funny story...any others?

[herc182]

I was catching the bus yesterday and came across an old chap at the bus stop.
he was changing his lens on his DSLR. he left a lens off his camera long enough for
me to think he was going to start collecting rain water with it....
Anyway, I digress...

He finally secured the lens and spotted a photo opportunity on the round about
across the road from the bus stop

(for the american readers, a round about is something at a junction that cars
circle in order to take the right (or left...) exit :)).

The opportunity was a statue. So up goes the pop up flash (in daylight). The statue
must have been a good 15 metres away, but lets throw the inverse square law to one
side for now, as you will see it’s a moot point.

He was wearing a good old baseball cap, and as he brought his eye to the viewfinder
the cap pressed the pop up flash down so that it was ALMOST closed, but not quite.
So he rattled off a few shots and was obviously not happy. Why? Probably because
his pop up flash was illuminating the top of his lens and was not powerful enough to
illuminate the moon.

I had a laugh and felt bad but I assumed he couldn’t speak english and didn’t want to
sound patronising, so I left it. Anyway it made me laugh...

Anyone else got a story that made you chuckle?

[TheWengler]

That one's pretty good. :D

While I was at Zabriskie Point in Death Valley there was this young guy there who seemed to make a big production out of his photography. The conditions (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lswenger/3301428299/sizes/o/) were really nice. The kind you just want to soak in. He was probably there for a couple minutes at them most. He was constantly walking (noisy warm up pants) all over the place changing lenses. He couldn't have been giving much consideration to composition. The best part was right before he would take a shot he would throw his hip to the side and strike a pose like a runway model.

At the same spot some lady with gear that costs 3 times what my set up is worth was using her pop up flash to take landscape pictures. Then she asked me to take her picture, taking time to explain to me how to use her camera. The pop up flash thing comes up a lot. Especially at sporting events.

[K1W1]

The pop up flash thing comes up a lot.

A sure sign of people with DSLR's using auto everything mode.

[jcon]

Using the on board flash doesnt always mean they dont know what they are doing or are in full auto... ive used it before as fill light oudoors, and it can also be used to trigger of camera flashes. but the 2 above examples are pretty obvious they had no clue!

[XaiLo]

Those are funny! lol

TheWengler, along the lines of your last one... I always love it at a particular venue when I have my 70-200mm lens attached strapped to my hand. When enevitably I'm asked to take a picture using their camera. One time in particular two things came to mind what do they expect me to do with my camera while I'm doing this and a real puzzled look came accross my face when it decides it doesn't want to fire and they wanted me to figure out why. lol

[herc182]

That one's pretty good. :D

While I was at Zabriskie Point in Death Valley there was this young guy there who seemed to make a big production out of his photography. The conditions (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lswenger/3301428299/sizes/o/) were really nice. The kind you just want to soak in. He was probably there for a couple minutes at them most. He was constantly walking (noisy warm up pants) all over the place changing lenses. He couldn't have been giving much consideration to composition. The best part was right before he would take a shot he would throw his hip to the side and strike a pose like a runway model.

At the same spot some lady with gear that costs 3 times what my set up is worth was using her pop up flash to take landscape pictures. Then she asked me to take her picture, taking time to explain to me how to use her camera. The pop up flash thing comes up a lot. Especially at sporting events.

LOL....the pop up flash is pretty usless unless as jcon says you use it to trigger an off camera flash or you have a small prime on your camera that wont cast a shadow.

another funny one was me and my brother in rome at the trevvi fountain.

there were A LOT of people there, all snapping away. me and my bro (has a canon 5D) didnt have tripods, so rested the camera on a wall and took long exposures. We were so arrogantly laughing at these idiots taking photos with their compacts camera flashes, illuminating approximately 2m ahead of them and then have pitch black further on. They could have been anywhere.

Or having a photo of their friends infront of the fountain illuminated by the flash, but then pitch black behind them...again, they could have been anywhere :D
its funny and cruel...but oh how my and my brother mocked these "fools" lol...so arrogant and patronising I know, but after a bottle of wine each, it was hilarious.

[K1W1]

My funny story is tourists who insist on standing beside trash cans to have their photo taken at scenic lookouts. This seems to be mainly an American thing (probably because they actually have trash cans at these places) but it's amazing to watch how often dad or mom line the rest of the family up in front of "Ye Oldie Gigantic View" and there right beside daughter number 2 or son number 1 is a trash can.

[herc182]

My funny story is tourists who insist on standing beside trash cans to have their photo taken at scenic lookouts. This seems to be mainly an American thing (probably because they actually have trash cans at these places) but it's amazing to watch how often dad or mom line the rest of the family up in front of "Ye Oldie Gigantic View" and there right beside daughter number 2 or son number 1 is a trash can.

lol...that is so true. with my parents recently, it was their plastic bags they carried around everywhere full with rations and water bottles for their sightseeing tour...

[Thronsen]

Its a shame there isnt a video, as my antics would put even the 3 stooges to shame.

Has anyone ever tried to assemble a rusty, sort of bent tripod in a hurry before?

Im not even going to include the conversation about looking for the 4th leg.

Freehand, not really paying attention, VR off:

http://www.smugmug.com/photos/573621443_gySRh-L.jpg

After assembling the tripod, including extensive, prolonged conversations with Egyptian pyramid engineers:

http://www.smugmug.com/photos/573622191_RWQ5i-L.jpg

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

At the cricket, in the grandstand, sitting behind blokes taking photos of Brett Lee (a famous fast bowler), bowling at around 150mph from the side with a mobile phone.

[faisal]

Something I've noticed....During the opening or closing ceremony at the Olympics you'll see the stand glittering with flashes. I wonder what they get sitting soo high soo far away.

[tim11]

What about those with DSLR complete with long lens at the zoo who take photos of animals in glass enclosure using pop up flashes? I count not less than 9 out of 10....

[herc182]

At the cricket, in the grandstand, sitting behind blokes taking photos of Brett Lee (a famous fast bowler), bowling at around 150mph from the side with a mobile phone.

mobile phone shots are the best...I saw a japanese girl with a DSLR taking photos, then with her mobile, taking the exact same shot, FOR EVERY SHOT.

Ok Japanese phones have very high MP, but come on...

[TheWengler]

Here's one of some people having their picture taken in front of Notre Dame in Paris. They probably could have found a more comfortable place to sit.

47267

[herc182]

Here's one of some people having their picture taken in front of Notre Dame in Paris. They probably could have found a more comfortable place to sit.



LOL....I wonder if you could even see notre dame past them :)