My Worst Shooting Experience To Date & Yet One More Thing To ALWAYS Have In My Kit!

n2mf · May 12, 2014

I was looking forward to going out in the backyard after dinner this evening with my Crown 4x5 for some "digestive therapy". It had been raining earlier, the light was nice and everything had that wet look that I like to shoot.

So, after eating, I gathered up my kit, put the mud boots on and out I went. Once outside I looked carefully around the yard for my first subject. Then I found it...A nice little branch from a shrub, drooping over, glistening with expired raindrops and contrasting perfectly with the house siding. Once found, I moved in for the kill.

That's when it happened. Stabbing pains in my neck, my arms, my face, my ears and forehead. It was relentless! It was getting harder and harder to frame my subject and focus the camera. I tried to hang in there but it was becoming unbearable...I had to escape!

Frantically and with deliberation, I gathered up my gear and headed for the back door. I quickly turned the door knob, and within seconds, I was safe. No more stabbing pain!

After grabbing a cold brew to help me lick my wounds, I then contemplated my experience...And I now vow to never EVER be without Mosquito repellent!

Now my question to you...What's one of your most dreadful shooting experiences?

Trail Images · May 12, 2014

Like you I've had some serious run ins with those pesky skeeds. For whatever reason they attack me with a vengeance too. I've had times where I thought I would bleed out before reaching safety. I've never liked using oily deet around my gear and film in general. My hands are oily enough at times to not add that stuff to the mix. But, sometimes there is no choice. 100% mix is called for. I've heard a heavy dose of Vitamin B will help ward them off a bit, but I've not tried that trick as of yet. I do have a small thing you can place on your belt that has a fan of sorts with repellent of some kind, again, not tried that item as of yet.

I try my best to catch each one that bites me and pluck their wings off, but, that's tough to do........

Two23 · May 12, 2014

I have to pick just one? I guess the one I had back in February was bad enough. I like to photo trains at night, out here in the snow, on the prairie. When there aren't any trains I like to photo the small towns. One late Saturday night I set up my tripod and had my little Leica IIIc on my tripod, taking a shot of the only building that showed any signs of life in that dead town--the bar. Out comes three big drunks, demanding to know who I was taking the photos for. I told them, "Obama. He's wants photos of everything now." I was only half kidding, of course. They started demanding I give them my memory card, and they couldn't seem to comprehend my camera didn't have one. It was looking to turn nasty, but I had a powerful friend out there. It was about 18 below zero and the north wind was blowing hard. They had on light jackets; I had on clothing designed for polar expeditions. After about a 10 minute stalemate, they began shivering uncontrollably. After another minute one of them went back inside. Another one, with no gloves on, realized he could no longer move his hands, and his teeth were chattering so bad he couldn't continue to swear at me. Two down! After just a few more minutes the third one threw in the towel when he realized he was freezing to death. After the last one went back inside, I slowly folded up my tripod and left. The intense cold is my friend, and better protection than the automatic rifle in my car.

Kent in SD

Alan Gales · May 12, 2014

My daughter pitched fast pitch softball for years. It seems that most of the ball fields are on flood plains next to a river or next to woods.

I learned that deet is your friend.

One thing about large format and deet. I've heard that the stuff will ruin a Harrison tent!

dasBlute · May 13, 2014

Around here, the LF folks expectantly look on me to be the one to get wet, for good reason.

I'll just share one incident and let you decide. I was going up Sobrantes Creek near Big Sur
in the rainy season. It was a perfect sunny day, but had rained pretty well the day before, so the
creek was going pretty good. At this one ford, large stone have been carefully placed to allow
you to walk across, even in heavy runoff. As I arrive, so does another hiker, and both of us being
rather good natured, we both urge the other on to cross first. Well it ends up being me, so off I go,
step by step, and about 3 steps before the last, start to lose my balance. But rather than just jump with
both feet into the muddy water and take my chances, I try to walk it like a tightrope and finish the stones.
Well soon I'm even further off balance, and then whoop! I fall over sideways, tripod in one hand, Crown
Graphic in the other, a bag of lenses and film holder slung over my shoulder, kerplunk! fully soaked in
the creek. What do I do? I pretend like nothing happened and quickly stand up and walk on, claiming
'I'm all right', in a loud voice while this gentleman, stood gape-jawed as I walk way, dripping.

