GF dragged me along to the local bookstore - figured take the camera along to try the night mode and encountered something bizzare    Stick a SLR style camera on a tripod, and 90% of those queuing will ask newpaper you are with. Yet without a tripod (using street furniture instead) or a click n point -  nadda, not a thing. 

The cops held people back, even the security guard invited me in straight away seconds after the event opened as well. Also knowing the hysteria surrounding taking photos of kids, I debilberatly avoided it, yet parents where literally shoving kids forward. People couldn't wait to  leap into shot. Camera off tripod - instant scowls. 

While I'm seriously rusty - my training is in social and documentary photography back in the 80's, then mostly shooting demos or video work for local TV news, I don't ever recall getting this reaction before. 

Has anyone else ever expirenced anything like this ?

Last week I was wandering around with my DSLR and a 300mm zoom...

"who are you shooting for?"

I told them Renderosity...

"The worlds largest online graphic arts community"

The next one who asked that...

I told them "Homeland security"

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Celebrity culture is invidious today they all want their 15 mins.

On the photo meet up last week with Vera and Akpe we were asked if we were press.

Quote - Has anyone else ever expirenced anything like this?

 

Black Friday tech sales (day after Thanksgiving in U.S.)
XBox original release
PS3 original release
iPhone
Concerts

People are nuts.

Regarding Harry Potter; I went to Costco today for my usual Saturday shopping.  They had four large pallets of Harry Potter out on the floor.  Many people were picking up their long-awaited book.  The kids were all sitting around reading while mom and dad did the shopping.  A half an hour later, one pallet was emptied.  They were then opening up another two pallets containing the audio version of the book with people standing around waiting for that.

It was all rather orderly, no mad rush at all.  But based on what I saw, I imagine that particular store would be sold out by early afternoon today, if not sooner, unless they had more in the back.  I estimate each pallet held 500 books.  My copy arrives Monday at work.

Yup, it happens quite a bit... most of the time if you have a big lens on the camera because "big is better".  I sometimes find it quite embarrassing that i am not a press photographer and just say "it´s just a hobby" and then they look at me strange... i suppose i should be getting used to that now pulling weird maneuvers and contortions to get "that shot"...

Quote -

Has anyone else ever expirenced anything like this ?

Just once. There was a band performing in a nearby city, access was free so I went there with my dSLR and was actually able to get quite close upfront. So I was shooting and people were beginning to ask me what paper or magazine I was working for. When I told them I was just 'working' for myself it seemed people were surprised to see a non pro wielding a camera like that. Since most people these days tend to take 'potshots' with their mobiles or some ultracheap compact they got for free with some detergent or something (good luck with that shooting a band :P)

In the end I ended up selling a few pictures because a couple of fans forgot to bring a camera and I handed them my email address and told them where to find the pictures so they could order some prints :P

That was the 1st and only time something like that happened to me.

Act like a pro with the right equipement and people will assume you are. Funny. I saw a pallet or two at a warehouse store, and also a lot at the local Publix. Demand may be high, but I think retailers seriously over ordered and I did not see anyone buying.

I've read a pyscological paper (a similar idea was used on a comedy TV show) about how people will behave when meeting someone wearing a hi-vis yellow jacket - they tend to obey the order despite how silly it is  - because we're conditoned that someone wearing a unifom is in charge.

But I wouldn't expect this from a bunch of people because someone is holding a camera. Normally when shooting things like CND demos, anyone from the press, it's the opposite reaction.