# your scariest photography moment?



## wickidwombat (Mar 11, 2013)

I accidently formated the memory card on my 5Dmk2 mid wedding on the weekend,... after the ceremony 
luckily transcend recover x got all the files back but it was a pretty stressfull experience :-[
must have had the menu item still on format and somehow managed to bump the menu button, then ok then the wheel 1 notch to the right then ok again!
lucky i realised before i shot any more frames on the card so i just swapped cards out immediately and stashed the card in my bag to see if i could recover later.

what silly thing have you done?


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## STEMI_RN (Mar 11, 2013)

I was a dummy who left his tripod bag in his car unlocked 2 days before a shooting trip to Hawaii. Sure enough, it was gone the next morning. Maybe not as bad, but for an amateur like me who can't just shell out another $500 for a setup it was a hard pill to swallow.


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## DCM1024 (Mar 11, 2013)

The stylist who won the runway competition at a local hair show had hired me to photograph his 10 models. I mixed up my cards, reinserted card 1, formatted and shot over it. Lost photos of 8 of the 10 models. Gave him video of entire event and surviving photos, no charge. He has not hired me again, and I don't blame him one bit.


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## steven kessel (Mar 11, 2013)

Well, those moments are scary but here's what happened to me. I was out hiking by myself on a remote trail in the wilderness of southern Arizona, close to the Mexican border, looking for birds to photograph. I rounded a bend in the trail and saw seven men in front of me, one of whom was armed with a rifle, marching single file up a steep side trail, headed north. Each of these men was carrying a gigantic backpack. No, I didn't pause to take a photo of these folks ;D


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## DCM1024 (Mar 11, 2013)

steven kessel said:


> Well, those moments are scary but here's what happened to me. I was out hiking by myself on a remote trail in the wilderness of southern Arizona, close to the Mexican border, looking for birds to photograph. I rounded a bend in the trail and saw seven men in front of me, one of whom was armed with a rifle, marching single file up a steep side trail, headed north. Each of these men was carrying a gigantic backpack. No, I didn't pause to take a photo of these folks ;D



You win!


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## kirispupis (Mar 11, 2013)

My hard drive died last weekend. My local backups turned out were not working. Crashplan, despite sending me regular emails stating that backups were successful, missed my last year of photos.

So I was faced with the prospect of using one year of my work - including trips to Dubai and Tuscany.

Luckily I was able to take the drive somewhere where they managed to pull the data off and place it on an external HD for me.


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## infared (Mar 11, 2013)

I rent an apt. on the beach in N.J. And stayed there to take photos when Hurricane Sandy made landfall.
Everyone else in the town evacuated...mandatory. I stayed... So I got my shots:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_2ny649j2Ys/UObXeBrtvpI/AAAAAAAAAFM/za_i4r7hBW8/w480-h480/Sandy%2BOG%2BPier%2B1.jpg
..and then the fun began...it got dark....all power went down...the railings on the porches blew off...the dormer roof blew off...and there were waves going down both side streets on either side of the house as the ocean breeched the boardwalk and charged across Ocean Ave. toward the house, at the peak if the storm....It backed off just before the house was destroyed....oh...but what a RUSH!!! 
In the morning the pier was completely washed away. ....but I'd have to say I'd do it again in a heartbeat...and the prints are selling like hot cakes!


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## azezal (Mar 11, 2013)

I was photographing lightening,had the camera and the umbrella in the same hand and just as I was switching the camera (putting another one on the tripod) a gust of wind pulled my hand and I hit myself with the 7d's hotshoe right in the face and broke my nose








That wasn't the scary part,2 seconds later lightening stuck the neighbouring building literally 20 ft away


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## wickidwombat (Mar 11, 2013)

infared said:


> I rent an apt. on the beach in N.J. And stayed there to take photos when Hurricane Sandy made landfall.
> Everyone else in the town evacuated...mandatory. I stayed... So I got my shots:
> https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_2ny649j2Ys/UObXeBrtvpI/AAAAAAAAAFM/za_i4r7hBW8/w480-h480/Sandy%2BOG%2BPier%2B1.jpg
> ..and then the fun began...it got dark....all power went down...the railings on the porches blew off...the dormer roof blew off...and there were waves going down both side streets on either side of the house as the ocean breeched the boardwalk and charged across Ocean Ave. toward the house, at the peak if the storm....It backed off just before the house was destroyed....oh...but what a RUSH!!!
> In the morning the pier was completely washed away. ....but I'd have to say I'd do it again in a heartbeat...and the prints are selling like hot cakes!


That IS impressive and you are officially mad


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## atomicpunk (Mar 11, 2013)

Was out hiking taking photos in northern Arizona, out of cell range in the winter. After climbing a nasty canyon wall I took two steps on the flat caprock and managed to roll my ankle in a tiny cupped depression. I narrowly avoided falling off a 50 ft cliff by leaning into my turning ankle. Ligaments torn, cartilage shredded, ankle big and black, I could not support any weight on it. It took 5.5 hours to crawl back to the car with vultures circling overhead. Crawling with a photo backpack on is no fun. I reached the truck as the sun set and it started getting really cold. My truck has a manual transmission, and I had to slam shift/use the other foot on the clutch. Oh, and it was a hard core 4x4 road with lots of steep slopes. I had several gates to open and had to get out and crawl to each gate to open/close.


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## infared (Mar 11, 2013)

From wikidwombat:
"That IS impressive and you are officially mad!"
Yes....I have heard a lot of that...but I am just an old surfer dude...and could not have missed the opportunity of a lifetime....at least I came home with the goods! Phew! LOL! (Wait...I was at home?)


