Whats the strangest thing thats happened to you on a shoot?
Jun 6, 2021 07:41:11 #
Jeffcs
Loc: Myrtle Beach South Carolina
The bride did a strip tease thankfully she stoped at bra and panties
Jun 6, 2021 09:40:30 #
I did newspaper and yearbook photography in high school, and started getting paid to do the same in college. At 19 years old, a few people considered me a "professional" photographer. So some people I barely knew asked me to photograph their wedding. Like a fool, I agreed. One camera, two lenses, one strobe, no extra batteries. Actually, it went well.
About a week later, the groom had a wreck on his motorcycle, scrambled his brains, became a vegetable. Mine were the last photos of him before that happened. I hadn't even delivered the prints yet. Fortunately, the family was quite pleased and grateful for what I gave them.
I vowed to NEVER again accept payment for a non-repeatable event (wedding, bar mitzvah, etc.) without lots of backup equipment, and usually an assistant, which was fortunate, because I've had plenty of equipment failures since.
About a week later, the groom had a wreck on his motorcycle, scrambled his brains, became a vegetable. Mine were the last photos of him before that happened. I hadn't even delivered the prints yet. Fortunately, the family was quite pleased and grateful for what I gave them.
I vowed to NEVER again accept payment for a non-repeatable event (wedding, bar mitzvah, etc.) without lots of backup equipment, and usually an assistant, which was fortunate, because I've had plenty of equipment failures since.
Jun 6, 2021 10:02:31 #
I was in the Rockies and had hiked to a remote location one night to shoot the Milky Way over a lake. While sitting on the ground composing my shot I felt I was being watched, but looking around I could see nothing. After taking my shot, I turned to my camera bag that was next to me and found a coyote sitting next to my bag about 3 feet away. We looked at each other and resumed watching the Milky Way. He stayed for about 10 minutes.a I've frame the photo and can never look at it without remembering my visitor.
Jun 6, 2021 10:41:26 #
Dennis833 wrote:
On Thursday I found myself surrounded by 3 police cars and 6 policeman.
A woman living in a small country town in Tasmania, Australia had reported me to the police as a hitman with a tripod and rifle looking for the best location to take the shot. Apparently the woman had an argument on social media and that person was sending a man around to shoot her. The funny thing was that I ended up having a laugh with 6 policeman in a quite location by a river bank.
A woman living in a small country town in Tasmania, Australia had reported me to the police as a hitman with a tripod and rifle looking for the best location to take the shot. Apparently the woman had an argument on social media and that person was sending a man around to shoot her. The funny thing was that I ended up having a laugh with 6 policeman in a quite location by a river bank.
Pressed the shutter on my Hasselblad during a wedding ceremony and nothing..15 seconds of denial sitting in the back of the church was my back up hasselblad loadded ready to fire with flash.Did not miss anything.
Jun 6, 2021 11:08:13 #
I volunteer as a photographer for the Helen Keller Festival in Tuscumbia, AL A couple of years back they had a band called Iguana Party. The band were dressed and make up in the KISS style. I was called up on stage to get photographs with one of the guitar players having a jumping contest with one of the kids they called up on stage. I landed up being on stage their whole concert. At the end the band leader had a big bottle of glitter that he was sprinkling the kids lining the front of the stage. As he went by me, I got a dose on top of my head. When he came back I got another dose. I was trying to get glitter off of my 2 cameras and lens for a few months. Just when I thought the stuff was gone, I noticed some more.
Jun 6, 2021 11:21:58 #
I was on my way out to take late-night photos of the Milky Way. I was very familiar with the trail through the desert and wore a headlamp over my cap to light up the trail. As I walked through the inky darkness, I swung my head from side to side to light up the trail.
Suddenly my lamp swung past 'something' in the brush, off to my right side. I stopped and looked at two circular, reflective objects a short distance off of my trail. The time was almost midnight and I thought a vehicle was parked back there and I was seeing a car's headlights reflecting my headlight (same diameter, same space between em, same height above ground level, etc). I continued on down the trail until I came to another clearing and looked back at the 'reflective objects' and they were still there. I walked again to another clearing and looked back, yup, still there.
There are no roads in this area, only hiking and biking trails so I told myself that I would return later in the day to check it out further. When I returned to examine the area, there were NO tire imprints or footprints in the area where I had seen 'something'.
There are lots of stories about unusual 'happenings' when hiking in the Superstition Mountains and this was my first encounter with 'something'. I have no explanation for what I saw that night.... that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Jack Olson
in Apache Junction
Suddenly my lamp swung past 'something' in the brush, off to my right side. I stopped and looked at two circular, reflective objects a short distance off of my trail. The time was almost midnight and I thought a vehicle was parked back there and I was seeing a car's headlights reflecting my headlight (same diameter, same space between em, same height above ground level, etc). I continued on down the trail until I came to another clearing and looked back at the 'reflective objects' and they were still there. I walked again to another clearing and looked back, yup, still there.
