Republican National Convention

Quincy T

Anyone covering?

I've been talking to a guy (Brian Blanco, a Tampa/Sarasota PJ) about working with him, but I wanted to see what you all had planned, if anything.

Supposed to be a fairly large riot group inbound as well...

http://anarchistnews.org/content/nyc-ftp-police-press

Woo...

TonyCooper

I hope they send "Will McAvoy" to cover it.

Quincy T

TonyCooper wrote: »

I hope they send "Will McAvoy" to cover it.

I had to look up the reference, sadly, but I laughed when I found it.

TonyCooper

Quincy T wrote: »

I had to look up the reference, sadly, but I laughed when I found it.

Those who have watched this show know that "Will McAvoy" has been bashing
the Tea Party and Republican conservatives (is that a redundant combination?).
I doubt if the Aaron Sorkin will be popular with the Tampa crowd.

Quincy T

This is a bump for the sake of it being two weeks away. I do plan on covering it, and if you have any professional advice, that'd be great. I feel like I'm moderately well prepared at this point, but still quite a bit of stuff to do.

PhotoDavid78

I will be covering it not as a photographer but as a graphics technician.

michswiss

Quincy T wrote: »

This is a bump for the sake of it being two weeks away. I do plan on covering it, and if you have any professional advice, that'd be great. I feel like I'm moderately well prepared at this point, but still quite a bit of stuff to do.

I guess it depends on what you mean by covering it. Have you thought about how you intend to approach it, a theme or concept? What kind of access, to which people or organisations.

I'd suggest a slow start. A lot of listening and looking with a few test shots. Build a few relationships to help with access or acceptance in your target groups and sit or stand quietly and try to fit in with the camera always visible. Then see where it leads you.

Quincy T

michswiss wrote: »

I guess it depends on what you mean by covering it. Have you thought about how you intend to approach it, a theme or concept? What kind of access, to which people or organisations.

I'd suggest a slow start. A lot of listening and looking with a few test shots. Build a few relationships to help with access or acceptance in your target groups and sit or stand quietly and try to fit in with the camera always visible. Then see where it leads you.

I'm just covering the events outside of the RNC..should have said that. Protests, etc.

I've linked up with an AP photographer from PA, who is coming down to do the very same thing. So, I'm going to shadow him, and try to document the inevitable chaos that all of this is likely to cause.

I appreciate the advice. Had I known I was going to be home for the RNC, I would have tried for credentials early on to enter the actual event, but my schedule wasn't concrete until last week.

Sam

Quincy,

It will as you know be a total mad house. You will need to be VERY careful. You will be viewed with suspicion from both the police and the nut wacks from the anarchists.

The politicians and other better known attendees will be pretty well protected, but the rest of you will be on your own.

Travel light, one camera one lens. If you have a padded bag you can slip it into fast and secure it that would be great. Pepper spray won't hurt. Leather gloves aren't bad ether. Good stout boots. Keep only your ID and small amount of money on your person. Try not to have anything other than a camera bag with a strap. No lanyards etc around your neck.

You might consider some sort of large identifier that say PRESS. You can explain later if you need to.

Pay attention. Don't try and engage the nut wacks, it won't help you at all, just make you more of a target. A little paranoia is your friend.

Good luck, and have fun.

Sam

Sam

Angelo

Sam wrote: »

Pay attention. Don't try and engage the nut wacks

Sam gives good advice. Stay away from the nut wacks (sic). You'll recognize them as the ones with tea bags hanging from their hats.



.

Quincy T

Sam wrote: »

Quincy,

It will as you know be a total mad house. You will need to be VERY careful. You will be viewed with suspicion from both the police and the nut wacks from the anarchists.

The politicians and other better known attendees will be pretty well protected, but the rest of you will be on your own.

Travel light, one camera one lens. If you have a padded bag you can slip it into fast and secure it that would be great. Pepper spray won't hurt. Leather gloves aren't bad ether. Good stout boots. Keep only your ID and small amount of money on your person. Try not to have anything other than a camera bag with a strap. No lanyards etc around your neck.

You might consider some sort of large identifier that say PRESS. You can explain later if you need to.

Pay attention. Don't try and engage the nut wacks, it won't help you at all, just make you more of a target. A little paranoia is your friend.

Good luck, and have fun.

Sam

Sam

Thanks, Sam. I've got a ballistic vest arranged for, and a helmet. I'll probably take two bodies with me, one with the 16-35 and one with the 70-200, but I agree about traveling as light as possible. I know that some of these folks have a history of cutting camera straps and stealing the camera, so on and so forth. I'm just going to have to hope for the best there, and try to keep myself out of that situation.