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## infared (Mar 11, 2013)

WHOA..Jackson Bill...um....mooses are NOT small animals!!!


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## FatDaddyJones (Mar 11, 2013)

I've had a couple moose encounters in Montana and Wyoming. They can be aggressive and deadly! A moose is a HUGE animal!


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## wickidwombat (Mar 11, 2013)

privatebydesign said:


> I have posted this before, but it fits in here well
> 
> Me getting hit by a tiger, he didn't like the lens pointing at him, it was a 16-35 f2.8.



LOL see if canon made a damn 16-35 IS that would have been a sharp shot! 

but more seriously that would surely have needed an underwear change!


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## digital paradise (Mar 11, 2013)

Every time I talk to my wife about purchasing new equipment.


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## pierceography (Mar 11, 2013)

digital paradise said:


> Every time I talk to my wife about purchasing new equipment.



+1 lol

Mine is whenever my wife logs into our amazon account after I've ordered a new lens. Tomorrow should be fun... Just ordered the 135mm f/2L yesterday.


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## infared (Mar 11, 2013)

digital paradise said:


> Every time I talk to my wife about purchasing new equipment.



Now THAT is scary!


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## Lawliet (Mar 11, 2013)

wickidwombat said:


> what silly thing have you done?


Maybe the most uncalculateable dangerous, individual reactions varied:
Some environmental fashion shots in the aftermath of the Tel Aviv fashion week.
A perfectly reasonable idea, even got free assistants in uniform.
Until someone decided that rockets coming our way would spice things up.

More leaning to the silly side: having an assistent set up some HMIs for cont. light shooting and not double checking everything. The guy must have missed the memo about the need for heavy UV filtering(and never overriding the safty switches detecting those filters) & about everything started to look like painted w. daylight flourescent paint at the moment htat light came on. Lesson learned: never assume someone has taken care of it, make sure it has been done properly...


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## digital paradise (Mar 11, 2013)

pierceography said:


> digital paradise said:
> 
> 
> > Every time I talk to my wife about purchasing new equipment.
> ...



Good luck!


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## expatinasia (Mar 11, 2013)

Major riots had just broken out in a very poor, and relatively lawless country. I was covering some of it from the back of a motorbike when an angry looking guy in army fatigues clutching an AK 47 (or 74 - not entirely sure) ran towards the bike screaming and pointing. Quite a moment, as I was the only white face around, and the only guy with a camera as well. Thankfully it turns out that it was not me he was pointing at, but a bike over my left shoulder heading in the same direction as me.


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## Rienzphotoz (Mar 11, 2013)

wickidwombat said:


> what silly thing have you done?


During my vacation in Edinburgh, Scotland I paid for an expensive private tour of the city's famous monuments, castles, buildings etc, I forgot that there was no CF card in my 7D (as I had taken it out a night before to transfer the images to my laptop but forgot to reload the card back into the camera) to my bad luck I also had enable shutter release without the card feature ... so I proudly kept clicking away at all the glorious places (with my wife and kids reluctantly posing at my commands) ... when I got back home and found out what I had done, my wife gave me an earful for making the family pose for nothing :-[ ... till this day, whenever we go on a vacation, I get teased about it by the wife.


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## BrandonKing96 (Mar 11, 2013)

expatinasia said:


> Major riots had just broken out in a very poor, and relatively lawless country. I was covering some of it from the back of a motorbike when an angry looking guy in army fatigues clutching an AK 47 (or 74 - not entirely sure) ran towards the bike screaming and pointing. Quite a moment, as I was the only white face around, and the only guy with a camera as well. Thankfully it turns out that it was not me he was pointing at, but a bike over my left shoulder heading in the same direction as me.


47 is distinctly bigger than a 74 

Mine would be doing a paid job for a friend's birthday and then "accidentally" getting drunk halfway through the night.

Either that or accidentally putting the uncharged batteries in my flash instead of the charged ones for an engagement in a low lit restaurant.


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## Rienzphotoz (Mar 11, 2013)

digital paradise said:


> Every time I talk to my wife about purchasing new equipment.


Have you not heard the first commandment in the Holy Book 'Hobby Purchases of Husbands'? - "Thou Shalt NOT have the same shopping account as thine wife"!


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## dswtan (Mar 11, 2013)

Side of a lake, bag on a slope, tipped over, opened, 24mm f/1.4L II rolled out, all in slow motion, off it went, comedy-style, down to the waterline...plop! :-/

$312.08 repair charge for cleaning and water damage.

Maybe I got off lightly!


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## expatinasia (Mar 11, 2013)

BrandonKing96 said:


> 47 is distinctly bigger than a 74



I have no idea, it was quite a few years ago (maybe 12 or more), but my guess would be an AK 47 knowing the country I was in. I believe the 47 is the cheaper, older model? Not that it mattered. I wasn't really too concerned about the model of the gun at the time.  Tensions were already high, buildings on fire etc.


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## pierceography (Mar 11, 2013)

dswtan said:


> Side of a lake, bag on a slope, tipped over, opened, 24mm f/1.4L II rolled out, all in slow motion, off it went, comedy-style, down to the waterline...plop! :-/
> 
> $312.08 repair charge for cleaning and water damage.
> 
> Maybe I got off lightly!



I'll say! Could have very easily been purchasing a new 24mm!


