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How do you handle interruptions?

LJL

New member
I used to get these sort of requests constantly while shooting at events. Folks wanted me to use their camera for the picture they wanted, or something like that. At first, I used to be very polite and try to help them out. Then I became a bit more sarcastic in my responses, like Jono's "P is for 'Professional'". Now I just go about my shooting business, trying to ignore them. If they keep interrupting, I politely tell them I am working for a client and need to get my shots, even if I am the client. They usually go away, but if they hang around, I either move away, or create enough of commotion that they are in the way, then politely ask them to move back/out of my way while I am working. That usually has them leaving. Like Jorgen, many of the new P&S cams have more tiny controls and no viewfinder, and as Terry mentioned, are set up totally incorrectly for shooting most times, that it wastes so much tlme and concentration to not be worth it. If I make the mistake and take their camera from them for a shot, I love holding my fingers in front of the lens (not on it) and then taking one or two shots, plus one or two of the ground while trying to "figure out" how things work, then one or two out of focus of them approaching me to get their camera back. They never ask again :ROTFL:

LJ
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
You could hand them a model release to sign. That ought to scare them off, unless they are models who don't read them anyway.
-bob
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I hand them my business card.

- I'm helpful when I can be.

- When I'm busy, I politely tell them so. If they want to wait for me, "Please wait over there, out of the way. I need to concentrate. I'll be about an hour or so, I think. Thank you."

Brief, professional, to the point.
 
O

Oxide Blu

Guest
You folks are totally in some other place. I take the camera, listen to them tell me what kind of pic they want, frame and pose them if necessary, and take the pic with the camera settings they have set. When I hand the camera back I wait a second so they can confirm the image. Sometimes folks make camera adjustments and ask me to shoot it again -- I do. It really isn't that big of a deal.

Anytime, on any day, whenever I am out and about and see folks taking a pic of their family in front of a monument or whatever, I often approach them and offer to take the pic for them so the whole family can be included. In some Asian countries it is customary to reciprocate. After taking the family's pix, one of the family members would ask for my camera so they could take a pic of me, with my camera, in front of whatever monument. I have oodles of unwanted pix of me. :D
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
You folks are totally in some other place. ...
Different situation, that's all. The question was what to do when people interrupt you when you're working, at least that's how I interpreted it. When I'm out shooting casually, I do the same as you (although I usually don't hand anyone my camera to make a photo of me...).
 
O

Oxide Blu

Guest
Different situation, that's all. The question was what to do when people interrupt you when you're working ...
Not really different at all. It was the same when I was a working photographer. Fwiw, it would be both rude and irrational not to allow someone to have my camera (point n click) to take my picture. It is a cultural thing.
 

Tim Ernst

New member
I consider any time that I spend helping others as time well spent. If I miss a photo or two in the process, oh well - there will always be plenty of photos to take. I suspect that somewhere along the line someone else has missed something in order to help me out. And just think how much goodness, knowledge, and perhaps even passion for the environment you can pass onto someone else in the process. Helping others is a good thing...
 

fultonpics

New member
i had a real famous photographer ask me how to move his "damn" focus spot out of the corner--he had no idea how he moved it there. then the other night an ap photographer ask me why his focus was messed up (he using peripheral points). so it happens to all us, these cameras can be a pain. but another way to look at it is that many great photographers don't care much about all the stupid buttons on modern DSLR's---until their focus spot is stuck in the corner.

it is even more funny to watch some of the ap guys, who probably have liberal arts degrees, try to 'un-mess' their computers while frantically trying to transmit. what is sad is even after 20 plus years in the computer industry, i can't help them sometimes.
 

Lars

Active member
Intimidation seems to work. When I moved up from 4x5 to 8x10 people stopped bugging me.
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Some interesting viewpoints here ... I'm certainly not a pro but I do believe in treating other people with the same helpfulness and courtesy that I'd expect them to give me. If that means being bugged at a critical moment then I just let them know that I'd be happy to help in just a moment ...

