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  Shawn Malone March 1, 2011 at 5:49pm

  Great article and observation of behavior.  Made me LOL and made me sad at the same time. The only time I've seen anything close to that up here is Bond Falls in autumn, I think I would rather leave than fight those kind of inconsiderate crowds.
  
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  Alison Thomas February 28, 2011 at 3:19pm

  It is the same way at Gatorland.  One year I paid for one of those passes and I got a great photograph - outside of Gatorland waiting to get in.  All the other photographers were standing around comparing equipment and over on the fence is a mother / father bird feeding a baby.  I didn't get anything decent at all inside.  I just can't get in the zone when I am surrounded by people.
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  Geoff Coe February 28, 2011 at 2:11pm

  Same is true at the bird rookery at St. Augustine's Alligator Farm.  They have an early entry program, and for $69 a year you get a photo pass that allows you to get in 90 minutes before the madding throngs, when the light is best. 

  The first time I went there, there must have been 40 photographers there, most with massive 600mm lenses, tripods, and the seemingly-obligatory fisherman's vests bulging with lenses, photo accessories, and (for all I know) spare parts for the Jeep.  I hadn't seen so many photographers in one place since I covered US Senate hearings in the 1980s.
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  Jim Parker February 25, 2011 at 8:10pm

  I had the same experience at Arches a few years back. The photographers were amusing, all lined up with their big lenses and tripods. My favorite shot of Delicate Arch is actually facing away from the arch, showing the photographers faces, equipment, expectant faces. That's the day I finally backed away from shooting "Mt. Rushmore" photos -- where you drive up, plant your tripod, take your picture, leave.
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  Connie Mettler February 25, 2011 at 11:10am

  Do you volunteer at the Fairchild, Geri? One of our favorite places in South Florida. If so, is Marla Bercuson still involved there? She used to run The Grove and was a terrific person.
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  geri a. wegner February 24, 2011 at 9:12am

  I met a photographer at the tropical garden where I volunteer. I asked him what he was doing (after seeing him all over for about 3 hours) and he told me that he was going to Africa this summer and wanted to make sure he understood his camera well enough to take the best photos so he was 'practicing'. I thought that was pretty cool, most people just get a camera, go on the trip, come home and wonder why their pictures aren't what they wanted.
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  Alison Thomas February 23, 2011 at 8:35pm

  Oh yes, I have missed waterfalls.  And someone to hike with.
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  MICHAEL ALAN STIPEK February 23, 2011 at 3:40pm

  I can relate to the photographers who wrote this commentary. It is amazing how some people just assume that as soon as they buy a camera - the bigger the better - the better photographer they will be. Then, they will proceed to copy whatever images they see, thinking this is how one succeeds in either the hobby or business. That is probably why we see so many of the same photos in the different booths at art shows.