Moral issue

djbsom · 28-06-2009, 10:29 AM

Good morning folks, I'm a new member who joined a few months ago looking for advice before making the jump from SLR to DSLR. Thanks to your help I bought a Sony A200 and can't tell you how impressed I am. My history with 35mm covers an Olympus system and a Minolta system (which I still have which meant choosing the Sony mount a bit easier) so I'm not a novice with photography as such, just the modern cameras. Looking around I managed to buy the A200 (with kit lens) plus a card, a Tamron 55-200, a flimsy tripod and a monopod all for £300. I would recommend the Sony to anyone. I've so far been able to supply two rock bands with a portfolio of gig photos (hence the monopd), website photos for another band, prom night photos for three local girls and also find the time to wander around some local waterfalls for my own enjoyment. So, thanks a lot for the advice.
Anyway, sorry to go on.
Here's the reason for my post -
Yesterday I was watching my kids splashing around and diving into an outdoor pool here in West Wales. I was snapping away at our teens when a toddler with armbands joined in and was having a whale of a time jumping in with our girls. The toddlers grandad brought out his camera and started snapping away too. Straight away I noticed that his camera had a large lens flare hood attached. BUT, it had been screwed on back to front (as it would be to save space in it's case) so was probably totally inefective in the strong sunlight. SO - here's my question. Would you have mentioned it to him? He would be embarrased and no-one likes a knowitall but the photos might be better. OR leave him alone. There would still be nice photos of his grandson and no annoying knowitall pestering him.
What would you do?

Thanks again.
Dave.

Pirate!! · 28-06-2009, 10:46 AM

Ask to see his captures and if in your opinion they look to have lens flare etc, mention that you always use a lens hood to prevent it.

Alternatively, you could ask what results he gets from not using a hood, which may broker the reply 'what's a lens hood' . . or something, in which case you could drop the importance of using it in your reply.

Or, you could shout out . . "Oi Richard Cranium . . . no!" "I admire your desire to take images, but your lens hood is @*** about-face", to-whit you may get some response.

**senu** · 28-06-2009, 10:47 AM

I would ask him if it was that he had forgotten
as it might also have been deliberate ( ie simply using lens to keep the hood from getting lost)
It is a simple enough thing which is by no means you trying to be a "know it all, just helpful
I find that if your tone is sincere and friendly most folk without any ego "issues" will take it as meant .. helpful
Some folk are simply brewing hostility and.. best left alone

As an aside ( and not quite related) I was at work with a female colleague whose underpants were showing fairly generously and went up to tell her discreetly. I was told ( in effect )to buzz off..

This was very ungraceful of her( as it was a professional environment, not a social outing) but I quickly realised it was her personality trait at play , not any inappropriateness on my part that elicited that particular reaction
My feeling is that it depends on the person as I would still do i again and not let that put me off being kind

Asking if he forgot to put it on or felt it would not be useful, in a nice way should not cause offence and might either help him. or make you aware he had left it that way he did , on purpose

anthony566 · 28-06-2009, 11:19 AM

As I use mine I think I would have started a conversation about If he thought hoods are effective or not ( yes WE ALL know they are ) and then if he said no id call him "Richard Cranium"

eddiewood · 28-06-2009, 1:17 PM

Ah! So that's what that plastic thing on the front of my lens is. I've been using it as a cup holder when I have a hot drink.

Mike.P® · 28-06-2009, 1:30 PM

I quite often shoot with the lens hood screwed on the storage way, especially if its a spur of the moment shot that does not afford the time to unscrew and then screw back.

**senu** · 28-06-2009, 1:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eddiewood

Ah! So that's what that plastic thing on the front of my lens is. I've been using it as a cup holder when I have a hot drink.

Ah.. you havent discovered the plastic cup holder on the PC then?

?

Some odd folk put those plastic shiny discs thingys in them too!!...

?

Pirate!! · 28-06-2009, 2:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by senu

Ah.. you havent discovered the plastic cup holder on the PC then?

?

Some odd folk put those plastic shiny discs thingys in them too!!...

?

