12 22 June 2019I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113
THE
VEWS
EXPRESSED IN THIS COLUMN ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER MAGA ZINE OR TI MED
AL
MTED
I
believethere’sanunwrittenrule
thatallphotographersshould
adhereto whenworkingin close
proximityto otherphotographers.
If someonemakestheeffortto settheir
alarmearlierthanyou,treksseveralmiles
to a remotelocationandsetsuptheir
tripodin theperfectspot,it’sonlyfairthat
yourespectthattheyweretherefirst.
There’snothingwrongwithshootingfroma
differentangleorpolitelyaskingif they’d
mindyousettingupnearby,butyoumust
bemindfulof notgettingin thewayand
alwaysworksympathetically.Justlike
golferstakeoffenceto someonewalking
acrosstheirlineontheputtinggreen,
photographerscan’tbareother
photographerswhoambleintotheframe
unexpectedlyorselfishly ruin a shot to
benefit theirown.
Outrageousbehaviour
AfewweeksagoI couldn’tbelievewhatI
witnessedandwashorrifiedbytheactions
of onephotographer.Ona dull,dreary
dayat a preservedrailwayin Sussex,I
wasstrugglingforinspirationuntilI found
myselfat thebackof a goodstrainwhere
a railwayvolunteerkindlyofferedtopose
formeasa trainpassedontheadjacent
line.Havinghadanunsuccessfulmorning,
I knewthiswasmychancetoreturnhome
witha crackingshottobeproudof.
Afterrefiningmyexposuresettings,
repositioningthevolunteerandpatiently
waitingforthetraintoapproach,I wasall
set ready to fi re the shutter. But then, out
of nowherea man,in whatI guessedwas
hissixties,enteredmyframefromthe
right,beforestandingdirectlyin front
of mecompletelyobscuringmyshot.
Tappinghimontheshoulder,askinghim
politelytomoveoutof thewaydid
nothing.Hewasn’thavinganyof it.
Secondslaterthetrainpassedandthe
momentwasgone.Whatwouldhave
beena greatshotwasmissed.Asthe
inconsideratemanturnedandwalked
away,clearlyknowinghe’dswoopedin
andstolenmyshotwithouta carein
theworld,I ventedmyfrustrationby
whisperinga fewexpletivesabouthis
shockingbehaviourin hisear.Hedidn’t
takea blindbitof noticeorrespond.
Havingexperiencedsucha selfishactby
anotherphotographergotmethinking.
Howoftendoesthisoccurandhowmany
otherphotographershaveexperienced
somethingsimilar?Unfortunatelythere
arenosetruleswhenwe’retaking
picturesaroundothersandwerelyheavily
ontheconsiderationof others.Nexttime
you’reabouttotakea spectacularshot,
sparea thoughtof howinfuriatingit would
beforsomeonetogatecrashit. The
goldenruleof treatingothersasone
wishestobetreatedmustalwaysbe
rememberedandis particularlyrelevant
tophotography.If weallobeythisrule,
theworldwillbea farbetterplace.
Arephotographersbecominglessrespectful
and considerate of others?
View point
Michael Topham
MichaelTophamis thereviewseditoratAmateur
Photographer. In hissparetimeheshoots weddings.
Visit http://www.michaeltopham.co.uk.
© MICHAEL TOPHAM
Seconds after this image was taken, another photographer stormed in front and stole the shot
© ROSS HODDINOTT
CONTENT FOR NEXT WEEK’S ISSUE
MAY
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PanasonicLumixG
MichaelTophamtestsPanasonic’s
SLR-styleMicroFourThirdscamera
Newlifeforoldnegs
JohnWadeshareshissecretsforturning
fi lmnegativesintodigitalimages
CanonEOS6D
Welookbackatthehugelypopular6D
which makes a great second-hand buy
Confusedaboutexposure,
spotmetering,etc.?Ross
Hoddinott has the answers
Maximum
exposure
In next week’s issue
On sale Tuesday 25 June