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## bholliman (Mar 11, 2013)

> During my vacation in Edinburgh, Scotland I paid for an expensive private tour of the city's famous monuments, castles, buildings etc, I forgot that there was no CF card in my 7D (as I had taken it out a night before to transfer the images to my laptop but forgot to reload the card back into the camera) to my bad luck I also had enable shutter release without the card feature ... so I proudly kept clicking away at all the glorious places (with my wife and kids reluctantly posing at my commands) ... when I got back home and found out what I had done, my wife gave me an earful for making the family pose for nothing :-[ ... till this day, whenever we go on a vacation, I get teased about it by the wife.



+1

I did the same thing 3 years ago while on vacation with my family in Washington state. I forgot to re-install my CF card after importing pictures at the hotel one night. The following day we visited Mount Rainier and I shot 100+ "shots" of landscapes and the wife and son at various locations, only to find out that evening that I was shooting blanks. Needless to say, I promptly turned on the no shutter release without memory card option! My wife will never let me forget... :-[


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## RLPhoto (Mar 11, 2013)

When your tripod holding a 5D3 + 200 F/2 L falls head first onto some rocks, and its a CPS rental. <:O


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## Stu_bert (Mar 11, 2013)

Some great stories, thanks to all...

Silliest moment - aside from the normal misreading the tides and getting "stranded" on the english coast, my best to date would be diving/slipping into a stream with 1Ds and 17-40mm attached with tripod. Photographer and equipment fully immersed and not an underwater housing kit to be seen! :-[ Left everything for 24hrs drying and it was all fine...

For scariest, they're all animal related...

I've had a herd of springbok get suddenly spooked and dart towards the car and one hit the rear but shook his head somewhat dazed and ran away... 

What always scares the beejezus out of me is self-drive, narrow roads, herds of elephants in close proximity. I was in Kruger a couple of years back, heading down a backroad. Came across a bull. Normally if I approach slowly but consistently, the elephants will ignore me. Not this bull. He proceeded towards me. I paused, perhaps that was my mistake, but then I went forward again. Like a game of chicken, he keeps coming, I advance slowly. When he shakes his head a little, it was time to retreat. 500 yds back to the T junction I wait, deciding I could either go backwards with a quick u-turn, or floor it forwards if he continues.

Then out of my left field of vision comes another elephant and the penny dropped. He was in musth and not interested in me. I watched him court the female with his demonstrations of destruction, and after about 5 minutes she turns and trotts off and he follows at a pace. I decide to go back to where I was heading and leave them in peace....

For the rest of that holiday, whenever I came across a herd, especially on the narrow roads where literally the brush almost touched the side of the vehicle, I could always feel my throat, the adrenaline and the stomach acid :-[ Funny on how I spent half the time considering where I could quickly throw the vehicle into reverse if I needed to get away from a charger 

By contrast, driving through a herd of buffalo at 5:45 in the morning, because a hundred of them decided to block the road was a lot easier... I drove slowly but surely, and they parted without issue. So long as they are not frightened, then it's normally all good....

Oh and finally, never back away from a warthog... I did that when walking to a water hole hide, and he decided that meant he had the upper hand. Fortunately there were some decent size stones near by and i had my monopod. Neither was required, just a bit of patience and his lost interest


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## dafrank (Mar 11, 2013)

FatDaddyJones said:


> I've had a couple moose encounters in Montana and Wyoming. They can be aggressive and deadly! A moose is a HUGE animal!



You are right. Most people think of a moose as a sort of whacky (see Bullwinkle, the cartoon character) deer. However, stand next to one, and that idea dissolves rather quickly. A moose almost killed me without me even seeing it. I was headed to a scenic location in upstate NY in the second truck in a caravan of trucks, some of which were to be shot by myself and one other photographer for a car manufacturer. Driving over a twisty mountain road, a moose jumped out of the roadside foliage onto the road in front of the lead Chevy Suburban, giving the driver no time to avoid him. A mighty collision took place; the moose, although deceased, won. Over half of the huge Suburban was crushed into an accordian shape and totalled. The driver miraculously survived with nothing more than whiplash, while I, unable to stop in time, was able to skid terrifyingly onto the shoulder, missing the Suburaban/Moose combo (a sort of Borg synthesis, for you Star Trek fans) by inches.

There you have it - my moose story of the week.

Regards,
David


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## silversurfer96 (Mar 11, 2013)

Almost got mugged on Vegas strip. Was at the north end, taking picture of Stratosphere. Two guys hanging around the corner of a building. We were next to a Chinese restaurant building; two workers outside taking break. As soon as those two workers started going back into the restaurant; the other two guys around the corner starting approaching us. We shouted to the two asian guys to wait for us. Don't remember what we said as we clearly didn't speak their language. We grabbed our stuffs (tripod, camera bag, etc..) and ran into the restaurant. Had we stayed on the strip, who knows what might happened. We were there shooting for 10 minutes. We noticed those two guys because while we were doing our setup, they walked passed us and then just hung around the next building. We waited until the coast was clear and rushed back into Stratosphere.


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## RMC33 (Mar 11, 2013)

When my 7D fell 25 feet off a chairlift into the snow. Survived and shot with it all day.

When my friend I was shooting a few days later took my 7D and 400 f/2.8 II off the table (laying base down) and set it on the back of the camera a bit to hard forcing the lens into the body~ Had 205k shutter at that point.. so I was not too concerned. I think the fall did damage the mount as it felt weird afterwards mounting a lens to the body. I now let no one touch my gear~


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## davidson (Mar 11, 2013)

i was out trying some long exposures at night, some flash photography and what not, just trying to sharpen my limited skills. pressed my shutter, minding my own business waiting for my 350d to do what i twas doing, then all of a sudden, RIGHT NEXT TO me i heard "You taking pictures of me? i saw the flash from where i was, i don't like people taking pictures of me". I never heard this dude coming, and I'm sure he was high. I just said no i wasn't and then he seemed satisfied a went back to his group of friends. i was sure he was going to attack me


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## surfer57 (Mar 11, 2013)

Seeing a nice puddle of water inside the port of my SPL housing. Luckily it was only my 30D and my nifty fifty in there so it wouldn't have been a huge loss. It was a tough swim in with head high surf and good current that day all while trying to hold the housing over my head and out of the water.

