Tips on deterring forcible equipment theft while carrying camera?

[Kit Lens Jockey]

I searched around and had already read some topics on this, and read lensrentals' guide to camera theft, but so much of the advice I found relating to preventing camera theft was more related to what to do to help to recover it after the fact, or making sure to have insurance so that you're covered after it happens.

Maybe it's not discussed because it's expected that it's just common sense, I dunno. But no one seems to have any tips on making a camera less noticeable or less desirable to steal to begin with.

Long story short, I got mugged a couple of weeks ago. I did not have any camera gear on me, so I was good there. But honestly, after having that happen, frankly my focus is not so much on what I can do to recover my stuff after it's stolen or insure it, but prevent the whole thing in the first place. It's not that all of that isn't important, it's just that I now realize that in the grand scheme of things it matters much less than avoiding the possible injury and death that comes along with a violent theft.

I'm a little bummed out because so many of the photos I've been taking recently were in large cities, and I love taking photos at night, but my appetite for it has been a little dulled since I've had to really consider how much of a target having a camera hanging off my side makes me.

I know I'm not the only one who takes photos in cities. What tips do people have on this? Stowing the camera in a backpack is not really ideal because obviously it can result in a lot of missed photos. It would be nice to have a way of hiding my camera while still allowing it to be easily accessible. I'm also planning to tape over as much of my camera as possible to make it look older, less desirable, and to hide the logos. My 70-200L will probably also get some tape on it at this point. I doubt that a lot of thieves know what a 5D is, but I think that anyone who has seen any nice cameras in the past knows that white lens = expensive camera, so I can at least try to hide that.

People have also recommended getting a smaller, more concealable mirrorless camera, but ultimately I'm not very keen in dumping a bunch of money into a whole other system of camera bodies and lenses that will ultimately not even be as good in low light as a nice DSLR.

 

[neuroanatomist]

You could consider LensCoat products to cover things up (black neoprene covers for bodies and lenses). But honestly, a dSLR with a lens is going to look like what it is, pretty much no matter what you do. Plus, at least when I'm walking around a city for evening/night shooting, I always have a tripod, and few things scream, "I have a camera," louder than that.

IMO: have insurance, and if confronted, just hand over your gear.

OTOH, you could try too look more badass and sling one of these...

Or better yet, hit the gym then go on a jungle run and maybe looking like this guy would be a deterrent...

 

[drmikeinpdx]

Sorry to hear you got mugged. :'(

I like to do urban photography myself and have had the same concerns. Here in Portland, Oregon, our mayor stopped enforcement of laws that discouraged "homeless" people from camping in the city. Many of the spots that I once used to take cityscapes at night or do outdoor photoshoots with models are no longer safe or are visually marred by ugly hobo encampments. The homeless/street people are mostly harmless, but unpredictable. Many of them seem lonely and want to chat or ogle an attractive model, which is annoying at best.

It seems to me that disguising your gear isn't going to help much. Before things got too bad, I started taking friends along and I took advantage of my concealed carry license. I realize that in some cities you can't get one unless you are rich or connected, but it might be worth checking into. You can't count on the bad guys taking your gear and leaving peacefully. And if you are working with a model, you are also morally responsible for protecting her, in my opinion.

Anyway, I've just stopped going to my favorite spots along the rivers and freeways. If I want to work outdoors with a model, I do it in daylight in the busy downtown area. I like doing that early on weekend mornings or on nice weekday evenings when the office workers aren't around, but before the street people come out in force.

Obviously, your mileage will vary.

 

[unfocused]

Sorry for the unfortunate event.

If I had to guess, I would suspect that the chances of having equipment lifted are much greater than having equipment forcibly stolen. Insurance and being aware of surroundings is probably the best advice.

The obvious might be the best advice: keep the camera slung across your neck and shoulders and not simply over a shoulder or around your neck. When walking down the street, hold the camera in your hand (with strap across your torso) and don't rely simply on the strap.

Keep spare lenses in a backpack, rather than a shoulder bag (easier to carry, as well as more secure). If you sit down to eat and take off the backpack, put the leg of the chair you are sitting on through the straps.

As far as disguising equipment, I don't know how effective that is. I suspect most criminals aren't that discerning, they are looking more at opportunity rather than value. As long as they can sell it for $50-$100, they probably don't care how much it is really worth.

