Blog 12 Silent Alarms You need to be very careful when, where, and how you acquire your new (or used) Photography equipment. As photographers we have a reputation to consider and I think we should have a lot of integrity because if we don’t… “We’re on the road to ruin, the highway to hell, on the wrong side of the tracks, going to hell in a hand basket, the last train to Clarksville, a bridge over troubled water, off the beaten path, at the school of hard knocks, between a rock and a hard place, in Palookaville, dire straits, under the gun, the last resort, up shit creek, end of the line.” Where was I? Oh yes I have been getting these emails saying that the FBI reports there is a home burglary every seventeen seconds. Did you know that? I sure did not. The thing is I am not sure about that because in my city the local police don’t bother to come when you report a home invasion. You have to make a list of what is missing and go to the station and make a report. When did the FBI start taking burglary reports? Can someone call them and ask about that? I think they have blocked my number I can’t get them to answer anymore. The last time someone stole my stuff I was not worried because I took one of those electric etchers and scratched my phone number on all my camera equipment. I never did get any of it back, funny thing though I kept getting phone calls asking me how to change the lenses and where to change the settings. I wonder what that was all about. Anyway I think we all should get a silent alarm system, that should do the trick. At least until someone invents a way to hear it. Here is what I do to try to keep my photography equipment form walking off, first I photograph it and list it on an inventory sheet and in my computer. If the item has a serial number that has not been filed off and if I actually paid for it I record the serial number. If not I etch a secret number that only I know on the equipment 12815496 it works well for me because it is the also the combination to my safe so it helps me remember it. Then when or if it is recovered I just give them the number and they know it is my stuff. But be careful you do not want do this for hand guns or assault rifles that you have not registered. Here are more tips; I never use anything that has a company name on it like Nikon or Hasselblad or Canon when I can help it, not even a lens cap with NIKON on it and when I am on the road my gear goes in a case that I chain lock in the trunk. Unless the trunk is occupied, then I have to get some cinder blocks and chain and make a trip to the lake before I can store my camera gear. I tried one of those dye packs like the bank uses but don’t do that, my assistant was really pissed and I never did get all the dye off my gear. When I am at home I put my cameras in my safes and yes I have more than one and not in the same place. I won’t tell you where or the combinations because we don’t know each other well enough yet. Most important is insurance. Make sure you have it. The cost is reasonable and you need it, trust me. Some organizations like Professional Photographers of America will include equipment insurance with the annual dues. And there are several good agencies’ that specialize in photographers insurance. I use Hill & Usher but you can do a google search and find several. Now if you only have one camera and a lens or two your camera bag is fine. When you have two, three or more camera bodies and a few lenses I suggest that you do not keep them in the same place just in case someone breaks in you have a better chance of keeping at least some of your gear if you hide it in different places. I use my older cameras like my D200 and D700 camera bodies and lenses in a separate camera bag that I grab if I am just going out to shoot fun stuff. A second bag has my two D800’s and the high end lenses. I also have a bag just for my SB800 speed lights because I often need six or eight on a location shoot. And my fourth bag has all the misc. light modifiers and such for location work. None of them are in the same place. I think I had five camera bags but I do not remember what was in the fifth one and I do not remember where I hid it. I also have those little motion sensors on the bags that will emit a shrill noise if they are moved that I use at the airport and the hotel rooms. Not perfect but still better than forgetting you put a dye pack in each bag until you and your gear is covered with red dye. How embarrassing is that? Of course if you are smart you will always have your assistant get your stuff out of the camera bags. That way if a dye pack goes off it is still a big mess but it is good for a few laughs. (WIT) What I Think Virginity is not Dignity… It is just a lack of Opportunity. When asked to describe the famous glass of water, there can only be 4 answers and they will reflect the character of the person, they are: a) half empty b) half full c) empty, no…half full, I mean empty, … what was the question? d) hey, I ordered a cheeseburger! Religion has actually convinced people that there is an invisible man living in the sky, and he has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these things he will send you to a place full of fire, and smoke, and burn and torture forever and ever ‘till the end of time… but he LOVES you. And he needs money.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Jul 2013 12:35:57 +0000