Oh well, found the leak, fixed it and have been swimming with it again. Still scary as it hasn't happened in 3+ years of shooting in the water. Also a little nerve racking considering I will soon be getting a housing for my 1DX.


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## charlesa (Mar 11, 2013)

Taking the fisheye off and momentarily forgetting it has a very VERY bulbous front element... which I put down element first onto a stone wall while changing lenses...


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## RGF (Mar 11, 2013)

In the Masai Mara (southwest Kenya) a pride of lions is upsetting an elephant herd and the Matriarch is getting very upset since there young calves in the group. For some reason she decides we are the problem and charges our vehicle (we have 40-50 yard head start but she is go faster than we can). Well the ground is muddy and we start slipping. Luckily the driver is able to get traction and matriach finally gives up after chasing up 1/2 mile or so.


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## UrbanImages (Mar 11, 2013)

While photographing a dwelling fire in Detroit last spring, the homeowner came upon the scene and pulled out a gun and started firing into the crowd... Not a cop in sight and when the Battalion Chief radio for "PD Urgent", "no scout cars available" came over as a response. Got the hell out FAST


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## JPAZ (Mar 11, 2013)

Years ago was in Domodedovo airport (Moscow) waiting for a flight. I casually asked our guide permission to take a pic of the sign indicating our flight number and was granted that permission. I lifted my camera to my eye and suddenly a very large female security guard came running and screaming at me as she pushed the camera into my face with her hand almost knocking me down. I guess she did not know that I got permission! So much for the post Cold War democracy in Russia! Neither I nor the camera suffered any permanent damage, so it could have been much worse. In retrospect I wish I had the chutspah at the time to take a pic of her charging at me.

Hmmmmmm. Is this something like an encounter with a moose?


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## Dantana (Mar 11, 2013)

Long ago, in my much younger and stupider days, I was assisting on the shoot of a dancer on the beach. At the beginning of the day she asked me to hold onto her engagement ring which I proceeded to put in my pocket, since I didn't have anywhere else secure to stow it.

A few hours later I was holding a large reflector about thigh deep in the surf and got bowled over by a wave I didn't see coming. Sunglasses gone, other odds and ends missing, but on incredibly agitated inspection of my pockets the only thing that actually was there was the ring. No thanks to me.


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## tphillips63 (Mar 11, 2013)

pierceography said:


> digital paradise said:
> 
> 
> > Every time I talk to my wife about purchasing new equipment.
> ...



You just need to get her own login setup! I did that because I explained if she bought me a gift I would see it before it arrived. It works. sort of


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## dafrank (Mar 11, 2013)

I've been in a lot of scary situations doing my photo work for national news magazines, mostly feature stories in big cities, where I was variously threatened with guns, knives and assorted blunt objects by various citizens because I was often interrupting their street business or venturing onto turf where I was an inviting target with expensive bangles on my shoulders. Amazingly, by either guile, luck, inspiration or 45 caliber solutions, I was able to make it through many such adventures with only vivid memories and amazingly high levels of adrenaline in my bloodstream as a consequence.

Another scary moment, this time with a wild animal, is also worth the telling and the telling is devoid of any politically correct risk.

I was on a really fun assignment to shoot vacationers all over the state of Michigan. One innocuous location was the bank of the Huron River, not far from Ann Arbor, where canoers launched their crafts for a day trip on the river. All in all, a very non-risky job.

Just before sunset, when I finished shooting the boaters, I turned into the very tree shaded, dark forested land adjoining the river bank which would take me, by shortcut, to where my van was parked. I had a 300mm lens on the camera with ISO 50 Fuji Velvia loaded aboard (all you people who started with digital only, take note - this was FILM) Just short of the van, my assistant, about 30 feet away from me at the vehicle, in an exaggerated stage whisper called out "don't move, David." I stopped in my tracks. I asked him what he was talking about. He said to turn around 180 degrees, very, very slowly. I did. What I saw was literally unbelievable. Staring right into my eyes, about 15 feet away, was what looked exactly like a black panther, weighing about 150 to 175 pounds, with some huge fangs showing in his open mouth! I was too freaked out for a moment to know what to do but stare. And, stare I did, until my autopilot idiot photo genes kicked in. I very slowly backed straight back a few steps and asked my assistant to hand me a camera loaded with ISO 400 film and an f/2.0 short lens to get a shot of this insane scene - black panthers are definitely not native to Michigan. I quickly got the camera, not taking my eyes off the big cat, and slooooowly walked forward to try to get a decent shot with the fast wide angle. For every step I took towards him, he backed up, making the distance between us constant. Finally, after about 20 steps in our mutual dance, he sidestepped behind a rock about 10 feet in diameter. When I slowly moved forward, afraid he might leaped around the rock at me at any moment, he had to have run straight back behind the rock, further into the dense woods, so that when I finally mustered the courage to peak around the rock, he was nowhere to be seen.

Just about then, the utter stupidity of my behavior dawned on me; there I was, actively invading the space of a very large predator cat, instead of trying to do the opposite. All of a sudden, my knees felt awful rubbery, and I hit myself on the forehead about twenty times, counting my naive blessings.

