What would you do if....??

What would you do at the top of the tower?? (see below for story)


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Zplus

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Mar 16, 2002
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Some equitorial, tropical isle
Assuming you are assigned by a world famous magazine to cover a dangerous war torn country. You are doing a cultural story and not reporting on the war. The government of that country grants your team limited access to the country; perhaps thinking it would do the country good to show a humane aspect. A local guide is attached to your team to warn you of any restrictions.

While travelling in the country's town center, you see a tall religous building. A shot from up there would show the great splendor of the country. You decided to go up there to shoot but the guide was worried and said "no". There were military installations close by that can be seen from that height. So you talked your way into letting you have a look. ;) (like most Sporeans, "Uncle, I have alook OK? I promise I won't shoot....")

Amazingly, he agrees. You rush up the tower and realise the guide's health is bad. SO you reach the top way before he does.

The view is spectacular. You will have keeper shots! What would you do???:)

No right or wrong answer... just wondering how you would respond....
 

Actually... this really happened to me before. Was doing some coverage in Myanmar as we were early, our guide from Yangon brought us up the hill to this temple before our regional guide arrived.

After we had done our filming during when we noticed that there were some strange looking hangar like buildings at the foot of the hill in a distance away, we started making our way down. At this moment our regional guide arrived. His face turning white, he asked us if we had gone up the hill. We all said yeah... hard climb but nice view! He basically blurted out.... that the hill is actually off limits and we were not to go up without his escort. Because the strange looking hangar like buildings actually are military installations.... What happened next was a visit to the local military base by our sponsor in Myanmar to explain things and to make sure that we are not foreign spies......
 

Keep it coming guys!
:)

Right now... most will take the shot!
;)

Post your reasons why you would take it or NOT take it... :)
 

I would take the shot. Since I am already up there and have already taken the risk so why not shoot. It would also be a once in a lifetime opportunity.
 

For me, I would take the shot that is only if my guide doesn't get it. In this kind of incidents, besides yourself, your guide most likely will get it too, so have to think for them. My case, the guy who went to the military base to have coffee with the Burmese General to explain we are not spies had his b**** up his throat...... Cos if talks failed, he would most likely be imprisioned with us......
 

This is where all ur '1 shot, 1 kill' skills come in.

And we all have been thru NS here. It would only take a deskbound NS clerk doing nothing thru-out his 2yrs but facing leave application forms frm NSF and NSMen not to know how military installations look like.

Anyway, this kinda thing dun take ur time to compose. Put it to the setting that u're more confident in, get the composition and where u wanna meter off in ur mind within 3 nanoseconds, adjust focal length for ur lens, raise up, 1-shot and den scoot downwards to pretend to holler to ur guide, "Why u so slow? Hurry up leh!" ;p

Of cos, when he asks, just act blur. Do the "Ah Duh..." face.
 

I personally think that we should not take any pictures of the country's millitary installations.

Yes, it maybe for the sake of photography, but we may not know how it may sabotage the country's security.

And I think one should honor one's word if he/she has given the word that no pictures will be taken.

Well, that's just my POV.
 

I am amazed by some of the responses.

What has become of the value system?

If you had said "Uncle, I have a look OK? I promise I won't shoot...."

......................and then to shoot surreptitiously.

How can there be no right or wrong reason in such a situation? It really does not matter if it is just a scenery or military/out of bounds scene.

Getting a shot is more important than your honour?

This thing you called a "keeper".

Is it so important that you degrade yourself?

So important that you chose to be a thief and a liar?
 

Hmm... Good boy? :)

Maybe I'm just one heck of a nasty chap. ;p
 

jsbn said:
Maybe I'm just one heck of a nasty chap. ;p

And you are proud of it?
 

Die... Die.... I'm starting to think that I'm one heck of a rotten fella. :(
 

Would go up to take a look out of curiousity but would take a pic, dun wanna get the tour guide into trouble & also dun wanna get into trouble in a foreign land. God knows how the law over there works and maybe never see daylight again.

Maybe due to kia si :bsmilie:
 

Taurean said:
Would go up to take a look out of curiousity but would take a pic, dun wanna get the tour guide into trouble & also dun wanna get into trouble in a foreign land. God knows how the law over there works and maybe never see daylight again.

Maybe due to kia si :bsmilie:

In some countries, you really won't see daylight again..... Won't state names here but international law and rights do not apply there. You will be imprisoned or maybe even "lost" as stated by the government before our foreign ministry can begin to help you.

Incidentally I only go out of my Myanmar fiasco because we had very strong backing in the form of their former prime minister. Apparently my client and him are good friends. However he has since been desposed and is not under house arrest. If not for that strong backing... I might not have been so lucky....
 

centuryegg said:
In some countries, you really won't see daylight again..... Won't state names here but international law and rights do not apply there. You will be imprisoned or maybe even "lost" as stated by the government before our foreign ministry can begin to help you.

Incidentally I only go out of my Myanmar fiasco because we had very strong backing in the form of their former prime minister. Apparently my client and him are good friends. However he has since been desposed and is not under house arrest. If not for that strong backing... I might not have been so lucky....

:bigeyes: Ya lor lucky le

Esp in 3rd world country better not take this kind of risk.
 

Great! Keep it coming!

centuryegg, thanks for a real life account. Must be quite a harrowing situation... :)
 

centuryegg said:
Incidentally I only go out of my Myanmar fiasco because we had very strong backing in the form of their former prime minister. Apparently my client and him are good friends. However he has since been desposed and is not under house arrest. If not for that strong backing... I might not have been so lucky....

Would it be better if there was no fiasco in the first place?

And what happened to the wonderful images that you took in this fiasco? Got a World Press Photography prize for them?
 

student said:
Would it be better if there was no fiasco in the first place?

And what happened to the wonderful images that you took in this fiasco? Got a World Press Photography prize for them?

Ours is a honest mistake. We were there to cover buddhism in Myanmar and hence our job was to visit temples and festivals over a period of 6 months split up over 6 years. As I said our Yangon guide brought us up the hill to the temple and not that we disobey anyone's instructions. We just followed along thinking it was part of the itinenary. Please kindly read the posts carefully before you make sweeping statements..... Thank you
 

centuryegg said:
Ours is a honest mistake. We were there to cover buddhism in Myanmar and hence our job was to visit temples and festivals over a period of 6 months split up over 6 years. As I said our Yangon guide brought us up the hill to the temple and not that we disobey anyone's instructions. We just followed along thinking it was part of the itinenary. Please kindly read the posts carefully before you make sweeping statements..... Thank you

I understand that yours was an honest mistake, and I can accept that. But if your guide had done his job properly, the fiasco would not and should not be there.

Nonetheless, your experience is really not quite relevant to this thread. If you have please kindly read the first post carefully before you post, you will know that your experience have nothing to do with the scenario created by the thread starter, and which is basically an issue of dishonoring one's words. Absolutely nothing about honest mistake.

The view of some responders appears to be that if is OK to break one's words. And in my view, nothing should be given to encourage this attitude.
 

Zplus said:
Great! Keep it coming!

centuryegg, thanks for a real life account. Must be quite a harrowing situation... :)

No problem..... I think my sponsor was more paniciky then me.... But they tried to hide their fear by saying "no problem no problem! General want to have coffee with me thats all! Small matter...." Actually later I found out that the particular General was not exactly on good terms with the central government and we were just this close to getting ourselves arrested.
 

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