Taping - do you do it? Show us!

There is a lot to be said for taping if it stops other photographers coming over to tell you about their cameras. But on the whole I think the message that comes across is of a lack of confidence in the situation. If you are shuffling around thinking about your expensive taped up camera and if anybody is watching you then you are reacting badly to the situation you are in.

If you are confident in your ability and control you don't need to tape the camera up. A photographer blends in an remains unseen if people simply think he is getting on with his job and knows what he is doing, he gets ignored after a few minutes. The lurker in dark clothing and a taped camera has something to hide and is followed by all eyes in case they become his victims. So if you let people know you are there, and that you are confident enough that it seems like you won't make a bad photo of them they relax. They think you have a cheap camera because its taped up and they think amateur and 'he can practice on somebody else'. The psychology to successfully remain un-noticed is like that which Cesar Millan uses to train dogs, where dog is replaced for the people you want to make candid portraits of, for instance. Be in calm control and the pack relaxes, show fear and worry about your camera being spotted and the pack is on alert.

Steve
 
I think too many amateur photographers take themselves a little bit too seriously. Spending more time trying to look like a pro and less time actually running film through their camera.

Quit worrying about red dots and just use the bloody thing :eyeroll
 
gilpen123 you sure have some 'heavy' cameras!
Good job you live where you do and don't try to use them in the middle of London!
Imagine the mayhem you would cause!
Clearly in the category of imitation firearms!
Over here chaps have been shot dead carrying a chair leg!
I somehow think you would be a very obvious target!
On a lighter side, have you used the equipment?

jesse
 
Funny, I very seldom have the problem of people asking me about my cameras. A couple of times a decade, maybe. The last time I can recall was in China five years ago, when someone noticed my Alpa 12 WA. And if they do; well, I seldom find it hard to be polite, or to suggest (tactfully) that I have some pictures to take.

Cheers,

R.
 
gilpen123 said:
Nobody will even dare when you have this

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Except the Talibans who has this

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You mean this Jesse? This is not mine just for fun.....😀
 
Roger Hicks said:
Funny, I very seldom have the problem of people asking me about my cameras. A couple of times a decade, maybe. The last time I can recall was in China five years ago, when someone noticed my Alpa 12 WA. And if they do; well, I seldom find it hard to be polite, or to suggest (tactfully) that I have some pictures to take.
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As an arch-rambler-about-cameras, I do have to be careful not to annoy people shooting nice cameras - which you get a fair few of round here. Helps when I'm carrying something interesting, of course, but it's always good to remember that they might be there to shoot, not to jaw...

Adrian
 
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There seem to be four separate fears here:

Emraphoto's fear for his life, which, given the cameras and situations in question, seemed well founded.

Fear of being noticed, which as others have said, is mostly down to confidence.

Fear of theft, which as Proenca and others have pointed out, rather misses the point about opportunist theft.

Fear of talking to other people.

Cheers,

R.
 
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Drewus said:
I think too many amateur photographers take themselves a little bit too seriously. Spending more time trying to look like a pro and less time actually running film through their camera.

Quit worrying about red dots and just use the bloody thing :eyeroll
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I had something more critical to offer, but I think that I'll say that this sums it up for me.
 
Roger Hicks said:
There seem to be four separate fears here:

Emraphoto's fear for his life, which, given the cameras and situations in question, seemed well founded.

Fear of being noticed, which as others have said, is mostly down to confidence.

Fear of theft, which as Proenca and others have pointed out, rather misses the point about opportunist theft.

Fear of talking to other people.

Cheers,

R.
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Well said.

But we must not forget that adding tape to the camera gives you an extra opportunity to fondle the camera.....Also when nobody notices your camera you can tell your self it is because you made it invisible and not because nobody in fact noticed it.
 
sig said:
Well said.

But we must not forget that adding tape to the camera gives you an extra opportunity to fondle the camera.....Also when nobody notices your camera you can tell your self it is because you made it invisible and not because nobody in fact noticed it.
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Nicely put, but I'd add '...and indeed they didn't notice you either'. It's the old village thing. Teenagers get really upset because 'everyone knows their business'. Then they grow up and realize that very few people care or even notice. The world doesn't revolve around them (or their taped cameras).

Cheers,

R.
 
rogerhicks said:
Boniface XIII said:
Mr. Hicks owns an M9??? 😱

Why???
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Um...

For taking pictures. Same as the MP.

Cheers,

R.
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Oh, God... O.K. (Actually, not O.K., but I just felt like swooning...)

I realise from my online experience that this topic breeds rancour, but I am truly shocked. I held you and your wife as beacons of rangefinder film photography and now I suddenly discover that you use that bloated whale of a travesty. Sorry...

I mean, those aren't photographs, are they??? Everything I saw prior to trying one was a polyester image; then I tried one myself: same thing. Pixels galore.

I do understand it keeps Leica in business, but from there to actually characterising those "captures" as photography is a rather long leap to my eye.

Am I perhaps missing something? Apologies, my intention is not to inflame; my query is honest.
 
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Though I don't understand this taping thing one bit (even though HCB is one of my gods), I'm not particularly concerned that others do it.

Do with your camera as suits you, whatever that may be! It's yours, and that justifies anything, including putting fluffy, pink polyester "fur" on it! 😀
 
Boniface XIII said:
Oh, God... O.K. (Actually, not O.K., but I just felt like swooning...)

I realise from my online experience that this topic breeds rancour, but I am truly shocked. I held you and your wife as beacons of rangefinder film photography and now I suddenly discover that you use that bloated whale of a travesty. Sorry...

I mean, those aren't photographs, are they??? Everything I saw prior to trying one was a polyester image; then I tried one myself: same thing. Pixels galore.

I do understand it keeps Leica in business, but from there to actually characterising those "captures" as photography is a rather long leap to my eye.

Am I perhaps missing something? Apologies, my intention is not to inflame; my query is honest.
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Sorry to disappoint you but I've been shooting digital M alongside film since the M8 came out. What's that: four years now? Five? Frances still shoots only film, but if we both shot only film we'd soon starve: the magazine market for film-only shooting is vanishingly small. Initially I shot out of curiosity (for a review) but even though the body is distincty chubby next to a film Leica, 'bloated whale' is a bit over the top, and I don't find it a travesty.

I vastly prefer film for monochrome, but in colour, I'm perfectly happy with M8/M8.2/M9.

Cheers,

R.
 
An interesting thread. I use both black and chrome Leica M6. I have never taped or tried to disguise my cameras. I do try to be discreet. I think your attitude and approach is much more important than what camera you carry, as long as it is not really big like a dslr. I am reminded of the old saying, "Don't look guilty and you can get away with murder." Joe
 
sepiareverb said:
Only when heading to the airport.
L1040989.jpg
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Wow wee, you must strike a cord with the airports 😱

The only time I've taped a camera was to get rid of those light leaks in my Holga (if you can call it a camera).

Side note: what do you tape if you were shooting a gold camera? 🙄
 
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