When I went home that night, I told my wife (then girl friend) about my adventure and tried to decide if I should inform some authority, or even a news organization, about it. I decided not to, because I didn't have a picture proof and I felt they'd just think I was a crackpot of some sort, because "there are no black panthers in Michigan." Then, much to my surprise, about two weeks later, newspapers and local TV stations in the metro area started reporting horses, cattle and dogs being killed at night in the same area I spotted the panther in, and some people even reported seeing what they too thought was a black panther fleeing the scene of some of the kills. The matter was never resolved as far as I know, but, as I was definitely the only person of those reported to have seen this cat close-up, I was probably alone in knowing that it was not just a story but a very real predator cat - most likely to be a potentially deadly black panther, probably a lost exotic (and illegal) pet or zoo/circus animal loose and lost in the not too wild woods of suburban Michigan.

Regards,
David


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## 7enderbender (Mar 11, 2013)

Swimming through the Connecticut River with my (then still relatively new) AE-program and sneakers overhead after sliding off a cliff with no way to get back up on that side. Maybe that's what lead to focusing on people and leave the whole landscape thing to others...

There were a couple of close ones while skiing and climbing in the Alps as well. Does being mugged in a strip club in London count? Again, the camera made it out of that one as well. Part of the reason I'm still attached to it I suppose.


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## fegari (Mar 11, 2013)

azezal said:


> I was photographing lightening,had the camera and the umbrella in the same hand and just as I was switching the camera (putting another one on the tripod) a gust of wind pulled my hand and I hit myself with the 7d's hotshoe right in the face and broke my nose
> 
> OMG, that's a winner.
> 
> ...


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## Don Haines (Mar 11, 2013)

Seated backwards on a motorcyle, shooting a bicycle race.....


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## Rogerdodge (Mar 11, 2013)

I was on a local nature reserve - renowned for its butterflies and orchids.
I was using my 180 Macro, and stalking a very flighty butterfly.
I watched it fly up the face of a dune, and settle on the grass at the top.
With great patience I crawled up the dune, holding my breath, and eventually got close enough to get a few "arty" shots with the butterfly filling about a fifth of the frame. Anxious to get a close "frame filler", I crawled on my elbows and got in close enough. I had just got perpendicular to the wings, and was about to trip the shutter, when I heard a loud "Oy you - what the *** are you about!"
I looked away from the viewfinder to see that the my lens was pointing directly at a very large, and very naked, man who I had just interrupted enjoying himself with (I presume) his girlfriend.
He started to run (still stark naked) up the dune towards me - shouting about how he was going to stick my camera where the sun didn't shine.
Fortunately I ran faster than him back down the dune, but he only stopped chasing me when he saw that I was headed for the car park - and lots of people!


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## CharlieB (Mar 12, 2013)

Had a few scary moments... 

Once was shooting a burning house, I was the man on the spot with a camera and a few rolls of Tri-X. There was a large tank next to the house that exploded. I don't know if it was LP or fuel oil (I'm thinking LP as the house was in Florida). Knocked me right down to the ground.

Was shooting drag races from the crew zone behind the cars at the gate... had a rear engine rail blow when the tree went green. Literally "blow" as parts and rubber were all over the place. You don't hear stuff like that coming, as earmuffs and plugs (both) were required. 

I dunno, maybe the scariest was when I was shooting Vulcon in Tampa one year. One of the last film shoots I did, and had a guy literally unfasten a 90/2.8 Elmarit from one of my M4's. I caught him... lens in hand... he dropped it, I blocked its fall. Got to keep an undamaged lens, the perp got away.

Not with the 90... but from that Vulcon... I've always like this image for some reason


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## azezal (Mar 12, 2013)

fegari said:


> azezal said:
> 
> 
> > I was photographing lightening,had the camera and the umbrella in the same hand and just as I was switching the camera (putting another one on the tripod) a gust of wind pulled my hand and I hit myself with the 7d's hotshoe right in the face and broke my nose
> ...



Yeah obviously it was my nose against the 7d who do u think won???
I got 3 stitches


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## Sauropod (Mar 12, 2013)

My family stumbled upon a largish rattlesnake while hiking in Arizona. After trailing it a bit I decided to swap out the 15-85 for my new 70-300L as I was shooting way too close for my comfort. Crocodile Hunter I am not! After switching out the lens I called out asking where the rattler was. Turns out my family had grown bored of the snake and had continued walking down the path! Who gets bored of a live _Crotalus atrox_? And, more importantly, where did the snake go??? Being this was my first rattler with proper photographic gear on hand I figured since I knew the general direction it was heading when I last saw it I’d see if it was still around. I walked about 10’ across the granite strewn ground when thoughts of how Western Diamondbacks are naturally camouflaged caused me to look down. It was then that I learned my last step had placed me directly *over* the rattler! I was now straddling a coiled snake. Not a rattle one came from it but everyone for miles around likely wondered the cause of my falsetto scream. I’ve never moved so fast in my life, leaping blindly backward into a creosote bush (lucky it wasn’t a cactus!) from pure terror. Thank goodness for IS for, after I realized I hadn't been bitten and wasn't going to die, I took some shots of it simply tasting the air with its tongue the entire time shaking badly from fear. Three years on and my boys still loving imitating my scream when we desert hike...


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## RS2021 (Mar 12, 2013)

Friend and I entered a large park through one of the many entrances...had about 20K of equipment amongst the two of us and some obvious lenses and 1 series bodies.... after a long shoot (he shot, I mostly made snide remarks about the sillyness of shooting birds and trees) we walked out through a different exit and found ourselves in an interesting neighborhood... teens in wife-beaters standing at the corner in groups, car windows blown out with garbage bags as covers...you get the idea...

