Regarding photo pests at big occasions...

[icebooke]

Just saw a thread about photo pests at the Chingay here.

Hai... Sounds so familiar. I think such photo pests are not confined to only those you see here.
I encountered one 6foot plus American pro photog. In Luang Prabang Laos, in the morning when the monks go on rounds for alms, he behaved aggressively in shooting, sometimes tapping the young monks on their shoulder with a policeman "STOP" gesture to STOP THEM FROM PROCEEDING in the route so he can get a in your face type of portrait. After20mins I cannot tahan already I gently reminded him to stop behaving that way and that he was in everyone's photo. His ego so big, he came up to me, grip his 1DSMk2 + 24-70 + 580EX in right hand like a weapon, and yelled at me to shut the f*** up and ask me what I gonna do about it? He is a pro and doing his work, so I should shut up and get lost, or else...
I told him off and said he was disrespectful of the Buddhist religious procession, then he insulted me, and called me stupid, and accused me of being Singaporean(??) [which I obviously was but I didn't see the relevance]. Then he SHOVED ME in the chest while holding the camera in a sling. Crazy move. I shoved him back with a bigger shove and asked him what he was going to do next. My wife stepped in between us as asked him to get lost, and stop being disrespectful to a buddhist procession. And he did, after threatening that if he stayed we would both end up in the police station... Meaning he threatened to bash me up... Hai..

Anyway moral of the story, the bigger the gun you carry, the more people in the general public expect you to behave like a pro with a moral and ethical responsibility, and proper conduct. To disturb a procession of a religious nature is really a no-no. Imagine if he disrupted a Christian/Catholic procession like in Italy or Spain? I dont think he would have survived the crowd. But here in Asia, these guys pretty much behave as they wish, cos we appear smaller and less likely to tell them off.

Maybe its time we try to remind them once in awhile to moderate their behaviour. Politely of course. But if they persist, there is little we can do... Or not?

 

[tvjames]

i quite agree with you (PS: i am white), these pros probably get in the habit of being treated well and start acting very arrogant. They need to be cut down to size. 

I agree, the more pro you are the more of a resposibity you have to act and behave properly as a role model to others in the profession. 

 

[compro_1975]

why he narrow down your nationality to sg???? btw is the an official???

i think even if he is an official, after covering what he wanted, he should move away since he is in everyone's picture and move to stand with the rest.

 

[hASHbrown_kopitiam]

wah...the american u encountered at Laos is even more agressive than our local Bengs... :sweat:

 

[renegade150]

he's just one of the black sheep. most of the foreigners i met overseas are friendly! maybe its because we are fellow adventure backpackers/photojournalists

 

[westwest1]

why he narrow down your nationality to sg???? btw is the an official???

i think even if he is an official, after covering what he wanted, he should move away since he is in everyone's picture and move to stand with the rest.

u want to stop him doing his work???

 

[Rashkae]

The moment he shoved you, you should have reported him to the police. You'd be amazed what can happen to a white american man in a Laos prison.

 

[westwest1]

The moment he shoved you, you should have reported him to the police. You'd be amazed what can happen to a white american man in a Laos prison.

haha...like the police will care...

 

[Rashkae]

haha...like the police will care...

They have to if he charges the american with assault and grave threats.

 

[jsbn]

That's pretty strange. So far all photographers I'd met overseas has been pretty civil.

Probably the fact that we're shooting landscapes and the same subjects.

 

[compro_1975]

That's pretty strange. So far all photographers I'd met overseas has been pretty civil.

Probably the fact that we're shooting landscapes and the same subjects.

i also feel the same, was shooting with some hk and taiwan photogs sometime back... felt very enjoyable, while looking thru the viewfinder, you can talk to them and joke ard....

TS, good that you brought this up too

 

[Canonised]

TS, you are a real man :thumbsup:

 

[yilishengxian]

Appearing in other's pictures is ok, disrupting an event is not ok ...

 

[eikin]

Appearing in other's pictures is ok

that's not quite right. appearing in other's pictures unnecessarily is to be avoided.

 

[yilishengxian]

that's not quite right. appearing in other's pictures unnecessarily is to be avoided.

