Size is important

[yourapocalypse]

OK, so this has been playing across my mind for a while now, and I was reminded of it by a post in another thread:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ashers View Post
for some reason the police let me thru the cordon to take some pics..... they stopped the other people. i dunno why lol

You must have looked like the press!!

Has anyone else experienced preferential treatment simply down to the size or obvious quality of their camera? I can think of a couple of occasions where I have.

The first that springs to mind was shooting seals on the beach on Boxing Day (Sea Palling in Norfolk, huge seal colony there). On reaching the lines of people taking photos with p&s and phone cams, I pulled out my 350D and the crowds parted like the Red Sea. However I then found myself playing second fiddle to a lass with a D200. It was like the crowd reached an unspoken concensus, 'biggest camera gets best position'.

The other situation I think of is at gigs (the small kind where you don't need a photo pass) or when I do burlesque nights. The p&s types seem to automatically get out of the way as soon as they see a 'proper' camera wielded nearby.

Now I know we're constantly told that it's the photographer that counts, not the camera, and by and large this is wisdom. But has anyone else found that having a bigger, shinier, more expensive looking camera has put them in a situation where they can take better photos?

 

[Phil T]

Yep - at the Bristol Mela last year. Like you say - t'was like the parting of the waves. The organisers also invited me to take some pictures of one of their headline acts & got ushered into the vip area right at the front of the stage. Unfortunately it has worked the other way as well!!

 

[moomike]

When I was using my 1D with 300 2.8L IS it got me a load of opportunities due to the fact that it looked like some kind of weapon
I have to say though that I find it's mostly down to attitude - if someone's in the way of a shot I really really need to get then I just tend to ask them if they mind moving slightly - normally works

 

[mmcp42]

yup
even at fairly informal events
I went to a "canal festival" - basically lots of stalls on and near the canal
everyone I spoke to - first question - "are you the press" or "which paper will I be in"

the other thing that surprised me was that
when I asked if it's ok to take pictures before snapping away
rather than being sniffy about it
most were really pleased

one chap told me that a "real press tog" just barged in (see I made a joke! )
and started re-arranging his stall without a by your leave
he got short shrift btw!

 

[barsbyart]

Yes, it's happened to me. On a crowded vp in the Blue Mountains outside Perth, Oz the crowds parted to let me thro' 'cos I had my Nikon F4s and FE round my neck.

But it's also happened the other way round. While passing thro' a shopping arcade one Xmas with the same gear I was stopped by security staff and told "NO PHOTOGRAPHY" while the place was jammed with mums using phones to shoot their kids in front of the decorations! :shrug:

 

[yourapocalypse]

Oh I'm quite happy to politely talk to people about what I'm doing, if they wouldn't mind moving etc. I just love the automatic response to a big lens

 

[Ian T]

It can work the other way though. At some music venues you can use a compact, but get told off for using an SLR ("No professional cameras mate, sorry"). WTF?

 

[sportysnaps]

A canon 1d with a 70-200 f2.8 will get you places a 350d never will, although the "I'm here to do my job - don't waste my time asking me for credentials" attitude works well in some cases, although being nice works well as well

 

[yourapocalypse]

It can work the other way though. At some music venues you can use a compact, but get told off for using an SLR ("No professional cameras mate, sorry"). WTF?

I know, it's a pain, but if it's in the T&Cs for the ticket I haven't got too much of a problem. Plenty of places will let you in if you just ask in advance

 

[laser_jock99]

The other behavior I have noticed while sporting proffesional looking gear at offroad driving events is that drivers often 'play-up' to the camera. Pressumably in the hope of getting their photo into one of the mags! It's good for me because I can better pics.

 

[gibbo]

My Brother in law & my self got to walk out round the Lancaster Bomber and Red Arrows many years ago at Blackpool Air port the day befor the air show and even got an invite to the cockpit to chat with the pilot of the lancaster.