RANT: arrogant 'knowitall' photographers

Eddzz!!

Eddzz!!

Suspended / Banned
Messages
1,120
Name
Eddy
Edit My Images
Yes
Now I'm by no means a pro tog, but I'm trying my best. I've been doing it for a few years now so I like to lend a hand to others where I can.

What really grinds my gears though is when I offer some helpful advice and it's thrown back in my face with some ireful retort. :bang:

For instance, some guy on my Facebook newsfeed just uploaded a set of pictures showing him and friend photographing some motor sports in the rain. The pictures were fine, nothing special, but that isn't what I commented on. What I remarked on was a picture of said photographer stood in the pouring rain with a low-end Canon body and non-weather sealed lens. The thing was covered in rain droplets. I quickly informed him on his bad decision making and that taking that camera and lens out in those conditions unprotected was just asking for trouble...

His response was a sort of "Yeah, and what do you know?" type statement. He proceeded to tell me that he'd been out in the pouring rain for over nine hours "without a hitch" and continued with his sarcastic jibes before I eventually just gave up. :cuckoo:

I mean, I don't even... What's the point?! :bat:
 
Let`s be fair about it, if he wishes to take his kit out in the Rain then it does not really concern anybody else.
 
I suppose if he has had it out in the rain for over 9 hours and really hasnt had a hitch then you are probably giving him advice that he knows from experience not to be valid. hopefully he doesnt live to regret ignoring your advice.
 
There are a lot of people around who do not appreciate a friendly warning or word of advice, so now I pretty much don't bother saying anything unless someone is in obvious danger.
The reason I now do this, is the time I was at the golf driving range, and there was a bloke and his young son in the next bay to me. I could see the lad wandering too close behind his dad when he was taking a swing, so I mentioned it to him.
He immediately looked hacked off, and then asked his lad if it was true - unsurprisingly the lad said no.
About five minutes later there was a scream, and the inevitable had happened - luckily the lad had been hit on the arm and not the head.
I just looked at the guy and shrugged, he then packed up and left, mumbling as he went.:lol:
Still it wasn't all bad, he left about fifty balls in his basket - it seemed a shame to waste them;)
 
RANT: arrogant 'knowitall' photographers
Click to expand...

Eddzz!! said:
I quickly informed him on his bad decision making and that taking that camera and lens out in those conditions unprotected was just asking for trouble...
Click to expand...


Oh the irony! lol
 
Some people don't want to know what they are doing wrong so leave them to it I say.
 
gman said:
Oh the irony! lol
Click to expand...

Not quite... I never confess to 'knowitall', but when I know of the dangers of water-damage first hand, I'd like to share advice where I can.
 
Eddzz!! said:
Not quite... I never confess to 'knowitall', but when I know of the dangers of water-damage first hand, I'd like to share advice where I can.
Click to expand...

You told him. he told you to get lost (so to speak) you should have just left it at that. No point getting upset over it. It's his cash he's throwing away if his camera breaks.
 
Eddzz!! said:
Not quite... I never confess to 'knowitall', but when I know of the dangers of water-damage first hand, I'd like to share advice where I can.
Click to expand...

I know, I was just having a little light-hearted fun because that's probably what the other guy thought! lol
 
I guess so! Part of me wants it to break just to prove a point :p
 
Maybe he left his expensive lens behind and took his cheap one out in the rain?
 
i find giving advice to people who don't ask for it is pointless
there not listening

the bit that gets my goat are the people who ask for advice and argue the answer
why bother asking if you think you know better allready
 
cosmicma said:
i find giving advice to people who don't ask for it is pointless
there not listening

the bit that gets my goat are the people who ask for advice and argue the answer
why bother asking if you think you know better allready
Click to expand...

They may not know better, or they may have just spotted a flaw in your advice and are debating it.
 
I hate the ones who ask for advice then argue the point and ignore it, part of the reason i tend not to bother with advice in the sports forum anymore, myself and a few other working togs just got hacked off with these idiots so dont tend to bother anymore, shame really that the few spoil it for the majority.
 
Gary Coyle said:
I hate the ones who ask for advice then argue the point and ignore it, part of the reason i tend not to bother with advice in the sports forum anymore, myself and a few other working togs just got hacked off with these idiots so dont tend to bother anymore, shame really that the few spoil it for the majority.
Click to expand...

pah.. what do you mean my 800mm f8 reflector won't cut it out for evening football matches? The pitch IS floodlit you know?? Bloody sports togs insisting you need 300mm and f2.8 of loveliness... :cuckoo::cuckoo: :lol: :naughty::naughty:
 
Some interesting opinions in here! Seems I'm not the only one who gets cheese'd off by things like this.

