Digital Photography Wildlife

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Digital Photography - Staying Safe While Out With Your DSLR Digital Camera

When out with your camera you are out in the open with what is a valuable and expensive to replace product, I dare say we have all heard or seen the stories of youths attacking other youths just for a mobile phone, well what happened to a good friend of mine could have cost him a lot more and certainly gave thought for how you could better deal with the unthinkable.

One glorious summer day my friend decided it would be nice to take a stroll and visit a local lake for a spot of wildlife photography, this was nothing out of the ordinary as he and I both do this often along with many other keen photography enthusiasts worldwide.

Once at the lake he soon realised that he was pretty much alone which pleased him as this meant there would be no disruption to the wildlife meaning he would have a much better chance of getting some good animal shots.

He started off by walking around the heavily wooded side of the lake where not much else could go except for a human on foot and even then only just in some places.

Once he got around the far side of the lake, which was about a mile from where he had started from he noticed what appeared to be a young lad riding a monkey-bike (small motorbike) up an off-cut of the lake which was a public footpath, the young lad spotted my friend and sped off out of sight up the footpath acting as though he knew he should not be there on the bike.

He continued around the far side which was like a grass path with thick bushes and a high fence on one side with no exit and the lake itself on the other, still quite happily taking pictures at this point.

Then from no-where he heard the roar of a much bigger off-road motorbike screaming up behind him...

He heard the motorbike stop just a few feet behind him, then a voice called out, "mister" he froze and turned around, there was a rather unsavoury looking lad on this bike covered in mud and tattoos staring straight at him, or rather his camera, which he was now clutching tightly in his hand.

The lad said "where do these paths lead and which one can we use our bikes on" it was at this point that my friend spotted two other lads further down the path behind this lad as well as the young kid on the monkey-bike.

Quickly thinking he pointed in the opposite direction from where he was standing stating that they would be better off at the golf club end, he stood his ground as the lad turned the bike around and revved off digging up all the grass with wheel spin as he sped away.

Now his heart was racing and was in fear for his safety. While he thought he could perhaps tackle one of these youths alone he would possibly not stand much chance against all three.

How an innocent peaceful walk could be ruined and turned into a potentially dangerous situation so fast...

He turned and started walking as fast as he could without running while behind him he could hear the motorbikes revving in his direction and then backing off again, but each time getting nearer.

There was no-where to go except forward which meant once he had cleared the back edge of the lake there would be an open grass field to cross before reaching the safety of the main road.

While walking he assessed the situation and shuddered when he realised he had his wallet, mobile phone, and a couple of different camera lenses, and of course his DSLR digital camera on him.

By the time he had reached the back end of the lake and onto the open grass field he felt the danger had passed as he could still hear them, but it seemed distant or at least unfocussed on him.

But just before he gave a sigh of relief he heard them trying to get around the woodland side of the lake, as there were parts there that a human on foot could barely just get passed it would be impossible for a motorbike.

However he could not have been more wrong, the next thing he knew two of the lads on motorbikes appeared from beyond the trees which was a few hundred feet in front of him. At this point he dived to the floor so as to avoid being spotted as by now he was convinced that they wanted to rob him of at least his camera.

They then rode virtually right passed him and over towards the main gate, they hung around there until the other lad joined them by coming around the lake the other way, they seemed to talk for a while before speeding off back into the woodlands, at which point now fearing for his safety my friend stood up and ran toward the main gates and eventually out of them and home.

This whole situation was a lot more involved, but to write every little bit would have made a book and not an actionable and informative article...

Needless to say that he counted himself very lucky as he genuinely thought that when the first lad came up to talk to him that the lad was at the very least going to make a lunge for his camera. He has vowed never to go out photographing again on his own, which is sad when you think about it!

What happened to him that day could happen to any one of us and at any time, so extra care and awareness should always be given to our surroundings and possible situations.

As dedicated photographers we realise that in order to gain some of pictures there can at times be a little risk involved, but you put yourself in this situations and not have them thrust upon you.

A few pointers that might be of benefit and that you might want to consider when you are going out into woodland or forestry areas with expensive photographic equipment:

 

• Try not to go alone if you can help it


• Only go in populated areas alone


• Never carry your wallet just some cash for emergencies etc


• Always take your mobile phone and call the police if you feel threatened


• Make sure someone knows where you are and roughly how long you will be


• Never fight for your camera it could cost you your life, you can always replace a camera


• Why not invest in a mace spray or other legal deterrent for your area

 

No-one ever wants to think they might be in physical danger, but as we can see from what happened to my friend here (and in a very short space of time) he only went out to perform a perfectly harmless, innocent act, and were it not for his quick thinking and actions he could very well of ended up virtually fighting for his life.

This was obviously an isolated incident and fortunately nothing did happen, but he was exceptionally lucky as well as visibly shaken by his ordeal and who would not be?

It is highly unlikely that anything like this will ever happen to you, but pre-warned is pre-armed as they say, at least you can learn from this and have a much better and safer time while out photographing with your camera.

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