Life imitating T.V.or vise versa, and what to do

The other day as I walking a local trail in the woods to try and shoot some deer, a large Red Tailed Hawk landed on a perch,(a low perch no less!) around a small bend in the trail with a recent kill. As I quietly knelt down to set up my tripod and gear, a couple came from behind me, asked what I was going to shoot, then proceeded to talk at bar-room level, get out their trusty P/S, walk through my field of view, chattering of course, and acted surprised when the hawk flew away. They were even more taken back by the expletives I hurled their way.

Long story short, the next day on T.V., the almost identical scenario is a commercial for
the new Panasonic Lumix P/S. Only difference is the rude dudes get a shot as well as the fleeing Golden eagle? captured on video.

Is it just me, or shouldn't they put a disclaimer in the ad mentioning such behavior could result in bodily injury? I know that if I had income riding on my shot, I may have been tempted to plant my Manfrotto across their heads!
Some sarcasm is here as, even though I'm a hockey player, I'm NOT VIOLENT!!!

Maybe a disclaimer stating that is is very rude to walk in front of some one trying to photograph any thing would be prudent, but I won't hold my breath that it would happen. I can not tell you how many shots I have missed in FL alone because people walked between myself and a bird or scared the birds away. People walking dogs on a beach that has big signs saying "No Dogs Allowed" or throwing balls towards myself and my gear too.

If they are breaking any park rules I would simply call the park headquarters and report that. I put the park headquarter numbers into my cell phone before heading out because you never know when you might need asisstance. If there is any confrontation I am then not involved.

But you can't report people for walking in front of you and that stinks.

Bruce, I'm sorry you missed your shot. You have to understand that you don't own the bird or the park any more than anyone else. We photographers don't have any special rights. Sometimes that sucks but that's the way it is. Your expletives reflect badly on the rest of us. Please don't do that again.

Sorry you have had a bad experience, we all have at one time or another. But, Mark is right just because we have a camera in hand does not under usual curcumstances give us any more rights in a public area than any other visitor. My suggestion would have been to politely ask them to wait a minute until you got your shot, and maybe then you both would have gotten photos. Most of the time when I not just explain, but ask someone to wait a minute they have been very understanding.

I understand and appreciate all comments so far. I do realize in hindsight my initial response was wrong and it is a public space and I certainly have no exclusive rights to the wildlife. Some of my obvious frustration, I suppose, was having the hawk very near eye level as opposed to perched high on a light pole.(I live in a fairly urban area). It was certainly not my intention to reflect poorly on any of us and for that I apologize.
I was trying to convey what Mia mentioned, and that seems to be a lack of public photo courtesy and how, now it is being portrayed(as OK) in a television ad for the P/S crowd. Thanks for comments and rest assured if it happens again it will be handled differently.

Now really, I grew up with hockey players and their idea of non-violence was no broken bones - no bones broken, no violence. Blood is fine. Broken teeth, fine. (no guards back then). In the 60s/70s hockey was worse than All Star Wrestling for gore.

Anyhow,
I've been in similar situations with the hawk your talking about. I've learned that in many cases you can "shhhh!" people and explain quietly what you are trying to do and they will patiently wait. If they don't, you can't really fault them, but I am always gratified when they wait and show some interest.

Pete D. foolishly expects everyone is just trying to get along, except, of course, Verne Gagne who wore the All Star Belt for many, many years and took no guff from whippersnappers shooting birds in parks...

Saw the commercial today and was commenting to my friend how I wouldn't have been wasting my time setting up the tripod and I would have nailed the shot... maybe you should start hand holding

Kidding aside, it's unfortunate and all you can do is try to educate people who do such things

- Luke

When I happen across a photo opportunity that looks like it might not last, I'll fire off a few quick images before setting up the tripod and setting more controls. Last fall while walking around a local lake, I came across a fisherman standing in the water. I really liked how the fisherman and a distant tree were reflecting in the water. I quickly captured two hand-held images. I then decided to look for a better angle, etc. But within seconds, the fisherman turned around and left the water. But no problem, since I got a half-decent shot (IMHO).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jbhaber/4010606361/

