Family Curse

[AlexR!]

Ever since I was a lad, there has been a standing joke in my family about 'The Family Curse'. This is that wherever we go, someone will ask us directions. I don't know whether we as a family just look as if we always know where we are going, but it always happens, especially in London (which is fair enough) but it even happens to me abroad, when foreigners (in their own country) will ask me directions in a language I don't understand.
Anyway, I've noticed that since getting my DSLR several years ago, the curse seems to have expanded such that if I have my camera out at a tourist spot, I will always be the person approached by tourists to take their picture. I guess people see me with a decentish bit of kit and so think I must be a good person to ask. But does this happen to anyone else? The sad thing is that I can never get their little phone or point and shoot to work so end up looking a bit daft and they must think "well, he doesn't know much". Whilst I do try to always make a decent composition, I'm not a great one for endlessly adjusting people into poses, so I suspect I have disappointed a lot of people over the years who expected me to somehow create them a mini masterpiece. And so I tend to make a quick exit while they are studying the LCD screen so I don't see the disappointment in their eyes.
So please tell me it isn't just me, or truly has my family curse spread its tentacles into my hobby?

[tesarver]

Re: Family Curse

Nope, I have that happen to me all the time as well.

Tom

[mikep]

Re: Family Curse

Hi Alex

Strange you should post this post, as I was in Fuerteventura (Canary Islands) last week, and had this exact thing happen to me. A couple asked me to use their camera and take a shot of them together... I obliged, and gave the camera back to them, but there was no shot of them on the camera! Apparently, I hadn't pressed the button enough, so I took another one, and that worked. The bloke looked at me like I was an idiot, and pointedly looked at my 7D!

So in short, you are not alone.

P.S. HCT tomorrow (Sunday) if you're interested - I know you said before you'd like to go one day! No pressure!

Mike

[AlexR!]

Re: Family Curse

P.S. HCT tomorrow (Sunday) if you're interested - I know you said before you'd like to go one day! No pressure!

Mike, yes I did, and I will (one day). Tomorrow's not convenient though, sadly. Partly because I may well be a prisoner in my own home as the RideLondon bike ride means road closures all around me...
Have a great day though, looking forward to seeing those shots.

[MX5]

Re: Family Curse

I get approached a lot for directions when out hill walking. Sometimes in languages I don't understand (and even a fellow walker who is fluent in at least 11 languages). It's not as though I have a map hanging round my neck or a GPS visible. And I do get asked to take pictures of fellow ramblers and folk I've never met before or since.

So not a curse ... just life IMHO.

[DP the Snapper]

Re: Family Curse

If asked I try to palm them off onto my wife

Tomorrow's not convenient though, sadly. Partly because I may well be a prisoner in my own home as the RideLondon bike ride means road closures all around me...

Now there is an opportunity for some action shots

Dave

[dkane95]

Re: Family Curse

I like to just sit and wait sometimes. I don't know why but I do...

[DeeGee]

Re: Family Curse

Happens to me. Last time abroad. Couple literally grabbed me and pulled me towards a park. (Quite an achievement when you consider that I'm six two.) Friends started to panic till they saw the camera that the couple were handing me. They wanted a photo in front of one of the statues in the park.

The camera's instruction panel was all in Russian.

Apparently according to another passer by who translated. They loved the photos I took. Happens that much, I've learnt to take more than one shot.

I think - they think - you have a decent looking camera, your're not going to run off with theirs.

[rcarca]

Re: Family Curse

Happens all the time. One girl asked me also how she should use her Canon DSLR to take photographs of fireworks in Venice!

Richard

[paul linton]

Re: Family Curse

I don't take any images for free ££££££!
That soon puts them off

Paul

[Malcolm]

Re: Family Curse

I was one approached by an English couple in a cafe in France who had heard me speak French. they asked if I could help them to translate something? I said sure I'll have a go. His wife then produced a knitting pattern written in French with lots of abbreviations. I can't even understand an English knitting pattern so a french one stood no chance at all.

[wayne2418]

Re: Family Curse

I don't take any images for free ££££££!
That soon puts them off

Paul

[Paulstw]

Re: Family Curse

Happened to me in Edinburgh once when I was getting some shots of tourists in Princess Street for Alamy. A young German couple asked me to take a pic for them on their camera. It was a really low level P&S. I took the pic after the girl telling me how to use it. The pic was rotten so I asked If I could take their pic.

I took the guys email address and sent him the pic a few days later. He was very appreciative of the picture and I uploaded it to Alamy as a nice tourist portrait shot. :)