[Al_Kahollick]

7 photographers? The thugs were bold. Weren't they worried about their faces, clothes, other identifying details being photographed?

Not to mention being outnumbered two to one!


The city I live in doubles as an National Historical Park, people with cameras are so common they're largely ignored. Late night's aren't advisable in some parts unless in a group, but all in all it's pretty safe to shoot solo here (4th largest city in the state, so, not a small town).

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Last edited by Al_Kahollick; 03-14-2015 at 07:18 PM.

[r0ckstarr]

Not to mention being outnumbered two to one!

7 photographers? The thugs were bold. Weren't they worried about their faces, clothes, other identifying details being photographed?

Seems to happen frequently there.

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q...alamo%20square

[carpents]

last weekend, my group of 7 photogs were at the painted ladies in Alamo Square and were preyed upon by 3 thugs, two of whom pushed on of our guys and grabbed his bag and tripod and then took off down the street. we chased them down the street and around the corner where they had a driver in a getaway car waiting for them. Our friend lost about $8K worth of gear.
Many other local photogs have been robbed at gunpoint around the city and I am now looking into carrying a weapon to supplement my measly pepper spray and whistle, lol.

Luckily for you, it's illegal to buy a Happy Meal there. So you may be out some photography gear, but at least you don't have a toy with your hamburger!

[Al_Kahollick]

Seems to happen frequently there.

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q...alamo%20square

I guess when out photographing in San Fran, it's best to forget the Alamo!

[Zephos]

7 photographers? The thugs were bold. Weren't they worried about their faces, clothes, other identifying details being photographed?

I was wondering why the 7 photogs didn't beat the **** out of them.

[mikeSF]

I was wondering why the 7 photogs didn't beat the **** out of them.

we couldn't catch them.

---------- Post added 03-14-2015 at 10:14 PM ----------

I guess when out photographing in San Fran, it's best to forget the Alamo!

ha definitely. i stopped shooting Potrero hill because of all the armed robberies of photographers there. there is danger anywhere there are other people, obviously but what can you do?

---------- Post added 03-14-2015 at 10:16 PM ----------

Luckily for you, it's illegal to buy a Happy Meal there. So you may be out some photography gear, but at least you don't have a toy with your hamburger!

assume you were joking but i think they charge 10 cents extra for a toy in a happy meal in SF. not even growing pot is illegal in SF silly.

---------- Post added 03-14-2015 at 10:17 PM ----------

Seems to happen frequently there.

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q...alamo%20square

yes, lots of tourists there all day and plenty of targets for a healthy fencing operation.

---------- Post added 03-14-2015 at 10:18 PM ----------

I'm a big believer in concealed/open carry rights, Castle Doctrine, and "Stand Your Ground" laws (not to mention "needed killin" is a perfectly reasonable legal defense here in Tennessee) but that scenario is a great illustration of the downside of being armed if it spurs you be more confrontational. Being shot yourself, of course, is bad, but shooting somebody else is expensive. I'm sorry it's come to this in that great city of yours--it sounds as if your local politicians need to be introduced to a lamppost and short length of rope--but being armed calls for a pretty radical reconfiguration of the way you see yourself moving through the world.

[checks map tp see how far your state is from my state...whew!]

---------- Post added 03-14-2015 at 10:20 PM ----------

7 photographers? The thugs were bold. Weren't they worried about their faces, clothes, other identifying details being photographed?

nope, they wore hoods and struck during twilight. police said there arent any cams there.

[yucatanPentax]

Bring martial arts sprinters as protection?
Some might even be into photography.

Having a gun is not really protection when you're taken by surprise, especially in the open.

In a city where I lived in the past, someone called in a suspicious car in a grocery store parking lot. Two cars responded and a third as backup, shortly after. All three officers were at different positions. All three wearing their vests. All three were expecting trouble. One of the occupants jumped out of the back seat, shot two officers dead and wounded the third.

These weren't experienced military or cartel thugs. They were just common thugs, maybe thinking of grabbing a purse or stealing a car.

The concept that a photographer occupied with a camera could retrieve a weapon and protect himself against a surprise mugging better than three armed, body-armored, expecting-trouble officers sounds just silly to me.

