Just Curious

Marc

Marc

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Driving along a dual carriageway at dusk today, I noticed a flash coming from a bridge up ahead. As I got closer, I could see someone standing there and there was a couple of small red flashes. I can only assume that they were taking photos and the red flashing light was the focus assist.

So, the question is, why would you use a flash when taking photos from a bridge?
 
fabs said:
Driving along a dual carriageway at dusk today, I noticed a flash coming from a bridge up ahead. As I got closer, I could see someone standing there and there was a couple of small red flashes. I can only assume that they were taking photos and the red flashing light was the focus assist.

So, the question is, why would you use a flash when taking photos from a bridge?
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For the same reason people at massive sporting events sat 50 metres from from the pitch use flash. Because they're not photographers, and they have little automatic compacts, or SLRs used on Program modes and have no idea that all they'll be doing is lighting up the heads of the people in front, and getting very little else.

oh yeah... and they're idiots :) Firing a flash at oncoming traffic IS a really ****ed up thing to be doing.
 
I've seen hand held speed guns that have a red light on before now. Might be.
 
The same reason that some people use flash to take panoramic views at dusk, or the ones who are watching a sports event in a giant stadium (they are at the back, about 70 metres from the action), or the ones who use flash when they are taking pictures of the moon (I want that flash gun:eek:)
Just realised my first point is the same as yours, but I won't delete it, because I saw this countless times last year when we were on holiday in Sorrento, and tourists were trying to take shots of Naples, many miles away across the Bay of Naples - with flash!:D
 
I had a feeling it was something along the lines of someone being a knob, just curious as to what they were trying to achieve

Stuart M said:
I've seen hand held speed guns that have a red light on before now. Might be.
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I did think about that but I was the only car on that stretch, I was only doing about 40 (honest) and I was a few hundred yards from the bridge when I saw the flash.
 
They were doing light trails very badly? Clearly need to read Matts guide.
 
No different from a speed camera going off on the other side of the road. It's a camera flash, not a phosphor grenade.

OP: Might have been someone shooting someone else on the bridge. If it was dark, you wouldn't have seen them. Either that, or it was, like you say, and idiot.
 
Why is everyone saying that firing a flash at oncoming traffic is bad? OP doesn't mention a flash going off, just what they assumed was focus assist, which can be set up to work and not fire a flash if needed.

I've no idea why they would need it as it wouldn't have the range to work on landscape style shots however.
 
if i had known it was you Marc ,i would have used a 10 zillion candlepower searchlight :D
 
My money's on it being a speed monitor/trap or an arse messing about with a laser pointer. Might be worth reporting the incident to Plod - if it's an arse, they could cause an accident, as could a badly aimed speed gun...
 
Could have been loads of things, not an issue to traffic, a flash is hardly going to be an problem to traffic.
 
London Headshots said:
No different from a speed camera going off on the other side of the road. It's a camera flash, not a phosphor grenade.

OP: Might have been someone shooting someone else on the bridge. If it was dark, you wouldn't have seen them. Either that, or it was, like you say, and idiot.
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It was dusk and I could definitely see hm/her, he/she was standing at the railing facing towards me.

Harvey_nikon said:
Why is everyone saying that firing a flash at oncoming traffic is bad? OP doesn't mention a flash going off, just what they assumed was focus assist, which can be set up to work and not fire a flash if needed.

I've no idea why they would need it as it wouldn't have the range to work on landscape style shots however.
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See my 1st sentence in the OP. ;)

donutagain said:
if i had known it was you Marc ,i would have used a 10 zillion candlepower searchlight :D
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:razz::p

Nod said:
My money's on it being a speed monitor/trap or an arse messing about with a laser pointer. Might be worth reporting the incident to Plod - if it's an arse, they could cause an accident, as could a badly aimed speed gun...
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Definitely wasn't a laser pointer nod, it was a slow blinking exactly lie a focus assist light.

Studi0488 said:
Could have been loads of things, not an issue to traffic, a flash is hardly going to be an problem to traffic.
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Indeed, wasn't a problem for me, Just noticed it up ahead.
 
Focus assist light red and flashing? On my SLRs, thge cameras' AFA lights are white and steady and with a speedlight attached, they use that to shine a steady red grid pattern, no flashing. Pretty sure the self timer countdown is a white on/off sequence rather than red too - speedlight or none.
 
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Nod said:
Focus assist light red and flashing? On my SLRs, thge cameras' AFA lights are white and steady and with a speedlight attached, they use that to shine a steady red grid pattern, no flashing.
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Not flashing, blinking. As in on one second, off the next and the focus assist lights on my camera and flashgun are red
 
You'll have spotted my edit - could have been someone using a body like yours with a self timer.
 
