Photographer hostility?

[John Wiley]

I was at an event yesterday shooting for a documentary, which is being shot on RED Epic and DSLR's. Yesterday was the major unveiling of the commisioned sculpture which is the subject of the doco, so there were plenty of press photographers and news cameramen present.

One older photographer saw me shooting with my DSLR ( a minimal setup, with a wide lens, Rode Videomic and an LCDVF) and approached me, shoved his flash in my face, showing me the settings on the LCD screen, and said "Do you think this is setup right?" I politely replied that I couldn't say because I am a videographer, to which he responded "That's what I thought, you don't know anything."

I was tempted at the time to grab my Zoom H4n and hand it to him and ask if my audio was set up properly, and give him the same line he gave me, but decided against it. Obviously this guy had some kind of insecurity issue with DSLR video, and was intent of putting me down. He saw me later on shooting on the RED (owned by the producer who hired me as the 2nd shooter for the project) and didn't have anything to say about that!

Has anybody else experienced this kind of hostility from a photographer, while shooting video with a DSLR? I just can't understand how it could be effecting him in such a way that he would feel the need to act in that manner.

[Don Litten]

Sometimes but I'm kind of bad tempered.

Your situation doesn't surprise me. A lot of older photographers (I'm older BTW) worked hard to learn the trade but can't adjust to a lot of the changes. Especially DSLR Video.

They tend to put themselves on a pedestal...A lot of photographers and videographers of any age are a little anal.

Add those two conditions together and you get a smart a** like your fellow.
Just tell him to get **** and go on about your business.Don't play their game.

I was shooting a political event one day and a man obviously looking to say something, kept pacing back and forth in front of me.

About the 5th time he did it I told him the restrooms were that way. He walked over and asked who I worked for and I told him. He laughed and said "Why haven't I ever heard of them". I said "Because they don't print it in crayon". He left in a huff.

[Lee Mullen]

Sadly, these insecure and selfish type are just about everywhere and are on the increase. Jealousy, envy and just about every sin empowers them to be hostile and intent to put others down to big themselves up. I personaly won't toerate it any longer. Eye for an eye being the old saying.

PS, I love your response Don ^^ haha

[Vincent Oliver]

The business has changed dramatically over the last few years, it is a lot easier to produce technically correct photos/videos, so if someone can afford to lay out the cash then they can claim to be a professional photographer/videographer. However, just because they have the gear and can produce a good exposure doesn't mean they have the flair or creativity to produce a superb photo or movie.

I too have come across many old F**ts who should have hung up their cameras many years ago, the phrases I hear are; you can't beat film - Tri-X, get into a darkroom and learn about real photography, etc. The trouble is that many of these guys can't adapt to change and see their market under threat. My own view is, technology is here to stay, embrace it or go under.

btw. I am 61 next month, but feel like a 25 year old, I get excited about the possibilities that are on offer with any new development (unfortunate choice of word in the context of this post)

[Chris Luker]

Boy I would have told him he apparently doesn't know anything as he ask you about it. Then, if he said he does know and he was testing you, say, "Oh, so you WERE just being a dick! I thought so."

[Kawika Ohumukini]

So many possible responses...now that it's days later. People are shooting video with an iPad for gosh sakes, that must really drive him nuts. Best to not tap on the fishbowl and just go about your job. Shooting bike races we run in to all kinds and I'm sure it's the same everywhere. I just smile and say good job. Cheers

[Charles Newcomb]

I make 4-8, sixty-second Web commercials a month for a national advertiser. Two years ago I ditched my clunky Sony PMW 350K, which was less than a year old at the time, and all the ancient gear I owned with it, and switched to 5D MKlls (now MK llls) after I fell in love with the images they produce. I also have to lug around less than half the gear I used to. I still own one tungsten light (I only do florescent and LEDs now) , but I forgot where I put it.

There's almost always one yayhoo on set who claims to be a photographer and/or videographer, and that someone oftentimes makes a comment about me not using professional gear for the shoot. So I fire up my iPod and show some examples of what I do with my "non-professional" gear. That usually shuts them up.

But just the other day this situation came up and the guy just huffed at my samples. So I broke out my rails and matte box, dropped in a filter, attached the side shades and French flag, lowered the Hoodman CineCrane over the LCD, attached a Rode VideoMicPro (even though I was shooting MOS) and said: "Howzat look? Better?"

"Wow," the guy said as he drooled all over himself.

[Jon Fairhurst]

Personally, I don't like the look of on-camera flash. There is no proper setting for that lighting position. ;)

[Chris Medico]

Originally Posted by Jon Fairhurst

Personally, I don't like the look of on-camera flash. There is no proper setting for that lighting position. ;)

I would beg to differ. The proper setting is OFF. ;)

[Jon Fairhurst]

Originally Posted by Chris Medico

I would beg to differ. The proper setting is OFF. ;)

Word. :) :)

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Some pretty nice responses, I could not have imagined.

I will remember Don Litten's restroom example. :)

People are really insecure and jealous. Some people can create great stuff with pretty minimal gear. Unfortunately, people immediately start forming an opinion that the guy is nothing.

[John Wiley]

Originally Posted by Chris Luker

Boy I would have told him he apparently doesn't know anything as he ask you about it. Then, if he said he does know and he was testing you, say, "Oh, so you WERE just being a dick! I thought so."

Haha, I like this one. Sometimes is wish I was a nastier person just so that I could say things like this to people. Instead I usually just smile, nod, then ignore them.

[Vincent Oliver]

You could be as nasty as you want to be, just make sure the other guy is not bigger than you :-)

[Brett Sherman]

If this guy actually had a modern camera he wouldn't need the flash. And his pictures would be better. I get so annoyed with camera flashes ruining my footage (and audio). Every once in awhile I run into a photographer (usually 30 years or less) that rarely uses flash. I'm not saying there is never a use for a flash. But frankly, continual use of a flash is a crutch for photographers who are just phoning it in.

[John Wiley]

Brett, I agree with you that flash, espescially on camera, is not always a necessary, and the greatest shots are usually achieved by great use of natural light, but this was after all a press event. No control over the natural lighting, the subject, or the events. Chances are he would head back to the office and try to get the shot online or to the photo editor asap - no time to process the shots and bring the best out of the DR or play with the shadows, just convert it to a small jpeg and upload. In these situations, I can understand why he would be using the set up he was.

At weddings though, I've come across increasing numbers of photographers who prefer to use only natural light - and these are often my favorites to work work with as not only is their flash not messing with my rolling shutter, but we tend to be using the natural light in the same way. Photographers with the flash permanantly attached seem to love always having the couple backlit and using the flash for fill, making things much harder for video.