Nothing came of it...and perhaps we judge unfairly folks in some neighborhoods, a few stares and may be a comment or two... but it was the longest walk to the larger road from that pot-holed street. I have had a closer call close to my own house few years back, but that only goes to tell you perhaps neighborhoods don't matter afterall. 

I pay more attention now to where I am and how I carry my equipment in less obvious ways.


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## chauncey (Mar 12, 2013)

Does the phrase "don't walk and text at the same time" not mean anything?
Be aware of your surroundings!


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## paul13walnut5 (Mar 12, 2013)

I decided I wanted a shot of the Goat Fell range on Arran in the snow.

I checked my OS map for a route in and route out and set off.

On the shortest day of the year.

The first warning should have been the 6ft deer fence. Which I scaled.

The second warning should have been the footing on Cul-Nan-Creggan, the marsh, which I had counted on being frozen, was thawing a bit in the late afternoon sun.

Thawing.

Got to the peak of Cul-Nan-Craggan with a lovely view up Glen Rosa, and set up and got some nice shots.

Watching the shadows dance around the glen as the sun dips.

The sun dips, on this the shortest day of the year.

Mindful of the thawed marsh behind me I follow my plan down to a ford at Rosa Burn off of Bienn Nuis.

A fording point now under 5 ft of in spate thawed snow, or water as some folk call it.

Not to worry, I convinced myself, I'll find another crossing point.

Nope. 

Nope.

Nope.

Lost confidence a bit and wet up to my waist (carrying my billingham bag above my head) I decide on another course of action, to climb down the deer fence like a wire ladder, which was vertical in some places.

Now in the dark with my legs shivering and cramping. Muddied from several slips, back twisting with tripod and bag hanging off me as I climb down.

I was almost at the stage where I was going to have to call in mountain rescue.

I eventually got the small bridge where the burns meet and a decent path. I limped back to brodick and had a few pints at the Ormadale by the fire, reflecting on my lucky escape, but also my sheer minded stupidity, which nearly had me asking others to risk their lives to help me.

The pictures weren't bad though.


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## Inspiron41 (Mar 12, 2013)

does a bridezilla screaming at the top of her lungs the whole day count? Brazilian brides can sure be loud


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## MichaelTheMaven (Mar 12, 2013)

An 11 year old running and kicking my 5Dii with 24 1.4 Lens on it, which I had set on top of my camera bag. Lens busted. 

M


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## bdunbar79 (Mar 12, 2013)

Got ready to pull out of a parking lot after doing some long-exposures during night photography when I looked in my rear view mirror and saw my 5D Mark III and 180L macro lens sitting on the trunk of my car. That was right after I took this shot:


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## wickidwombat (Mar 13, 2013)

Some great and amazing tales!


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## Jan Jasinski (Mar 13, 2013)

Wow some insane stories here! Great thread!

I have a couple, only been shooting a couple years but have had some scary moments.

Last week I was shooting cruise ships in Ft. Lauderdale, FL leaving the port. The last ship to leave was the Oasis of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship. A local photographer told me to go by the rocky area as the waves produced from the ship are outstanding. Taking his advice, I took my gear and moved the couple of meters to the rocks. I settled on a rock with my bag on it and shot the ship with the 70-200 II and 10-22. As the Oasis got close (so close 10mm couldn't fit the ship), the water went more than a meter below and stayed. Half a minute later when the ship passed me, the water began to rise quickly and waves began. I took pictures of the dramatic change and all of the sudden the water got to my level. My heart raised and I grabbed the bag rapidly with a 70-200, 50 and 400L in it while having a 7D and 10-22 in my hands. It was merely 2 seconds from being washed over.

Another time I dropped my 70-200 on concrete, not too high thankfully. Nothing happened, the lens was intact but scary it was.


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## TAF (Mar 13, 2013)

dafrank said:


> What I saw was literally unbelievable. Staring right into my eyes, about 15 feet away, was what looked exactly like a black panther, weighing about 150 to 175 pounds, with some huge fangs showing in his open mouth! I was too freaked out for a moment to know what to do but stare. And, stare I did, until my autopilot idiot photo genes kicked in. I very slowly backed straight back a few steps and asked my assistant to hand me a camera loaded with ISO 400 film and an f/2.0 short lens to get a shot of this insane scene - black panthers are definitely not native to Michigan. I quickly got the camera, not taking my eyes off the big cat, and slooooowly walked forward to try to get a decent shot with the fast wide angle. For every step I took towards him, he backed up, making the distance between us constant. Finally, after about 20 steps in our mutual dance, he sidestepped behind a rock about 10 feet in diameter. When I slowly moved forward, afraid he might leaped around the rock at me at any moment, he had to have run straight back behind the rock, further into the dense woods, so that when I finally mustered the courage to peak around the rock, he was nowhere to be seen.
> 
> Just about then, the utter stupidity of my behavior dawned on me; there I was, actively invading the space of a very large predator cat, instead of trying to do the opposite. All of a sudden, my knees felt awful rubbery, and I hit myself on the forehead about twenty times, counting my naive blessings.




Actually, from what I have read, your instinct was actually the right one. By advancing slowly on him, you left him with the impression that you were not prey, but an equal predator, and he retreated.

He might very well have attacked had you run.