There are no roads in this area, only hiking and biking trails so I told myself that I would return later in the day to check it out further. When I returned to examine the area, there were NO tire imprints or footprints in the area where I had seen 'something'.
There are lots of stories about unusual 'happenings' when hiking in the Superstition Mountains and this was my first encounter with 'something'. I have no explanation for what I saw that night.... that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Jack Olson
in Apache Junction
Jun 6, 2021 11:49:07 #
russelray wrote:
When Twitler was inaugurated as president and his ... (show quote)
Maybe it’s only illegal when eastbound :-)
Jun 6, 2021 12:23:39 #
Alafoto
Loc: Montgomery, AL
User ID wrote:
Yes. The reported episode doesn’t quailify in the least as a “strange happening”. It’s a perfectly ordinary example of being out of one’s depth.
Deleted, my bad. Need another cup of coffee.
Jun 6, 2021 12:29:06 #
As an ex-wedding photographer, I could write a book. However, once, I was photographing the whole Wedding Party, after the ceremony. I told them I was finished with them and would take a few minutes to take the last of the Bride's and Groom's photos.
When done, I told the Bride and Groom that I needed to pack my equipment and I'd meet them at the reception hall. As I was walking through the Church to reach my car, the Bride and Groom were starring out the Church doors. The parking lot was empty, except for my car. It turned out everybody, including the Best Man and Maid of Honor, left for the reception. This was before cell phones and the Bride and Groom had no idea how they were going to get to the reception. I told them that I had my car, so I drove them to their own reception. The funniest part was that when we drove up to the reception hall door, the Wedding Party asked the Bride and Groom, "Were were you two?" The Bride and Groom snapped back, "Where were us? Where were you? You left us at the Church!"
When done, I told the Bride and Groom that I needed to pack my equipment and I'd meet them at the reception hall. As I was walking through the Church to reach my car, the Bride and Groom were starring out the Church doors. The parking lot was empty, except for my car. It turned out everybody, including the Best Man and Maid of Honor, left for the reception. This was before cell phones and the Bride and Groom had no idea how they were going to get to the reception. I told them that I had my car, so I drove them to their own reception. The funniest part was that when we drove up to the reception hall door, the Wedding Party asked the Bride and Groom, "Were were you two?" The Bride and Groom snapped back, "Where were us? Where were you? You left us at the Church!"
Jun 6, 2021 12:51:12 #
Dennis833 wrote:
On Thursday I found myself surrounded by 3 police cars and 6 policeman.
A woman living in a small country town in Tasmania, Australia had reported me to the police as a hitman with a tripod and rifle looking for the best location to take the shot. Apparently the woman had an argument on social media and that person was sending a man around to shoot her. The funny thing was that I ended up having a laugh with 6 policeman in a quite location by a river bank.
A woman living in a small country town in Tasmania, Australia had reported me to the police as a hitman with a tripod and rifle looking for the best location to take the shot. Apparently the woman had an argument on social media and that person was sending a man around to shoot her. The funny thing was that I ended up having a laugh with 6 policeman in a quite location by a river bank.
Good thing you were down under. Here iin the US you could easily have wound up dead
Jun 6, 2021 15:22:58 #
Shutterbugger2
Loc: Chicago
Around 1985, I was doing a studio shoot of office furniture with a model, using Anscor Sun Gun flash equipment. These units have oil capacitors rated at 3000 volts DC. While I was positioning the model, one of those capacitors shorted, with the power of the other capacitors going through the shorted one.
The result was a noise like a gun shot, which startled everyone in the room. We had to delay the work till I could get replacement flash.
The result was a noise like a gun shot, which startled everyone in the room. We had to delay the work till I could get replacement flash.
Jun 6, 2021 15:47:43 #
Alafoto
Loc: Montgomery, AL
Had the same experience with a Photogenic power pack. I think maybe an 800 WS unit but don't really remember now. I'm 75 now and that was more than a few years ago. Anyway a hellishly loud bang followed by smoke rising from the unit.
Jun 6, 2021 16:17:22 #
I have read every single post in this thread and have enjoyed every single one. I've been a "professional" photographer for 60 years, starting with my college yearbook and disappointing my mother when I decided on a career in photography, (She wanted me to be a "real" professional something). She would often say to my wife, "Why did you allow him to be a photographer?" I digress.
During my career I have done every type of photography imaginable, including an all nude wedding on a mountain top in New Hampshire's White Mountains. (It was the '70's and everyone was enjoying their new found freedom!) However, one of my more memorable experiences happened at the wedding of a young couple. The young lady was a blonde bombshell with a great figure, her husband was equally good looking and they seemed to the ideal "perfect" couple. The ceremony was over, the setup pictures with the family taken, and the couple asked if I would accompany them to a local park to take pictures. My wife and I loaded the car and drove to the park, (this was in the days before cell phones), where we waited for about 30 minutes, several family members joined us so we knew we were in the right place. After about 45 minutes the big white limousine pulled up, the rear door opened and a cloud of smoke poured out followed by the wedding party, the groom and the bride. The bride was completely distraught.
