Should we tell them?

[Valvebounce]

Hi Folks.
I was in France for the D Day commemorations and went to several ceremonies and events, I couldn't help myself, I found myself explaining to people that if they turn to the P setting they wouldn't have to keep pushing the pop up flash back down when taking pictures of things well outside the range of the on board flash and that they could take control of the flash with the release button on the front of the body! Should I have done it, the people did seem to be grateful for the input, a couple even asked for more advice, I recommended coming here rather than trust me! ;D
Should we tell them or just leave them be if they don't ask?

Cheers Graham.

 

[mnovaksan]

I've found that seldom people are grateful for unsolicited advise like this. The only time I give advice is when someone is taking of a picture that I'm in.

Sounds self centered, but that's been my experience over the last 50 years of photo taking.

I find that afterwards comparing photos with the ones they have taken leads them to ask questions. That has been a better path.

 

[distant.star]

.
Ask and you shall receive.

I'm not in the unsolicited advice business -- the ROI is exceedingly low. However, if someone asks, I'll give them all the information and advice they're willing to take. Last time that happened I ended up doing an impromptu photography 101 class. A guy at an event came over to me, said he was new and asked me to explain dial modes, etc. Eventually, five or six folks had gathered round to listen and ask questions.

One guy even stayed after class and asked a lot of equipment questions!

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Most people don't understand why or what I'm talking about, and my wife does not like it.

 

[DRR]

Don't bother. If they cared enough to learn they probably would have sought the answer themselves. Giving people unsolicited advice generally ends with both upset.

 

[sagittariansrock]

It's good exercise for the finger to keep pushing the flash down. Maybe they'll get tired of it and upgrade to (a Canon) full frame.

 

[jdramirez]

P... ich. At least give them a rudimentary understanding of Av.

 

[Lurker]

I don't offer advice unless it's clear that someone is struggling and frustrated.
Like when my dial clicks over and all the sudden the flash is popping up all the time. I slam it down it pops back up, again and again and again until I start cussing. Then please point out that my dial may have accidentally turned.

I'm also more receptive to advice if asked if I'm having the problem you think I"m having. Then give me an out, tell me a lot of your students have issues with that feature/setup. Egos are fragile things.

 

[Zv]

People are so sensitive and get upset easily these days over nothing so I tend to leave them alone unless they are directly affecting me in some way.

However, if someone asked me for advice I'd gladly give it. In fact I got asked often enough about the basics that I wrote several blog articles and now I just direct them to it!

If someone came over and offered me "advice" or told me that I was doing something "the wrong way" I'd listen but secretly be a bit annoyed! I hate people pointing out my errors, unless they are way more experienced than me and are offering sage advice.

 

[Jim Saunders]

There was a lady at a concert sitting behind me with a PowerShot, blazing away with the flash because she had no idea about turning it off; I didn't make enough of a connection to pass on the idea that she'd get better photos and fewer irate glares if she'd turn it off, but that's what you get for trying to have a conversation in the middle of a concert.

If someone is out minding their own business taking lousy photos, the power to them. I have all the time for questions but I'm not going to go around bugging people about it.

Jim

 

[Grumbaki]

As long as their useless flash isn't appearing on my pictures, I leave the ignorant be. Otherwise it's 70-200 2.8 IS clubbing time.

 

[Viggo]

I think this is very different with different countries. I can't imagine anyone in Norway being mad for some advice as long as it's polite and constructive. And it's almost the other way around here, since I carry a 1d, people see a big camera and think it must have some knowledge and come up to me and ask for advice, which I'm happy to give. Reminds me of me when I first started and had all those light bulbs going off over my head.

I don't forget there was a time where I didn't know what APS film was and had no idea that a zoom-lens and a telephoto lens wasn't the same thing.

 

[Maximilian]

If someone is out minding their own business taking lousy photos, the power to them. I have all the time for questions but I'm not going to go around bugging people about it.

I second that, Jim.

Someone must realize the lack of knowledge or the need of advice. Or just curiosity.
Otherwise you are just an unwelcome person.

I really love to share the knowledge I have, if someone is willing to learn.
But I do not want to be taken for a smarta**.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi JD.
I did think about that but I wanted to carry on taking my own pics and thought any thing past P might take too long!

Hi DRR.
They did appear to be frustrated by the situation and 2 of them did speak to me separately after the photo op was over, one freely admitted that he just got the camera and asked about more of the modes, which I tried to explain, the other was interested in a flash that would reach, both we're given info on the forum and may even be reading this!

Hi Jim, Maximilian.
I did not wish to be taken for a smartar**. And to some extent it was for personal gain to stop the continual click clack of the flash. I did attempt to be tactful, polite and I think it was constructive info I gave.

