Photog safety at nite...any guidelines?
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Lost in Alaska
Well-known member
Keep their phone on and handy at all times, shoot woth both eyes open, and if they don't feel right being there, get out.
I was called out at 4am to a possible gang fight. It was over when I got there, but the cops were hanging out just to be safe. I started shooting cover of the area when some shouting erupted again. One guy was lead out of the area by a friend of his, then the friend turned around. The guy was still walking towards me, then jogging. About that time I threw my stuff inmy truck and left. As I was turning the corner I saw this guy running in my direction. That is about the closest I want to be in a stiuation where someone is obvously angry, dosn't want you there, it's night and you are alone.
I was called out at 4am to a possible gang fight. It was over when I got there, but the cops were hanging out just to be safe. I started shooting cover of the area when some shouting erupted again. One guy was lead out of the area by a friend of his, then the friend turned around. The guy was still walking towards me, then jogging. About that time I threw my stuff inmy truck and left. As I was turning the corner I saw this guy running in my direction. That is about the closest I want to be in a stiuation where someone is obvously angry, dosn't want you there, it's night and you are alone.
Natural Born Stringer
Well-known member
Ah... overnights. 
A few things come to mind in regards to safety:
1. It's a helluva lot easier to get to a scene before PD or FD does. That can be a good thing or a REALLY bad thing. Always think about what you are going into before you even start driving there. There are some stories you'll want to beat them to and others that you won't.
2. Make sure you are VISIBLE. Go to a uniform shop and get one of those reflective orange traffic vests. Alot of the time you will find yourself on the side of the freeway shooting an accident after 2AM when the drunks are headed home.
3. Check in with PD or FD when you get on a scene. That way they know who you are and why you are there. You don't want to pop up from behind a bush and startle a cop unless potentially getting tazed or shot is your idea of fun.
4. Don't be the last one to leave. If you see the cops taking off, pack up and get moving. You don't wanna be alone in some rough ghetto after the cops have just hauled away one of the local "homeboys". Especially if you're a white-boy like me.
5. Don't get all absorbed in your viewfinder. Shoot from your sticks, set up your shot and then while it rolls, look around and make sure you are still surrounded by more friendlies than unfriendlies. Remember, you are toting around several grand worth of ENG gear - to a crackhead looking to get high, that's like winning the lottery. All he's gotta do is kick your ass to get it. And you WILL attract such unwanted attention, trust me.
6. Drive EXTRA carefully. Many of the folks on the road in the middle of the night are not exactly law abiding citizens. Some are drunk, high or worse. I've had numerous close calls during my stringing tenure involving intoxicated drivers, and if I hadn't been as careful as I was, I probably wouldn't be typing this today....
7. Last but most importantly, if it feels bad, it IS bad. If you get that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach that says "I really shouldn't be here" then listen to it. I'd rather go tell the desk I'm a chicken than have the PD tell the desk (and my wife) that I'm dead.
I think that oughta get you started. I'm sure other seasoned overnighters will chime in as well.
A few things come to mind in regards to safety:
1. It's a helluva lot easier to get to a scene before PD or FD does. That can be a good thing or a REALLY bad thing. Always think about what you are going into before you even start driving there. There are some stories you'll want to beat them to and others that you won't.
2. Make sure you are VISIBLE. Go to a uniform shop and get one of those reflective orange traffic vests. Alot of the time you will find yourself on the side of the freeway shooting an accident after 2AM when the drunks are headed home.
3. Check in with PD or FD when you get on a scene. That way they know who you are and why you are there. You don't want to pop up from behind a bush and startle a cop unless potentially getting tazed or shot is your idea of fun.
4. Don't be the last one to leave. If you see the cops taking off, pack up and get moving. You don't wanna be alone in some rough ghetto after the cops have just hauled away one of the local "homeboys". Especially if you're a white-boy like me.