I have to disagree with the posting of Mark Stahlke. While it is true photographers "don't have any special rights" - in the described scenario, this doesn't excuse the rude and thoughtless behavior of the couple who deliberately walked thru Bruce Palla's shot. They got the verbal abuse they rightly deserved!
The attitude of Mr. Stahlke that things sucks and that's just the way it is simplistic and cowardly. If Mr. Stahlke wants to live in a world where things suck and he accepts it, that's a shame for him. But to imply it should be a mantra for others is appalling.
And to further scold Palla for his reaction with the admonishment "Your expletives reflect badly on the rest of us. Please don't do that again" - well who do you think you are? Not everyone is willing to accept the rude behavior of people that is so common place anymore. I don't, why should I? People who act rudely to others deserve to be told about it. Then, maybe they'll think before they act rudely the next time.
Mr. Palla reacted with the outrage that anyone with a pulse would. A reminder: While a photographer with a camera doesn't have any special rights, they do deserve what is called common courtesy. That's something that helps us live together, not bury our heads in the sand and proclaim "that sucks...,but I'll accept it."

... the rude and thoughtless behavior of the couple who deliberately walked thru Bruce Palla's shot

My guess would be that many other park guests would think their behavior was not rude and that you, as a photographer, are wrong to expect people to wait if all they are doing is walking down a trail. I think I fall in the middle - sort of an "everyone should act nice to everyone" camp, which may be a bit idealistic. I do often wait for photographers, but I've also seen photographers see people waiting, and seem to expect them to wait for minutes while they wait for their shot.

Tom Mihalek wrote:
I have to disagree with the posting of Mark Stahlke. While it is true photographers "don't have any special rights" - in the described scenario, this doesn't excuse the rude and thoughtless behavior of the couple who deliberately walked thru Bruce Palla's shot. They got the verbal abuse they rightly deserved!
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And to further scold Palla for his reaction with the admonishment "Your expletives reflect badly on the rest of us. Please don't do that again" - well who do you think you are? Not everyone is willing to accept the rude behavior of people that is so common place anymore. I don't, why should I? People who act rudely to others deserve to be told about it. Then, maybe they'll think before they act rudely the next time.
Mr. Palla reacted with the outrage that anyone with a pulse would.

What did the verbal abuse and outrage accomplish? In my experience, cursing at people never produces a positive outcome. It usually has the opposite effect. Responding to rudeness with rudeness begets still more rudeness. Mahatma Ghandi saw where that path leads when he said, "An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind." Rudeness for rudeness leaves the whole world rude. As you've noticed, there is already an abundance of rudeness in the world. Why add more?

I think a few kind words and a gentle explanation of the people's faux pas would have engendered more consideration in the future. As it was, the expletives probably left a bad impression of nature photographers in general and I asked Bruce Palla not to do that again.

Tom Mihalek also wrote:
The attitude of Mr. Stahlke that things sucks and that's just the way it is simplistic and cowardly. If Mr. Stahlke wants to live in a world where things suck and he accepts it, that's a shame for him. But to imply it should be a mantra for others is appalling.
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A reminder: While a photographer with a camera doesn't have any special rights, they do deserve what is called common courtesy. That's something that helps us live together, not bury our heads in the sand and proclaim "that sucks...,but I'll accept it."

Perhaps my "Sometimes that sucks..." comment was overly terse. Let me try something a bit more verbose. Sometimes things don't work out the way we would like them to. That's the way it is. Stuff happens. You can either accept it or you can shake your fist at the heavens to make stuff un-happen. I haven't had much success with the latter so I choose the former. If that makes me "simplistic and cowardly" then I'll happily wear those titles like badges. Feel free to be appalled by my acceptance of things I can't change.

Chill out dude.

I find myself in total agreement with Mark's reply. A kind word, is a mark of real honor and leadership. We, as nature photographers, should lead by example.

There is stuff that happens, some of which we are able to exert some control over, and some we cannot. Acceptance of those things over which we have no control shows wisdom; and as such, is neither cowardly nor simplistic. It is, rather, quite the reverse.

--P