However, I consider myself a pretty technically savvy person but I'm quite often completely baffled by some of the unfamiliar P&S cameras - point & click is OK but anything else seems to require an encyclopedic knowledge of all the modes, buttons, & menus even just to see what's going on. Very often the time & places where people ask for either help, or a shot, you really need to add some fill flash or even just auto-flash - good luck working out how to do that and return the camera back to the same state. I am a fan of getting people to move the camera from 'crap-shot' mode (Auto) to Program mode ... oops sorry, "Professional" mode :ROTFL:
 

KurtKamka

Subscriber Member
Very interesting discussion. I'm with Graham and Oxide in that I always try to help others out whenever I can. Who knows, they may be on a once-in-a-lifetime trip and you might be able to provide the right bit of information (or photo) that will make their experience all that more enjoyable.

I also believe that no matter what you do, your brand is you. So much of the journey that we take is based on serendipity. Besides the fact that the other person is a human being, they might also become a friend, colleague or customer.

Kurt
 
J

JohnF

Guest
Hi -

To be honest, I'm a native New Yorker, and have never had the question posed, as I seem to have acquired the "leave me the f*ck alone or I'll rip your head off" aura. :)

On the other hand, if someone asks me to take a picture of them with their camera and I'm not busy, no problem.

The worst of it, though, is when I am taking a big panorama with the gigapan head (robotic panorama head), I usually get more than a few curious folks, more often than not fairly serious photographers who just have to ask. Since I'm just standing there watching the robot do its thing, it's cool to talk shop.

JohnF
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
I really don't have any problem taking a snapshot of someone if they ask, so long as I'm not busy. I've actually stopped walking to ask if they wanted a shot with the entire family/group in it.

Please don't take this the wrong way; I love when people come up and ask what's the crazy thing on my tripod is. So long as I've got the time. I'll explain the Cube then go into depth about shooting with a technical camera and digital back. I've been asked for business cards and feel it's a great way to promote not only my business but the profession as a whole.

The reason for the question was why buy a camera and not read the manual and then have the b***s to come up to a working professional and ask them to explain their camera to them. I'm not there to give lessons or conduct a workshop. If I were it'd be different. And it's not about giving away knowledge for free. The thing that just rubs me the wrong way is if you buy a camera (or anything for that matter) for your vacation you really should know how to use it before you go. And yes glitches happen and yes you might need to ask for help to get you out of the corner you might have painted yourself into; however there's no excuse about asking a total stranger how to operate your own camera when a simple reading the owner's manual would provide the answers.


Don
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Aha - that's make sense. The 'can you show me how to use my camera' question is a lot different to the more general case. That could be annoying vs general photo talk.

I've had the same Gigapan conversation as John here too - although I've also had to stop one individual from walking in front of it while it was working too!

The other funny situation is where folks will stand and watch you shoot and then when you're finished and move on they'll essentially rush over to where your tripod legs were and try to take the same shot with their P&S... :p (then of course there's the park & shoot anywhere in a national park scenario where others will spontaneously turn up alongside you)
 

Lisa

New member
The other funny situation is where folks will stand and watch you shoot and then when you're finished and move on they'll essentially rush over to where your tripod legs were and try to take the same shot with their P&S...
Yeah, a few weeks ago I was in China on vacation. In Shanghai, we stayed in a hotel on top of one of the taller skyscrapers there, with the breakfast room on the 83rd floor. One morning there was a stunning view of the tops of other skyscrapers poking through the top of a low fog layer, and I took my camera to breakfast and was snapping photos through the window. A minute later I saw the waiter pull out a camera phone and start surreptitiously snapping photos through the same window! I guess it didn't occur to him to do it until he saw me, despite the fact that he had been there all morning pouring people coffee...

Lisa
 
O

Oxide Blu

Guest
... I was in China on vacation ... I took my camera to breakfast and was snapping photos through the window. A minute later I saw the waiter pull out a camera phone and start surreptitiously snapping photos through the same window! I guess it didn't occur to him to do it until he saw me, despite the fact that he had been there all morning pouring people coffee...
Probably a spy reporting back on what pix you were taking, needed something to show the boss -- you're probably now on China's list of Enemies of the State. :D
 
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