away around the corner, cheeky git. He scarpered and I gave the police a description over the phone, he'd not actually commited a crime at that point but I thought it worth reporting.
 
My "maximum damage" question was just a joke!

As a 6' 1" 20 stone ex bouncer who now happens to be an adolescent social worker for the county council, I fear no scrote, toe rag or member of the chav community!!! :lol:

Seriously, I'd say most of the kids you see hanging around on street corners etc, want to be left alone just like most of us do......

I'd agree with the earlier comment, get your stuff insured, and hand it over if someone threatens you for it. Just remember to get a good look at his/her/their faces and clothes etc to help the police, and sit back and wait for your shiney brand new camera to turn up courtesy of your insurance!!!:thumbs:
 
Get insurance and just hand it over. That or boxing classes and don't hand it over.

Personally, I opted to get both. If there's any danger of you getting injured just hand the kit over, phone the police, insurance will pay out. If it looks like you'll get trouble even if you do hand the kit over, well, good luck.
 
No worries. I often go out alone late at night with my gear. If I ever meet anyone who may be lingering and looking a bit dodgy, I engage them in a friendly conversation, no trouble. If I did ever run into trouble, out of principle I'd give them hell. 95% of the time I carry a Manfrotto 055P or a 190, and if I had to I'd swing it to cause the maximum damage.
 
I can honestly say I have never felt threarted even when I have been on my own in the coutry or alongside urban cals,having said that I dont think I would go through Toxteth/Tooting/Handsworth etc at night with a D3x
 
Lensflare said:
Have some faith in human nature folks.:eek:

* snip 8x *
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An interesting and honourable view, which I share wholeheartedly, of not to tar everyone with the same brush of predetermined assumption.

Interesting though given your statements in another thread concerning the police.
 
I feel threatened all the time I'm out with the camera, from drunks, vandals and PCSO's. If set upon by 2 or more people, I'd have no chance, monopod or otherwise, and I've had too many friends betean for no reason (not even robbery, just gratuitous beatings!) to think the world's a safer place for me than them.
Wish I didn't feel that way, but I do. Not everyone's a thug, for sure, in fact I think the majority of people are reasonable, but the experiences of my friends make me perhaps warier than most.
 
I have never felt vunerable if someone comes up to me its normally for a nosey and a chat and it nearly always comes down to "I used to have a Pentax ME Super in 1989"
 
It's not people that bother me but dogs, last night walking around a local park two large dogs came running at me, all I do is stand my ground and hope for the best.
It is very annoying though as their intentions are not always obvious. I always have a monopod or tripod with me in case things turn nasty.

I had quite a bad bite of a dog last year while out taking pictures on a riverside walk near to home, the owner said he was sorry as his dog is frightened of strangers :eek:

I'm not a dog hater but get peed of at some of the owners lack of control over their pets, to late when your beloved pet is put down for attacking someone.
 
Lensflare said:
Have some faith in human nature folks.... I leave the keys in the ignition of my bike everywhere - they live there!....
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Hmmmm, I'm a biker and the only time I would leave the keys in my bike would be if I rode something that was so $hite that I was sure no one would possibly wanna nick it! I don't want to start a fight, but leaving your keys in your vehicle permanently is just plain foolish. It's also kinda irresponsible IMHO :shrug:

Nikon Man - I'm with you all the way when it comes to dogs. I'm a dog-lover and have always trusted my dogs implicitly, but I don't expect other people to feel the same way. When approaching strangers in public, I not only reel my dog in nice and close to me, but I also do it in such a way that the oncoming people see that I'm in control of the dog so that they might be at ease if they're nervous around dogs.

I go for regular walks and I pass this large detached house in the countryside with a walled garden where there are two CRAZED dogs! As you pass by, the dogs find a way to get on top of the wall and proceed to snap and growl and bark at you and you're convinced that they're gonna leap down onto you. It happens every time and not once do the owners come out to control them. If I could get to the front door, I'd give the owners a right mouthful! It must scare the bloody life out of young kids walking past.

Tom
 
Amazingly similar post to the one I've just made in the 'Are you Tall' thread -

I'm 195 cm, 120 kg and as ugly as they come. I've never had any problems with yobs.

Perhaps it's because they can read my thoughts -"I wonder what his face would look like after it encounters a high-speed 300 f2.8?"
 
I've never felt any threat towards me but then again a lot of my photography is in RSPB reserves and the back of beyond, I would imagine street photographers would be slightly more at risk though as previous posts have stated the chance is you would be fine :)
 
I do I'll be honest. I like to go out at night/early hours of the morning and try my hand at traffic trails or urban nightscapes, but certainly of late, groups of what I would refer to as teenage yobbs have taken more than a passing, unfavourable interest in what I'm doing. It's not hard for people to see that we are using kit that is in many cases reasonably expensive and I for one have become very wary of those late night 'gangs'. Subsequently I've stopped shooting alone during what should be the 'silent hours' - it's just not worth the risk.
 
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