Would you give advice to a stranger?

Toggerman

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I went to the Farnborough arishow with the family this year. We parked up near(ish) to the front and I stayed with the baby to take pics of the flying display whilst the missus took our older boys off to go on rides.

Whilst I was sat there a gent came up and stood next to me and started shooting the air display as well. I couldn't help but notice that there was a lot of beeping coming from his direction. He was constantly on and off the shutter button as if it was on single focus, not only that but his flash kept popping up as well. I quickly scanned his kit and noticed a low end Nikon and what looked to be a Nikon 55-200mm. "Fair enough, probably new to DSLRs and in full auto." I thought.

Right then I wanted to go over and ask if he wanted some advice and show him how to use the continuous modes and Programmed mode (or shutter priority). Just as I was about to go over I started thinking that it was a bad idea and I didn't want to come across as some know-it-all git with his flash gear telling someone who was probably new that they're doing it all wrong.

In the end I left it as he looked happy enough. As I walked around I was surprised how many people doing the same thing.

What would you have done in a similar situation?
 
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If I stopped to give advice to every stranger I saw doing something wrong I wouldn't have much time to do anything else.
 
Same as you ... help and advice can sometimes be appreciated but just as frequently not.
 
We often learn by our mistakes, guess he'll of realised when he got home and looked at his pics. Saw one guy there shooting with a 100-400 L using his pop up flash, biggest laugh was a guy with a tiny P&S on a monopod.
 
Cheers guys. That makes me feel better as I couldn't help feeling lousy afterward for not giving this chap a hand.
 
He`s got a Nikon. Gone past the stage of helping imo :lol:
 
I often give advise when out and about as I'll generally chat to people while I'm shooting I also nearly always direct people to TP :thumbs: to be honest I'm never too busy shooting that I cannot give someone a hand to get more out of there camera :thumbs:

Matt
MWHCVT
 
moaten said:
Saw one guy there shooting with a 100-400 L using his pop up flash,
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I think I might have seen him as well. I do remember seeing someone with a decent sized telephoto and the pop up, can't remember if it was a black or white lens though.
 
I think I'd have struck a (tried to anyway...) conversation with him and gone from there really. Sometimes you know just that little bit of advice / help is going to be very much appreciated, sometimes you know to leave them alone...
 
moaten said:
biggest laugh was a guy with a tiny P&S on a monopod.
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Not so rare as you might think!
In fact didn't someone recently post an eBay link to a tripod head for an iPhone :eek:
 
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gramps said:
Not so rare as you might think!
In fact didn't someone recently post an eBay link to a tripod head for an iPhone :eek:
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Yep, saw that

I'm on the look out next time out at oulton Park for someone using one :lol::lol:
 
I suppose I would have approached him to strike up a conversation, if only to suss out if he would be the type of person to accept advice....

I often get it with fishing; I'm out everyday and meet a lot of general anglers who have a low skill level.... first thing I do is say hello, ask how the fishing is going and then suss it out from there. It's amazing how many people are doing it wrong without knowing and how, through a simple conversation, they can come out of it benefitting and you go away feeling good about yourself for helping :)
 
There was a guy at Waddington airshow using a 50D (I think) with a 100-400 and his pop up flash was going off all the time and his camera was beeping away. I can only think he was using the green box and as the light wasn't great and the flash was up all the time. Thing is, he was stood with a crowd of people (obviously friends of his) all with dslr's and an array of lenses and not one of them said anything about it. Had he been alone I'd of started a conversation and asked to see some of his pics and offered some help if he'd wanted, but only if he'd asked.
 
specialman said:
I suppose I would have approached him to strike up a conversation, if only to suss out if he would be the type of person to accept advice....

I often get it with fishing; I'm out everyday and meet a lot of general anglers who have a low skill level.... first thing I do is say hello, ask how the fishing is going and then suss it out from there. It's amazing how many people are doing it wrong without knowing and how, through a simple conversation, they can come out of it benefitting and you go away feeling good about yourself for helping :)
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That reminds me of fishing at Drayton many years ago and the only time (I didn't like it) I fished for about 4 hours and had and average of 5 reasonable carp per hour so it got a little boring was like fishing in a stock pond, I had deliberately only took minimal kit with me anyway walking back round I got chatting to this guy who must have had £10,000 in kit with him, I'd taken about £500 in kit :D and £350 of that was rod and real :lol: and he was delighted to have caught one carp in 10 hours :suspect:
 
If a stranger came up to me and asked for advice then sure but not the other way around as they'd probably just think I was just a know it all of show off...

In the same sentence though, I'd be reluctant giving advice. I went to a air show 2 years back in Perth (Scone) with a colleague who is into photography. The planes were mainly prop driven so I was shooting slower shutter speeds to capture the prop blur - even slower with the choppers.

