Do you guys carry weapons while photographing?

[Noice]

where exactly in LA are you willing to venture?
you should do some research on the gangs controlling those areas...or if there are even any.
chances are youll come across homeless and crack heads. those are who youll need to be worried about because anything is worth to them.

i think if youre reluctant to explore these types of environments, a tip i can give you is blend in. do not look like a tourist.

regardless, there are some places you really wouldnt want to try, just for a couple of snaps.

[Shadowman]

Hi William W,
I have been an officer in the Dutch merchant marines from 1957 to 1968. In 1967 I was on a cargo ship in Adelaid. I was only allowed to go ashore after the captain explain that my parents were Dutch and French, even I was born in Indonesia. My passport got a stamp with the following text: Origin white! I must say the world has changed today.

Also in about the same period we were with an oil tanker in Philadelphia. To go to the city we had to go with a taxi. Another officer and me, we both love jazz and blues music. We told the cap driver to take us that evening to the neighborhood where the blacks had their nite clubs and bars. This driver, a white guy, told us that he will take us to the edge of the area, but not inside. I can tell you, we had a wonderful evening and we two officers made that evening some new friends.

I have learn not to listen to all those wild stories.

No offence, but I wouldn't compare the free love times of the sixties to the senseless/thrill seeking behavior of today. We just had an incidence in a more affluent area of the town where two guys beat, stripped naked and left out in the cold a young man simply because they liked his clothes. At least that's the comment they made to the victim.

[UKDivemaster]

It is about being prepared and if you are thinking about arming yourself I would argue (this is a personal opinion) that you are preparing yourself in the wrong way. Carrying weapons is likely to increase risk: you become a threat to people who may not have the same moral code as you. i.e. they want your camera, your carrying a knife, they nutralise the threat (shoot you) and wander off with your kit and your life.

Try to think through the threats. If you are taking photographs where robbery is possible then minimise your equipment and use your 2nd camera (if you have one). Try to stay in well lit, peopled areas and act confident. Your best defence is your body language.

Stay alert to potential danger (sometimes difficult when focusing on photography) and don't be afraid to confront threats early, it frequently diffuses situations. If you think someone is taking an interest in you then look them straight in the eye, smile, and ask them what they want. Try not to show fear; assuming the role of victim can turn you into one!

A couple of years ago I was traveling and photographing alone in South America. I entered neighbourhoods with really bad reputations in Bogota and Caracas and guess what - I was confronted on several occassions. I was not armed but engaged with people early (even to the extent of crossing the road to talk to someone following me). And I never got robbed, or even close.

It may have been luck but a friend of mine, traveling in similar but safer areas was robbed three times in three weeks. I'm just guessing he was putting out 'I'm a victim' vibes.

[arith]

Stay alert to potential danger (sometimes difficult when focusing on photography) and don't be afraid to confront threats early, it frequently diffuses situations. If you think someone is taking an interest in you then look them straight in the eye, smile, and ask them what they want. Try not to show fear; assuming the role of victim can turn you into one!

Or you could just take this guy along with you



I was looking the other way when I heard a commotion to find a dangerous weird bloke I knew from a place of work was getting his bum felt by Donald.
The warning I got was enough deterrent for him to change course.

yep that was the actual duck.

[krispix]

Thank goodness I live in 'Safe' London. I've never had a problem anywhere here. Abroad, I did get a bit nervous in Rio de Janeiro and Montevideo though.

[Szczur]

I can't agree with Mark's stance on looking confident. I've spent more than 20 years examining those who were not so lucky, one way or another, and a great many of them had apparently been "over confident" or "too sure of themselves" in places or situations where they shouldn't have been. I've seen cases of people shot in the chest in pubs for cheering for the other team during football matches on the tv. I've seen cases where people have lost teeth or eyes (both in one case) when someone decided their watch looked nice. So, while it may be true that using submissive body language can mark you as a victim, it's also not a good idea to be too cocky in places where you may be on someone else's turf.

As other people have said, the best way to keep out of trouble in dangerous places is to no go there in the first place.

The only situation I can think of where it might be ok to be carrying a weapon that I can think of is that of hunters who wish to combine their sport with photography. I guess this would be mostly bow hunters because those I know who hunt with firearms tell me they usually take either a gun or a camera, both is too much to carry.

[Donald]

I was looking the other way when I heard a commotion to find a dangerous weird bloke I knew from a place of work was getting his bum felt by Donald.

Could we just be clear that we are talking about a duck here!?

[Dizzy]

When in a "big city" location I'm very careful about where I go...mostly just
because I hate large cities...too many people and too much noise for this country boy..LOL.

Often I'll head up to the hills to do some stargazing at night, or when I'm up there on
a photo trip, I always carry a 12ga. shotgun loaded with 3 ea of 3" mag. of BB's. We have
plenty of Black bears and a few Grizzlies hanging about, not to mention a very high/healthy
population of Mountain Lion. I'm not afraid of them, but really don't care to spend
my eternity as a piece of bear doo.

Being near-deaf means I can't hear people/cars/critters approaching, so constant visual vigilance is needed to stay safe no matter where I am.

Mike

[Glenn NK]

Some of the replies reminded me of this:

Grizzly Bear Warnings

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game recently issued this bulletin...

"Warning: In light of the rising frequency of human/grizzly bear conflicts, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is advising hikers, hunters and fishermen to take extra precautions and keep alert of grizzly bears while in the field.

We advise outdoors men to wear noisy little bells on their clothing, so as not to startle bears that aren't expecting them. We also advise outdoors men to carry pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a bear.

It is also a good idea to watch out for fresh signs of bear activity. Outdoors men should recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat: Black bear scat is smaller and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear scat has little bells in it and smells like pepper.

