How do you handle interruptions?

[Don Libby]

This is occurring more and more and the reason I bring it up is it happened again today. Sandy & I were set up at an overlook near Hermit's Rest when a gentleman steps up to me and asks me to show him how to operate his camera.

What would you have done?

I had thought of giving him Guy and Jack's number for a workshop...

I'm open to any and all suggestions. I had thought of posting a sign on my back saying please stand back working photographer or saying the first 5 minutes are free the rest will cost $25.00.

Again, what would your do?

Don

 

[Don Libby]

Re: How you handle interruptions?

I screwed this up by posting this here and have tried to delete and repost however I can't figure out how must be old age and long hours....

 

[Terry]

Wow! I managed to move it!

 

[Don Libby]

Wow! I managed to move it!

Thank you! I've been out since o'dark hundred till past sunset then drank my dinner when I wrote the question. I tried finding the delete button to post it here but couldn't find the dang thing!

Okay back to work....

Don

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Mostly, I point at the shutter button, saying that I think that is what makes things happen.

What happens to me much more frequently, is that they come up to me with their tiny, little, pink metallic p&s, asking me to take that "memory-of-a-lifetime" photo of them with some temple in the background. I'm more than willing to do that (for free). The problem is that I can't figure out how those darn things work, and mostly end up asking them how to operate the gadget. That is when I discover that there's no viewfinder, and that I can't see what's on the LCD without my glasses, which are... somewhere else, so I usually chop off some heads and/or feet (where's that zoom button anyway?), but people are usually polite and all smiles until I'm out of sight

 

[Terry]

Jorgen - I get asked to take a lot of pictures as well. When I get the camera in hand I'm usually horrified because they have the totally wrong settings set on the camera.

Don - If I were busy shooting then I would say that I would be glad to help them when finished with what I'm working on. If were hanging around waiting for the light I would probably help out (assuming it wouldn't wreck my concentration).

 

[Guy Mancuso]

I'm a sucker for punishment . I turn around and help them. BUT don't approach me at golden hour. I will throw there *** off the cliff. Just kidding of course

 

[bensonga]

It doesn't happen to me very often (maybe because I don't know what I'm doing anyways?).....but how about telling them:

"How the heck should I know? I'm still trying to figure out my own camera!"

Seriously....if you played it right (with a straight face), it might work.

Gary

 

[Oxide Blu]

Mostly, I point at the shutter button, saying that I think that is what makes things happen.

What happens to me much more frequently, is that they come up to me with their tiny, little, pink metallic p&s, asking me to take that "memory-of-a-lifetime" photo of them with some temple in the background. I'm more than willing to do that (for free). The problem is that I can't figure out how those darn things work, ...

I think it is the shutter button that makes things happen with those tiny metallic pink cameras. :ROTFL:

 

[jonoslack]

HI Don
I like your new avatar!
I also understand that you are 7'9, so I would have thought the best idea was to turn around fast and whack them one!

Seriously - I'd switch it straight on to P mode, and tell 'em it stands for 'Professional'.

I like taking group shot with peoples 5 year old point and shoot though, I've even been known to offer!

all the best

 

[Corlan F.]

Well nowadays people here don't really care, at best i get suspicious looks ("will this guy try and snatch my picture?") or the occasional older fellow who says hello, inquire about what camera you're using then kills its prey (me) chatting endlessly about vintage stuff i don't know of... :deadhorse:

Got a nice story from back in the days, though. Twas in the mid-90s, and i'd found a sweet spot overlooking Lake Powell just before sunset. Along was coming some heavy lightning. Was just there sightseeing -i'm not a landscape shooter- with a friend but with nature getting spectacular i decided to hike back to the car and pick the camera (F3?) with the 80-200 zoom and light Manfrotto monopod that i used for work (lowlight portraiture).

A few minutes later a couple of pro landscape shooters showed up with heavy gear, some Hassy and some Canon slr iirc. We were apparently in "their" -tight- spot so they kindly asked if they could come close, real close -almost touching shoulders. At some point one had pity and offered to loan a tripod. Then when he figured out that i had basically no idea of what i was doing shooting this kind of landscape, he walked me swiftly through the exposure basics and even mounted a ND filter on my lens at some point. I never asked for anything, they were just nice guys. They were happy though because looking into the Nikon vf they apparently found a different angle that i had set up @ 200m, when they were using wides...

I forgot pretty much everything since not ever practising this kind of technique, but i guess it shows that sometimes you get more just minding your own business.

And after all, maybe it was one of the forum members, who knows?

 

[Bob]

I just tell them that I usually shoot nudes... :ROTFL:
-bob

 

[Don Libby]

Thanks everyone! I had come up with the idea of tossing it off the cliff but Sandy thought it wasn't a good idea.

One of the reason I like to come to the Grand Canyon in winter is there's less people here however that can be a curse as well I'm finding out. I'm hearing comments like look at the professional camera when ever I set the Cambo up. Then we get asked are you a professional? That's when Sandy stops and starts handing out business cards!

I really don't mind helping people out however it just gets me when people think we have nothing better to do than to help a fellow vacationer out - they assume because they are on vacation everyone else is. Then add the fact you buy a camera and don't have a clue on how to work the dang thing?

We also not mind taking the occasional snap shot all the while we tell them we're not used to such a technical camera.

I like Bob's answer the best. I think I'll try this - I'll ask them if they have any problems with nudity and when they answer no I'll start taking my clothes off.

Don

 

[Corlan F.]

... I'll start taking my clothes off.

By the GC in winter, probably asking to take their clothes off would work just fine

 

[TRSmith]

I like Bob's answer the best. I think I'll try this - I'll ask them if they have any problems with nudity and when they answer no I'll start taking my clothes off.

Don

OR, you could just shoot in the nude all the time. Might be interesting to see if you get more interruptions or less.

 

[tokengirl]

I've never had any stranger come up and ask me how to work their camera, but I have had people with entry level DSLRs come up and ask me about my funny-looking lens (a TS-E). I'm always happy to explain what it's for, it doesn't take long, only a few seconds before their eyes glaze over...:sleep006:

I'm sure the line we all hear the most is "Wow, I bet that camera takes awesome pictures!", to which I always reply "Only when I use it correctly". They never get it though.

 

[kdphotography]

HI Don
I like your new avatar!
I also understand that you are 7'9....

(sic)


Ahhhh---the legend grows! :ROTFL:

C'mon, Don. You know what to do. After you whack'em, you reply suavely, "Flesher. Jack Flesher's the name..."

:ROTFL:

 

[johnastovall]

Hardware Interrupt Handler.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

I think it is the shutter button that makes things happen with those tiny metallic pink cameras. :ROTFL:

Oh bugger... are you sure? Who would have thunk

I do try to help people the best I can when asked, but I'm not always sure how useful it is, particularly if a menu needs to be accessed to solve the problem. I don't even understand the menus on some of my own cameras. I wish all p&s cameras were as simple to use as the Fuji S5

 

[Bob]

Oh bugger... are you sure? Who would have thunk

I do try to help people the best I can when asked, but I'm not always sure how useful it is, particularly if a menu needs to be accessed to solve the problem. I don't even understand the menus on some of my own cameras. I wish all p&s cameras were as simple to use as the Fuji S5

Or the AFDIII and a P65+
These are absolutely trivial compared with many P&Ss
-bob