treadwl Loc: South Florida

This is not meant to belittle the photographer--I seriously tried to help this person. But it is so very funny that I just have to tell someone--if you are a photographer---this should bring a smile to your face.

Saturday night I took 32 members from a combined 3 local camera clubs to photograph the Miami skyline at night. I was there as an instructor to teach them how to accomplish this. I had spoken at all three clubs about the technique and types of settings that would yield the best results before the big night.

Thus Saturday night we ended up on a sidewalk looking at the Towering condominiums of the Miami skyline at sunset. Everyone set up their tripods and began composing their images and taking their first shots as the sun sank and the light began to dim. One gentleman, was asking for lots of help with his settings and his composition. The settings were easy to correct but I told him that the most interesting part of the composition was the building that were beginning to light up and the colorful sky behind them. It was not yet dark enough for light reflections to appear on the bay waters. Thus I told him he should RAISE the angle of view in his composition so as to get less water, and more sky. He said he would try it and I turned to help someone else.

NOW HERE IT COMES-- Moments later, when I turned back to look at him I saw him use his cable release to trip the shutter, and then WITH ONE HAND, WHILE TAKING THE IMAGE, HE PICKUP HIS TRIPOD AND HELD IT ABOUT A FOOT OFF THE GROUND!! In shock if asked "What are you doing?" He replied:

"WELL YOU TOLD ME I HAD TO RAISE THE ANGLE OF VIEW"

I was speechless...

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

SpyderJan Loc: New Smyrna Beach. FL

Funny.

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

Very funny.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

HEY! You said you weren't going to tell anyone about that!!

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

Sometimes people will take us literally, as in word for word. Surely, I jest. Please don't call me Shirley. I hope you get my point. There are times we must show people what we mean. We cannot leave it to someone's imagination.
I am not fond of treating people like children. But sometimes it must be done to finish the job at hand.
At the pain of becoming redundant, it is best to tell people what you want and show them concomitantly.

It was quite funny that someone raised their tripod though.

Bob Mevis Loc: Plymouth, Indiana

Too funny!

PaulBrit Loc: Merlin, Southern Oregon

Very droll!

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

This was entirely YOUR fault, not his. You made some incorrect assumptions - a)you were dealing with someone that was playing with a full deck, b)he brought the deck with him, c)he had a basic level of photographic ability and common sense, d)he knew how to operate his tripod either the 3 way pan head or a ball head that he had attached the camera to, e)he understood the primary benefit of a tripod - to provide a sturdy, stable platform to minimize camera movement and blur with slow shutter speeds. You obviously missed all the warning signs.

Just yanking your chain - this guy should take up another hobby, like stamp collecting. He should not be allowed anywhere near camera gear. You were absolutely right to be speechless -

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Was that the guy who when told he needed a faster shutter so he went into continuous release mode?

AZNikon Loc: Mesa, AZ

Tell him: "Here's your sign!"

(Download)

dbfalconer Loc: Salida CO

Photographers tend to forget that Photography is a foreign language. He would have understood ‘Aim your camera higher.’ Sometimes posts here are sprinkled with so many acronyms, I need a dictionary! DOF, IQ, JPEG, AF, BBF are the easier ones... not to mention all the lens designations and camera model names!

Bill_de Loc: US

Some People you just can't help

It is funny. But who failed, the photographer or the teacher. Maybe he could be helped, even if he needed more help than others.

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via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

AZ...Alzheimers perhaps?

Cwilson341 Loc: Central Florida

You could never make up a tale as funny as this one!! I hope he took it in stride.