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## strikerwy (Mar 13, 2013)

This image was captured through the car window after the following encounter:

It all began before dawn as I left my car and hiked out into the fields of Arrowleaf Balsam Root, Larkspur and Lupine blanketing Antelope Flats outside of Jackson Hole. I intended to photograph the soaring peaks at first sunlight with the wildflowers stretching out in an endless sea to fill the foreground. I carried my full photo backpack, my tripod and my big and unwieldy panoramic tripod head. 

After moving through the flowers until I found an interesting arrangement to compliment the foreground, I opened my backpack and spread my equipment out for easier access. I mounted the camera on the tripod, and using my 10-22mm I began to photograph a number of images. There were no wildlife to be seen anywhere from where I stood. 

As the sun began to make an appearance and brought life and color to the sky, I immersed myself in capturing the best image possible, becoming totally engrossed in the task at hand, using my manfrotto sph303 panoramic head and live view to ensure ample image overlap and no camera shake.

Lost in this very nearsighted focus, I shot for about 15 minutes when I became suddenly very aware of a quickly approaching group of buffalo. While I would not describe their actions as a stampede, they were trotting quickly as a collective group directly towards me. When I reviewed my images later I could actually see the progression as they appeared on the horizon from below a depression I couldn’t see about 500 yards away, but due to my focus on the camera, rather than looking through the viewfinder, I had been oblivious to their approach. 

I quickly realized I was in trouble. I was over 200 yards from my car. My tripod was the tallest thing other than buffalo for over ½ mile, I did not have bear spray with me as there were no animals in sight when I left me car, my stuff was still strewn around on the ground, and the buffalo were now within 100 yards with their rapt attention fully trained upon me. I knew that to break into a run would be foolish, only goading the unsettled herd into a stampede instinct. I knew they could cover the ground much faster than I ever could. Then, to make maters worse, the herd of 20-30 animals split into two groups. One group continued towards me while the other group totally surrounded my car, a 1997 Honda Civic. At this point, I was totally at a loss. I had a group of 15 or so bison bearing down upon me quickly and my only retreat was now surrounded by more bison. 

Somewhere in there, I managed to scoop my stuff into my backpack and zipped it partially shut. I held my tripod out in front of me in a ridiculous attempt to perhaps fend off any of the approaching bison, willing to sacrifice my camera if it meant my own health was spared, and I began slowly backpedaling towards my car, of which I could only see the very top through the mass of buffalo. In my mind, I purposed to get as close to the car as possible and then make a maddened charge through the mass of beasts and jump onto the top. I had no other options and my pulse was beating a crazy tempo. 

As I backpedaled, the approaching buffalo closed the distance to 30 or so yards and then they lined up shoulder to shoulder in a wall. I’ve seen them do the same thing facing down a grizzly bear. As they formed the line, they made a bluff charge towards me. As I continued backpedaling towards the car, I shouted loudly as they closed to 15 or so yards. They veered off and circled around, once again forming up the line and coming directly at me. We played this game 3 more times as I continued to get closer to my car. By this point I was praying fervently that God would part the Bison so to speak that surrounded my car and I truly feared the worst, as with each bluff charge and yell, the buffalo before me drew closer and closer before veering off. 

I was within 50 yards of the car and still backpedaling fast when He did just that. The Bison moved around my car to the side opposite of me, so I had a clear shot to the vehicle. All in the same motion, as the animals before me veered off and I was within 40 yards of the car, I turned my back to them and took off. I managed to get to the car as I threw my backpack on the ground and slammed my tripod next to it and dove through the passenger door. The group pursuing me stopped approximately 10 yards away and milled about as I contemplated what had just happened, fully cognizant of the Lord’s blessing and my close call. 

After 2 or 3 minutes of pulse-racing regrouping, I opened the door and reached out to grab my camera. I shot several images through the open window. 

From the safety of my car, I watched the same group of buffalo charge a guy on a motorcycle as he stopped to look. I don’t know what riled them up, but I’m grateful to be alive and well.


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## pelebel (Mar 13, 2013)

I was on a pretty regular shoot with an older man, then he decided to go in the forest.

I followed him... And he began to undress. Very akward moment, finally I managed to make him put his clothes back on.


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## Cali_PH (Mar 13, 2013)

1 - Silly & Scary: Friend and I were doing the 8 mile or so rough Subway hike in Zion. Since I was carrying 2 bodies, lenses, tripod etc. and my friend was only carrying a small light DSLR, I asked her to carry all the water we had in the car. She said no problem. Silly me, I didn't visually check. About 3/4 of the way there, we're taking a break and I'm asking her for more water; turns out she only brought 3 bottles total. Stupidly, after some debate (and angry words on my part), we continued going since we were so close. Oh, and she got up late and ate breakfast slowly, so we started hours later than I had planned. 

So on the way back, it was getting dark. If you know the Subway hike, we did the climb up the 400' cliff in the dark. We had headlamps, but the climb was still difficult. My friend slipped and almost rolled off the cliff, and I was so dehydrated and exhausted I literally was almost falling asleep on my feet; never been so exhausted in all my life. Had to rest a bunch of times on the way up. We were both thinking we weren't going to make it up to the car, but we did. Barely. 

To add insult to injury, the water level in Subway was much higher than normal, so we didn't even get good shots. 

2 - Was in Yosemite doing the short hike to lower Yosemite Falls; it's a short, well-traveled paved path, so I was surprised at what happened. I started to hear a rustling noise and looked around. I saw one, then two, then about half a dozen deer bounding through the trees and brush directly at me. I started to smile, thinking how cool the moment was, especially as they zipped by on both sides of me. I'd swear I could have reached out to touch one of them. I was reaching for my camera until I saw WHY they were bounding. A big coyote (wolf?) was chasing them, which made me immediately freeze. Fortunately, the coyote was focused on them and never glanced my way, although it passed within 10 feet of me. I'm not sure what it would have done if it had seen me, but it sure did freak me out for a few moments, especially when I realized I was probably easier prey!


