Any RFFers want to shoot Buenos Aires?

[David_Manning]

I'm leaving for Buenos Aires tonight, and I'll be there for the weekend (Saturday and Sunday the 8th and 9th).

Wondering if anyone wants to get together to shoot. I'll have my XPro1 with me.

Please email me if interested. I tried this in Madrid, and didn't get a single reply. Bummer! It's always nice to have someone to watch your back and share beer with.

----David.

david.manning@me.com

 

[David_Manning]

Well, my company is telling me that it has (in the past twelve months) become a more dangerous city than I remember it being. With that in mind, I'll probably just stick with my Sony RX100 and do some low-visibility shooting (which is why I bought it in the first place!).

I still plan on going shooting/exploring a bit, but not with a fancy camera.

 

[johannielscom]

Well I'd love to shoot Buenos Aires, but even my longest lens is hopelessly inadequate to focus from where I live!

😛


Have a good trip, happy shooting!

 

[David_Manning]

You obviously need to get a dSLR 😛

 

[Frida]

Is the RX100 really that much more discreet than the X-Pro 1 + lens? Especially since you need to hold the RX100 in front of you due to the lack of a viewfinder...

 

[kdemas]

Enjoy your trip David! Look forward to seeing some images.

 

[David_Manning]

Thanks everyone

Frida, yeah it is. The RX100 slips into a pocket...no bag or backpack. I'm not worried about shooting...just carrying.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Granted it's been a while since I was last in BsAs, but I dragged a Contax G1 with a pair of lenses (45 and 28), and my Canham 5x7 with tripod, a dozen film holders, and five lenses from La Boca to Palermo SoHo and just about everywhere in between (didn't take the 5x7 to La Boca, but I didn't have someone to watch my back while under the darkcloth, and La Boca is La Boca...). I never felt worried with that outfit anywhere else. It even got me interviewed on a Latin American cable tv show called Gonzo TV.

 

[David_Manning]

Hi Scott. Unfortunately, the past twelve months have seen a change in the level of safety generally. A French photographer (tourist/hobbyist) was killed in broad daylight over his camera recently. Also, there have been numerous muggings in daylight within four blocks of my hotel in San Telmo. A recent photographer visitor I correspond with says forget about La Boca now. It sad.

I have to say, however, that I just returned (it was only a two-day trip) and I felt safe walking the streets in the daylight. Of course, I went down to Puerto Madero, and everyone had dSLRs hanging from their necks...tourist area. I shot by myself in La Boca about a year ago, and had no problems walking the streets with an X100 that would emerge from an olive drab green canvas bag I carried it in. Apparently that has changed, so I've been told.

 

[caux]

Well, my company is telling me that it has (in the past twelve months) become a more dangerous city than I remember it being. With that in mind, I'll probably just stick with my Sony RX100 and do some low-visibility shooting (which is why I bought it in the first place!).

I still plan on going shooting/exploring a bit, but not with a fancy camera.

Most of the incidents in Buenos Aires are from people who leave their stuff unattended. I read all the stories about how dangerous the city is now, got a bit insecure, but took my M6 + v4 35 cron plus other stuff with me anyway. Glad I did. I never once felt threatened there, and I did walk downtown past midnight. Just make sure you always have a grip on your camera and bag straps and you should be fine.

Edit: I was there in january/2013.

 

[Fuchs]

I'm sorry I only read this thread today... I was free on the weekend and would have been delighted to meet you for a shooting stroll down the city.
I was somewhere in the deep La Boca on saturday night attending a Franco Battiato concert, and the area didn't look certainly super safe, but Ive been to worse looking locations in Napoli, Prague, Mexico DF or even NYC. There's currently a timely local political dispute between the largest private owned media and the government, and as a result every crime news gets shamelessly amplified and repeated by ones and systematically ignored or even denied by the others.

 

[David_Manning]

Thanks for all the insight guys.

Ed, I made you a contact through Flickr. I'd love to get together next time I'm in town. I'll drop you an email next trip. Unfortunately, I usually only have short notice.

I guess I'll take my X-Pro 1 next time. 🙂

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

David- after you return, let us know how things REALLY are compared to what you anticipated re safety. I've heard three different opinions about how safe/unsafe it might be now in the span of this thread.

 

[sevres_babylone]

Thanks for the post. I was in Buenos Aires in 2008, so the recent safety information is interesting, as things change, and can change quickly. I was the victim of a minor attempt robbery in La Boca -- what fooled me was that, as Fuchs said, I've seen places that looked a lot worse. I'm sorry to hear about the crime in San Telmo, although when I was there safety was said to depend on which part of San Telmo one was in. Where I was, I didn't feel uncomfortable about walking 3 or 4 blocks back to my rented apartment at 2 a.m. from whichever bar I was listening to music that night. But as I said, that was some time ago, things change, and it's best to get up-to-date information from people who have been there recently.

 

[David_Manning]

I was in San Telmo during the day, on Peru/Florida, and it seemed safe enough, like I remember it. I avoid crowds, keep my head on a swivel, and look people in the eye...the usual any-city stuff. Walking back to San Telmo from Puerto Madero (which is absolutely safe) at nightfall seemed fine. I did this on a Sunday afternoon/evening. The word is it's much safer Monday-Friday than the weekends. I spent Saturday night with friends in Recoleta and it was full of the usual weekend revelers...smart as usual is safe.

I didn't go to La Boca this time, but I'd only go with someone else. I went a year ago, by city bus, and it seemed ok...some of the quieter streets were a bit more scary than the busy ones. Now, it seems it might be a bit worse off.

My opinion: A local contact or fellow shooter is highly recommended, then it's safe. Being by yourself is riskier.

 

[Lauffray]

I was there in January 2013, I was warned by my hosts to be careful but I didn't get the impression at any time that i was threatened. of course like David says this supposes you have basic city reflexes

 

[David_Manning]

A couple of shots...all from the RX100...