It’s a fine day and you’re enjoying what you love: photographing wildlife. Then out of the blue, someone drops in to spoil your day. With an endless barrage of ridiculous questions and remarks that fluctuate between the mundane and the obnoxious, the pretentious nature lover manages to kill your appetite for good photography. You’re saved only by a phone call that distracts the intruder while you make your exit, quietly, to some place safer. Sound like déjà vu? Well, if it does you are not alone:
In this humorous video, Tony Northrup plays the role of the bemused wildlife photographer, behind an intimidating looking lens painted in camouflage colors, while Chelsea Northrup assumes the role of the pretentious nature lover, absolutely determined to confuse the living day lights out of the poor photographer. Her interjections include the following gems:
- “Wow, that lens looks expensive!”
- My iPhone gets really good pictures anyway.”
- “I like that your lens matches your outfit.”
- “My uncle’s got an eagle’s nest in his yard.”
- “It’s not like you own the spot.”
- “I’m taking Cowboy for a walk, ‘cause he’s like he’s just got diagnosed with doggie introvert syndrome.”
- “Do you, like, just teach yourself or do you know what you’re doing?”
One of many ways to annoy a nature photographer
What’s the worst line that’s been throw at you as a wildlife or nature photographer? Share it with us in the comments below.
Like This Article?
Don't Miss The Next One!
Join over 100,000 photographers of all experience levels who receive our free photography tips and articles to stay current:
an appropriate reply would be “you have nice hair – your hair stylist must have really good scissors”
Excellent video.
At my barber shop, where 2 or 3 Korean ladies do the cutting, my usual hair cutter was interested in my photos. The next time I went in for a haircut, I showed her my photo album that I brought in to see. She liked them very much and proceeded to hand the album to the other ladies to see. One was o-o-o-wing and ah-h-ing over it then proceeded to say “wow, you must have good camera”. Yikes! It was all I could do to not say anything.
While at an overlook in the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone last summer, my wife was shooting a gaggle of new bison calves near sunset. There were a lot of people at the spot doing the same. A carload of teens pulled up in a car with California plates. They took a few pics and selfies with their cellphones, and suddenly one girl spotted a calf nursing. Loudly she exclaimed “Eeuuww! It’s sucking on it’s mother!” Her boyfriend said “That’s what they do…” To which she replied “Well, she could just go to 7-11 and get something else to feed it.” Ignorance elevated to an art form or a pathetic cry for attention? Needless to say, my wife as well as everyone within earshot was agog with disbelief.
It looks as if this is the 3rd time this has been posted. Once in 2014, once in 2016, and again in 2018. However, it is still amusing.
Ah…if people say things to you, I take it that they wish they were me. Making rude comments back to them is why photographers get the reputation of being snotty.
Have business cards on hand and give them one. Tell them how they can purchase the photos they were with you on that day! Make some money off these folks! And, don’t let them ruin your day.
Luckily I don’t mind letting a fart rip when I have one on me, if someone is annoying and throwing around a lot of vulgarity even when not directed at the person can make for quick exits from their side. It works like a charm :D
I once ran into a guy who talked so much and so loud that he scared off the herons I was photographing. Couldn’t shut he mouth. Then it was the egrets. Scared them off, too. Then he wanted me to buy his lunch. I kind of turned that down.
After a safari photo show: “Does it hurt the elephant when you take its picture?”
I actually had a little Indian girl who was about 8 years old look close at my head and say to me, “You have OLD hair!” I laughed, and said, “That’s IT. I’m not old. I just have old hair.” Amazing the insight children often have.
The comment that really annoys me is when someone looks at a bunch of my photos and says, “Boy, those are really great pictures! You must have a really good camera.”
My reply is usually something like, “No, I have a really cheap camera. What you are seeing is the result of years of experience combined with the natural artistic talents of the photographer, along with his spending many hours setting up and taking the shots and finishing them with extensive processing and enhancement in Photoshop to produce a high-quality professional image. Having a good camera helps, sometimes a lot, but it’s the knowledge and skills of the person taking the photo, plus his being in the right place at the right time, that matters most.”
That usually shuts him up and puts a silly grin on his face.
“your camera takes really good pictures..”
LOL – “your face looks young but your hair is old” – that’s just cruel Chelsea :)
Did you see that Bobcat take off as I was walking up?