[LargeFormat] The Lost (Photo) Weekend more

[David Swinnard]

Back in the '80s, before the current sensitivity to "terrorists" I routinely
wandered around Vancouver (BC, not WA) with a 4x5 on a big tripod
(architectural photography) without attracting too much attention. The odd
person would pause to either peer intently in the direction the camera was
pointed, or ask what we were looking at "under there". With a hard-hat and a
clipboard (in some locales) we (fellow I worked with and myself) must have
appeared somehow "official", blending into that group of almost invisible
city workers et al. who randomly appear throughout the urban area to go
about their mysterious business.

I've recently returned that old vocation and have yet to venture deep into
the urban world with the same equipment - I'm expecting more confrontations.
I did however spend two (glorious, sunny, unseasonably fine) days wondering
around Victoria's downtown with a Hasselblad on a tripod last weekend with
no comments from anybody except an historian (beside whom I'd set up)
selling his books from a street stall.  He filled me in with the details of
the building and others in the area, even suggesting some I might find a bit
farther afield.

The Sinar on a monopod, there's a interesting thought...

Dave

-----Original Message-----
From: largeformat-admin@f32.net [mailto:largeformat-admin@f32.net]On
Behalf Of Joseph O'Neil
Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2003 5:23 AM
To: largeformat@f32.net
Subject: Re: [LargeFormat] The Lost (Photo) Weekend more


At 07:58 10/2/03 -0400, you wrote:

>Europeans and the Brits can use large format cameras on
>tripods, it seems.
>In New York City the police stop large format users
>from photographing as they may be "terrorists" searching
>for a place to do their dirty deeds, we are told.

         Even here in Canada,t he minute you pull out a tripod, you attract
attention, not always wanted.  I had a homeless guy threaten me once (even
though my back was to him), been asked to leave a mall (private property) -
basically, the "law"  seems to say once you setup any camera ona  tripod,
you are a "professional", and subject to  all sorts of rules and regs.

         It gets worse however - a fornt page article on the National Post
here in Canada talked aobut how a bunch of 8 & 10 year olds on a school
trip who tried to take a picutre of the gravestone fo Canada's 10th Prime
Minister were told by the cemetery staff this was not allowed without
permission.    Even thought he stone is in public view, the cemetery staff
said anything on the stone is "confidential".  yeah, i am sure such a thing
can be challenged in court, but realistically, who has either the money or
the time to do it?

         Dunno aobut the rest of you, but my "tripod" is the seat of park
benches, the tops of public garbage containers, the tops of fence posts,
and more.   While I would not do with with my monorail, but my crown &
super speed graphic work excellent in this regard.
         The opther option is a good monopod for the above two cameras,
easily extended & contracted, very portable.  Worth a thought.
joe



http://www.oneilphoto.on.ca
http://www.multiboard.com/~joneil
Una salus victis, nullam sperare salutem



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