Happy shooting.

Glenn

[Donald]

Grizzly Bear Warnings

That's best laugh I've had in a while. Thanks, Glenn.

[arith]

Could we just be clear that we are talking about a duck here!?

I'm talking Walt Disney Duck, with attitude. Sorry I don't know what to say now.

If it any consolation I used to be called Penfold after Dangermouse's sidekick, cos I looked like him and was always walking into dangerous situations. Don't know if it was a good idea to say that either

[JoshAnthony]

My advise would be to go light and wear good running shoes. I'm not kidding. Try to fit in and watch your back.

Buy the brightest Surefire flashlight you can afford. They have a short run time but are small and amazingly bright. Shine it in the eyes of anyone that you must and run like hell. Leave things behind if you have to. Your life is worth more than your gear and buying new gear is much cheaper than the lawyers you will need if you shoot someone.

Don't get me wrong, I own guns and think that the second amendment is a good thing but carrying a gun is serious and has legal ramifications. You need to learn the laws and get some form of training.

Go with a friend whenever you can. Stay alert. Avoid areas with a lot of gang activity. Remember gangsters run faster than crackheads.

I like night photography and travel with my work. I just watch my back and try to be smart. I will also leave if things seem wrong or off. Works for me. Be safe.

[Colin Southern]

In aviation we used to have a saying that it's "better to be down here, wishing we were up there" than "up there, wishing we were down here". I'm sure there's a parallel here somewhere ...

[GrahamH]

Okay, can't resist.

I think we've done this thread to death.
Haven't we beaten it up enough.
It's been kicked and it's down.
Time to let dead dogs die.
Graham

[Andrew1]

It's too bad you have to live in such an environment. If the photos are for business or really-really-really worth it personally, do as you would with any other accessory. Rent it. Hire an armed security guard to go with you.

[oregonbob]

I always carry a large canister of OC pepper spray. Spray could be deployed early in a confrontation whereas the decision to fire a gun would most likely be too late. You do not bring out a gun unless you fully intend to use it whereas with pepper spray you are safer in taking it out and pointing it and threatening to use it. If you pull out a gun and do not use it in time the attacker has the chance to overpowering you and take the weapon to use against you, in that scenario you would be much better off with the spray canister. Another consideration is that if the situation is simply a robbery would you really be ready to apply a death sentence on the perp?
I use Sabre Red M-120L-OC Magnum 120 from Security Equipment Corp carried in a holder on my belt that is a bit of an announcement that annoying me will not be without consequence. Check out Sabre Red on YouTube to see the effects of deploying spray.

[Donald]

I always carry a large canister of OC pepper spray. Spray could be deployed early in a confrontation whereas the decision to fire a gun would most likely be too late.

Could try that on some of the sheep I encounter when wandering the hills and fields hereabouts!

It is interesting to read the differing thoughts from around the world. It illustrates the very different cultures and societies we all live in, although united as we are here by photography.

[Graystar]

As you live in LA, you can't really carry any weapon legally and the government won't give you a carry license for a gun...so the point is moot. However...

According to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) the best defense against a violent attack is to fight back with a gun. 20% of victims are injured when fighting back with a gun. Next best is to comply. 25% of victims are injured when complying with attackers. Next is fighting back with any other weapon. 50% of victims are injured when fighting back with a weapon other than a firearm.

The NCVS is performed by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, and is one of the two major crime reports used by law enforcement departments and agencies in the US. The other is the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports (the UCRs.)

I carried a gun when I lived in Idaho, but now that I'm (back) in New York City, I can't carry. I do have a license for my guns, but they have to be in a locked box when transporting to the range. More than anything else, the NCVS statistics are the reason that I carried a gun in Idaho. Fighting a violent attacker with a gun is simply the safely way to deal with the situation. That's a statistical fact.

Anyways, there was recently some good news. A federal court just ruled that Maryland must issue a license to carry a gun without regard to cause (that is, you don't have to have a good reason to want to carry a gun.) This may go to the Supreme Court, which will likely affirm. Then every state will have to issue a carry license for the asking (the vast majority already do.)

As for the idea that you need training and this and the other to defend yourself...I'd just like to point out the story of the beauty queen who shot a home invader. This was march of 2011, and the woman's fiance bought her the gun (a pink revolver) the previous Christmas. So she had it all of three months. In the article the fiance says “She was not a good shot at the range”. She hit the guy with all 5 shots from the revolver, which I found quite impressive. In Idaho, I got my girlfriend a Glock 33 because she was terrible with her S&W revolver at 7 yards. With the Glock she was hitting the bullseye at 15 yards.

Story here:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/03/22...home-invasion/

Oh...and probably needless to say, but obviously I believe you have to right to go to any public place, and should go if you want to.

[Dizzy]

Don't think I would ever carry a firearm in a city, but would certainly
be packing a fully-charged SB-900 set at full power and max distance.

Someone walks up on me in the dark they're likely to get blinded just
long enough for me to either: 1) Escape or 2) get in a left hook and right
cross (or 2) before his vision starts to return...

[Glenn NK]

After reading the various replies, I realized that perhaps I do carry a weapon.

I have added a pair of real spikes to my tripod (not the kind that tripod makers pass off as spikes on their website).

The little rubber feet on a Gitzo screw out - the thread is a standard 3/8" or 9 mm (they're interchangeable).

I bought three 5" (125mm) bolts, cut the heads off, and sharpened them to points.

They provide excellent stability when shooting on ground (grass or dirt), as they can be pushed into the ground several inches. Particularly so when doing focus stacking.

Of course they are sharp, and one must handle the tripod carefully when carrying it so as not to "stab" someone by accident.

When I'm in the park, the spikes do look rather menacing - anyone care for an "accident"?

Glenn