SOmething I've learned over the past few weeks.

[Goodyear]

If you're walking round and see something you'd like to photograph, and you don't have a camera with you, go and get the camera and do it.

Don't say "I'll do it tomorrow/later int he week/whenever."

Twice in the last week and a half I've thought "Hmm. Tomorrow." and then tomorrow it's been chucking it down with rain.

/miffed head.

 

[ChrisN]

Yep - don't hesitate. Couple of weeks back I spotted an interesting sight as I walked to the car at lunch time. On the fence at the front of the child-care centre, someone had propped up a row of teddy-bears between the spikes on the fence. I had a camera, but hesitated because it's a child-care centre and I didn't want someone screaming "pervert with camera" at me. But it would have made a great image. An hour later when I drove back in they were still there, and I resolved to take the chance. In the two minutes it took me to park the car and walk back there, someone had collected the bears and taken them inside.

 

[Pherdinand]

Hell, i even hesitate if i DO have a camera w me. 🙁

 

[Pherdinand]

Of course,lately i ALWAYS have a loaded camera with me. Sometimes even two.

 

[Goodyear]

It gets worse. The second one was a huge banner for the MakePovertyHistory campaign outside a local church that would've made a great shot in prep for my planned day's shooting at the MPH demo on Saturday.

Went down this morning (rain has stopped) and it's gone. 🙁

 

[jaapv]

Yep - don't hesitate. Couple of weeks back I spotted an interesting sight as I walked to the car at lunch time. On the fence at the front of the child-care centre, someone had propped up a row of teddy-bears between the spikes on the fence. I had a camera, but hesitated because it's a child-care centre and I didn't want someone screaming "pervert with camera" at me.

A sad comment on how Michael-Jacksonized our society has become, that the thought should even occur to you!

 

[Pherdinand]

Agree w Jaap 105%. Moreover, the saddest part is, the thought can occur to other people too, then ones that will scream" Camera with pervert".

I have to say, I did have negative reaction on photographing buildings, beach volleyball, wild roses next to entrance door and such, with an SLR and a not-so-old looking rf, but I only got funny remarks or sweet smiles when I use the TLR or the super ikonta. Just last weekend, i was out in downtown with the rolleiflex, and three teenagers asked me if i'm a photographer and what I think of a portrait in a magazine they were "checkin' out". They were all three from middle east, and the photo was of an african guy looking very sad somehow, but it was a fashion shot. So i told them he has an utterly sad face and I wouldn't use it as fashion model, but i ain't pro. And they wanted to pose for me. So i took some snaps of them.
One of those came out pretty cool, actually. The guy is a very friendly iraquian yougster with asylum in NL.

 

[JoeFriday]

last night at dusk I was driving down a familiar stretch of road on the Lake Michigan shoreline.. it's a popular area with lots of beach, a walking/rollerblading sidewalk, and the occasional minimalist public shelter

as I was driving past one of the shelters, I noticed a beautiful color combination of the dim sunset lighting up the water, and the warm glow of the lights inside the shelter.. I turned around, parked the car and hopped out for a couple quick shots.. then drove off, happy that I didn't miss that opportunity

about 5 miles down the road I realized my camera is loaded with black and white film.. D'OH!

 

[Little Prince]

...."A sad comment on how Michael-Jacksonized our society has become, that the thought should even occur to you!"...........

Hey, it almost happened to me. About 2-3 yrs ago. There was a newly opened child care center on the opposite side of the road from my place. I went over to the fence to take some pics of some very little kids playing outside. No one yelled pervert or anything of that sort, but a matronly woman caretaker or whoever emerged and gave me a very disapproving glare. She said I couldn't take pictures. Well what was I going to do? It was about toddlers, and people can get paranoid about that sorta thing. So I just shrugged and went away.