You wouldn't hit a man in glasses, would you?....

Today was looking like it was gonna be a good day. Things in the morning went quite smoothly, photos were looking alright, nothing too hideous. Then in the afternoon I had to have my first of the company's bi-annual eye test, which must mean I've been here two years now, which in itself is a scary thought!
Now, being a photographer, my sight is quite important to me. I've always been blessed with good sight, so I wasn't too panicky at the thought of the test.
Firstly I nearly walked into the wrong opticians, which would have been a bit of a mr.magoo moment. Then, I climbed into the optician's chair which was a bit like the mastermind chair, black leather, big arms, high back. After lots of showing off, like reading the bottom line forwards with one eye then backwards with the other, she declared my long distance vision was excellent. "Tell me something I don't know!" I thought.... So she did.

"You have a slight astigmatism in your left eye" she said. "Yeah?, well you got a big nose!" I thought, but decided not to start up a slagging match. "I'm gonna prescribe you with some glasses for VDU use and reading" she added....."I'm sorry, I could have sworn you said something about glasses"......"Yes. For when you are using a computer monitor or when you're reading" she said. "But I don't wear glasses!" I thought... Oh, the horror!


I guess I'll get used to them... The good news is work will be paying most of the bill. I'll let you know how I get on with them when I pick them up next week.

Back in the office while still recovering from the shock of the opticians, I get sent out to another road accident. They seem to come in groups, like buses. None for ages, then a whole load happen in close proximity. I don't really enjoy doing these jobs, its just one part of being a press photographer. But its not often I actually get someone in my face shouting at me to delete the images I just took of his family members in the crashed car, calling me a sicko and threatening me...

Its not nice, and no amount of reasoning with him was going to get it through to him that it was part of my job, I don't enjoy it, and there was no way in hell I was going to delete any images. Rule number 1 - never delete anything. Nobody has the power to force you to delete anything (not by law anyway - they could take your camera by force and do it themselves, but then they would be in the poo legally). He started to yell at a police officer to make me delete the images (which they can't actually do) and they just asked me to leave, which I happily agreed to do. While leaving, I turned around and got a final shot of the scene. I don't mind telling you I was a bit shook up at being threatened like that. I stayed professional throughout and was complimented by my boss for doing so, I guess thats all I could do...

Anyone had an experience like that? Leave me a comment.

2 comments:

Matt Prime said...

I suppose you can understand their concern over the possibility of the press printing photos of distressed, injured or even dead family members... but in the same breath, the paper arent going to be totally wreckless with they print surely? Its a difficuly balance...

Zack Stewart said...

Where was this accident at? was a motorcyclist involved?

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