Only later - after he's out of sight - did I check my gear. The lenses and film holders were completely dry.
The tripod would recover, but the crown was full of mud and grit, and was never again the same.
I still have it. I can laugh now

yulia_s_rey · May 13, 2014

This past summer I and a colleague were taking location photos and camera tests on a group of craggy islands (more like rocks) 1 mile offshore a small fishing village in NW Spain. We were dropped off early in the morning and made arrangements to be picked up two hours before sunset. The trip started with us getting half wet by an oncoming swell (anything to protect the cameras). Then, wet, we had to maneuver the equipment up through a three-story granite rock formation covered in guano. But none of these things could compare to what happened about mid-way up: that's when the seagulls began their onslaught. At first it was just a few, but then more and more came - it got so bad we had to put our equipment down and start wailing the tripod in the air. Finally, after what seemed an eternity of fighting the feathered-devils off, they retreated and we were able to make it to the top; or so we thought it was a retreat. A short while later, to our horror and to the sound of a myriad gull war cries they returned - with reinforcements! Again the Bogen saved us from certain death-by pecking. In all, for an eight hour day we were attacked four times and, although it turned out successful in terms of photography, (albeit for the occasional seagull messing up the shot) I nearly got on my knees and kissed the wharf when we got back to 'civilization.'
That evening at the pub, while telling the locals of our avian odyssey, we were informed that it was mating season and that the seagulls were protecting their nests. To this day, if I hear a seagull, my adrenaline starts pumping. Never underestimate the viciousness of a seagull.

StoneNYC · May 13, 2014

Had the same mosquito situation, I suspect it was even worse than yours, I mean, I thought I would die... I looked like I was krunking the whole time lol

But this happened so it was worth it...

mauro35 · May 13, 2014

StoneNYC said:
Had the same mosquito situation, I suspect it was even worse than yours, I mean, I thought I would die... I looked like I was krunking the whole time lol

But this happened so it was worth it...

View attachment 87911

It´s very interesting to hear the mosquito stories. You should come visit Finland...I can only tell you it´s so terrible here with the nasty insects, I start feeling the itching at the mere thought of the summer. I guess I got traumatized. Don´t have any specific story, but I can say that for each frame taken it´s an average of 10 mosquito bites. That way after a roll of 36 you need blood transfusion.

bdial · May 13, 2014

Compared to black-flies, I'll take mosquitoes anytime. Working under a dark cloth with those buggers around is hell.

Fortunately, they are only a menace for about 3 weeks, but those 3 weeks are now.

Maybe add a bag of plasma to the kit?:confused:

snapguy · May 13, 2014

heard

Out here in the California desert I certainly have heard of mosquitoes but have never actually seen one. Are they larger than sparrows?

Rick A · May 13, 2014

snapguy said:
Out here in the California desert I certainly have heard of mosquitoes but have never actually seen one. Are they larger than sparrows?

In Alaska they are larger than ravens, and the black flies are the size of buzzards.

paul_c5x4 · May 13, 2014

Never had a problem with the American mosquitoes, and I've travelled a fair bit over there.

If you want real mozzies, visit the Scottish highlands in May or June. Step out of the car and you'll instantly be surrounded in a thick black cloud and a few will give you a quick kiss on bare flesh.

The number one for vicious blood sucking mosquitoes will not be found north of the equator - The New Zealand sandflies have an appetite for blood that would make Count Dracula's feasts look like a midnight snack. These little buggers have been known to suck a lily white skinned tourist dry within hours of landing at an airport.

sly · May 13, 2014

One September, walking in a local park, I spied a dead tree trunk, not far off the path, covered top to bottom with gloriously yellow and orange sulphur shelf fungus. Walked over to it, and slung my camera bag onto the ground, straight on top of a wasp's nest! Huge swarm of angry wasps! Worse - half that swarm was trapped inside my SKIRT! I danced away screaming and tearing at my clothes. Half naked I used a 5 or 6 foot branch to pick up my skirt and shake it out a few times before I got decent. Half an hour later, once the wasps were no longer visibly circling my camera bag, I used an even longer branch to hook my camera bag and drag it away. Went home to soak in a tub seasoned with a box of baking soda, with a handful of ibuprofen in my tummy.
I'm much more comfortable in skirts than pants, but now don't go into the woods at the height of wasp season, except in jeans. I've stuck a tripod leg into a nest, and stepped over a fallen log onto a nest, and while those were very unpleasant experiences, garnering half a dozen wasp stings, they were no where near as horrible as the day of the sulphur shelf.
Have never seen such a stupendous display of sulphur shelf since.

gone · May 13, 2014

That's not like our Florida skeeters. You don't even know you're being bit (these gals are the pros) until after many of them have feasted on you for their fill. Then you notice a small itch that gets worse and worse until you get the idea.....skeeters! Some repellant from Walmart works the treat.