It's a bit of a double-edged sword identifying myself as press. Nevermind that I am not actually press, but the black bloc folks (anarchy extremists that will be in attendance) are probably more likely to target me if I present myself as press, and steal camera, spraypaint lenses (go filters!), etc. If I present myself as freelance Joe, I'm more likely to get detained by police.

I'm new at this, but I have an experienced person with me who is used to emergency situations and I'm just going to follow his lead, while staying in the mindset that this is not my real job, and I have to go to work next week...not be awaiting trial for "failure to disperse"

With all that said, I just want to record the event as best I can, and I think I'd have to be a real fool to hope for a future in the world of photojournalism, and not take advantage of one of the biggest news events this year, twenty minutes from my home.

Sam

Angelo wrote: »

Sam gives good advice. Stay away from the nut wacks (sic). You'll recognize them as the ones with tea bags hanging from their hats.



.

This does not go unanswered! Did you have a look at the website Quincy linked to? If not please have a look. Nut wack is the kindest word I could find, the real description would have me banned from Dgrin for life.

I am rarely shocked at much these days, and I certainly know what the anarchists are about, but when they have a website where they openly tell the world they are going to destroy property, burn the city down, and beat the hell out of photographers I wonder if the politicians will ever get off their dead asses and take a stand.

As for the tea party folks, yeah they sometimes dress funny, speak of old out of date ideas like personal responsibility and smaller government. They also clean up after rallies thereby denying work to the crews that normally work for days to clean up after "other more politically correct organizations". The darn people also don't understand that the constitution is an old out dated document that gets in the way of progress, silly people.

Oh and if you try and engage them in debate, they are civilized and have facts, the cheaters!

The next time there is a Tea party event in CA, I invite you to attend with me. Go, look, talk to them, then write about them.

I don't ask you to agree, just be honest.

Sam

Sam

Quincy T wrote: »

Thanks, Sam. I've got a ballistic vest arranged for, and a helmet. I'll probably take two bodies with me, one with the 16-35 and one with the 70-200, but I agree about traveling as light as possible. I know that some of these folks have a history of cutting camera straps and stealing the camera, so on and so forth. I'm just going to have to hope for the best there, and try to keep myself out of that situation.

It's a bit of a double-edged sword identifying myself as press. Nevermind that I am not actually press, but the black bloc folks (anarchy extremists that will be in attendance) are probably more likely to target me if I present myself as press, and steal camera, spraypaint lenses (go filters!), etc. If I present myself as freelance Joe, I'm more likely to get detained by police.

I'm new at this, but I have an experienced person with me who is used to emergency situations and I'm just going to follow his lead, while staying in the mindset that this is not my real job, and I have to go to work next week...not be awaiting trial for "failure to disperse"

With all that said, I just want to record the event as best I can, and I think I'd have to be a real fool to hope for a future in the world of photojournalism, and not take advantage of one of the biggest news events this year, twenty minutes from my home.

Quincy,

I know your not a wide eyed idiot. I just wanted to put some ideas out there to keep you as safe as possible. Cutting the camera strap may actually be the better case. Better than someone using the strap to spin you around in an imitation of a discus thrower.

At any rate good luck, and don't take any unnecessary risks.

sam

Quincy T

Sam wrote: »

Quincy,

I know your not a wide eyed idiot. I just wanted to put some ideas out there to keep you as safe as possible. Cutting the camera strap may actually be the better case. Better than someone using the strap to spin you around in an imitation of a discus thrower.

At any rate good luck, and don't take any unnecessary risks.

sam

You're a good man, Sam! I'm sure I'll have fond memories of taking pictures of random folks in the street while I'm out there.

Liquidity

http://blogs.nppa.org/advocacy/2012/08/07/cover-the-conventions-and-protests/

Sam

Liquidity wrote: »

http://blogs.nppa.org/advocacy/2012/08/07/cover-the-conventions-and-protests/

Good info!!

Quincy T

Liquidity wrote: »

http://blogs.nppa.org/advocacy/2012/08/07/cover-the-conventions-and-protests/

Saw this on Sportsshooter a few days ago, but yeah. Craziness.

bdcolen

Helmet. Definitely a helmet. They've been pretty much s.o.p. since the 60s. And a gas mask wouldn't hurt. Oh, and insurance for the photo gear.

Quincy T

bdcolen wrote: »

Helmet. Definitely a helmet. They've been pretty much s.o.p. since the 60s. And a gas mask wouldn't hurt. Oh, and insurance for the photo gear.

I'm really glad you posted this B.D. Reason being: I had a helmet lined up to purchase, and thought I had. Went to Amazon to check on the order...never placed it. Placed.

The gas mask is going to be difficult. I might be able to get one from the folks on base, but it will take some clever negotation. I do have to get insurance on the new camera.