Act like a professional and be assertive, not surreptitious when taking pictures. The thief is more likely to be sizing you up, not your equipment. If you look and act like you might be a photographer from the local paper they may be less inclined to mug you, than if you look like a tourist awed by the big city.

 

[SteveM]

Stay out of the dodgy areas, the risks aren't worth it, there must be plenty of good photos to be had without frequenting the dodgy bits. Stick with the crowds.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Kit Lens Jockey.
Sorry to hear that you got mugged.
As it stands I don't have anything I carry on my person that is more valuable than my person, if someone threatening wants it they get it, hopefully I never have to find out if the moment changes that feeling and turns me stupid enough to argue!
There have been threads here about this previously and the merit of camouflage etc, I seem to recall there was no definitive answer to this as it is probably one of those that no body really has an answer for, how do you research whether disguising your camera makes it less of a target without skewing the research?
There are straps out there with steel cords made in to them to stop them being cut to snatch the camera, but I wonder if that might lead to a confrontation which could work out worse than loosing a camera?
I hope you manage to overcome the effects of being mugged and get back to shooting how you want.

Cheers, Graham.

 

[IglooEater]

Stay out of seedy areas
Don't go alone, have a buddy or two
Take Mixed Martial Arts-especially one aimed at self defence. You'd be amazed how much of some self-defence oriented martial arts is awareness to one's surroundings to avoid a problem rather than actual fighting techniques. If the teacher's any good that is.

 

[ethanz]

IMO: have insurance, and if confronted, just hand over your gear.

Then the question is, do you ask to take the memory card out first? I've thought about that many times.

I've also thought about how good camera gear could be used as a weapon against someone. But I'd probably be too nerdy to try anything.

 

[takesome1]

I use a black rapid strap and always walk with my hand on the camera body. Maybe that helps prevent someone from snatching and garbing. If someone wants to rob you it doesn't matter where you carry the camera.

Really just get the insurance.

I have a concealed carry and live in an open carry state. I would never carry to stop someone from stealing my camera, I would pay for their life by giving them the camera in a robbery. However if someone is attempting to rob you when you obviously are carrying then likely your life is in danger.

Insurance is the answer.

 

[Hillsilly]

Once you develop the mindset that your camera is disposable, many problems disappear. If you don't get mugged - great. If you do get mugged - annoying, but its cool. It's the cost of getting great photos.

My initial thought was the same as SteveM and avoid known areas. But problems can arise anywhere, and even though it might take months or years to get over your recent experience, you can't live your life in fear's shadow.

 

[AJ]

Don't be alone. Have a buddy (or two) with you....

+1

Having a wingman really helps. When you're looking through the viewfinder you only see your subject.

 

[dcren123]

It is very surprising how much difference there is regarding theft and security between countries. I was traveling in Hokkaido Japan taking pictures of Cranes last year, and this japanese photographer (maybe two of them) a few feet away from me went to the restroom for like ten minutes leaving two tripods with a Nikon+supertele and Canon+Sigma 150-600 attached with another Canon plus 70-200 2.8 hanging on the tripod out in the field. No one even glanced at those gears.

 

[takesome1]

It is very surprising how much difference there is regarding theft and security between countries. I was traveling in Hokkaido Japan taking pictures of Cranes last year, and this japanese photographer (maybe two of them) a few feet away from me went to the restroom for like ten minutes leaving two tripods with a Nikon+supertele and Canon+Sigma 150-600 attached with another Canon plus 70-200 2.8 hanging on the tripod out in the field. No one even glanced at those gears.

Maybe they were to busy trying to figure out why the world is upside down in your picture.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Ethanz.
I too have confronted this mental dilemma, my thoughts are the second you ask it becomes confrontational which may well have a poor outcome. Get good at ejecting the card as you handle the camera and if you are ever in this situation just take it out as you are handing over the camera, if asked what you are doing then say "you don't need my holiday photos!"
If you are lucky you might have their mugshot to help get your gear back, (or them arrested) of course they may be worried that is the case and demand the card too, give it to them and leave in a hurry!
A friend used to still have a Nokia 6310 when most everyone else had gone smartphone, his logic was 'no one will mug me for it and if they do I'll beat them to death with it!'
I'm not sure a camera would make a good weapon, a bit too unwieldy?

Cheers, Graham.

IMO: have insurance, and if confronted, just hand over your gear.

Then the question is, do you ask to take the memory card out first? I've thought about that many times.

I've also thought about how good camera gear could be used as a weapon against someone. But I'd probably be too nerdy to try anything.

