conceiling cameras at the beach?

[Jaz rabbit]

just wondering what people's technicues are about conceiling cameras, whether its in a towel or bag ?especially at the beach.
cheers.

[GC]

Why conceal a camera at the beach? A beach is a place you see more cameras than anywhere else... tourists. Families Dads Moms capturing family moments ... I see no need to conceal a camera unless you are at a nude beach and cameras are prohibited. Just look like a tourist and go for it

[easylabor]

GC, i respectfully disagree. Girls in bikinis get really nervous when a guy is nearby with a camera, especially a lone guy, setting up camp near enough to photograph them. I have been trying to figure out the best way to do this.

I contacted a fellow tcb'er whose beach shots I admire but unfortunately he wasn't willing to share his technique. Not sure why, as I think I've been around here long enough and always been completely open and willing to share my techniques. I don't get the secrecy, but whatever.

My best success to date has been using a new canon elph with HD video (and a big ass memory card). The HD video allows me to get screen shots that look nearly as good as photographs without actually having to hit the shutter button. I've included some samples. The downside to this, besides the "not perfect" quality of the screen captures, is that the videos are HUGE and my pc doesn't have the horsepower to edit them or convert them, and they are beyond TCB file size limit, so I'm left with gigabyte sized videos that I can't share. But they sure are fun to watch. Anyway, the Canon elph wasn't mine but it was awesome to use and I'm definitely in the market for a new cam with HD video capabilities (prob an elph, for the reasons outlines below).

So the way I got these shots: The cannon elph is a perfect little candid cam for the job in terms of aesthetics. It is completely matte black and very small. Right after I started recording, I wrapped the camera in a black t-shirt with just the tiny lens sticking out, being sure to keep the camera horizontal so the videos would come out right (like I said, I can't edit them, including rotating the picture). Then I stuffed that t-shirt into the water bottle holder of my backpack (you know, the stretchy mesh pockets on the side), but with the camera outside of the actual pocket. So the bulk of the t-shirt kept the camera upright and stable by being stuffed in the pocket, while the camera itself (completely concealed, except the lens of course) was just barely sticking out over the mesh. It took some practice to do this quickly and get the camera right, but once I learned how, I was able to do it very quickly and easily, and as you can see, the results are pretty effing good. I carry the backpack by the handle on top and it is pretty easy to maneuver it in the right direction, but again, takes a little practice.

This is the best I've come up with so far, and nobody, not even family with me, has noticed the tiny black lens in the wadded up black t-shirt in my black backpack. It all blends together, and I'm able to get that cam within inches of asses and even faces, as you can see in the pictures.

Hope this helps. Please let me know if I can clarify anything for you- after all, this forum is all about sharing and learning.
Anyone want to chime in on getting some good still shots? I'd love to be able to lie on the beach and shoot babes lying nearby. For now, following them up the stairs to the boardwalk and capturing them showering is a pretty good substitute.

Why conceal a camera at the beach? A beach is a place you see more cameras than anywhere else... tourists. Families Dads Moms capturing family moments ... I see no need to conceal a camera unless you are at a nude beach and cameras are prohibited. Just look like a tourist and go for it

[GC]

Easylabor yeah I can see your point if your trying to take shots right between their thighs and get into their personal space. But I took candids at Daytona beach for over almost a year... of course I never invaded the subjects personal space.. plus I was interested in the whole package not super closeups of body parts. I was interested in recording stills of beach activities ... whether they were showering .. walking playing beach ball or sunning. I never have liked pics that are just parts. I would rather see a bad shot of an entire person than a crisp clear shot of her crotch. I shot a couple hundred shots at the beach each and everyday weather permitting for almost 9 months... practice was making perfect. Each outing I was controlling the camera better and better ... without looking like I was taking pics. The key is to get good enough at the hip .. carrying in the hand ... what ever that you appear to be uninterested and not even paying attention to the subjects. I remember once standing at the rail below me was a hot girl showering ... not more than 15 ft away. Some old guy came up and was chatting to me... about photography ... all the time my hand resting on the rail , holding the camera, finger on the shutter, snapping away while my back was turned to subject and I was carrying on a conversation with the man. when I got home that day I was surprised and pleased with how many good shots I got of her and how many times she had looked up at the camera at me and the man talking with no concern.

Daytona Beach .. maybe different from the beaches you guys attend. Here you have cameras galore ... even the news crews are there everyother day ... tourists... dads... girls with cameras... Teens in cars cruizing the beach using camcorders and cameras on tripods in the back of pickup trucks... I have seen it all there ... hell one guy had his DSLR with huge lens mounted on the deck of his beach house... he wasn't being very covert... everyone knew where he lived. A beach is a public place.. in the US photos are allowed in public places. The only trouble I have had on the beach was from an irate Dad who called the cops on me accusing me of taking pics of his daughter... actually it was his ol' lady I was snapping pics of .. but by the time the cops got there the card was formatted and general random beach shots were on the card.... which I did one handedly behind my back while this dude was shouting at me. The biggest thing is KNOW your camera. KNOW it by memory. KNOW it by touch. That way you will not draw attention to yourself by constantly checking it .. checking settings.. etc... People will see you have a camera ... every now and again pick up the camera and shoot a sea gull.... a sailboat ... a surfer... a close up of a sea shell... then people will dismiss the camera and you as being a tourist. There are ways to set people at ease. If you are afraid of appearing creepy for being alone with a camera on the beach and you insist on setting up camp mere feet from your subject... take other props too ... a cellphone ... pretend to answer talk loudly enough for subject to over hear ... pretend that you are talking to wife of girlfriend .. be sure to tell your imaginary caller that you are on the beach waiting ... that you are gonna catch some rays ... and they can take their time...

Also if you insist on being this close to subjects make sure your cameras sounds are off and there is no focus led or other led shining brightly on the front. A piece black vinyl tape would take care of any lights.

But if you try to hide a camera and get caught you are gonna look even worse to people than if they see you have a camera and dismiss it.

[Jaz rabbit]

thanxs easylabor & gc for the advice.

[oikos99]

you got some good points there! thanks for the advice

[bebe]

I agree with GC on this one. The best way to not get into trouble on the beach is to not seem as if you´re conceiling something. And while some people talk here about small cameras, I´ve used a fairly clunky A710 IS to take my shots (alas I lost it now, blame it on the booze). That x6 zoom is perfect for getting close, but not too close. I usually turn it on, zoom in to the max before even pointing the camera, so I can get to action quickly.

Some other points are to not be greedy - don´t take pictures of every boob you see. Chose your crimescene well, blend with the beachbums. Sometimes, when I found a good target, I lay down fairly close to her, just lay down on my blanket for a tan, and ignore her for half an hour or so, to eliminate me from any suspicion - if you´re oogling her nervously every 5 seconds she´s going suspect you, and the shot is ruined even before you got the chance - then I decide "what a beautiful beach, I should take some pictures to show my friends back home"

A last few words: don´t do this where you work and live. The "tourist thing", only works if people don´t recognize you. If people that know you see that you have a camera every time you go to the beach, they´ll put one and one together. Anyway, happy shooting!

[I spy]

You guys make it sound so easy! My problem is I frequent local beaches where there aren't many cameras on display. While the area is large enough so no one should recognize me, I think a camera would still stick out.

What about local swimming pools? What do you do then? Not many legitimate reasons to carry a camera there...