Maybe you could fire at them as they ran away, but do you really want to kill even a thug over gear? It's a life-changing event. And what if an innocent bystander is killed or wounded? Prepared for that lawsuit?

As far as "bad" parts of town, a lot of people get the willies in run down or poorly kept areas, or just unfamiliar areas, but all poor people are not criminals. A lot of people think I live in a "scary" part of town, but in 20 years not one bad thing had happened to me or my neighbors. I've done voter registrations where many people are afraid to walk in the daytime. You know what? They are people just like the rest of us.

[UncleVanya]

last weekend, my group of 7 photogs were at the painted ladies in Alamo Square and were preyed upon by 3 thugs, two of whom pushed down one of our guys and grabbed his bag and tripod and then took off down the street. we chased them down the street and around the corner where they had a driver in a getaway car waiting for them. Our friend lost about $8K worth of gear.
Many other local photogs have been robbed at gunpoint around the city and I am now looking into carrying a weapon to supplement my measly pepper spray and whistle, lol.

I have a friend who owns one of the painted ladies on post card row. How sad.

[rawr]

police said there arent any cams there.

I'm no big fan of CCTV, but if it is indeed one of SF's most popular attractions, maybe it's time for the city to install a CCTV or two in the vicinity of Alamo Square around those areas where most tourists congregate, just to capture the odd thug license plate, tattooed arm etc to aid police ID, and provide a modicum of deterrence.

[jcphoto]

If you know that you'll end up in a shadier side of town, then be smart about it. Dress down. Take only bare essentials. Pick up street vernacular (if you can pull it off). and even if you don't smoke, carry around a pack of cigarettes, and light one up occasionally.

If you feel like someone is tailing you, initiate, ask them if they want to bum smoke. I can't guarantee it'll ward off any muggers with intent, but it will help you blend in. Strike up conversation about local eateries. Locals love to indulge in telling about all the hole-in the wall places...

Just be smart about it and don't come off as if you can be a target.

[r0ckstarr]

If you feel like someone is tailing you, initiate, ask them if they want to bum smoke. I can't guarantee it'll ward off any muggers with intent, but it will help you blend in. Strike up conversation about local eateries. Locals love to indulge in telling about all the hole-in the wall places...

I disagree. The moment you stop to talk to them, you are allowing them to get within arms reach of you and putting yourself in even more potential danger. If you think someone is tailing you, you lose the tail. The only thing a pack of smokes is going to get you is COPD.

[carpents]

assume you were joking but i think they charge 10 cents extra for a toy in a happy meal in SF. not even growing pot is illegal in SF silly.

They have to charge for the toy, because the SF politicians made it illegal to bundle a toy with a hamburger. Your point about marijuana only makes it more ironic.

[CreationBear]

The concept that a photographer occupied with a camera could retrieve a weapon and protect himself against a surprise mugging better than three armed, body-armored, expecting-trouble officers sounds just silly to me.

That's the problem in a nutshell: the bad guys always have the initiative. To be honest, it sounds as if the best solution for a photography group would be to hire an off-duty LEO(s) as a security detail. No doubt it's a sad state of affairs when you have to resort to condottieri, but like mama always said, the strong do what the can and the weak suffer what they must.

[pete-tarmigan]

I think what DeadJohn said is all valid, especially the situational awareness part. I like to find a partner to go with, but most times I end up by myself. As far as a weapon, being a retired LEO I am use to being always armed, conceal carry. I am 70 yoa and if all possible will retreat from a situation. Of course one of my friends is a fourth degree black belt, but he is not into photography.

It sounds like it's time to practise conceal/carry photography (so the camera is never visible), if the authorities have ceded control of a region to criminals. Sounds like Mogadishu.

Are there any kinds of gear available for photography using a concealed camera?

[dadipentak]

If you're talking about carrying a gun, my answer is hell no! I was an MP when I was in the service and, as far as I'm concerned, if you think you need one, don't go there. Understand that if you find yourself in a situation where you have to use it, the consequences are very probably going to be very bad for you--even if you get out alive with your gear intact.