Author Topic: Almost fell off a cliff shooting the other day! (Read 4753 times)

Holmes · « **on:** November 12, 2014, 12:52 »

I was shooting stock footage last week and set up my tripod on the edge of a beautiful cliff extending out in the ocean. It was about a 100 foot straight drop on to rocks.

When I shoot, I kinda get consumed by the technical camera stuff and finding the perfect frame so I did not really register that I had just turned my camera 180 degrees to shoot what was behind me. Suddenly, I noticed that my foot was about 10 inches from the edge of the cliff and if I had looked up from the viewfinder and taken just one step back... i would have died. $:-\$

Wake up call for me!

I am posting this as a reminder when your are shooting...SAFETY FIRST!

PIXYLOO · « **Reply #1 on:** November 12, 2014, 13:40 »

personal safety should always come first .. unless the injury costs less than the equipment

Realist · « **Reply #2 on:** November 12, 2014, 13:55 »

"That is elementary, my dear Holmes."

Pixart · « **Reply #3 on:** November 12, 2014, 15:26 »

Or else always take a parachute

Seriously though, thank heavens you are able to remind us about this!

Freedom · « **Reply #4 on:** November 12, 2014, 16:37 »

Next time, don't forget to bring a piece of rope and tie yourself to a tree before shooting. lol

cascoly · « **Reply #5 on:** November 12, 2014, 20:07 »

yep, shooting on cliff sides or steep snow calls for extra awareness. while mountaineering, we always made sure we were either solidly placed, or on belay when shooting

but even if you're thinking about safety, you can get caught

I was shooting on the OR coast last spring, wandering in the tide pools with a turning tide. I was very conscious of the changes, facing towards the sea and waves were sometimes coming in to cover my feet by an inch or so. suddenly I was in water above my waist, lost my balance, and even holding the camera above my head, went under, dunking the camera. no injury beyond pride -- it happened on a wide open beach and 20 sec later I was standing again with about 1 inch of water - what I eventually figured out was a large wave came in, that barely made it over my sandals, but then rebounded off a large rock outcropping about 3 feet high and 100 feet long on an otherwise empty beach and 30 feet behind me -- the wave must have bounced off the rock and caught me before it could wrap around the rock and the otherwise empty beach

mystock · « **Reply #6 on:** November 13, 2014, 04:39 »

Glad you're fine.

Cities are only slightly safer than cliffs and shores! Once I had a near miss with a bus while stepping back to zoom out.

Difydave · « **Reply #7 on:** November 13, 2014, 08:24 »

Different conditions in different areas of course, but I regularly go to the North Cliffs near Porthtowan here in Cornwall.
They're not stable and yet we regularly see people standing right on the edge.
Anyone doing that might like to consider this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVjr4mii3cE
It makes you think!

ann · « **Reply #8 on:** November 13, 2014, 09:15 »

Train platforms are the "cliffs" I capture photos on - it's so crucial to consciously and constantly listen for trains approaching - best to stay only briefly.

mystock · « **Reply #9 on:** November 13, 2014, 09:27 »

Quote from: Difydave on November 13, 2014, 08:24

Different conditions in different areas of course, but I regularly go to the North Cliffs near Porthtowan here in Cornwall.
They're not stable and yet we regularly see people standing right on the edge.
Anyone doing that might like to consider this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVjr4mii3cE
It makes you think!

Better have sensor dust removal in your camera

PeterChigmaroff · « **Reply #10 on:** November 13, 2014, 10:56 »

Another, there I was, I almost died, story. Photographers are famous for these. The thing is, how many actually die? Except the guy keeping food in his tent in bear country in Kamchatcka, I can't think of any.

Holmes · « **Reply #11 on:** November 13, 2014, 13:19 »

Quote from: Zeus on November 13, 2014, 10:56

Another, there I was, I almost died, story. Photographers are famous for these. The thing is, how many actually die? Except the guy keeping food in his tent in bear country in Kamchatcka, I can't think of any.

Peter, your flippant response to my heartfelt post speaks volumes about your character and concern for others.

ShadySue · « **Reply #12 on:** November 13, 2014, 13:27 »

Quote from: Zeus on November 13, 2014, 10:56

Another, there I was, I almost died, story. Photographers are famous for these. The thing is, how many actually die? Except the guy keeping food in his tent in bear country in Kamchatcka, I can't think of any.

One of my former pupils went on to university and took up photography as a keen amateur while there. He died when leaning out of an upstairs window "to get a better angle" on his subject, as several witnesses reported him saying.

How would you know of that story?

Here's another well-known one "The British ornithologist David Hunt was killed by a tiger in 1985 while leading a bird tour in India*, and his posthumously developed photos show that he was snapping pictures up to the very end. (According to Bill Oddie’s travelogue Follow That Bird! “The final picture is of a frame-filling shot of the tiger’s head, eyes blazing and teeth exposed in a snarl.”) "
http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/birdman-texas/page/0/3

How would you or I know how many other similar stories there are?

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Author Topic: Almost fell off a cliff shooting the other day! (Read 4753 times)

Holmes

PIXYLOO

Realist

Pixart

Freedom

cascoly

mystock

Difydave

ann

mystock

PeterChigmaroff

Holmes

ShadySue

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