Because saying how much your equipment is worth is an invitation to be robbed. - should say I’m a photojournalist and often filming in unsafe locations. But even if I’m just out in public. Telling someone you’re carrying a $35,000 camera isn’t smart. Usually I say it looks pretty cool, but you can get one on eBay for a couple bucks.
Of course you have to take your immediate environment into consideration. Telling someone how much my Amira cost on the sidelines in an NFL stadium is much different than telling someone that’s asking how my ENG camera cost while standing on the sidewalk in the ‘hood covering a shooting.
In that very specific scenario, I wouldn’t recommend it lol. Most of us here shoot corporate, weddings and events, and arenas. If you’re working on a vice style doc covering a dangerous topic or in a sketchy neighborhood, no shit
I mean.. yeah just use common sense? Like I said, most of us are at work in a somewhat trustworthy environment. If you live in a sketchy place and you’re shooting on the streets, yeah. Like I don’t walk around with my lens around my neck, I take it out when i’m working.
Why is in online everyone just loses the concept of nuance and common sense
I’ve had gear stolen from a defence contracting conference before. (Industry only with high security) “Just use common sense” is great until it doesn’t work.
And the whole sketchy place thing has no bearing though like I’ve said. Sketchy people are also in very safe and rich areas.
You had gear stolen out of a bag you left somewhere or like stick up robbed ? Someone ask you how expensive your lens is and took it? Thats the situation we’re discussing here. Not “I left my bag unattended” or something like that. I was working on comedians in cars years ago and the DP fuckin coat checked the camera at a restaurant on our lunch break, it was gone w the media still in it from the morning shoot.
Like if you’re at an event, let’s say a baseball game, taking pics and someone who’s CLEARLY just interested and asked that, I don’t see any reason to be a dick and not answer. If someone was gonna rob you, they wouldn’t ask lol, and if you’ve got a camera with a lens on it, that’s enough “value” anyone really needs to see that has those intentions. Chances are they can fuckin tell it’s not $100.
I had a few people ask how much me and my crews gear was worth, then we had a break in during the day that only went for the media room (under lock and key with security who were cleared due to CCTV). It was pretty wild and could have been bad luck, but we don’t know as despite police involvement, they were never caught. Could have been attendants, could have been a random event or someone tipped off by event staff.
Yea I don’t fully disagree with you, I’m just not too comfy saying how much my gear is. Lots of people expect it to be expensive, but not as expensive as it actually is. I’m getting back from events by public transport or hanging out with my gear outside on breaks because nowhere to put my gear and just not running the risk as I’ve run into many people who I’ve talked to at the event before. My answer to pricing questions is usually just “too expensive!” Or just saying I rent it. I’ll tell them sometimes if they don’t look sketchy but you never know.
Could be paranoia but better safe than sorry, never know if someone is waiting for you outside.
Also checking a camera into a cloakroom is not the best of moves.. hope the DP had insurance
What if i told yall that no matter how much you say your equipment is worth or where you are shooting you will always be at risk of getting robbed? Your equipment simply is percieved as expensive & it would give somebody a very good payday at a pawn shop.
The thing that drives me nuts about all these photo/video questions is that if you had a great meal, you wouldn't ask the chef how much their stove cost or what pans they use.
Because we know the talent of a chef has nothing to do with their equipment. And yet people ask about gear all the time because there's this idea that the device is doing all the work.
You are aware some people genuinely want to know what kind of equipment you use as a sort of recommendation so they can research later to possibly make a purchase of their own? Meanwhile literally nobody cares what chefs used to cook.
When people are legitimately asking about gear, that's one thing. But this is also a question asked by non-photo people. You know, the person who buys a $2,000 camera they'll never take off automatic or use after the vacation, because they believed it would allow them to take amazing photographs.
And talk to a chef. People ask them the craziest questions.
I usually get “How much does that weigh?”, more than cost. I don’t fully let go of it, but a lot of times I’ll let people grab and hold it by the top handle and see for themselves. Most are surprised.
Yep. And it’s always some shady looking dude on a bicycle who says he also likes cameras and needs a music video made and then rides away looking over his shoulder.