 

[SteveM]

I doubt any camouflage would work, a thief will take any bag under the assumption it contains something. Any camera/thing you carry probably has a value which can be sold to support a 'habit.'
I doubt the Police would recommend fighting back (unless your life were in immediate danger), any fight on your part would probably result in your being shot or stabbed. Using a weapon of your own has the possibility of you being charged with murder should the worst case scenario arise....carrying a weapon is premeditation.
I'll reiterate what I said above, stay out of obviously dangerous places and stick with the crowds in a city you don't know very well. I carry a small camera bag (one camera with 24-105 usually) across my chest so it can't be grabbed and run off with. I'd hazard a guess sunrise is much safer than night photography as the s... will probably be asleep.
Yup, I know, I probably watch too much CSI

 

[Mikehit]

The title of your post is 'Tips on deterring forcible equipment theft while carrying camera". I would suggest there aren't any. You can't deter it, you can only avoid situations where it may happen. It sounds to me when you were mugged you were doing nothing to raise your profile anyway and you didn't have your gear with you which really indicates what most muggings are about - bad luck on your part and sheer opportunism on theirs.

The only thing you can do is avoid the situations as drmikeinpdx describes - if you don't feel comfortable don't take your gear there and that is pretty much a rule in big cities anyway with or without gear. I bought my micro-4/3 gear as an option when photographing in cities and found people pay far less attention to me and I get more quality candid shots than I do when pointing a big telephoto at people. I guess this also makes me less conspicuous to thieves.

I went backpacking in Asia for 2 years and I started out fairly paranoid. After a few days I realised it was limiting where I went and what I did so I sat down one day and asked myself 'what would I do if I had everything stolen'. I reckoned that I was insured so their loss was not a problem in the short to medium term. They are only possessions. OK, if my passport was stolen that would be a pain in the butt but could be resolved. So I reasoned that if my wallet was stolen, would I worry? Not really, so why would the loss of a bag of clothes be any different?
After that, I applied due caution, kept my eyes and ears open and enjoyed myself. In this respect IglooEater brings up a good point - good self defence is as much about avoiding a problem situation as it is about fighting your way out of it.

So I would say:
Insure your gear - if it is stolen, so what?
Be aware of where it is - stop the snatch-and-grab
If you are mugged, don't fight back. Give it up and claim on the insurance
Keep your eyes and ears open and stay aware

I am not saying having gear with you won't raise your profile for a mugger but just trying to counter any excessive caution that will stop you enjoying your hobby.

 

[AcutancePhotography]

Have a friend carrying lots of bling walk about 50 meters in front of you. ;D

Seriously, there is some great advice here. Situational awareness is the key.

The risk can never be zero, but you can improve the odds that the mugger may choose someone else. Muggers don't like people with situational awareness. They prefer victims with their heads buried in a cell phone.

 

[Ozarker]

I doubt any camouflage would work, a thief will take any bag under the assumption it contains something. Any camera/thing you carry probably has a value which can be sold to support a 'habit.'
I doubt the Police would recommend fighting back (unless your life were in immediate danger), any fight on your part would probably result in your being shot or stabbed. Using a weapon of your own has the possibility of you being charged with murder should the worst case scenario arise....carrying a weapon is premeditation.
I'll reiterate what I said above, stay out of obviously dangerous places and stick with the crowds in a city you don't know very well. I carry a small camera bag (one camera with 24-105 usually) across my chest so it can't be grabbed and run off with. I'd hazard a guess sunrise is much safer than night photography as the s... will probably be asleep.
Yup, I know, I probably watch too much CSI

Carrying a weapon IS NOT premeditation. Doing so is perfectly legal in most every single U.S. state.

While camera equipment can be insured and considered disposable, the mugger may decide the photographer is disposable too.

Yup, if you kill a perp. you will be arrested until things are sorted out, but you will not be dead. handguns are used nearly a million times each year (by civilians) in the United States to thwart attacks and robberies.

 

[Mikehit]

Yup, if you kill a perp. you will be arrested until things are sorted out, but you will not be dead. handguns are used nearly a million times each year (by civilians) in the United States to thwart attacks and robberies.

And from what statistics I have seen, where someone is shot, it is more often that the person being robbed is shot often with their own handgun when the perp takes it off them. But I guess that is a discussion for a different time.

 

[Hillsilly]

Maybe they were to busy trying to figure out why the world is upside down in your picture.

Japan is on the other side of the world, which explains this.