5. Don't get all absorbed in your viewfinder. Shoot from your sticks, set up your shot and then while it rolls, look around and make sure you are still surrounded by more friendlies than unfriendlies. Remember, you are toting around several grand worth of ENG gear - to a crackhead looking to get high, that's like winning the lottery. All he's gotta do is kick your ass to get it. And you WILL attract such unwanted attention, trust me.
6. Drive EXTRA carefully. Many of the folks on the road in the middle of the night are not exactly law abiding citizens. Some are drunk, high or worse. I've had numerous close calls during my stringing tenure involving intoxicated drivers, and if I hadn't been as careful as I was, I probably wouldn't be typing this today....
7. Last but most importantly, if it feels bad, it IS bad. If you get that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach that says "I really shouldn't be here" then listen to it. I'd rather go tell the desk I'm a chicken than have the PD tell the desk (and my wife) that I'm dead.
I think that oughta get you started. I'm sure other seasoned overnighters will chime in as well.
Natural Born Stringer
Well-known member
Why? Is he gonna do liveshots at 3:45 AM? If I was on an overnight gig and the station wanted me to do it in a live truck I'd laugh in their face. You need to MOVE on overnights, not slog around town in some massive unwieldy beast! "Oh we might have something happen and want you to go live on it though...." Bah. Send a truck op to me on the ONE or TWO occasions per year I will need to do a liveshot in the middle of the freaking night. I'll have lots of tape for him to beam in when he gets here. I mean really, doesn't that sound stupid? Overnight in a live truck. Good gawd.
El Guapo
Well-known member
Are you on crack or something? I don't know what the hell you're talking about, but i was talking about going live in the 11pm news (WHEN IT'S DARK!) I'm not in a big city...we don't have sat ops here. Occasionally we go live in the country where there isn't much light...the photogs say they're more comfortable when they can spotlight the sky before running up a mast...so i provide one for them.
My post may have been slightly off topic. But, i felt it was relevant Chief-banter in a conversation about ENG safety at night.
Depending on what crime is like where you are at, possible a Kevlar vest. I'd rather spend the money and make him safe than explain that you didn't do all you could. Gall's has a wide variety and styles availible. Also the spotlight is not a bad Idea either. He can keep it in the car and light up a scene if need be; also blind the heck out of a possible assailent. Also encourage him to get his body set up on that weird schedule. It will make him more aware and less relient on stimulents to stay awake. Develop relationships with law enforcement and fire staff. Have him go on ride alongs with officers who rotate into that schedule. So they know him and can protect him if need be. Also can be good tipsters on a scene. Most importanly make sure you listen to his concerns. Addressing what he needs and make him feel secure woking alone.
Shaky & Blue
Well-known member
Actually, yes. By 3:45, it's likely you'll be in a live truck already in preparation for the 5am show, since it's only 75 minutes away. If there's a big story happening, and you're sent at 3:45 to shoot it, you'll probably end up setting up the live truck also so that you can feed tape back before the show and be ready to lead off the show with the reporter that got dragged out of bed to cover it.
Different stations use their overnight shooters differently, but it isn't unusual at all to have your overnight guy in a live truck just in case, especially toward the later morning as the show approaches. I worked one place where there was usually so little for the overnight guy to shoot that he was almost always pulled to either run a live shot for a morning reporter or just get a live bump shot at sunrise.
The Old Guy
Active member
Lots of great advice here. You might also want to think about checking in regularly if you have an overnight guard back at the shop. It may sound paranoid but if you want to be really cautious you could equip the truck with GPS. That way if you don't check in they can see where the truck is. You may also want to look into a gps equipped panic button.
"Help, I've fallen and I can't get up."
I worked the night shift chasing ambulances for years and I can only remember twice when I was actually scared for my own safety. One was a big fight outside a bar, one guy stabbed and the cops were busy. I was shooting the victim going to the ambulance and his three drunk buddies didn't think it was appropriate. You really have to watch the drunks. I actually took a shot in the head on that one, before a cop noticed and grabbed the guy.