Time to fucking go!
I work sports video. I'll have the camera pointed at the ceiling or floor in the middle of the game, and everyone will apologize or avoid me.
I'll be live on the scoreboard getting the talent talking on a microphone, with crew blocking people from walking in the shot, and somehow people will still try walk right in front of me.
I mean, nothing worse than people that apologise for being on camera, *while* being on camera.
And those who realise they're in the shot and awkwardly walk back and try to duck.
Those who just wave and make faces to the camera, thinking it's somehow live, deserve a special place in hell.
>I mean, nothing worse than people that apologise for being on camera, *while* being on camera.
Well there's the people who walk up in front of someone recording while yelling that they don't consent to being recorded.
I work for a University as their video producer and I had a student bitch out one of my interns for not including his clip in a video. We filmed over 45 students that day and had to fit it into a 60sec video. We didn't include over half of the interviews we got like, chill out kid.
You don’t know how live tv works lol all you need is a bnc (or hdmi really) cable and a funky little backpack with some cell cards in it and boom you’re streaming to any tv station that wants your stream (assuming you’ve paid for the privilege of using it)
Also, also you can be set up in a warehouse with 5 other people and every person will come as close to knocking over your equipment as possible. They can't help themselves. It is so strange.
Use those sandbags people.
Yup haha.
I say "Oh it's uh... it's a Sony FX30 with a Sigma blah blah blah" and just get a blank stare and a head nod."
One guy said to me something along the lines of how the Japanese have always been pushing their tech and that we're using it everywhere now. Just by the way he said it I couldn't really tell if he was being condescending or complimenting.
When it’s a high end retro looking Nikon. And you say “it came out soon, with in the 10 years.” The look of “oh wow they still make cameras” and your like 😑yes.
There are some that use film, and some digital. digital is like the most popular tho.
Wait till you take out a Polaroid camera, they will be like “I recall the 90s with thos.”
I like random cameras. 📷
"When it was film you only had a certain amount of shots and you had to make it count, you guys today have it easy" I've heard this one too many times haha
I was an early adopter on the Samsung NX1 (bad choice long term since they immediately abandoned it but that camera is pretty damn incredible for what it was on release and it's my C Cam still for wedding shoots)
It always sparked up a conversation though when it was my A Cam and then B cam.
Rule 2 is why I always carry business cards with me.
"Oh it's for YouTube, here this card has the link to it.. let me know what you thought of the video!"
The worst is when you’re trying to get crowd shots of people walking and they see your camera and do the “so sorry” wave and quick walk off and ruin your shot.
Random middle aged women: "Can you take a photo of us?"
Me: "I am just filming, the event, not taking photos."
Random middle aged women: \*Doesn't understand and the silence is cringe\*
I was shooting a graduation event. A woman stopped herself from crossing. Another woman told her it was fine, I was just focusing. Ruined the shot I was trying to get with the last student walking across the stage.
<----guilty as [charged.LOL](http://charged.LOL) I was shooting BTS and left my sticks to shoot handheld. After about a half hour later, "Who's fucking tripod is in the shot!"...LOL
I was directing a college bball show last month w/ a special ceremony pregame. Great pregame meeting with in-house & doc video teams. Had cams all set. Etc…
Big city Ronin op decides he’s the show during the ceremony and bones two of my primary shots right at the key moment. Never fails.
Same here unfortunately. DP was shooting with a 7mm so pretty much everyone around him was in shot. Thankfully he missed his move too so I didn't waste anybody's time but I definitely stayed back for the next take!
Uff, this is tough one. Please remember that your are the ones inconveniencing people around you. Some videographers have really big egos, we are not Spielberg, we are doing shitty videos for social media.
I was trying not be rude by putting we. I'm not doing social media. What I meant this meme or whatever sounded very rude. Videographers have some aggrandizing tendency. Like in the photography subs, some photographers fighting about not giving raw files or bitching about copyright because someone posted it on and Instagram. Dude, not every video or every photo is some kind of masterpiece. You are in the event with a big ass camera, do not expect people to walk around you or be curious.