Wasps are bad news with or without a skirt. They are sneaky too, and get on you w/o warning. When we lived in the Southwest you had to be ready for everything. Stinging nettles, bees & wasps, snakes, poison ivy, pretty little cactus with hairlike reverse barbs that took forever to get out of your skin, etc.

All of my bad shooting experiences, and there haven't been many, have come from humans.

Steve Smith · May 13, 2014

paul_c5x4 said:
visit the Scottish highlands in May or June. Step out of the car and you'll instantly be surrounded in a thick black cloud and a few will give you a quick kiss on bare flesh.

When I went to Arran, I was told that drinking beer was a good repellant. I don't know if it's true and I didn't care!

Steve.

n2mf · May 13, 2014

Great stories...Let's here some more.

snapguy · May 13, 2014

El Lay story

I had these two pals who wanted to get a photograph of Elvis Presley who was, at that time, young and hotter than a pistola. They found out he would drive his Caddilac into the RCA Building in Hollywood to record a song or two but could be briefly be seen on the second floor balcony-like area. So one of the two photogs was a Gear Head and he decided to put his Nikon F with a 500mm lens on a tripod and put a very large focused electronic flash on another triopod. It was broad daylight but the strobe was needed because the balcony was shaded. So he gets everything set up, Elvis shows up, and he is immediately attached by a swarm of screaming, out-for-blood groupies who objected to having their Idol photographed. They knock down his tripods, he does not get a shot, and his pal was laughing so hard at this spectacle that he could not do a thing to help.
Groupies are a lot bigger and can be meaner than skeeters.

Axle · May 13, 2014

Checking out an abandoned industrial building out in the catskills in NY, ended up coming face to face with a 12-gauge shotgun.

Thankfully my first reaction was to look at the property owner and say "Pointing a gun at someone is rude, can I help you?" of course he wants me off the property, to which I reply "You could have just asked, I didn't realize that I was trespassing, my apologies" once I'm safe off his land I ask if he was actually going to shoot me. He replies that the gun isn't actually loaded, he just wanted to scare me.

Being a shooter myself, both film, and black powder historic muzzle loader (Replica New Land Pattern Light Infantry Musket), I realized this guy was a bit thick, and dangerous, and got out of the area quickly...found a brewery (Cooperstown Beverage Tour, highly recommended) and had a drink to calm myself.

Thomas Bertilsson · May 13, 2014

As a fund raiser for my step son's school I added an item, a service, to do a single person portrait session for free, including a finished print at any size up to 16x20, ready to frame, and then a few 5x7s for gifts if they desired.

Somebody bid a good amount for the service in the auction, not because of my skill, but because of their generosity towards the school. They had historically been generous toward the school, so you want that to continue.

We set a date for me to come over, and I was curious who they wanted me to photograph. I rang the door bell and they greeted me with enthusiasm, and inside the house were seven people, and the lady of the household promptly demanded I take a group portrait of the whole crowd.
I took her aside and reminded her that I had only signed up for a single person portrait, and I had only brought equipment for single person portraits, not group shots. I also reminded her that I am not good at group shots, that I work best with individuals, maybe couples. But not seven people at a time. It was raining outside. I had anticipated to use window light and a big reflector, which I brought with me, along with high speed film (Delta 3200 / 120 for the Hasselblad).
I even offered to do single portraits of every person there as a compromise, but they didn't budge.

I ended up doing the group shot, which looked horrible. But I managed to compel them to do individual portraits too, which was a sort of blessing and sweet revenge, because the individual portraits were to my standard, and the group shots all looked horrible. I did it for my step son's school, and to keep this wealthy family donating for a good cause and not put them off. Had it been for any other purpose I would have handed the check back and asked them to reconsider. It was awkward as hell.

removed account4 · May 13, 2014

i don't have many bad shooting experiences
except for a few i am not permitted to talk about
(if i did, it wouldn't end well ...)
its nice to see you all have picked up most of the slack for me.

