Originally posted by StreetShooter
So it WAS you at the Stadium Waterfront that night, taking a picture of the Indoor Stadium and the Pavilions. Thought I recognized the 20mm 1.8 (you were high on it about that time).
This was taken with the 28-135 IS USM in the evening light. Even the IS did not help. Exposure was about 1/2 second at ISO 800, at 135 mm.
Hi.......looking at the picture....the person sure does look like me from the side / back. But a few problems:
1) I don't have a polo shirt of that color and collar design. Or maybe i do, but i can't remember
But i'm pretty sure i don't have something like that...
2) I haven't been to that area in recent times. How long ago was that pic?
3) I shoot with lens hood on 99% of the time. The person in the pic wasn't using one for the (presumably) Sigma 20 f1.8. However, that could be that 1% of the time when i left out the hood
4) Look at my watch (black strapped Guess! watch) in my self portrait and the watch of that person. Different. I haven't changed my watch since getting into photography, which was...hmm.....slightly less than 1 1/2 yrs ago)
but i agree...it sure looks like me. But somehow I don't think so......
By the way, did you get hassled by the police in China for carrying so much photo gear? I mean, did they stop you and ask if you were a journalist or something?
A lot of pple thought i was a photojournalist from some unknown paper, which can be quite advantageous in street shooting since it seems as if i got the perfect reason to stick my camera into pple's faces.
I also asked quite a few times for permission to take their photo, and their usual responses were positive, followed by polite enquiries if i was from a magazine or paper. i always make it a point to deny that - don't want them to be scared or suspicious of any spying activity.
However, the main problem wasn't with the police or soldiers in the country, none of whom really mind when I took their picture, or asked them for permission to take their picture.
The main problem was with the more shady characters on the street, which you will definitely run into if u walk around the streets at night alone a lot. (no choice, i had to work in the daytime, and night time is when i do most of my exploring).
I got solicited no less than 5 times in one night while walking down this busy shopping district - not the most metropolitian part of Beijing, but one in which u would think would be pretty safe.
In all of those cases, it was always 2 (generally) pretty ladies sliding up beside u and asking if u want to go to some karaoke or massage palour. They also make no bones about the fact that
1) the girls there are pretty and will do anything u want
2) If u dun like the service, u can don't pay. This money back guarantee sounds good. I stopped short at asking exactly wat kind of services there are
3) u don't have to spend the night alone - u will be thoroughly entertained.
4) It will be very fun and exciting.
They will walk with u for a distance before they give up.
At first I thought it was because i had the 1v hanging out and i looked like a tourist. So the second night i was there, i kept the camera in my vest (no bag) - a lot of pple wore vests, too. But again i was the target of these girls. One of them, in a desperate attempt to induce me to join them, tried some "friendly" jabs at my photographic vest, which irritated me, since my 50mm f1.4 was inside and the lens cap was off.
I was ready to test Canon's mighty claim about their 1v construction by swinging and whacking her with the all metal magnesium alloy body of the 1v if she try anyhing funny. :devil:
Am i hot or wat? :rbounce:
Then there are the other characters on the street who woud look very hard at your camera, then at you. It's rare to see a Japanese camera being used by the native Chinese - most use SeaGull or Phenix. So it's a dead giveaway that i'm either a tourist, or a very rich man. And that's dangerous knowledge.
Thank God I'm always a very alert person, and I can (i hope) pretty much seize up a scene to determine if i am in friendly territory.
I guess no need to worry too much. After all, either the L lens, or the 1v, or the tripod would be more than enough to be used as weapons