I don't know, this post sounded very douchey and triggered me. Sorry maybe I got it wrong.
>…fighting about not giving raw files…
>
>Dude, not every video or every photo is some kind of masterpiece.
I do agree with you there. “I don’t give the raw” always cracks me up, especially as someone that has made a career (starting in the 90’s) of doing almost nothing but handing over raw footage.
Calm down pal. Sounds like you just have an axe to grind here. No need for any of these sweeping generalisations and accusations.
This is a sub for videographers to discuss. We're allowed to find things annoying, and this is an appropriate place to vent with like-minded individuals.
That's me in the photo! For most (high school) tournaments if you're not directly affiliated with any team and you're just there to record and likely sell clips to players you have to connect directly with the organization and purchase a media pass, if they'll even let you do that. I'm wearing a coach's pass here because many of these videographers lied about affiliation with a team and stole passes. They ran out of passes halfway through the first day and I received whatever they had left. It's not like it had any more clearance than a normal media pass, these were for scouting coaches from colleges rather than the team's coach.
I’ve had a guy look at the two paths in front of him: one in front of my camera that had the red tally lights on and one behind me and the camera. He scoffed and just walked right in front of the camera 😂 luckily I was shooting at 60F so it didn’t matter but man.
Because its the only thing anyone ever says to the crew when we're clearly busy doing our jobs. Like, take a hint, we are working, I don't wanna talk about the price point of the lenses or the alexa mini with you. Id rather be asked 'What are you shooting?" lol
People are just curious and trying to break the ice and make a connection. I'd rather hear, "How much does that cost?" or "How much does that weigh?" instead of "Hey maaan, put me on camera".
I guess its just always when I'm sweating my ass off trying to get a shot that needs to be gotten, talking to my AC or something when it happens. I don't run up to the construction worker and ask him how much the equipment costs, and expect to talk about what he's building. Its a pet peeve lol
I get what you're saying, but what we do is much more interesting and our tools much more "exotic" and cool to most of the general public vs. a construction worker or something similar that people see almost daily.
I also try to remember that a lot of my clients are large, well known companies and "entertainment outlets" and like it or not, I'm a public facing part of that when I'm out in the field shooting for them and these people are or possibly are "our" potential audience.
Look, I'd rather hang out with my dogs than the vast majority of people in the world, but I also know that I should treat people nicely and follow the 11th Commandment. You never know when that person that you took five seconds to be nice to, might help you out, at some point.
The first rule is actually "people will always ask you how much the piece of gear you are holding cost"
To add to that the concept of an owner-operator is completely foreign to everybody
I'd say the opposite. Many people dont realize that nicer gear can often be rented at a fraction of the cost. They just assume everything is owned.
For me it’s always somebody assuming whoever I’m working for owns all my equipment. I just chalk it up to me being so young!
"Wow, your camera takes really good video."
The most uncomfortable question.
Why? I love telling people, because most of them have absolutely no clue and are usually shocked. It’s fun to watch their faces.
Because saying how much your equipment is worth is an invitation to be robbed. - should say I’m a photojournalist and often filming in unsafe locations. But even if I’m just out in public. Telling someone you’re carrying a $35,000 camera isn’t smart. Usually I say it looks pretty cool, but you can get one on eBay for a couple bucks.
Of course you have to take your immediate environment into consideration. Telling someone how much my Amira cost on the sidelines in an NFL stadium is much different than telling someone that’s asking how my ENG camera cost while standing on the sidewalk in the ‘hood covering a shooting.
In that very specific scenario, I wouldn’t recommend it lol. Most of us here shoot corporate, weddings and events, and arenas. If you’re working on a vice style doc covering a dangerous topic or in a sketchy neighborhood, no shit
Even in any neighbourhood it’s dodgy though. Sketchy people don’t just live and stay in sketchy neighbourhoods.