The other time I was at a scene and three guys started talking to me. Standing right in front of me one guy says to the other, "Do you know how much that camera is worth? We should rob this mofo!" I laughed and walked away then cleared the area quickly, but I was scared and trying not to show it.
"Help, I've fallen and I can't get up."
I worked the night shift chasing ambulances for years and I can only remember twice when I was actually scared for my own safety. One was a big fight outside a bar, one guy stabbed and the cops were busy. I was shooting the victim going to the ambulance and his three drunk buddies didn't think it was appropriate. You really have to watch the drunks. I actually took a shot in the head on that one, before a cop noticed and grabbed the guy.
The other time I was at a scene and three guys started talking to me. Standing right in front of me one guy says to the other, "Do you know how much that camera is worth? We should rob this mofo!" I laughed and walked away then cleared the area quickly, but I was scared and trying not to show it.
The Old Guy
Active member
OOOPS .... that was a punch .... use to be called a shot in the head years ago before people were getting shot in the head every day 
Shaky & Blue
Well-known member
Especially if you want to look like a goober.
One thing I would point out is that visibility doesn't always help you, and it often makes your job more dangerous, especially when drunks are involved. Any cop can tell you stories of being hit by a drunk or knowing someone who has been hit during a traffic stop or when responding to an accident. Drunks are attracted to flashing lights like moths to flame. People tend to drift in the direction they are looking, and drunks lack the ability to realize they're running off the road (and into a parked vehicle or fleeing pedestrian) until it's too late.
This discussion about flashing lights and orange vests is a tragedy waiting to happen. It's a tough call, because you want people to be able to see that you're there, but you DON'T want to draw attention to yourself if at all possible.
The best thing to do is to shoot with the assumption that some idiot is going to plow into the scene. Park as far off the road as you can, away from the flow of traffic. Try to park "downstream" from an accident, so that there are police cruisers between you and traffic. That way, the drunks will hit the cruisers and not you.
Try to stay out of the road and shoot from a position where an out of control drunk won't naturally end up. DON'T stand between cars, else you'll end up sandwiched. Keep in mind the physics involved in a 2000 pound object moving at 60 miles per hour: It will want to continue in a straight line when out of control. In a curve, that hurls the mass to the outside of the curve rather than the inside.
All of this will keep you alive a lot longer than a flashing light bar acting as a homing beacon for lushes.
Just my opinion, but I don't like mace much. If the wind's blowing the wrong way it can spray back into your eyes.
In any event, whether you pick mace, a blade, or your bare hands as your weapon of choice, you should get good training in how to use it so you have a better chance in the event you need to use it for real.
In any event, whether you pick mace, a blade, or your bare hands as your weapon of choice, you should get good training in how to use it so you have a better chance in the event you need to use it for real.
Branden.
Active member
I worked overnites in 2 cities...Rochester & Buffalo.
In Rochester I made friends with the other overnight shooter. We spent more time chillin' at the all nite diner listening to the handheld than we did bangin' around crime scenes.
We used the buddy system & for a newbie like me, that ment never missing the action.
Buffalo was a different story. Working in an armpit located next to a stinky lake wasn't my cup o' tea...the gig lasted 180 days.
The lone bright spot...the chief was a great guy. He told me NEVER get out of the car if police or fire were not on scene...I spent more time driving to my morning liveshots & trying to enter Canada than I did shooting video.
In Rochester I made friends with the other overnight shooter. We spent more time chillin' at the all nite diner listening to the handheld than we did bangin' around crime scenes.
We used the buddy system & for a newbie like me, that ment never missing the action.
Buffalo was a different story. Working in an armpit located next to a stinky lake wasn't my cup o' tea...the gig lasted 180 days.
The lone bright spot...the chief was a great guy. He told me NEVER get out of the car if police or fire were not on scene...I spent more time driving to my morning liveshots & trying to enter Canada than I did shooting video.
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