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## pedro (Mar 13, 2013)

One night I was taking nightshots of a transmitter in a rural place near a farm here in Switzerland. Nearby there were cows grazing. Having been raised in a rural village, being aqcuainted with these beasts I was looking for a better spot to take the picture and trespassed the fence. I set up the tripod and did a long exposure with my then 30D. As the seconds clicked into the camera, I became aware of a strange movement right infront of me. All of a sudden I saw that the bull was there, attempting get closer to me. So I took my tripod with the cam attached to it still exposing and left running...LOL...well, I managed to take another picture after that... ;D Cheers, Pedro.




Transmitter  by Peter Hauri, on Flickr


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## Rienzphotoz (Mar 13, 2013)

pedro said:


> One night I was taking nightshots of a transmitter in a rural place near a farm here in Switzerland. Nearby there were cows grazing. Having been raised in a rural village, being aqcuainted with these beasts I was looking for a better spot to take the picture and trespassed the fence. I set up the tripod and did a long exposure with my then 30D. As the seconds clicked into the camera, I became aware of a strange movement right infront of me. All of a sudden I saw that the bull was there, attempting get closer to me. So I took my tripod with the cam attached to it still exposing and left running...LOL...well, I managed to take another picture after that... ;D Cheers, Pedro.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


So that's how one shoots a perfect night shot of a transmitter! I had not idea ;D


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## Rienzphotoz (Mar 13, 2013)

pelebel said:


> finally I managed to make him put his clothes back on.


That is disturbing indeed ;D


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## Jan Jasinski (Mar 14, 2013)

digital paradise said:


> Every time I talk to my wife about purchasing new equipment.


Hahahaha that is the best thing i've heard in a while


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## Dylan777 (Mar 14, 2013)

"your scariest photography moment" - when Sony or Fuji come out FF in P&S body(like RX1) with exhangable lenses, I'll sell all my Canon gear: 5D III, 50L, 16-35, 24-70 and 70-200 ;D


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## J.R. (Mar 14, 2013)

I was taken out by an out of control skier on a steepish slope. A number of cuts and bruises but fortunately the gear was unharmed as it fell in soft snow.


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## paul13walnut5 (Mar 14, 2013)

Jan Jasinski said:


> digital paradise said:
> 
> 
> > Every time I talk to my wife about purchasing new equipment.
> ...



You _tell_ your wife how much you are going to spend on camera equipment? Gave that up a long time ago, and just hope she can't tell the difference between the anonymous looking black bodies. 

Where I see white lenses my girlfriend sees pink diamonds.


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## J.R. (Mar 14, 2013)

paul13walnut5 said:


> Jan Jasinski said:
> 
> 
> > digital paradise said:
> ...



+1 ... If I hadn't put my faith in the above reasoning, I would never have been able to exchange the 7D + $$$ for a new 6D. 

Lenses though are another issue. I'm sure that my wife would notice a new 600mm when I get it.


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## Sporgon (Mar 14, 2013)

When I was a lad of about 19; my girlfriend's father found the pictures I'd taken of her wearing her mother's favourite hat. 

Wearing _only_her mother's favourite hat..... ;D


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## Zen (Mar 14, 2013)

Had I been in Striker's or Wyoming Bill's shoes, I would have died on the spot. Many who live in the east and who have never seen buffalo in the wild simply cannot appreciate how big they are in the wild. Most zoo buffalo don't do the wild beasties justice.

Several years ago, in Y'stone, I made the mistake of getting out of my motorhome to get a shot of a lone bull, who was placidly grazing near the road near Y'stone Lake. My mother wanted the shot and I tried to oblige her. Luckily, I had listened to the old timers and was carefully watching thru the view finder as I moved forward. When I saw the tail go straight out, I knew it was time to leave, and I did! He was 6 feet at the shoulder, prob 2000 lbs, maybe an old outcast, etc., and I suspect a bit cranky because I had interrupted his peaceful meal. I didn't argue!

A year later, I was on the willow flats east of the Snake north of Jackson searching for a beaver dam I knew was there across one of the little streamlets, when I met a moose cow coming toward me, tearing up the willows as she came. I turned tail, and afterward saw her hoof prints up close; 6" wide, 2" deep into the soil. Again I didn't argue.

Glad I took those chances then, but wouldn't again.
Zen


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## Valvebounce (Apr 4, 2013)

RS2021 said:


> found ourselves in an interesting neighborhood... teens in wife-beaters standing at the corner in groups, car windows blown out with garbage bags as covers...you get the idea...
> 
> Nothing came of it...and perhaps we judge unfairly folks in some neighborhoods, a few stares and may be a comment or two... but it was the longest walk to the larger road from that pot-holed street. I have had a closer call close to my own house few years back, but that only goes to tell you perhaps neighborhoods don't matter afterall.
> 
> I pay more attention now to where I am and how I carry my equipment in less obvious ways.



On holiday in Phoenix we, my missus and I , went driving to and walking around various areas looking for / at various things of interest, including visiting a photography shop. When we went out later with our friends who are locals he said he only visits several of the areas we went if he is armed. During our 2 week stay there were 3 shootings in the areas we visited, ignorance is bliss, as I would now not visit the places I have great pics of.
Great subject, some lucky escapes for both people and their gear! 
Thanks for being forthright about your misfortunes, hopefully some of us might also learn from you!


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