She started to cry and there was no consoling her. Did I mention there was a heavy smell of marijuana in the air? We waited for about 20 minutes hoping she would calm but she did not. She said through sobs that she would not ever pose with the groom. We finally packed up and told the wedding party we would meet them at the reception since we obviously were not going to get any useable photos at the park. Upon arriving at the reception, and receiving dagger eyes from many guests because "photography" at the park took so long, I explained to the bride's father what was going on. I do not feel he believed me. The caterer was anxious to serve but the bride and groom and wedding party had not arrived. In fact, they never arrived. We waited at the reception, (many guests left), until the number of hours in my agreement for services elapsed. I approached the bride's father and asked if he wanted me to stay, (additional fee required immediately). He told my wife and I to pack it in and go home. My wife advised me to have the film developed and proofs made as quickly as possible, (she said she had a bad feeling), and I delivered them to the bride's family within seven days. We never did hear from the family again, and much later heard from a "friend of a friend, who heard from a friend", that the wedding had been annulled. We were very thankful that our "agreement" calls for the balance of our wedding photography be paid on or before the day of the wedding.
During my career I have done every type of photography imaginable, including an all nude wedding on a mountain top in New Hampshire's White Mountains. (It was the '70's and everyone was enjoying their new found freedom!) However, one of my more memorable experiences happened at the wedding of a young couple. The young lady was a blonde bombshell with a great figure, her husband was equally good looking and they seemed to the ideal "perfect" couple. The ceremony was over, the setup pictures with the family taken, and the couple asked if I would accompany them to a local park to take pictures. My wife and I loaded the car and drove to the park, (this was in the days before cell phones), where we waited for about 30 minutes, several family members joined us so we knew we were in the right place. After about 45 minutes the big white limousine pulled up, the rear door opened and a cloud of smoke poured out followed by the wedding party, the groom and the bride. The bride was completely distraught.
She started to cry and there was no consoling her. Did I mention there was a heavy smell of marijuana in the air? We waited for about 20 minutes hoping she would calm but she did not. She said through sobs that she would not ever pose with the groom. We finally packed up and told the wedding party we would meet them at the reception since we obviously were not going to get any useable photos at the park. Upon arriving at the reception, and receiving dagger eyes from many guests because "photography" at the park took so long, I explained to the bride's father what was going on. I do not feel he believed me. The caterer was anxious to serve but the bride and groom and wedding party had not arrived. In fact, they never arrived. We waited at the reception, (many guests left), until the number of hours in my agreement for services elapsed. I approached the bride's father and asked if he wanted me to stay, (additional fee required immediately). He told my wife and I to pack it in and go home. My wife advised me to have the film developed and proofs made as quickly as possible, (she said she had a bad feeling), and I delivered them to the bride's family within seven days. We never did hear from the family again, and much later heard from a "friend of a friend, who heard from a friend", that the wedding had been annulled. We were very thankful that our "agreement" calls for the balance of our wedding photography be paid on or before the day of the wedding.
Jun 6, 2021 16:37:13 #
DRam11
Loc: Polson, MT
Years ago I was asked to do a wedding for a co-worker. My camera at the time, a Petri SLR would sometimes not scroll the file through even thought the counter indicated it had. To my immense disappointment and that even greater of the bride, there were no pictures. None at all as mine had been the only camera at the wedding.
A few months later at another co-worker's wedding - where they had actually hired a professional - I was approached by one of the former wedding bridesmaids who said, as nearly as memory serves, "You and your fancy camera! Look at what the professional photographer is using, just a simple box camera." I didn't think it necessary right then to let her know that a Hassleblad medium format camera was anything but a simple box camera,
A few months later at another co-worker's wedding - where they had actually hired a professional - I was approached by one of the former wedding bridesmaids who said, as nearly as memory serves, "You and your fancy camera! Look at what the professional photographer is using, just a simple box camera." I didn't think it necessary right then to let her know that a Hassleblad medium format camera was anything but a simple box camera,
Jun 6, 2021 16:40:43 #
With a sharp eye out for wildlife, I drove into Smoky Mountain National Park one morning. A short distance inside the entrance I noticed a number of cars parked on the side of the road. Thinking that they had spotted something I parked and walked into the woods where I encountered a number of people looking at a large bear in the distance. Camera in hand I walked toward the bear while gradually the group of onlookers dispersed to their cars. I finally got close enough that I thought I could get some nice shots with the relatively short lens I had on the camera. As I raised the camera to my eye to take the first shot the bear suddenly reared up on its hind legs, snorted loudly and began coming toward me. At that same instant I heard a scraping noise directly above me and as I turned to run I looked up and no more than about 10 feet above my head in the tree I was standing next to were two small black cubs. While I made it back to the car safely since that day I have had far more respect for the wildlife I photograph. Not to mention the fact that photography is more enjoyable when one doesn't require a change of clothes immediately following a shoot.
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