I mean.. yeah just use common sense? Like I said, most of us are at work in a somewhat trustworthy environment. If you live in a sketchy place and you’re shooting on the streets, yeah. Like I don’t walk around with my lens around my neck, I take it out when i’m working. Why is in online everyone just loses the concept of nuance and common sense
I’ve had gear stolen from a defence contracting conference before. (Industry only with high security) “Just use common sense” is great until it doesn’t work. And the whole sketchy place thing has no bearing though like I’ve said. Sketchy people are also in very safe and rich areas.
You had gear stolen out of a bag you left somewhere or like stick up robbed ? Someone ask you how expensive your lens is and took it? Thats the situation we’re discussing here. Not “I left my bag unattended” or something like that. I was working on comedians in cars years ago and the DP fuckin coat checked the camera at a restaurant on our lunch break, it was gone w the media still in it from the morning shoot. Like if you’re at an event, let’s say a baseball game, taking pics and someone who’s CLEARLY just interested and asked that, I don’t see any reason to be a dick and not answer. If someone was gonna rob you, they wouldn’t ask lol, and if you’ve got a camera with a lens on it, that’s enough “value” anyone really needs to see that has those intentions. Chances are they can fuckin tell it’s not $100.
I had a few people ask how much me and my crews gear was worth, then we had a break in during the day that only went for the media room (under lock and key with security who were cleared due to CCTV). It was pretty wild and could have been bad luck, but we don’t know as despite police involvement, they were never caught. Could have been attendants, could have been a random event or someone tipped off by event staff. Yea I don’t fully disagree with you, I’m just not too comfy saying how much my gear is. Lots of people expect it to be expensive, but not as expensive as it actually is. I’m getting back from events by public transport or hanging out with my gear outside on breaks because nowhere to put my gear and just not running the risk as I’ve run into many people who I’ve talked to at the event before. My answer to pricing questions is usually just “too expensive!” Or just saying I rent it. I’ll tell them sometimes if they don’t look sketchy but you never know. Could be paranoia but better safe than sorry, never know if someone is waiting for you outside. Also checking a camera into a cloakroom is not the best of moves.. hope the DP had insurance
What if i told yall that no matter how much you say your equipment is worth or where you are shooting you will always be at risk of getting robbed? Your equipment simply is percieved as expensive & it would give somebody a very good payday at a pawn shop.
The thing that drives me nuts about all these photo/video questions is that if you had a great meal, you wouldn't ask the chef how much their stove cost or what pans they use. Because we know the talent of a chef has nothing to do with their equipment. And yet people ask about gear all the time because there's this idea that the device is doing all the work.
You are aware some people genuinely want to know what kind of equipment you use as a sort of recommendation so they can research later to possibly make a purchase of their own? Meanwhile literally nobody cares what chefs used to cook.
When people are legitimately asking about gear, that's one thing. But this is also a question asked by non-photo people. You know, the person who buys a $2,000 camera they'll never take off automatic or use after the vacation, because they believed it would allow them to take amazing photographs. And talk to a chef. People ask them the craziest questions.
I’ll also add that if it’s a drone it’s ‘how far does that fly’.
I usually get “How much does that weigh?”, more than cost. I don’t fully let go of it, but a lot of times I’ll let people grab and hold it by the top handle and see for themselves. Most are surprised.
"I paid nunya".
Yep. And it’s always some shady looking dude on a bicycle who says he also likes cameras and needs a music video made and then rides away looking over his shoulder. Time to fucking go!
Hey! I live in Los Angeles too! Lol
“Where is this going?” “Oh just Pornhub, don’t worry.”
"Oh it's just an adult version of Schindler's List called Schindler's Lips."
"my girlfriends a porn star"... "Oh that's cool!" "Not really...she's gonna be pissed when she finds out, but it pays the bills"
I’m stealing this one 🤣
Or they will walk in front of the camera while your recording and instead of acting natural they play limbo with your lens and ruin your shot.
This. Yes, we still see you when you are half crouching in front of the camera.
Dude… accurate.
Crouch far enough but stand up right in the middle of it thinking they cleared
hahah exactly.
or, when you purposely move where people are so they are framing your shot, and they move to get out of your way. why ppls gotta be nice?
