martin s
Well-known
Not really sure where to post this, I couldn't find the g20 / London thread either which is really what I'm kind of referring to. I read most of the tips in there and figured I'd go for it and went to the Nazi/Anti-Nazi demonstration in Ulm 2 days ago.
This is really more about the experience than the photography, something like a heads up for people who haven't been to one.
I went to Ulm by train, since the city was pretty much inaccessible. The train stopped a few kilometers before the station, eventually they let us out. The demonstration zone was strictly separated, it was the Antifa, the Police and on the other side the group of Neo-Nazis.
You have to decide beforehand if you want to be with the Nazis or the left, switching is virtually impossible, the police simply won't let you cross over.
I went with the left for obvious reasons, even though I'm pretty sure in this case covering the Nazis would have been less dangerous.
Just as expected, there's a lot of running involved. I wore rather tight pants (501's) and a Shirt w/o collar or hood, the bag was a Crumpler-messenger and the cameras two Leicas, as recommended with wrist straps instead of neck straps.
Those tips in the g20 thread really saved my life, people hold onto anything sticking out, I'd seriously consider one-camera only and no bag at all, possibly with a plastic jacket to wipe off the tear gas, just in case.
Dress-wise I think it's also important to not stick out but also not get associated with the autonomists, I went for semi-black. All black could get you arrested pretty fast. With the Nazis I have no clue how you'd dress.
I decided to go with an Antifa group (50+) instead of standing in one spot. Like I said, running, a lot. The police is all over the place, the main objective is not to get trapped and eventually either arrested or locked into a circle for hours, which is a tactic the police seems to use a lot. They surround a large group of activists and simply squeeze them so no one gets out.
One huge issue you have with a camera is the camera itself. Nobody wants to be photographed, there was a photographer with two huge DSLR's around his neck and the group I was with was, well, rude to say the least. He left pretty fast, semi-scared. Getting caught photographing somebody w/o a mask _will get you in big trouble. Bless the rangefinder you can virtually hide in your armpit.
Again, running. The police shows up, they call reinforcement and you run, it's run-for-your-life running, too, not some sort of jogging. What those guys try is not to get caught until they know where the Nazis are and eventually 'confront' them.
Up to this point, a few hours into the demonstration, I was fairly comfortable. We were at a fence guarded by a few police officers and there were bottles which were thrown at them, a few cans and the kind of explosives you can buy here for New Years, until this guy freakin' goes adrift and starts to kick the fence.
Long story short, the second the fence moves one officer jumps forward and hits him _hard with his baton, the crowd gets mad and everybody pushes forward. That's what happened a lot. You get squeezed against the fence, I basically tried to slip through the crowd, which is impossible. Once you're in the front, there's no going back until the situation is semi-resolved or the police breaks through and people start running.
Nobody punched me on purpose but you do get hit quite a lot, random people pushing and I'm sure it's just a matter of luck until a baton would hit you even with a camera. Tear gas wasn't as bad as I thought, you can pretty much just wash it off, too.
I haven't scanned all the images, but I'm sure there's pretty much nothing usable. I was way too scared to focus on anything like focus or exposure, I'll probably have to go to a few more demonstrations, too, before I'll be able to photograph properly.
What I learned:
- wear tight clothes
- comfortable shoes
- nothing people can hold onto
- film is pointless, reloading will get you hurt
- blend in, but not too much
- better be good at running
Please feel free to correct me, give advice, anything. I really want to do better next time, be better prepared and get a nice report out of it.
Finally; I have to say, I really liked it. I've never experienced anything as intense, trying to be in the middle really adds to it (the excitement that is, not your life span I'm guessing). I'm just sad I didn't go to the G20 demonstration in London.
martin
This is really more about the experience than the photography, something like a heads up for people who haven't been to one.
I went to Ulm by train, since the city was pretty much inaccessible. The train stopped a few kilometers before the station, eventually they let us out. The demonstration zone was strictly separated, it was the Antifa, the Police and on the other side the group of Neo-Nazis.
You have to decide beforehand if you want to be with the Nazis or the left, switching is virtually impossible, the police simply won't let you cross over.
I went with the left for obvious reasons, even though I'm pretty sure in this case covering the Nazis would have been less dangerous.
Just as expected, there's a lot of running involved. I wore rather tight pants (501's) and a Shirt w/o collar or hood, the bag was a Crumpler-messenger and the cameras two Leicas, as recommended with wrist straps instead of neck straps.
Those tips in the g20 thread really saved my life, people hold onto anything sticking out, I'd seriously consider one-camera only and no bag at all, possibly with a plastic jacket to wipe off the tear gas, just in case.
Dress-wise I think it's also important to not stick out but also not get associated with the autonomists, I went for semi-black. All black could get you arrested pretty fast. With the Nazis I have no clue how you'd dress.
I decided to go with an Antifa group (50+) instead of standing in one spot. Like I said, running, a lot. The police is all over the place, the main objective is not to get trapped and eventually either arrested or locked into a circle for hours, which is a tactic the police seems to use a lot. They surround a large group of activists and simply squeeze them so no one gets out.