Cheers Graham.

P... ich. At least give them a rudimentary understanding of Av.

Don't bother. If they cared enough to learn they probably would have sought the answer themselves. Giving people unsolicited advice generally ends with both upset.

If someone is out minding their own business taking lousy photos, the power to them. I have all the time for questions but I'm not going to go around bugging people about it.

I second that, Jim.

Someone must realize the lack of knowledge or the need of advice. Or just curiosity.
Otherwise you are just an unwelcome person.

I really love to share the knowledge I have, if someone is willing to learn.
But I do not want to be taken for a smarta**.

 

[Maximilian]

Hi JD.
I did think about that but I wanted to carry on taking my own pics and thought any thing past P might take too long!

Hi DRR.
They did appear to be frustrated by the situation and 2 of them did speak to me separately after the photo op was over, one freely admitted that he just got the camera and asked about more of the modes, which I tried to explain, the other was interested in a flash that would reach, both we're given info on the forum and may even be reading this!

Hi Jim, Maximilian.
I did not wish to be taken for a smartar**. And to some extent it was for personal gain to stop the continual click clack of the flash. I did attempt to be tactful, polite and I think it was constructive info I gave.

Cheers Graham.

Hi Graham!

Maybe my post was not pointing directly towards your question and therefore I could have done it better. Sorry for that. I'll try to make it better now.

My answer was a try of a general approach - let's say to your headline question.
I would call myself a social person and therefore I want to help people in need when I see it.
If somebody seems to struggle with his/her equipment and if I think I could help, I would of course politely ask if help was needed and welcome.
So probably I would have done it similar to you.
But this really depends on the specific situation and how I see it. And I would try to be polite and cautious.
If someone seems to feel good in a situation, where he's using bad technique I would stay away.

 

[Lightmaster]

it´s like advising people on the intermet...you may teach 20 but there are millions of other noobs.

some may have nothing else to do (i often think that when i see people spend hours and hours on internet forums)... but my time is to precious.

 

[cid]

It's good exercise for the finger to keep pushing the flash down. Maybe they'll get tired of it and upgrade to (a Canon) full frame.

That's the reason I upgraded to 5D mk III ;D no no no, just joking ...

Don't bother. If they cared enough to learn they probably would have sought the answer themselves. Giving people unsolicited advice generally ends with both upset.

Sad thing is lot of people think that

expensive DSLR + even more expensive lens = high quality photos

Last weekend happend to me I was chosen by my boss to make some photos from company action. He handed me his 600D + 24-105L, which I think is quite nice combination (well, I was impressed he does not have set lens, but L glass). First of all I had to switch mode to something more meaningfull than Auto, compensate exposure a little bit and set ISO.

What were the results?
[list type=decimal]
[*]I have no idea if he will be able to use his camera ever again (due to chenged settings) ;D
[*]He acclaimed photos were really nice
[/list]

Did he ask why? No

 

[fragilesi]

Only a few weeks ago at the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol I missed an important opportunity to give advice to someone who had a 5d3 twinned with the 70-200mm 2.8 II lens.

The advice I should have given him was "I wouldn't leave your lens there while you change to your wider angle lens".

It was all I could do not to leap off the bridge after it when his wife knocked it off with her handbag. In fact if I hadn't been so busy rubbing my jaw after it hit the ground I suspect I would have done!

So, next time you're a hundred or two feet up on a suspension bridge and someone leaves their lens on the ledge take my advice. Get a boat and a large net, you never know . . . ;D

 

[Zv]

Only a few weeks ago at the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol I missed an important opportunity to give advice to someone who had a 5d3 twinned with the 70-200mm 2.8 II lens.

The advice I should have given him was "I wouldn't leave your lens there while you change to your wider angle lens".

It was all I could do not to leap off the bridge after it when his wife knocked it off with her handbag. In fact if I hadn't been so busy rubbing my jaw after it hit the ground I suspect I would have done!

So, next time you're a hundred or two feet up on a suspension bridge and someone leaves their lens on the ledge take my advice. Get a boat and a large net, you never know . . . ;D

I wonder if he's still married. Or did he throw her off the bridge too? ;D

 

[Besisika]

If someone is out minding their own business taking lousy photos, the power to them. I have all the time for questions but I'm not going to go around bugging people about it.

I second that, Jim.

Someone must realize the lack of knowledge or the need of advice. Or just curiosity.
Otherwise you are just an unwelcome person.

I really love to share the knowledge I have, if someone is willing to learn.
But I do not want to be taken for a smarta**.

+1
Or a show off