Hmm . . I wondered why the darned laptop wont play my LP's . . . it's a tight fit isn't it?

I mean a lens hood fitted correctly and the camera on it's back ought to hold a disposable coffee cup shouldn't it? I mean, what else could it be supplied for? And I guess some people wonder why their images look so dark because the lens cap is there to protect the lens and thus must remain fitted at all times . . . .

jradley · 29-06-2009, 5:02 PM

And there was me thinking the moral question was going to be is it ok to photograph someone elses child in a swimming pool when they happen to have joined in with your own kids.....

In this situation I don't see why not, but as a general rule photographing anyone, especially kids, in a swimming pool is a touchy subject.

Cheers,

John

ryart · 30-06-2009, 1:16 AM

If you are the sort of person who is worried about causing offence then, 99 times out of 100, pointing something like that out would be taken in the right way and appreciated

.

The know-it-alls have no such worries and are usually seen for what they are, people who know very little

.

ryart · 30-06-2009, 1:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirate!!

Hmm . . I wondered why the darned laptop wont play my LP's . . . it's a tight fit isn't it?

Well I'm glad I'm not the only one to have tried that - I went out and bought a bigger laptop and it still wouldn't fit

.

eddiewood · 30-06-2009, 9:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryart

Well I'm glad I'm not the only one to have tried that - I went out and bought a bigger laptop and it still wouldn't fit

.

Ah! But at least now you can use Laserdiscs...

**senu** · 30-06-2009, 9:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eddiewood

Ah! But at least now you can use Laserdiscs...

What pray , might those be.. Laserdiscs??

I know CDs DVDs and even Blu ray ( and bar codes at the Tesco check out )are read by laser but laserdiscs? Im very confused!

benmbe · 05-07-2009, 2:19 PM

Hi djbsom,

First of all a belated hearty welcome to the forums friend.

SO - here's my question. Would you have mentioned it to him? He would be embarrased and no-one likes a knowitall but the photos might be better. OR leave him alone. There would still be nice photos of his grandson and no annoying knowitall pestering him.
What would you do?

Thanks again.
Dave.

Answer: I would begin by having a conversation with the gentleman, as there is no harm at all with a pleasant chat...

You know as well as most of us here on the forums, that we make silly mistakes at times....that's part of life.

The good thing that you have done is to feel for others before acting....a good quality.

Genuine Regards

P.S. sorry for this late reply......

24 P · 24-08-2009, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by senu

What pray , might those be.. Laserdiscs??

I know CDs DVDs and even Blu ray ( and bar codes at the Tesco check out )are read by laser but laserdiscs? Im very confused!

Laserdiscs, Pronounced: Laay-Zhur Dihsc.
Comes from the Greek word: Elaayzhurest Eldihsco Thrower

A disc made of Lasers.

Invented by this man, hell bent on world domination.
Tried to attach a Frikken Laay-Zhur beam to a Sharks head...

JagoPlasma · 24-08-2009, 11:58 PM

i thought the same as jradley

i would of just walked up to him an told him. its a bit different that someone leaving a lense cap on in the fact you can still take pictures, but he may of forgot.

eitherway if i had done the same thing and someone told me i would of been straight with them if i forgot or didnt want it, and either way i would of thanked them. not everyone is the same, but you shouldnt feel guilty for trying to help someone.

OrbitalPete · 25-08-2009, 6:48 AM

I leave my lens hood like that all the time. Unless you're shooting into the sun or something with a lot of glare you really don't need it most of the time. So no, I wouldn't of said anything

Rob_J · 25-08-2009, 6:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrbitalPete

I leave my lens hood like that all the time. Unless you're shooting into the sun or something with a lot of glare you really don't need it most of the time. So no, I wouldn't of said anything

Same here, for my tokina lense it makes it easier to manual focus as well.

nikonuser11 · 25-08-2009, 8:58 AM

start with a conversation and admire his camera (puts him at ease), ask him what model he has and does he like it (all camera people like talking cameras with a fellow enthusiast)....then ask him W T F are you taking pictures of my teenage kids for you pervert?

seriously though the first part is the only way forward