Appreciation post: My awkward request to campers turned my star trail shot around

Politely asking folks to dim lights ensures CRISP shots of the night sky.

3 comments

3 Comments

Wow, I always figured asking people to turn off lights would just get you ignored or maybe a rude reply. Seeing it actually work for someone's photo is a total game changer. It makes the whole idea of speaking up feel way less awkward somehow. Guess a quick polite ask is all it takes sometimes.

adams.ivan11h ago

Believe it ties into how most people actually want to be decent. We just get stuck in our own heads and assume others will say no. Turns out, whether it's for a photo or just asking someone to be quieter in a library, stating what you need clearly but nicely cuts through that. It gives the other person a simple choice to do a good thing. So often the awkwardness is just in our own worry, not in the real situation. Speaking up politely can fix small problems for everyone.

joseph52911h ago

Ever tried that at a busy park? I did something similar last summer when a car's headlights were messing up my shot of the milky way. I just walked over and said my camera was picking up their light, and could they maybe point the car the other way. They were super cool about it and actually turned the car off completely. That little chat saved my whole night of pictures. It really is amazing how often people will help if you just ask.