Bob
11th July 2004, 03:06
It happened to me today!
I was on assignement today, getting photos of sidecars for a two-part feature for Used Bike Guide (UBG). I spent what turned out to be a pleasant four hours with the London Sidecar Club. Took loads of photos, had a couple of nice cups of tea and by and large people were very friendly and co-operative (aside from one old so-and-so who just glared at me like I was from another planet and mainly did his best to get in the way the one time he did get off his backside).
Steve, the London club organiser was a nice chap and did really helpful things like do some introductions, get people to get the bikes in a group so I could do those shots etc.
So why did I feel like a fly in a web? Well part of my 'brief' was to get contact details for people and take some pix of them with their machines. Most people needed it explaining a couple of times, but once they knew what I was doing, they were great.
Then I found the President of the National Sidecar Federation. Took pix of him and went to his tent to get his contact details... just as it started to rain!
This is when it felt like being a fly going towards a spider's web. "Do you know a lot about the Federation?" he asked, then started into what was obviously going to be a pure 'anorak' rambling. The time was 12.15 - the run out (when I was supposed to do the group shots) was at 1.00. I could see myself still being trapped in the tent with this ramble still going on.
I was SO glad I was able to say, hand on heart "I'm only the photographer - my editor will be in touch with you to talk about your bike and so on, so I will make sure I let him know who you are so he can get more background detail from you if he needs it"!
I was also happy to head out into the rain, even though it was piddling down!
Trust me to find the chief anorak...
BTW, has anyone ever heard of an 'Austal'?
I was on assignement today, getting photos of sidecars for a two-part feature for Used Bike Guide (UBG). I spent what turned out to be a pleasant four hours with the London Sidecar Club. Took loads of photos, had a couple of nice cups of tea and by and large people were very friendly and co-operative (aside from one old so-and-so who just glared at me like I was from another planet and mainly did his best to get in the way the one time he did get off his backside).
Steve, the London club organiser was a nice chap and did really helpful things like do some introductions, get people to get the bikes in a group so I could do those shots etc.
So why did I feel like a fly in a web? Well part of my 'brief' was to get contact details for people and take some pix of them with their machines. Most people needed it explaining a couple of times, but once they knew what I was doing, they were great.
Then I found the President of the National Sidecar Federation. Took pix of him and went to his tent to get his contact details... just as it started to rain!
This is when it felt like being a fly going towards a spider's web. "Do you know a lot about the Federation?" he asked, then started into what was obviously going to be a pure 'anorak' rambling. The time was 12.15 - the run out (when I was supposed to do the group shots) was at 1.00. I could see myself still being trapped in the tent with this ramble still going on.
I was SO glad I was able to say, hand on heart "I'm only the photographer - my editor will be in touch with you to talk about your bike and so on, so I will make sure I let him know who you are so he can get more background detail from you if he needs it"!
I was also happy to head out into the rain, even though it was piddling down!
Trust me to find the chief anorak...
BTW, has anyone ever heard of an 'Austal'?