Photography and Idiots

I want to get some opinons... Ok here is my story I'll keep it short we all here are nature photographers so we all carry big,long lenses heavy duty tripods ect.. It attracts attention in a public place,but its a public place and everyone has the right to go anywere ect...AlrightI was in a county park (large mostly Marsh/Wetlands with walking trails and a main dirt road (for those in N.J Cattus Island) Its time for the ospreys to nest so I went today to shoot. The nest are basicly out in the open of the marsh way off the road (to protect the birds) Ive talked to the rangers and they said you CAN approach the nests to photograph but its discouraged (thats why they are Way out in the middle, no cover, to protect the birds) He also said that he's seen me shoot and had No problems with me (and a few others) approaching the nests because I was Smart and Aware .With that said ,Today while shooting (under cover (camo super slow approach and birds unaware of me) In there comfort zone about a 1/4 to 1/2 mile from the road Totaly visible from the road (and the birds) I drew a small crowd of people watching me from the road. This Idiot (in loafers clearly not equipt to walked across a wet swamp )with his point and shoot camera walked across the swamp right to me scared the crap out of the birds (they departed for parts unknown I truly hope they dont abandon there nest I was really really really Close!) Then asked "Were are they?". Does anyone think this is Rude? and that this guy is an Idiot? I told this on another "nature forum" and my first response was "He's not an Idiot it's public land and he has the right to go werever he wants" What ever happened to common courtesy? Am I wrong to call this guy an idiot? When I shoot from a trail or I am walking I gladly answer questions But when I'm 1/2 mile in a open swamp shooting...I dont get it What do you guys think lets hear your stories. PS I'll post some photos later of this shoot

I had a car slam to a stop and two adults and three kids come running over asking can we look thru your telescope! I just laughed it off and let them look, course I was far enough back it didn't spook the geese I was shooting

Of course he's an IDIOT!
Anyone in their right mind could have seen what you were trying to accomplish.
This situation has happened to me quite a few times in the past.
One can never underestimate the stupidity of some people.

Cheers
Marc

Two years ago, I was photographing a young moose out on the tidal flats outside of Anchorage. The tide was starting to come in, so I quit photographing hoping the moose would come back to dry land before it got stranded. Turnagin Arm has the second highest tides in the world (32feet between low and high tide). As I was putting my camera away and before I could drive off, several cars of tourists stopped and started taking photographs. I warned them that if they stayed to take photos, the moose would get stranded and drown. I was told off by the tourists. I got on the cell phone to call the Moose Rescue Team (yes we have one in Alaska). By the time they got to where the moose was, it was too late and the tourists were delighted to get photos of a moose dying in the water. I now try to ONLY photograph where the tourists don't go. I have always felt guilty over that moose because if the tourists wouldn't have seen me putting away my camera gear, they might not have seen the moose and it could have made it back to shore. A Bore Tide washed the moose out into the Ocean.

yea it's rude. while shooting ducks the other day I had 6 bird watchers follow me out to my hide. . .

Anyone who approaches a camoflaged photographer is not all that bright.
My experience is that most people are actually pretty considerate. Even most kids are not that intrusive. Bird watchers as a whole tend to be very considerate of the birds themselves and especially nests. I limit my nest photography to ones clearly on a public path. I don't make my living that way and I feel that if there is any chance that I am disrupting bird nesting that it is just not worth it. Just my opinion about me, no one else.
Osprey are in no way endangered and nest in very public areas. I know of one nest on top of the lights at my kid's High School Football stadium. I think they will come back.Plus though they are nest building right now I don't think they have layed eggs yet.
Many photographers/film makers have done some pretty bad things to get a photo in the past also. Jacques Cousteau was particularly guilty in this regard for his "Undersea Life" stuff.
Our photography does not enrich the bird's life at all and we are priviledged to photograph them. Just so we don't harm them in the process.

I want to say to David In no way should you feel guilty (Although I would feel the same as you) Your actions were of no way the cause of the death of the moose ,in fact you tried to save them despite the actions of some very ignorant people. Ive never been to Alaska,Ive always wanted to go there to Shoot.

Sorry,
This is kind of long,but it's a great story!

I had a young man & his friends walk right into my blind a couple weeks ago. The blind was near the shoreline of a local river & i had been there for an hour or so waiting for some eagle shots. When I informed him that he was on private property, he just laughed and said FU! When the warden arrived, the "kids" were on the ice. He told them not to trespass on my property. The young man started yelling at him. "We have to go that way to get back to the car!" He was also swearing quite a bit. The warden finally got fed up and told them that they would have to walk down to the beach (public access), and then walk back to their car. It's about a 3 mile hike one way! They left..but not very happy. The warden then approached me and asked me if I left the gate to the property open. I said no and we walked up the path toward the road to find this young mans car parked next to mine on my property!! The warden looked at me and said "Are you thinking what I'm thinking"? YES...CAR TOWED!!!

Randy T

Politeness - and the opposite - go a long way in this world. Some take a long time to learn that.

When we were in Yellowstone a couple of summers ago in June (the time of 'the crush') Chanthee and I were taking photographs of people walking up to elk and bison. "Harry, take a picture of me with the elk" I even heard one day. Those are the moments to live for though, LOL...well at least in part of my fantasy life. ;P

James