Harvey_nikon said:
Why is everyone saying that firing a flash at oncoming traffic is bad? OP doesn't mention a flash going off,
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fabs said:
Driving along a dual carriageway at dusk today, I noticed a flash coming from a bridge up ahead.
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If that wasn't the case, then ok.. fine, but that led me to believe there was, well.. a flash going off.
 
Nod said:
You'll have spotted my edit - could have been someone using a body like yours with a self timer.
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Possible. I think it blinked twice so maybe a 2 second timer. Curious as to why the flash went of just beforehand though, could have just been set off accidentally I suppose.
 
id have reported it to the plod to be honest. at best its a distraction to drivers and could cause an accident.

anyone remember the accidents caused by kids waving at drivers from a bridge?
 
neil_g said:
id have reported it to the plod to be honest. at best its a distraction to drivers and could cause an accident.

anyone remember the accidents caused by kids waving at drivers from a bridge?
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TBH Neil, it didn't even occur to me to call the police as I really didn't see it as an issue. Is it that much of a danger? Especially when you consider it's no more dangerous than he flash of a speed amera. :shrug:
 
fabs said:
TBH Neil, it didn't even occur to me to call the police as I really didn't see it as an issue. Is it that much of a danger? Especially when you consider it's no more dangerous than he flash of a speed amera. :shrug:
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like i said, there have been accidents caused by kids waving at cars.. whats more of a distraction, waving or a flash of light? at least you know a speed camera is coming as it's covered in high viz yellow reflectors :)
 
neil_g said:
like i said, there have been accidents caused by kids waving at cars.. whats more of a distraction, waving or a flash of light? at least you know a speed camera is coming as it's covered in high viz yellow reflectors :)
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I'd suggest that accidents weren't caused by kids waving at cars but rather drivers watching kids waving instead of the road, but that's a whole different conversation. ;)
 
fabs said:
I'd suggest that accidents weren't caused by kids waving at cars but rather drivers watching kids waving instead of the road, but that's a whole different conversation. ;)
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well yeah true, at least you can ignore a kid. a flash at dark/dusk is a bit more intrusive.

but like you say, another thread :)
 
Speed cameras usually flash from behind or from some height.
 
Seems a foolish choice, no real reason...

kd
 
Basically it does sound like it was somebody doing light trails, what has been described almost perfectly describes the function of the AFA Lamp on my 430EX2 with added burst of flash to assist in AF, however if the person was actually doing this to achieve focus for light trails then they really do need help :( having done thousands of light trails I've had more than my fair share of encounters with the boys and girls in blue, they've never presented and issue with me practicing my art, they have a duty of care to check what I'm up to some have expressed and genuine interest too :thumbs:

It's a little bit OTT to suggest calling the police, though some people of course would, I'm just surprised to see suggestions of that on a photography forum :lol: :cuckoo:

Oh and thanks for the hat tip Adam :thumbs:

Matt
 
artyman said:
Firing a flashgun at drivers is not the most sensible thing to do.
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No but firing them at the back of drivers heading into the distance is brilliant....watch all the brake lights come on lol

I think calling the police is a bit OTT too. If you're so distracted from your driving by waving children or a small flashing light that it causes a safety issue then maybe you shouldn't be in charge of a 1-tonne killing machine :)
 
MWHCVT said:
Basically it does sound like it was somebody doing light trails, what has been described almost perfectly describes the function of the AFA Lamp on my 430EX2 with added burst of flash to assist in AF, however if the person was actually doing this to achieve focus for light trails then they really do need help :( having done thousands of light trails I've had more than my fair share of encounters with the boys and girls in blue, they've never presented and issue with me practicing my art, they have a duty of care to check what I'm up to some have expressed and genuine interest too :thumbs:

It's a little bit OTT to suggest calling the police, though some people of course would, I'm just surprised to see suggestions of that on a photography forum :lol: :cuckoo:

Oh and thanks for the hat tip Adam :thumbs:

Matt
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If they were doing light trails, they certainly need help. There was only one car (me) on a snowy dual carriageway doing 40mph and no cars at all going the other way and it wasn't even dark!
 
