schlegal1

Ask someone who is carrying a nice looking camera to take your picture. They are usually obliging and there is a better than average chance the picture will actually be good.

Let me present the counter argument in pictorial form (our faces blurred). This gave me a nice belly laugh when the sad burning of Notre Dame happened and I wanted to find the pic of us in front of it--taken by a fellow traveler. I sent it to my husband and said, "Thank goodness we have this wonderful memory of the beautiful cathedral." Oh, to have had a selfie stick!



I am being silly, of course, as there is no better or worse way to take vacation pics. I probably enjoy this photo more for it's sheer terribleness than I would enjoy a perfectly framed stick-pic.

Christina

People ask me to take their photo when I'm at some vacation/scenic spot, lots of people do that. I think it is pretty safe if you ask a single older female, or a couple, for example, for real obvious ones, or an 80 year old. Or someone else who is obviously a tourist and taking photos, also. I don't think it's risky to do this if you use common sense. What are the odds that middle-aged couple on the Statue of LIberty cruise ship is going to do what, steal your camera or throw it in the river?

I am never carrying a "nicer looking" camera than others, and they still ask me.

Melnq8

schlegal1 -

That's hilarious. Every time I see a tourist hand off a camera and the photo taker back up to take the photo, I want to scream "get closer to your subject!"

Sberg

Sorry, but I am in the "Please do not bring a selfie stick" club. In Venice and In Stockholm you couldn't even walk around without someone running into you with a selfie stick! It was awful. When we were on Burano, some people were taking pictures of themselves in front of every different colored house. It was unbelievable and really distracts from the moment. Having been to NYC, it is a very busy place with thousands of people and selfie sticks really don't belong. Ask someone to take your picture.

WhereAreWe

This comment makes me laugh. You mean to tell me that when we stood in a rush line at 10 am for an hour, we were in someone's way (even though we were in a single file line up against the wall and foot traffic was minimal)? Or when we were in line outside the theater waiting to get in, we were in the way of all those people also standing in line waiting to get in?

We aren't talking about standing in the middle of a sidewalk in the middle of Times Square. All this fuss about someone trying to document their memories....

janisj

>>We aren't talking about standing in the middle of a sidewalk in the middle of Times Square

WhereAreWe

[QUOTE=janisj;16917447]>>We aren't talking about standing in the middle of a sidewalk in the middle of Times Square

starrs

That's funny!

Fra_Diavolo

Nelson

I thought so too, but hadn't commented. "Private collections, mostly in Japan" was a genuine LOL.

Fra_Diavolo

Nelson

As funny as that was, it got me wondering. I have been asked to take photos of people over the years. I love to do it. I think I'm an OK photographer, and try to quickly throw together decent composition and lighting.

What has become of those photos? Are they printed in someone's photo album? Even framed and hanging on a wall somewhere?! Just a curiosity, hopefully one way or another the people enjoy them, like schlegal enjoys the one she posted.

Fra_Diavolo

>>>Just a curiosity, hopefully one way or another the people enjoy them, like schlegal enjoys the one she posted.

IMDonehere

Last year there were about 68 million visitors to NYC. I have not read about a rash of people stealing cameras, although I am sure it happens. I always ask people with spouses and children to take pictures. We do not have a culture of pickpockets and petty criminals, although, I am sure they exist. We like our criminals big and famous.

People do not like selfie sticks for many reasons, but I do not them much any more in NYC, although I rarely go to Times Square.

minamax10

Hello Everyone!
Thank you all for taking the time and providing your invaluable suggestions and opinions!
Just wanted to write post-trip to say that I am back in Tokyo with my iPhone safe and sound )
The biggest waste of $50 was the useless selfie stick that I bought the day before the trip. I hate the quality of selfies to start with. And the stick turned out to be not that practical in itself. I did ask theater-goers and just people in the street to snap a photo of me and offered to do the same for them. So it worked out alright. For those who wondered why on earth I needed photos with theater and show posters -- it was for a work report I had to do )
At any rate, things worked alright and I didn't really feel unsafe in NYC.
Looking forward to my next visit!

starrs

Yep.
Good! Always the easiest and best choice!
(post #20)

Glad you had a great trip!