Well, that sometimes can't be helped in such an event (although its quite annoying for staged events especially for videos http://elrilmatheren.multiply.com/photos/album/320).

For such events, maybe can shoot wider and that photographer will become a small small underexposed shadow.

 

[jsbn]

I told him off and said he was disrespectful of the Buddhist religious procession, then he insulted me, and called me stupid, and accused me of being Singaporean(??) [which I obviously was but I didn't see the relevance].

The relevance IS there, believe me.

We are being accused of being a 'Police State' & 'Nanny State' so often by foreign press that more oft than not, ignorant noobs who think that they have the entire world under their powerful might, would deem any 'telling off' behaviour as a 'typical behaviour of a Singaporean'. Might sound familiar to anti-govt/establishment people though.

Then he SHOVED ME in the chest while holding the camera in a sling. Crazy move. I shoved him back with a bigger shove and asked him what he was going to do next.

He probably has his legs open, u shld have dinged him in the balls with a kick there and then and hammered him before running away.

And he did, after threatening that if he stayed we would both end up in the police station... Meaning he threatened to bash me up... Hai..

Wild-wild-west? :think: U shld have told him that if he din go, both of u would be 6-ft underground.

Him threatening to bash u up is one thing. I can bet my balls on this bluff that he wun have the guts to expect an absolutely suicidal move from u.

Anyway moral of the story, the bigger the gun you carry, the more people in the general public expect you to behave like a pro with a moral and ethical responsibility, and proper conduct. To disturb a procession of a religious nature is really a no-no. Imagine if he disrupted a Christian/Catholic procession like in Italy or Spain? I dont think he would have survived the crowd. But here in Asia, these guys pretty much behave as they wish, cos we appear smaller and less likely to tell them off.

Maybe its time we try to remind them once in awhile to moderate their behaviour. Politely of course. But if they persist, there is little we can do... Or not?

This is pretty much unfortunate.

My Master once told me, "A quiet dog kills. A noisy dog's simply afraid". If u ever seen Chihuahuas (never liked this breed), u'll know what I mean.

 

[jsbn]

i also feel the same, was shooting with some hk and taiwan photogs sometime back... felt very enjoyable, while looking thru the viewfinder, you can talk to them and joke ard....

TS, good that you brought this up too

Actually no. I'm not much of a talker. So basically I look at the scene, feel it and look around to see if I'm blocking anyone before I set up my tripod.

Encountering other photographers is usually just nothing more than a smile and a little bow as we get along with our own business.

As long as he doesn't park his butt within my 35mm frame and I dun park my sexy back within HIS 35mm frame, typically there wun be any conversation.

 

[David]

When he tried to STOP the monk to get a shot was it permitted by the monastry? Perhaps he was really employed as an official photog and had an agreement with the Head or something that he had the right to stop them at times to get a good shot?

I don't think all the nice pics we see on National Geographic for eg are all candid shots. Some I believe looked candid yet somehow were posed. So maybe that ang moh felt there was a need to stop the monk else shot would have been blurred or whatever. So when you questioned him, he felt disturbed?

 

[willdon]

i also feel the same, was shooting with some hk and taiwan photogs sometime back... felt very enjoyable, while looking thru the viewfinder, you can talk to them and joke ard....

TS, good that you brought this up too

So what would you do if you were in TS's shoes?

 

[Hawaiisg]

i think if a pro has a job to do, it outweighs someone doing it as a hobby or on vacation. very idealistic scenario to be a pro and be considerate to TS, but in reality, the two do not always go hand in hand. Quite frankly if i had a job to do; that job and my money shot is top priority. why even complain, pros get in the way of other pros trying to get their shots.

in my opinion,...seems like you perhaps just dun like americans. why i say that? does it matter that the guy is 6 foot plus....does it matter he is american and what significance does it make as to what nationality he is to be perceived as rude? me, i'm a believer in fighting your battles there and now. maybe that's why you write about it here because you're upset you didn't do anything and he got the best of you.

regardless of your view, stand up for yourself buddy and geez, letting your wife get involved???...wow, not good. anyways go easy, there's a whole world to shoot and many ways to do it in.