Colleague asked my settings as he wasn't getting the blur (just in 'P' mode) so I suggested he move to shutter priority and 1/200th > 1/250th continuous focus and pan for the planes (1/60th for the choppers). He took about 30 shots, reviewed them up close during a break and was gutted they were all OOF so just went back to 'P'. I felt pretty bad after that.
 
It's a difficult one to answer and the answer varies from person to person.
I am learning myself and would be glad of the advice. I can learn a lot quicker by having something explained or demonstrated than I can by reading a book and trying to remember it all for when I need to use it.
Equally, I know quite a few people who would rather be left alone to work things out for themselves.
 
It always makes me smile when i read threads that say people have had XXX,XXX'k shots on the shutter count, unless every one is a keeper of course :lol:
 
It can backfire. We take out a narrowboat and go cruising the canals for a week each year and at least once you get advice from someone relating to something purely because they see you are on a hire boat and do something differently to them. We are not short on experiance by a long shot having sailed as crew and skippered various boats on the high seas and have qualifications etc. Heck, i've even experienced sinking :D


Still, most of them have the best intentions and nobody learns anything if no one else teaches them, its a risk you've got to take. Just observe them for a bit longer and decide.

You could have gone: "Using the flash today?" and see what you get back. If he said somthing along the lines of "I don't know why it keeps poping up" then you're golden. :)
 
As a less skilled photographer I would say a LOT depends they way you approach it. If you wander over and strike up a conversation then thats one thing, if the person fancies chatting then they will probably appreciate talking kit with someone who knows what they are doing.
 
Brendan Mulachy said:
Your grandad will be spinning in his grave at the thought of you not being able to spell reel :lol::razz:




Like you I hate Drayton :'(
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Epic fail on my part :eek: I've always said I cannot spell :lol: though my Grandad ain't got not grave he went for a swim with the fish :D
 
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Only if asked. Having been on the receiving end of unwanted advice a few times I know how annoying it can be if a total stranger and self/appointed "expert" comes up to you and starts telling you what you are doing wrong (in their opinion).
 
I will offer advice if asked but make it clear that "this is what I find works for me" :lol:

Was in a beer garden yesterday enjoying the brilliant sunshine and this guy wanders in with a a few mates, Canon DSLR around his neck (at a guess 600D, wasn't close enough to see the badge) he turned to papp his mate and as he lined up the shot, the flash popped up...... was it wrong I just thought...... "noob" :lol:

Given that the max flash sync speed is 1/250 the aperture would have had to go some to get that shot exposed correctly! As for using the popup flash in that sunlight..... :lol:

Not wanting this to sound arrogant at all btw....... I think most of us can spot a genuine photographer and those who get an SLR "'cos it looks good"
 
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srichards said:
Bear garden? Sounds dangerous :D
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You've obviously never drank in some of the rougher pubs I've frequented in the past, bears would describe the women in there so think how rough the blokes looks :suspect:
 
Simon photo said:
This post reminds me of the "ONLY MEEE" character by Harry Enfield
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That was just like one of the "experts" who offered me free advice when doing some night shots. "What are you using a tripod for? Doesn't your camera have a flash? Good cameras have got flashes built in."

:bang:
 
he could have been using his pop up flash for fill in if he was shooting into the sun :) i was using my SB700 just yesterday! :)

as it was said earlier on, just ask if they're getting any keepers and go from there. Then just tell them "what is working for you" not "you want to be doing this" :lol:

very harry enfield though :lol: my boss can be one of these people

harry_enfield_mr_dont_promo.jpg
 
Russ77 said:
I will offer advice if asked but make it clear that "this is what I find works for me" :lol:

Was in a beer garden yesterday enjoying the brilliant sunshine and this guy wanders in with a a few mates, Canon DSLR around his neck (at a guess 600D, wasn't close enough to see the badge) he turned to papp his mate and as he lined up the shot, the flash popped up...... was it wrong I just thought...... "noob" :lol:

Given that the max flash sync speed is 1/250 the aperture would have had to go some to get that shot exposed correctly! As for using the popup flash in that sunlight..... :lol:

Not wanting this to sound arrogant at all btw....... I think most of us can spot a genuine photographer and those who get an SLR "'cos it looks good"
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Um, have you heard of fill flash and HSS. ;)
 
The23rdman said:
Um, have you heard of fill flash and HSS. ;)
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I certainly have heard of fill in flash but I know the standard sync for the pop up flash is 1/250 and given the distance to subject I hardly think a built in flash would have done as much damage as peeing in the ocean :lol:

As the flash popped up itself I'm guessing full-auto was engaged too ;)
 
We all have to start somewhere....
I have lost count of the number of times I have grabbed the camera, raised it up to my eye only to realise the lens cap is still on.
 
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