E. von Hoegh · May 13, 2014

paul_c5x4 said:
Never had a problem with the American mosquitoes, and I've travelled a fair bit over there.

If you want real mozzies, visit the Scottish highlands in May or June. Step out of the car and you'll instantly be surrounded in a thick black cloud and a few will give you a quick kiss on bare flesh.

The number one for vicious blood sucking mosquitoes will not be found north of the equator - The New Zealand sandflies have an appetite for blood that would make Count Dracula's feasts look like a midnight snack. These little buggers have been known to suck a lily white skinned tourist dry within hours of landing at an airport.

Not in the right places, then.
I was camping about this time last year and awoke hearing voices. It was two mosquitos, just outside my tent - "Should we eat him here, or take him down by the creek?" said the first one. "No, not there, the big guys will take him away from us" said the second.

And the mosquitos are nothing compared to the black flies, which have been known to drive people screaming into lakes - and this is no BS.

jp498 · May 13, 2014

For work, I sometimes visit tower sites, and we often find wasps/hornets. We keep a can of spray in the truck for that purpose.

Night shooting with mosquitos or blackflys is worse then day shooting. You might have to stand there for quite a long time to get a couple photos when the exposure times are a few minutes each; it's when digital is slower than daytime LF. The insects really like me.

Gulls are wrongly considered by tourists to be quaint coastal scavengers, like a local version of pigeons. They are, in addition to being protective, pretty nasty. Painter Jamie Wyeth painted the seven deadly sins using gulls as the subjects, and really captured well the bad side of gulls. I've spent many summers on the water handling fish and have been swooped at, shat upon, stolen from, and so forth by gulls pretty regularly. As a result, it doesn't bother me at all to have them swooping at me and making noises for being near a nest. In the US, despite their abundance and dominance over other birds, they are protected because they are migratory birds, and thus are illegal to shoot at will. A dead gull does keep them at bay a little bit.

Truzi · May 13, 2014

We've had mosquitoes that seemed to bite through leather dress shoes.

I've found the best thing against mosquitoes is to have a companion they like better. When my best friend is around, the little bugs don't mess with me much.

StoneNYC · May 13, 2014

Thomas Bertilsson said:
As a fund raiser for my step son's school I added an item, a service, to do a single person portrait session for free, including a finished print at any size up to 16x20, ready to frame, and then a few 5x7s for gifts if they desired.

Somebody bid a good amount for the service in the auction, not because of my skill, but because of their generosity towards the school. They had historically been generous toward the school, so you want that to continue.

We set a date for me to come over, and I was curious who they wanted me to photograph. I rang the door bell and they greeted me with enthusiasm, and inside the house were seven people, and the lady of the household promptly demanded I take a group portrait of the whole crowd.
I took her aside and reminded her that I had only signed up for a single person portrait, and I had only brought equipment for single person portraits, not group shots. I also reminded her that I am not good at group shots, that I work best with individuals, maybe couples. But not seven people at a time. It was raining outside. I had anticipated to use window light and a big reflector, which I brought with me, along with high speed film (Delta 3200 / 120 for the Hasselblad).
I even offered to do single portraits of every person there as a compromise, but they didn't budge.

I ended up doing the group shot, which looked horrible. But I managed to compel them to do individual portraits too, which was a sort of blessing and sweet revenge, because the individual portraits were to my standard, and the group shots all looked horrible. I did it for my step son's school, and to keep this wealthy family donating for a good cause and not put them off. Had it been for any other purpose I would have handed the check back and asked them to reconsider. It was awkward as hell.

Hah! Rich people don't care what YOU want or what YOU are comfortable shooting, they want what THEY want and you just have to do it! I'm shocked you were able to convince them to even do a single portrait.

Good story!

E. von Hoegh · May 13, 2014

Truzi said:
We've had mosquitoes that seemed to bite through leather dress shoes.

I've found the best thing against mosquitoes is to have a companion they like better. When my best friend is around, the little bugs don't mess with me much.

I have an 8x10 negative with the silhouette of one of the little ba$tards on it.

My Worst Shooting Experience To Date & Yet One More Thing To ALWAYS Have In My Kit!

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