Shooting protests

<p>Next month we have a protest rally here (Belarus) against

president's attempt to hold referendum for lifting the constitutional

two-term presidency limit. I'm considering going there with a camera,

but given that such events often end brutally here, I'd like to hear

input from experienced photographers on how to minimize chances of

losing camera/getting busted.

<p>Is there any other recipe than running fast? Where to position

myself in the happening, what kind of lens to use? How to determine

when police is about to act?

I know a photographer who was picked off by a sharpshooter while photgraphing the Venezuelan Coup attempt a couple of years ago. He's paralyzed from the chest down. In any case, try to be unobtrusive, and be careful - danger can be more distant than you imagine.

 

Good luck.

<b>Don't go alone!</b> Take someone with you who keeps his/her eyes open all the time and looks out for you. Shoot fast, remove the film from the camera and put in your pants, load new film. Or have a couple of "runners" close to you that will take the film and save it.<p>

The lens depends on the pictures you want to take. I would say "a small one". Both wide angle and short tele lenses have their advantages. A normal might be a compromise. Use the lens you are most experienced with, you might need to act fast!

<p>

Well, you can tell <i>from experience</i> when the police is about to act or when they is just showing off. That's why it is important to have someone to watch your surroundings and keep an eye on police movements. When new squads are being brought into position, especially light-armored ones with no shield but weapons, better keep prepared for flight.<p>

Sometimes (this has happened to me) the police is simply determined to act against photographers. There is little you can do if they specifically target <b>you</b> and just want to bust your ass (except to be lucky and notice this with enough time to run away). So a lot depends on the situation and the orders the policemen are given (and that's not your call). You could shoot super-secretly, but you might still be identified as photographer and your photos then might not be worth it.<p>

You have get a feeling for the situation as it comes. That's what street photography supposedly is all about.

Having shot protests in the US and Mexico, I agree with the earlier posts - shoot fast and watch your film with your life. Wear comfortable shoes and clothes, and carry very little except a camera and film.

 

Use a wide angle lens, fast film and pre-focus or shoot at F 8 - 11 so that you don't waste time in focusing. If possible, shoot from a nearby window or balcony with a small telephoto.

 

Remember to pick your target - if you see a bit of interesting activity, aim and shoot then move on to another bit of activity.

 

What is important is to not stay too long - if you get enough good photos for your publication or portfolio, enough images that you think tells a story, then leave, don't risk getting caught in the middle of a battle royal just because you think you're getting a better photo.

 

Do you have press credentials? In some cases that opens police lines, other times it doesn't make a difference. Crowds tend to perform when they see TV cameras, so keep an eye for the TV crews, they usually attract action.

 

Happy hunting!

 

Francisco

<i>Wear comfortable shoes and clothes, and carry very little except a camera and film.</i><p>

 

<b>Don't forget your papers...</b>

Eugene

The others' advice is very good. Take it all. It shows the experience of the photographers and none of it is bad at all; there is a wealth of experience in it.

 

Also, if your camera is chrome or has chrome on it, use electrical tape or some other tape on it to cut its reflectivity. There was a reason professional photographers switched to black cameras and it was because they were less conspicuous in 'street' shooting. I used to cover the chrome parts of old cameras with electrical tape.

 

Moreover, wear a jacket, even if it's a light one for a hot day. The reason? You can simply take off your camera, place if under your jacket, and use the jacket to shield or hide the camera if the action gets to the point where the police and their batons are hitting cameras.

 

A favorite of police in riot situations where they don't want to be identified or have a record of illegal and/or outrageous actions they are performing is to swing at nearby cameramen and to break their cameras.

 

It can be dangerous and hurtful to you to be identified as a cameraman and fatal for your camera to be smashed by a baton or thrown to the ground.

 

Also, do NOT wear clothing that identifies yourself with the protestors. If you are a cameraman/photographer, do not appear to take sides, even if you are definitely committed to one side or the other.

 

It may be necessary to move from one side of police/militia lines to another, but if you have clothing, etc., identified with being with protestors, you have eliminated that possibility. Don't wear slogans on shirts, armbands showing sympathy, 'colors' of the day, etc.

 

You have your sympathies and you have your photographic assignment you have made for yourself. If you go parading your point of view in your dress and it is against the authorities, they WILL see you as a target of opportunity and you WILL be the first they target and arrest or assault and your camera will be smashed and film taken or exposed.

 

On the other hands, if you dress like a newsman/photographer, act professionally, competently, cooly and don't shout, chant, do slogans, wear controversial clothing, your chances of not being singled out are substantially increased.

 

The more you are allowed to get and KEEP your photos and keep physically free from harm, out of custody and a camera fresh for another day, the more your photos will have a chance of being publishable for whatever cause you identify with.

 

Often at some point police take up defensive positions, and they stall for time, waiting for an offensive plan to take place -- watch for that. Sometimes the plan is a flanking (side attack) maneuver or a rear attack maneuver or involves coming through buildings etc., that were previously seen as locked (they get managers to unlock them or blow the doors, etc.) and that takes time to do, but when they do, they can attack.

 

Be aware of changes. Police/troops usually physically group in secret blocks away, behind buildings, etc., and if you have scouts/runners who are combing the nearby area who report back, you will know when such a buildup takes place and that will be a signal the action is about to take place.

 

Examine any good news photograph from Palestine showing protestors and you will see that in riot situations or mass gatherings, photographers use wide angle lenses in close quarters for riot type situations to ISOLATE the individuals and keep apparent separation between themselves and their photographic subjects (they obten are massed one on top of another when police begin pushing, and a wide angle adds apparent separation i.e. a 28 mm lens or wider with a 35 mm film camera, shorter with a digital camera which has a small size CCD of CMOS and has a narrower effective field of view. Cameramen with such lenses, particularly 20mm lenses or such, can raise their lens overhead and fire with impunity if they have prefocused (doesn't take much) or have autofocus and auto exposure and get acceptable or outstanding prints.

 

Remember, if you OBVIOUSLY throw your lot in with protestors, you diminish your chances of coming out unharmed or remaining free with film that you can use for whatever purpose. You can have your sympathies and still take photos but not reveal your sympathies on the street, act professional and be confused with a working newsman/photographer and get more respect/wide latitude from authorities.

 

That means no backslapping with protestors, etc.; police just stand there for long periods and they see a lot and often pick out targets ahead of time.

 

Finally, you might consider wearing two cameras, one with a super side angle lens or wide angle lens, or as wide as you have -- the other with a normal or zoom to moderate telephoto and consider standing back (or in a nearby or especially overhead window to do some shooting, especially if there is a showdown).

 

The Ideal would be a wide to moderate zoom if daylight shooting, stopped down to f8-11 prefocused to about 12 feet and examine your depth of field to see what's in acceptable focus beforehand at each focal length so you don't have to make "field calculations" which are impossible to do under such situations.

 

The best of luck to you -- I am interested in knowing whether any of this or the advice above was helpful and to what extent you used any of this advice. I consider advice above from others extremely helpful. My advice is based on old experience, but some things are universal.

 

Best wishes.

John (Crosley)

Thanks everyone for the expanded, useful and informative comments: I feel myself more prepared now.