That said, I'm not going to stop lending advice. I mean, there isn't really any harm in it and if it can improve someones technique, then I guess I'm doing some good!
 
Eddzz!! said:
Some interesting opinions in here! Seems I'm not the only one who gets cheese'd off by things like this.

That said, I'm not going to stop lending advice. I mean, there isn't really any harm in it and if it can improve someones technique, then I guess I'm doing some good!
Click to expand...

Agreed but only when advice is asked for. If people just go offering what they think is advice without it being asked for you just come across as a busy body know it all.

I think you will find that in the OP the guy didn't ask advice he was just given it..
 
I'm not sure who the arrogant knowitall here is, to be honest.

A guy takes a decision to use a certain camera and lens in the rain. Another guy goes out of his way to point out that, in his opinion, that was a bad idea.

Hmmm.....
 
Johnd2000 said:
I'm not sure who the arrogant knowitall here is, to be honest.

A guy takes a decision to use a certain camera and lens in the rain. Another guy goes out of his way to point out that, in his opinion, that was a bad idea.

Hmmm.....
Click to expand...

Well obviously the guy on face book didn't want the helpful advice he was offered. Maybe because he didn't ask for it. I think the phrase is when I want your advice I will ask for it. I presume by the post he didn't ask for it hence his anger at being told what to do.

I too may of said something similar if I was offered advice I didn't ask for or thought I didn't require.
 
pepi1967 said:
Well obviously the guy on face book didn't want the helpful advice he was offered. Maybe because he didn't ask for it. I think the phrase is when I want your advice I will ask for it. I presume by the post he didn't ask for it hence his anger at being told what to do.

I too may of said something similar if I was offered advice I didn't ask for or thought I didn't require.
Click to expand...

I'm sure the OP had the best of intentions, but I couldn't help thinking of Harry Enfield's interfering dad character (" I don't believe you wanted to do that"). ;-)
 
Johnd2000 said:
I'm sure the OP had the best of intentions, but I couldn't help thinking of Harry Enfield's interfering dad character (" I don't believe you wanted to do that"). ;-)
Click to expand...

I agree TOTALY. I have no doubt at all the OP had the best intentions in mind but some people just can't be helped.

And the Harry Enfield sketch crossed my mind too lol.
 
When I was a kid I made a comment about another kid's odd-looking fishing reel as I wondered why he'd chosen to use something like it.
........I promptly ran home crying with a split lip. ;)
 
"Low end Canon" :lol:

But agree some folks take comments as a personel attack.
 
Eddzz!! said:
.......I quickly informed him on his bad decision making and that taking that camera and lens out in those conditions unprotected was just asking for trouble...?!
Click to expand...

And if that's the way you went about it, he's probably started a thread on another forum with a similar title to this one. :lol:
 
you should have then pointed out how crap his pics were from a camera that had been out in the rain for 9 hours. a dry camera would have performed better :|

Eddzz!! said:
Now I'm by no means a pro tog, but I'm trying my best. I've been doing it for a few years now so I like to lend a hand to others where I can.

What really grinds my gears though is when I offer some helpful advice and it's thrown back in my face with some ireful retort. :bang:

For instance, some guy on my Facebook newsfeed just uploaded a set of pictures showing him and friend photographing some motor sports in the rain. The pictures were fine, nothing special, but that isn't what I commented on. What I remarked on was a picture of said photographer stood in the pouring rain with a low-end Canon body and non-weather sealed lens. The thing was covered in rain droplets. I quickly informed him on his bad decision making and that taking that camera and lens out in those conditions unprotected was just asking for trouble...

His response was a sort of "Yeah, and what do you know?" type statement. He proceeded to tell me that he'd been out in the pouring rain for over nine hours "without a hitch" and continued with his sarcastic jibes before I eventually just gave up. :cuckoo:

I mean, I don't even... What's the point?! :bat:
Click to expand...
 
Some typical British opinions being thrown about here, "laissez-faire and stay the hell out of my business!". Fine, I hope you all go skydiving without parachutes ;)
 
Last edited:
Johnd2000 said:
I'm not sure who the arrogant knowitall here is, to be honest.

A guy takes a decision to use a certain camera and lens in the rain. Another guy goes out of his way to point out that, in his opinion, that was a bad idea.

Hmmm.....
Click to expand...

I'd say a friendly warning, like the OP gave, isn't being an arrogant know it all in the slightest. It's helping somebody out, if that guy wanted to be an arse about it then so be it.. Let him destroy his camera, then who'll be laughing?
 
Eddzz!! said:
Some typical British opinions being thrown about here, "laissez-faire and stay the hell out of my business!". Fine, I hope you all go skydiving without parachutes ;)
Click to expand...