One huge issue you have with a camera is the camera itself. Nobody wants to be photographed, there was a photographer with two huge DSLR's around his neck and the group I was with was, well, rude to say the least. He left pretty fast, semi-scared. Getting caught photographing somebody w/o a mask _will get you in big trouble. Bless the rangefinder you can virtually hide in your armpit.
Again, running. The police shows up, they call reinforcement and you run, it's run-for-your-life running, too, not some sort of jogging. What those guys try is not to get caught until they know where the Nazis are and eventually 'confront' them.
Up to this point, a few hours into the demonstration, I was fairly comfortable. We were at a fence guarded by a few police officers and there were bottles which were thrown at them, a few cans and the kind of explosives you can buy here for New Years, until this guy freakin' goes adrift and starts to kick the fence.
Long story short, the second the fence moves one officer jumps forward and hits him _hard with his baton, the crowd gets mad and everybody pushes forward. That's what happened a lot. You get squeezed against the fence, I basically tried to slip through the crowd, which is impossible. Once you're in the front, there's no going back until the situation is semi-resolved or the police breaks through and people start running.
Nobody punched me on purpose but you do get hit quite a lot, random people pushing and I'm sure it's just a matter of luck until a baton would hit you even with a camera. Tear gas wasn't as bad as I thought, you can pretty much just wash it off, too.
I haven't scanned all the images, but I'm sure there's pretty much nothing usable. I was way too scared to focus on anything like focus or exposure, I'll probably have to go to a few more demonstrations, too, before I'll be able to photograph properly.
What I learned:
- wear tight clothes
- comfortable shoes
- nothing people can hold onto
- film is pointless, reloading will get you hurt
- blend in, but not too much
- better be good at running
Please feel free to correct me, give advice, anything. I really want to do better next time, be better prepared and get a nice report out of it.
Finally; I have to say, I really liked it. I've never experienced anything as intense, trying to be in the middle really adds to it (the excitement that is, not your life span I'm guessing). I'm just sad I didn't go to the G20 demonstration in London.
martin
le vrai rdu
Well-known
same tactic the police use here, against tear gas, people use "serum physiologique" don't know the word in english 
(it is a fluid used to clean baby eys for exemple , it wipe stuff you may have in the eyes (like tear gas) quicker than water )
How to wear ? well I have never been amid people with who you were, but I avoid to have beer bottles, black clothes or anything that could cover my face, in order not to be seen by policemen as an anarchist and spend a night in the police office. Just wear neutral clothes
I have also learned from my short experience not to stay behind policemen, it is the most dangerous place
quite an interesting report.
Hope you took pcture at the end of the day, withh gas it makes en intersting light
concerning your picture, well, imho a too much wide angle , and the light is a bit hard
(it is a fluid used to clean baby eys for exemple , it wipe stuff you may have in the eyes (like tear gas) quicker than water )How to wear ? well I have never been amid people with who you were, but I avoid to have beer bottles, black clothes or anything that could cover my face, in order not to be seen by policemen as an anarchist and spend a night in the police office
. Just wear neutral clothes I have also learned from my short experience not to stay behind policemen, it is the most dangerous place
quite an interesting report.
Hope you took pcture at the end of the day, withh gas it makes en intersting light
concerning your picture, well, imho a too much wide angle , and the light is a bit hard
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martin s
Well-known
Cyrille thanks a lot for the comment, Paris looks crazy on TV with all the burning cars. I'd love to join you, I might actually come visit you this summer, I'll have a pretty long break I'm guessing.
martin
martin
le vrai rdu
Well-known
yep, would be nice to see you again, didn't know there where some burning cars for the first of may maybe in the suburb
The first may in france is just a nice and familial demonstration
maybe in the suburb The first may in france is just a nice and familial demonstration
Florian1234
it's just hide and seek
Well, as far as Ulm is concerned I would rather call it street riots than a demonstration.
However, I went to the May 1st demonstration here in Bremen to cover it and the labour union's main speach rally with their boss Michael Sommer (and the alternative demonstration by the "EuroMayDay"-movement).
Here are a few images, their full size versions and more can be seen on my flickr page.
Comments are welcome!
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This one, 4, and 3 are with a 85/2 Jupiter-9 short telephoto lens. But I was still too far away for my taste.
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Stuff used: Leica M4, Zeiss ZM 35/2 Biogon, APX100 and TMax100 film; Jupiter-9 85/2 for about 2 to 4 shots. The Tmax films (luckily only two) came out pinkish from the development tank.
However, I went to the May 1st demonstration here in Bremen to cover it and the labour union's main speach rally with their boss Michael Sommer (and the alternative demonstration by the "EuroMayDay"-movement).
Here are a few images, their full size versions and more can be seen on my flickr page.
Comments are welcome!
1.
2.
3.
4.
This one, 4, and 3 are with a 85/2 Jupiter-9 short telephoto lens. But I was still too far away for my taste.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Stuff used: Leica M4, Zeiss ZM 35/2 Biogon, APX100 and TMax100 film; Jupiter-9 85/2 for about 2 to 4 shots. The Tmax films (luckily only two) came out pinkish from the development tank.
nksyoon
Well-known
In Zürich there is a peaceful official march in the morning followed by speeches. The "festivities" start in the early afternoon and are just an excuse for vandalism and violence.
Some pictures from the official march:
Some pictures from the official march: