your scariest photography moment?

[Cali_PH]

1 - Silly & Scary: Friend and I were doing the 8 mile or so rough Subway hike in Zion.  Since I was carrying 2 bodies, lenses, tripod etc. and my friend was only carrying a small light DSLR, I asked her to carry all the water we had in the car.  She said no problem.  Silly me, I didn't visually check.  About 3/4 of the way there, we're taking a break and I'm asking her for more water; turns out she only brought 3 bottles total.  Stupidly, after some debate (and angry words on my part), we continued going since we were so close.  Oh, and she got up late and ate breakfast slowly, so we started hours later than I had planned.

So on the way back, it was getting dark. If you know the Subway hike, we did the climb up the 400' cliff in the dark.  We had headlamps, but the climb was still difficult.  My friend slipped and almost rolled off the cliff, and I was so dehydrated and exhausted I literally was almost falling asleep on my feet; never been so exhausted in all my life.  Had to rest a bunch of times on the way up.  We were both thinking we weren't going to make it up to the car, but we did.  Barely. 

To add insult to injury, the water level in Subway was much higher than normal, so we didn't even get good shots.

2 - Was in Yosemite doing the short hike to lower Yosemite Falls; it's a short, well-traveled paved path, so I was surprised at what happened.  I started to hear a rustling noise and looked around.  I saw one, then two, then about half a dozen deer bounding through the trees and brush directly at me.  I started to smile, thinking how cool the moment was, especially as they zipped by on both sides of me.   I'd swear I could have reached out to touch one of them.  I was reaching for my camera until I saw WHY they were bounding.  A big coyote (wolf?) was chasing them, which made me immediately freeze. Fortunately, the coyote was focused on them and never glanced my way, although it passed within 10 feet of me.  I'm not sure what it would have done if it had seen me, but it sure did freak me out for a few moments, especially when I realized I was probably easier prey!

[pedro]

One night I was taking nightshots of a transmitter in a rural place near a farm here in Switzerland. Nearby there were cows grazing. Having been raised in a rural village, being aqcuainted with these beasts I was looking for a better spot to take the picture and trespassed the fence. I set up the tripod and did a long exposure with my then 30D. As the seconds clicked into the camera, I became aware of a strange movement right infront of me. All of a sudden I saw that the bull was there, attempting get closer to me. So I took my tripod with the cam attached to it still exposing and left running...LOL...well, I managed to take another picture after that... Cheers, Pedro.


Transmitter by Peter Hauri, on Flickr

[Rienzphotoz]

One night I was taking nightshots of a transmitter in a rural place near a farm here in Switzerland. Nearby there were cows grazing. Having been raised in a rural village, being aqcuainted with these beasts I was looking for a better spot to take the picture and trespassed the fence. I set up the tripod and did a long exposure with my then 30D. As the seconds clicked into the camera, I became aware of a strange movement right infront of me. All of a sudden I saw that the bull was there, attempting get closer to me. So I took my tripod with the cam attached to it still exposing and left running...LOL...well, I managed to take another picture after that... Cheers, Pedro.


Transmitter by Peter Hauri, on Flickr

So that's how one shoots a perfect night shot of a transmitter! I had not idea 

[Rienzphotoz]

finally I managed to make him put his clothes back on.

That is disturbing indeed

[Jan Jasinski]

Every time I talk to my wife about purchasing new equipment.

Hahahaha that is the best thing i've heard in a while

[Dylan777]

"your scariest photography moment" - when Sony or Fuji come out FF in P&S body(like RX1) with exhangable lenses, I'll sell all my Canon gear: 5D III, 50L, 16-35, 24-70 and 70-200

[J.R.]

I was taken out by an out of control skier on a steepish slope. A number of cuts and bruises but fortunately the gear was unharmed as it fell in soft snow.

[paul13walnut5]

Every time I talk to my wife about purchasing new equipment.

Hahahaha that is the best thing i've heard in a while

You tell your wife how much you are going to spend on camera equipment?  Gave that up a long time ago, and just hope she can't tell the difference between the anonymous looking black bodies.

Where I see white lenses my girlfriend sees pink diamonds.

[J.R.]

Every time I talk to my wife about purchasing new equipment.

Hahahaha that is the best thing i've heard in a while

You tell your wife how much you are going to spend on camera equipment?  Gave that up a long time ago, and just hope she can't tell the difference between the anonymous looking black bodies.

+1 ... If I hadn't put my faith in the above reasoning, I would never have been able to exchange the 7D + $$$ for a new 6D.

Lenses though are another issue. I'm sure that my wife would notice a new 600mm when I get it.

[Sporgon]

When I was a lad of about 19; my girlfriend's father found the pictures I'd taken of her wearing her mother's favourite hat.

Wearing onlyher mother's favourite hat.....

[Zen]

Had I been in Striker's or Wyoming Bill's shoes, I would have died on the spot. Many who live in the east and who have never seen buffalo in the wild simply cannot appreciate how big they are in the wild. Most zoo buffalo don't do the wild beasties justice.

Several years ago, in Y'stone, I made the mistake of getting out of my motorhome to get a shot of a lone bull, who was placidly grazing near the road near Y'stone Lake. My mother wanted the shot and I tried to oblige her. Luckily, I had listened to the old timers and was carefully watching thru the view finder as I moved forward. When I saw the tail go straight out, I knew it was time to leave, and I did! He was 6 feet at the shoulder, prob 2000 lbs, maybe an old outcast, etc., and I suspect a bit cranky because I had interrupted his peaceful meal. I didn't argue!

A year later, I was on the willow flats east of the Snake north of Jackson searching for a beaver dam I knew was there across one of the little streamlets, when I met a moose cow coming toward me, tearing up the willows as she came. I turned tail, and afterward saw her hoof prints up close; 6" wide, 2" deep into the soil. Again I didn't argue.

Glad I took those chances then, but wouldn't again.
Zen

[Valvebounce]

found ourselves in an interesting neighborhood... teens in wife-beaters standing at the corner in groups, car windows blown out with garbage bags as covers...you get the idea...

Nothing came of it...and perhaps we judge unfairly folks in some neighborhoods, a few stares and may be a comment or two... but it was the longest walk to the larger road from that pot-holed street. I have had a closer call close to my own house few years back, but that only goes to tell you perhaps neighborhoods don't matter afterall.

I pay more attention now to where I am and how I carry my equipment in less obvious ways.

On holiday in Phoenix we, my missus and I , went driving to and walking around various areas looking for / at various things of interest, including visiting a photography shop. When we went out later with our friends who are locals he said he only visits several of the areas we went if he is armed. During our 2 week stay there were 3 shootings in the areas we visited, ignorance is bliss, as I would now not visit the places I have great pics of.
Great subject, some lucky escapes for both people and their gear!
Thanks for being forthright about your misfortunes, hopefully some of us might also learn from you!