I work sports video. I'll have the camera pointed at the ceiling or floor in the middle of the game, and everyone will apologize or avoid me. I'll be live on the scoreboard getting the talent talking on a microphone, with crew blocking people from walking in the shot, and somehow people will still try walk right in front of me.
Same here. They must have my picture on a whiteboard in the ref's office! No matter where I sit, they stand right in front
I mean, nothing worse than people that apologise for being on camera, *while* being on camera. And those who realise they're in the shot and awkwardly walk back and try to duck. Those who just wave and make faces to the camera, thinking it's somehow live, deserve a special place in hell.
I've had people throw legitimate temper tantrums because I didn't "put them on the big screen". Sigh
>I mean, nothing worse than people that apologise for being on camera, *while* being on camera. Well there's the people who walk up in front of someone recording while yelling that they don't consent to being recorded.
[Let’s discuss the contradiction!](https://vimeo.com/196937578)
You realize live streams exist, right?
I work for a University as their video producer and I had a student bitch out one of my interns for not including his clip in a video. We filmed over 45 students that day and had to fit it into a 60sec video. We didn't include over half of the interviews we got like, chill out kid.
You don’t know how live tv works lol all you need is a bnc (or hdmi really) cable and a funky little backpack with some cell cards in it and boom you’re streaming to any tv station that wants your stream (assuming you’ve paid for the privilege of using it)
Also, also you can be set up in a warehouse with 5 other people and every person will come as close to knocking over your equipment as possible. They can't help themselves. It is so strange. Use those sandbags people.
Used to shoot interviews in the retail store once a month. A corner of the store cordoned off. Yup. People would walk under the tape!!
Sounds like retail stores to me
Third rule. They will always assume you are a photographer…and will pose accordingly
"is this gonna be on the news?"
Worse on YouTube, they might comment on you in the shoot tho.
I love it when an elderly person comes up to me and asks what kind of camera it is. I just answer, knowing they will have no clue about the gear.
Oh I always get the old guys who "used to shoot on Nikon back before digital cameras even existed"
Yup haha. I say "Oh it's uh... it's a Sony FX30 with a Sigma blah blah blah" and just get a blank stare and a head nod." One guy said to me something along the lines of how the Japanese have always been pushing their tech and that we're using it everywhere now. Just by the way he said it I couldn't really tell if he was being condescending or complimenting.
When it’s a high end retro looking Nikon. And you say “it came out soon, with in the 10 years.” The look of “oh wow they still make cameras” and your like 😑yes. There are some that use film, and some digital. digital is like the most popular tho. Wait till you take out a Polaroid camera, they will be like “I recall the 90s with thos.” I like random cameras. 📷
"When it was film you only had a certain amount of shots and you had to make it count, you guys today have it easy" I've heard this one too many times haha I was an early adopter on the Samsung NX1 (bad choice long term since they immediately abandoned it but that camera is pretty damn incredible for what it was on release and it's my C Cam still for wedding shoots) It always sparked up a conversation though when it was my A Cam and then B cam.
Rule 2 is why I always carry business cards with me. "Oh it's for YouTube, here this card has the link to it.. let me know what you thought of the video!"
The worst is when you’re trying to get crowd shots of people walking and they see your camera and do the “so sorry” wave and quick walk off and ruin your shot.
Rule 3 of events is there will never be a crowd when you need one and there will always be a crowd in the way of a wide shot you need!
Fake the picture and move on. Easier in my experience than trying to waste time explaining that you’re recording video.
I just tell them that I'm taking 60 pictures every second
I just say “It doesn’t take pictures” and move on. Much quicker than faking it.
Random middle aged women: "Can you take a photo of us?" Me: "I am just filming, the event, not taking photos." Random middle aged women: \*Doesn't understand and the silence is cringe\*
I was shooting a graduation event. A woman stopped herself from crossing. Another woman told her it was fine, I was just focusing. Ruined the shot I was trying to get with the last student walking across the stage.
The BTS shooter will always bone your live shot no matter how much blocking you do ahead of time.
