Thomas Heaton: How to handle people ruining shots & is the Induro Stealth the ultimate landscape tripod?

 

 

In photographer Thomas Heaton’s latest video, there are a couple of particularly interesting and separate topics covered. Firstly, in Heaton’s previous video, he was photographing a picturesque scene when people walked into his composition and didn’t move before the nice light was gone. Some of his viewers commented that he should have asked them to move. In his new video, seen below, we learn why he didn’t ask them to move and how he tries to handle these types of situations.

It’s definitely frustrating to be set up and waiting for the right light when people walk through the scene and worse yet, stick around until the light is gone. However, as Heaton points out, none of us own the landscape and everyone has equal right to enjoy an area, even if they are enjoying it in a way which inconveniences us. If someone is a fellow photographer, they might be more likely to be willing to share a space. I know that I’ve done that on numerous occasions out in the field. Even if I get somewhere first, I want others to be able to enjoy a scene and we can often work together to find a nice compromise where we both win. At other times, I’m set up and people just walk right in front of me and it can be uncomfortable. 

Heaton says, “Don’t get me wrong, I would love to have every location all to myself. When I see people turning up and ruining the peace and quiet, it does make me sad and does make me think, ‘I wish they weren’t there.’” But that doesn’t change anything, he continues, they still have as much of a right to be there as he does. At the end of the day, the landscape isn’t here for us, nature isn’t ours but it still feels bad when people ruin a shot. There’s nothing wrong with politely talking to people in your frame to see if there isn’t a solution (in my experience, there often is, most people are happy to share an area) but that doesn’t mean anyone ever has an obligation to get out of our way.

Now onto the second part of the video, Heaton’s new tripod. He recently purchased an Induro GIT304L Grand Series 3 Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod. This tripod costs around $650 USD and is very heavy-duty, able to hold up to 55.1 pounds of gear, while being able to get down to a height of just 4.9 inches. Plus, it weighs under 5 pounds. It looks nice and Heaton asks, “Is it the ultimate landscape photography tripod?” Find out in the video below.

(Via Thomas Heaton)