CLIFF RAGE

This past November a San Francisco Bay area photographer was followed 40 miles and his camera taken at gunpoint in Fremont. I personally know several photographers/videographers who have suffered a smash and grab through their car windows. A wildlife photographer was accustomed to being up close with his subject. That will end now that he has been gored by an elk’s antlers. Given our increased interaction with each other, an ever decreasing amount of open space, and the amount of anger in the world today we can expect more of this craziness.

The tourist leans over the photographer’s shoulder, bumping the tripod in the process. The photographer quickly grabs the intruder's cell phone and heaves it into the abyss. The tourist’s husband doesn’t miss a beat as he grabs the high end digital camera and tripod, and yells “Geronimo” as he launches it into the canyon below. Astonished bystanders back off, making sure they aren’t the next victims of this brouhaha.

The above situation may not have happened yet, but it could. Tourists and photographers visit the same locations with slightly different purposes in mind. The tourist feels the exhilaration of standing at the edge of the precipice and overlooking a magnificent view. That same tourist just happens to be in the way of the shot the photographer had researched online for hours. Location, sunset timing, partial cloud covering, perfect light. They all came together at the right time, planned weeks or months in advance. The photographer had been to the spot on previous days, but now everything was perfect. Now a stranger is interfering with this long-planned shot.

There is irony in that exceptional images posted on Facebook, Instagram and other social sites have the effect of drawing more tourists to remote locations. COVID restrictions have compounded the interactions between tourists and photographers, attracting more people to "ssfe" local outdoor exploration.

How does each party deal with this and get what they want? First, in my experience it is more photographers often getting in the way of other photographers. Tourists not so much. That lets you tourists off the hook a bit. The rule seems to be “first come, first served”. This is what happened in two recent situations. This first was at Bandon Beach in Oregon. A photographer arrived earlier than others and waded into the water to take up position #1. He had his perfect shot. He was in the way of all the rest of us, who were forced to work around him. My decision was to keep him in the shadows. Then I could either remove him in Photoshop or leave him in as part of the story. I decided on the latter.

In this second instance, a photographer arrived early and established the one position which would be in the way of other photographers on the edge of the Grand Canyon, including a workshop of eight photographers that arrived a short time later. Was this fair? Absolutely! What was not right was that she did not offer to move for a just a few moments allowing the workshop to get better images. That bit of courtesy is necessary between photographers.

Back to you tourists. You have a right to be where you are. As long as you are there first. That is pretty much the rule of the road. You also have the right to lean over the photographer’s shoulder wherever you may be and take your i-Phone shot right there. This happens constantly! As photographers, we know your result is not going to look like our result. So, we are flatttered that you would want to take a shot from our spot. Of course, if you compliment us on our selection of shots or stand a few feet to one side, as you compliment us, we are even more flattered. We will often take the time to put you in your shot with your camera. And if you want to give us your email address, we will email you a small picture for your scrapbook. There may be an offer to sell you a larger image attached. 

Tourists don’t often break our shots. There are certain times when they make them. This image of the bridge, was just a pretty, but uninteresting bridge without the loving couple on it. Since it looked like they were going to take up the position for half an hour and bridges are romantic I asked if they would mind posing for me. They did so very willingly, which resulted in a picture that tells a story. Then I gave them my card offering to email a copy. Since they didn’t take me up on it, I figure it was their last date.

In general, common courtesy is the rule. Here are some guidelines to help everyone out:

For Tourists

1. You have a right to a view…you paid to get there. And your scrapbook may be more impressive than the photographer’s portfolio. 
2. It’s okay to ask a person with a camera and tripod (aka photographer) to take your picture. If the photographer asks if you can wait a few minutes, understand that the photographer might be in the middle of exposure calculations and perfect light for those settings just happens for a short time. 
3. If the photographer is using a tripod, avoid bumping into the tripod or anything it rests on (a railing, for example). Photographers often use long exposures for landscape images. This may seem like an eternity to you.
4. Compliment the photographer. Even ask for a card so you can see his/her work.
5. If you arrive in the middle of a photography workshop, listen in a bit. It may even get you interested in this wonderful hobby!

For Photographers

1. If you arrived first, you have a right to your spot.
2. Early arrival does not replace courtesy. Offer other photographers and tourists a chance for your spot before or after you have your shot. Or offer for them to shoot alongside and offer to overlap tripod legs in tight situations. Be sure to include the word “tripod” in your offer or you risk injury from a spouse.
3. Appreciate tourists who arrive for the best light. It may be others like you who brought them there. Maybe you could look out and enjoy the scene a bit more yourself as well, instead of being so wrapped up in your camera settings.
4. Avoid placing your tripod against rails that others might bump against. It is not their fault that the rail is there for support and safety.
5. If tourists are in your scene and you can’t get them out, take mulitiple exposures as they move around and learn the post processing techniques to take them out (without a gun).
6. Your drones drone. Don’t use them around a crowd of tourists.
7. Offer to take tourists’ photos or email a picture to the tourist.

A lot of what I just wrote is a reminder to myself. We live in a beautiful world that is meant for sharing. Let’s enjoy it!