I think you're missing the point somewhat. It would help if you clarified what you actually said because, if you put it across to him the way you described above ("I quickly informed him on his bad decision making..."), it would have come across as concescending to say the least so his reaction would have been understandable.
 
got to say I'm with the majority. The OP had no business pointing out that "he knew better"

to be honest I feel like the thread title fits the OP more than the person he was complaining about
 
joescrivens said:
got to say I'm with the majority. The OP had no business pointing out that "he knew better"

to be honest I feel like the thread title fits the OP more than the person he was complaining about
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, but you're just being deliberately contentious now. I'm hardly acting arrogantly when suggesting he not use his 500D in the pouring rain.
 
fabs said:
I think you're missing the point somewhat. It would help if you clarified what you actually said because, if you put it across to him the way you described above ("I quickly informed him on his bad decision making..."), it would have come across as concescending to say the least so his reaction would have been understandable.
Click to expand...

As for 'how I put it', it was something along the lines of "I would wrap your camera up in conditions like those - that rain could completely destroy your camera!"

:|
 
Eddzz!! said:
As for 'how I put it', it was something along the lines of "I would wrap your camera up in conditions like those - that rain could completely destroy your camera!"

:|
Click to expand...

Few things are as annoying as being approached by a complete stranger and offered a few nuggets of wisdom that were neither requested nor desired. TBH I would probably have told you to sling-your-hook too. :shrug:
 
Eddzz!! said:
I'm sorry, but you're just being deliberately contentious now. I'm hardly acting arrogantly when suggesting he not use his 500D in the pouring rain.
Click to expand...

I'm just being honest. And since the majority of the thread agree can you not see that actually you are the one in the wrong for "advising" someone who didn't ask for your opinion?
 
You're all highlighting a fundamental error in the way a lot of people think. Some people are so defensive against people they don't know, it's what makes some aspects of British society so unsightly. Some people can be so unfriendly. I doubt I would have run into this same issue had I offered advice to an American, or European photographer. I honestly can't believe how a lot of you are reacting. I think I may have placed a little too much faith in human kindness.

[FYI] Whenever I'm shooting with another photographer (whom more often than not I don't know personally) and they offer me advice on my settings, composure etc... I take it all on board and am actually quite grateful for it. I don't often ask for the advice, but when it is given to me freely, I appreciate it! I mean, for goodness sake, it's not like people have to display any generosity at all.
 
Last edited:
Eddzz!! said:
You're all highlighting a fundamental error in the way a lot of people think. Some people are so defensive against people they don't know, it's what makes some aspects of British society so unsightly. Some people can be so unfriendly. I doubt I would have run into this same issue had I offered advice to an American, or European photographer. I honestly can't believe how a lot of you are reacting. I think I may have placed a little too much faith in human kindness.

[FYI] Whenever I'm shooting with another photographer (whom more often than not I don't know personally) and they offer me advice on my settings, composure etc... I take it all on board and am actually quite grateful for it. I don't often ask for the advice, but when it is given to me freely, I appreciate it! I mean, for goodness sake, it's not like people have to display any generosity at all.
Click to expand...

its very different when you are shooting with someone, you are there learning and helping each other. The situation you described is nothing like that

also it's not just strangers. If I'm doing some cooking and I know what I'm doing and my wife came over and told me I was doing it wrong without me asking her I'd tell her to mind her own business.
 
Last edited:
joescrivens said:
also it's not just strangers. If I'm doing some cooking and I know what I'm doing and my wife came over and told me I was doing it wrong without me asking them I'd tell her to mind her own business.
Click to expand...

Well then you are very unpleasant individual. :|
 
Eddzz!! said:
Well then you are very unpleasant individual. :|
Click to expand...

I have to disagree. I'm a joy to the world.

Its about being micro managed. Theres nothing worse than some know it all coming in and "advising" you when you are quite happily doing what you are doing and are perfectly capable of doing it. If you ask for opinions or help then thats a different matter
 
Eddzz!! said:
You're all highlighting a fundamental error in the way a lot of people think. Some people are so defensive against people they don't know, it's what makes some aspects of British society so unsightly. Some people can be so unfriendly. I doubt I would have run into this same issue had I offered advice to an American, or European photographer. I honestly can't believe how a lot of you are reacting. I think I may have placed a little too much faith in human kindness.

[FYI] Whenever I'm shooting with another photographer (whom more often than not I don't know personally) and they offer me advice on my settings, composure etc... I take it all on board and am actually quite grateful for it. I don't often ask for the advice, but when it is given to me freely, I appreciate it! I mean, for goodness sake, it's not like people have to display any generosity at all.
Click to expand...

But you didn't really offer "advice"...you gave criticism in what would appear to have been quite a smug manner. There's quite the difference.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top