neil_g said:
why? some police departments actually welcome reporting distracting/dangerous activity on bidges.
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If it were a laser the I would report it myself, however a flash or two from high up on a bridge should not actually cause an issue if it did then the far more directed flash of a Truvelo is far worse, or what about driving in a lightening storm or some of the incredibly bright headlights on the likes of modern VAG cars :eek:

fabs said:
If they were doing light trails, they certainly need help. There was only one car (me) on a snowy dual carriageway doing 40mph and no cars at all going the other way and it wasn't even dark!
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Well you said dusk Marc that is close to the optimum time :thumbs:
 
MWHCVT said:
If it were a laser the I would report it myself, however a flash or two from high up on a bridge should not actually cause an issue if it did then the far more directed flash of a Truvelo is far worse, or what about driving in a lightening storm or some of the incredibly bright headlights on the likes of modern VAG cars :eek: :
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one reason why poorly fitted aftermarket HIDs are becoming illegal :thumbs:

anyway seems im on my own on this one..
 
On which issue? I'm with you on the Plod call (the source was unknown and could have been a laser pointer) and also with the super bright headlights.

A photography based scenario has occured to me between visits here - a photographer's there looking for light trails on a snowy road, with the verges (all pretty and snowy!) illuminated by the head and tail lights of a passing car (some multi car trails look messy - a single trail looks far cleaner). While he's waiting for a car, his mate starts playing up for the camera - "Snap" with the onboard flash (for farcebook?) before sticking it on the tripod for a long exposure on self timer. That's one explaination for the distant flash and later red pulses Marc saw.
 
Marcel said:
No but firing them at the back of drivers heading into the distance is brilliant....watch all the brake lights come on lol

I think calling the police is a bit OTT too. If you're so distracted from your driving by waving children or a small flashing light that it causes a safety issue then maybe you shouldn't be in charge of a 1-tonne killing machine :)
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+1

they are busy enough without rubbish calls like this......
 
Nod said:
On which issue? I'm with you on the Plod call (the source was unknown and could have been a laser pointer) and also with the super bright headlights.

A photography based scenario has occured to me between visits here - a photographer's there looking for light trails on a snowy road, with the verges (all pretty and snowy!) illuminated by the head and tail lights of a passing car (some multi car trails look messy - a single trail looks far cleaner). While he's waiting for a car, his mate starts playing up for the camera - "Snap" with the onboard flash (for farcebook?) before sticking it on the tripod for a long exposure on self timer. That's one explaination for the distant flash and later red pulses Marc saw.
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This is something that I'm debating heading out and doing not tonight but maybe later this week, I've been thinking about suitable locations for it

Studi0488 said:
+1

they are busy enough without rubbish calls like this......
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No, Simply no....the police will not have an issue with recieveing a call like Neil's, I actually remember a thread from last year where the photographer was quite upset that the police came along and asked him to leave when he went out to do light trails, he had only gone to the exact bridge where concrete blocks had been dropped onto the road from it the previous week :( can you imagine the number of call the police were getting the night he was on there, it was only right that they moved him on....

Quite often when the police come out to me it's because they've had reports of some on stood on a motorway bridge and the concern of a suicide attempt different minds work in different ways, hell only yesterday early AM I put a call into the police due to the fact that I'd seen two JCB's being driven down the road and I was concerned it may have been a plant theft incident, it may well have been that they were out to help with the snow clearance, but they didn't look equipped for that and the snow wasn't that bad anyway. But it didn't hurt for the police to go out and check and if it were a plant theft issue I'm sure they'll be ecstatic that I made the call as would the owners of the plant
 
MWHCVT said:
No, Simply no....the police will not have an issue with recieveing a call like Neil's, I actually remember a thread from last year where the photographer was quite upset that the police came along and asked him to leave when he went out to do light trails, he had only gone to the exact bridge where concrete blocks had been dropped onto the road from it the previous week :( can you imagine the number of call the police were getting the night he was on there, it was only right that they moved him on....

Quite often when the police come out to me it's because they've had reports of some on stood on a motorway bridge and the concern of a suicide attempt different minds work in different ways, hell only yesterday early AM I put a call into the police due to the fact that I'd seen two JCB's being driven down the road and I was concerned it may have been a plant theft incident, it may well have been that they were out to help with the snow clearance, but they didn't look equipped for that and the snow wasn't that bad anyway. But it didn't hurt for the police to go out and check and if it were a plant theft issue I'm sure they'll be ecstatic that I made the call as would the owners of the plant
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:plusone:

...they would rather have 20 duff calls than 1 genuine one that is not made.



Heather
 
Nod said:
Speed cameras usually flash from behind or from some height.
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yeah but bwhen i'm driving up telegraph road in one direction, and you go hooning past in the nod mobile at 130mph in the oposite one, the flash that's behind you, is in my eyes
 
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