Model: Aubrey. “Always check your surroundings”
It was a last minute shoot. We ventured out to a park in Savannah, Ga that had a lot of history to it. Since it was last minute we had to stop by the local Walmart to see if we could get few more items for the shoot. We went back to the park geared and ready but the office was closed and they were only asking for nothing but a donation. We saw other people gained access to the park so we followed suit. While we were walking through the canopy we saw the sign that says", “ donations before access” and a jar to put the money in. It seemed shady to us so we decided when we get back we’ll walk in the office and see about paying there. We walked around jumping from boardwalk to boardwalk and trying to evade mud. This one spot had a pile of wood and looked like the perfect prop for a shot. I jumped on top and did an illustration of the pose i wanted and asked Aubrey to try it right after. As soon as she walked around and was about to get on top of the wood i immediately heard a shuffling sound. When i looked, it was a damn copperhead right there in the pile of wood next to Aubrey. If she had stepped she would stepped right on top of the snake. I immediately sounded an alarm to get away quickly. I don’t know if it was impulse and quick response but she moved just in time before the snake could make an attack. My heart came to my mouth. Listen! I am from Jamaica. I go to the woods all the time with no fear because there are no harmful snakes. The only time i ever saw a snake in Jamaica was when i went to the zoo. This was new to me. i ended the shoot because it was stuck in the back of my head that there are more laying around.
While we were making our way to the front to leave, we stopped a second to do a landscape shot. Out of nowhere this woman came screaming at us and claimed other people came by and left without leaving a donation and we are not leaving until we give a donation. We told her we had all intentions of doing that but the office wasn’t open and we didn’t want to leave money per the sign for anyone to just walk up and take. This lady was livid and was saying all manner of rude and uncalled for things. My fellow photographer friend started telling her she’s being very rude and disrespectful. She went and got her son who looked stone junk. He came and tried to talk her mother and said she’s being too aggressive and need to calm down. This only made it worst. She went off again and barged at us. My friend asked her to leave him alone then the son got involved and threatened us. It wasn’t worth it so we left.
It is not easy sometimes trying to shoot in certain areas. You feel as if people won’t make it an issue even when it’s not a bother to them, you’re not breaking any law, or causing any inconvenience , but somehow people will always make it an issue.