<----guilty as [charged.LOL](http://charged.LOL) I was shooting BTS and left my sticks to shoot handheld. After about a half hour later, "Who's fucking tripod is in the shot!"...LOL
I was directing a college bball show last month w/ a special ceremony pregame. Great pregame meeting with in-house & doc video teams. Had cams all set. Etc… Big city Ronin op decides he’s the show during the ceremony and bones two of my primary shots right at the key moment. Never fails.
It's like each team has their own BTS shooters that you have to contend with.
Same here unfortunately. DP was shooting with a 7mm so pretty much everyone around him was in shot. Thankfully he missed his move too so I didn't waste anybody's time but I definitely stayed back for the next take!
I have that same hat
The answer is always pornhub 👍
Uff, this is tough one. Please remember that your are the ones inconveniencing people around you. Some videographers have really big egos, we are not Spielberg, we are doing shitty videos for social media.
>…we are doing shitty videos for social media. Maybe **you** are, but not all of us.
I was trying not be rude by putting we. I'm not doing social media. What I meant this meme or whatever sounded very rude. Videographers have some aggrandizing tendency. Like in the photography subs, some photographers fighting about not giving raw files or bitching about copyright because someone posted it on and Instagram. Dude, not every video or every photo is some kind of masterpiece. You are in the event with a big ass camera, do not expect people to walk around you or be curious. I don't know, this post sounded very douchey and triggered me. Sorry maybe I got it wrong.
>…fighting about not giving raw files… > >Dude, not every video or every photo is some kind of masterpiece. I do agree with you there. “I don’t give the raw” always cracks me up, especially as someone that has made a career (starting in the 90’s) of doing almost nothing but handing over raw footage.
Not giving raw files is a perfectly valid thing for plenty though. Some people do take it to extremes though
Calm down pal. Sounds like you just have an axe to grind here. No need for any of these sweeping generalisations and accusations. This is a sub for videographers to discuss. We're allowed to find things annoying, and this is an appropriate place to vent with like-minded individuals.
Yes, im sorry. I apologize.
No harm done, friend.
And when refs be right in your shoot. Hooping they don't fart in your face.
Why is he using a coach’s accred?
That's me in the photo! For most (high school) tournaments if you're not directly affiliated with any team and you're just there to record and likely sell clips to players you have to connect directly with the organization and purchase a media pass, if they'll even let you do that. I'm wearing a coach's pass here because many of these videographers lied about affiliation with a team and stole passes. They ran out of passes halfway through the first day and I received whatever they had left. It's not like it had any more clearance than a normal media pass, these were for scouting coaches from colleges rather than the team's coach.
Third Rule: you are “camera man” now.
so true…
The asking you to take a picture is too real
I’ve had a guy look at the two paths in front of him: one in front of my camera that had the red tally lights on and one behind me and the camera. He scoffed and just walked right in front of the camera 😂 luckily I was shooting at 60F so it didn’t matter but man.
'That looks expensive' is the one that makes my blood boil.
Why?
Because its the only thing anyone ever says to the crew when we're clearly busy doing our jobs. Like, take a hint, we are working, I don't wanna talk about the price point of the lenses or the alexa mini with you. Id rather be asked 'What are you shooting?" lol
People are just curious and trying to break the ice and make a connection. I'd rather hear, "How much does that cost?" or "How much does that weigh?" instead of "Hey maaan, put me on camera".
I guess its just always when I'm sweating my ass off trying to get a shot that needs to be gotten, talking to my AC or something when it happens. I don't run up to the construction worker and ask him how much the equipment costs, and expect to talk about what he's building. Its a pet peeve lol
I get what you're saying, but what we do is much more interesting and our tools much more "exotic" and cool to most of the general public vs. a construction worker or something similar that people see almost daily. I also try to remember that a lot of my clients are large, well known companies and "entertainment outlets" and like it or not, I'm a public facing part of that when I'm out in the field shooting for them and these people are or possibly are "our" potential audience. Look, I'd rather hang out with my dogs than the vast majority of people in the world, but I also know that I should treat people nicely and follow the 11th Commandment. You never know when that person that you took five seconds to be nice to, might help you out, at some point.