I had to be freed by the power plant's fire brigade.
Best indicator of "danger" so far

I had to be freed by the power plant's fire brigade.
Does this mean you were rescued from one of the blue tubes? Was this a Willy Wonka situation?Photographing this aero condenser of a (experimental-) power plant.
It was just tested and turned off, but when I was in that huge 'thing', an engineer decided tot have it run again for an other test but the guard forgot to warn the man that I was up there.
This photo was shot just before the huge fans started running!
On the second photo you can see what a aero condenser is, it is a substitute for a traditional cool tower which is used to cool down the condensed steam at the end of the production line.
I had to be freed by the power plant's fire brigade.
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Linhof Kardan GT 4"x5" on Fujichrome.
Does this mean you were rescued from one of the blue tubes? Was this a Willy Wonka situation?
BTW what is a Willy Wonka situation?
In Roald Dahl’s story, one of the characters is drinking from a river of chocolate when he falls in and is pulled through a tube and drops into a mixing vat.
In 1968. Walking through Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin from East Berlin to West Berlin. Taking a photo of the VoPos while still in East Berlin. I set the 10-second timer on my Nikon and then walked though.
That plus taking photos of East Germany on the train from West Berlin to West Germany. The British guy in the train with me was petrified. Those police standing on the side of the train when it stopped. They all looked like ex-SS.
Retired in 2017, moved to SW Florida--a good place if you like outdoor activities, which could improve one's quality of life. It is also a good place if you like unpleasant and likely dangerous encounters with right-wing nutcases.
Decided to put together a photobook of the local village where I live. Talked with the local historical society, got some location ideas, etc.
Lots of walking with a small 35mm ... one or two lenses tops. About a year ago (2022), I am photographing a "Thrift shop" which is affiliated with nearby church (a dangerous place to be). Guy who lives across the street sees this and apparently has some "concerns." I'm standing on a public sidewalk (a rare thing ... the sidewalk, that is) when he comes driving up in a golf cart. Next to him, in the front seat, is a shovel and a rife. He tells me, in no uncertain terms, that he doesn't want anyone taking pictures of his house, his yard, ... his domain. I explain to him what I am doing, why I am doing it, and respectably tell him that I won't use any photographs of his house or yard. I also remind him that I'm on public property and have no intention of trespassing. He pauses for a moment, picks up the rifle, points it at me, and says
"Well maybe I'll just shoot you. What would you think about that?" I said something along the lines of
"Well, you can do that, and my problems will certainly be over, but your's will be just beginning. Is that really what you want?"
He paused, and put the rifle on his lap. He then began to tell me a story about some "guvment" types who had taken pictures of his backyard and that somehow resulted in a string of developers snooping around his house, and ... . I saw that he thought that perhaps I was a developer or working with "outsiders" who wanted to change the lifestyle of the village.
I explained the nature of my work and ensured him that I was strongly opposed to unchecked and irresponsible development. I also told him that I'd signed a local neighborhood petition against the (inevitable) unfettered development in this area. This was indeed true, and then I told him that he could check with the guy who lived in that house--a home that I visited and photographed several weeks prior to this, and had indeed signed a petition.
About twenty minutes later, I'd heard more of his life story and he said it was probably ok if I stayed on the street. I thanked him for hearing me out but told him that I would likewise ensure that his property did not appear in the book.
All the ex gestapo found a welcome home in the East German police force.
I was in a small town in Western Poland in 2008. Before lunch, there were a lot of people sitting on a roof and drinking. I did some photos with my 500 mm mirror lens. Someone saw me and started moving down the street towards me. I got the heck out of there, fast!Re-wrote from another thread.
In Central Europe, early 2000’s, taking photos from a stairwell perch halfway up an apartment building looking out a large full size window down toward an “auto shop” maybe 40 yards away, this shop owned by muscled youngish guys with shaved heads, black leather jackets and strong cologne. Taking photos of these same attendees (Ukrainian mafia), comings and going. They‘d killed several people inside in past year(s). They’d have visiting prostitutes. But mostly this branch’s meeting place. One day important fella on phone out in the lot was standing by his car chatting, occasionally looking about. And then he sees me up in the apartment building with my camera taking pictures. Wait, does he really see me? Yes, I think so… No. I know so. And he’s angry. Seeing this through a zoom lens makes your heart really race. Terminates his call and slams his hand on the car roof still staring at me. Now more than angry. He bolts inside the auto shop. Probably to get his friends or… tools.
Do I head to the roof or race as fast as possible down many flights of stairs to the backside lot to my rental car and make a run for it? I certainly didn’t anticipate this contingency. This isn’t a movie with a practical roof option. (I’d left the sidearm back in the office safe that day and my host support co-workers were absent on another task at least fifteen minutes away unable to help— this was the only day of several months activity when they had to leave me solo - so yes I was a little unnerved, feeling helpless.) You’ve never seen a man spill so fast down a stairwell and fly away in a VW as if it were a Ferrari.
In 1968. Walking through Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin from East Berlin to West Berlin. Taking a photo of the VoPos while still in East Berlin. I set the 10-second timer on my Nikon and then walked though.
That plus taking photos of East Germany on the train from West Berlin to West Germany. The British guy in the train with me was petrified. Those police standing on the side of the train when it stopped. They all looked like ex-SS.
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