Types of enthusiasts

[cat1]

The security insider
Seems to know all those on the security network and the name of their dog/wife/children. A very useful person, due to the fact he can engage said security in conversation, thus ensureing they don't request the ladders are moved 6 ft back from the fence

The disillusioned tannoy
Yells incoming for literally anything. Can't tell an F-35 from a seagul. Dosent learn from previous experience and a few moments later calls heads up for a F-15 (a pigeon)

[Ghastly Whisper]

The holy grail

Female enthusiast!

Enough said

[reaperops]

The Social Networker (aka Moderator/Admin/ Group Admin/ Owner at 'Trog Avaition Photography Media'......)

Joins or forms a FB group or forum in good faith then is suddenly catapulted into a 'god like status' of the hobby because they have more free time than they know what to do with and insist on posting every finite detail about their day at the fence line. They also engage in the deployment of a 'Thumbs Up' on most images making the author of the image feel 'they've made it'......

They also become academics of the hobby by posting short info-bites on aircraft types, squadrons etc aimed at the casual viewer, usually complied by cut and pasting 'somthing they read on wikipedia once', mixed with 'something a bloke told me'.

This is normally enough to give them the right to include the word 'Media' or 'photography' after their name and achieve unrivalled access to flightlines,tanker flights.

[raptor9]

I guess we all fit into one category or the other, good or bad!!.

[Discodaz]

THE HILL HUGGER

spends their entire waking life on a hill taking low level photos. Presumably has no job or retired.
seemingly has inside knowledge of what will enter low level and when. refuses to share any information.
knows all the "secret" viewing spots inaccessible to mortals.

Daz

[Blackcat1]

THE HILL HUGGER

spends their entire waking life on a hill taking low level photos. Presumably has no job or retired.
seemingly has inside knowledge of what will enter low level and when. refuses to share any information.
knows all the "secret" viewing spots inaccessible to mortals.

Daz

Isn’t that the Mach Loop brigade?

[Discodaz]

THE HILL HUGGER

spends their entire waking life on a hill taking low level photos. Presumably has no job or retired.
seemingly has inside knowledge of what will enter low level and when. refuses to share any information.
knows all the "secret" viewing spots inaccessible to mortals.

Daz

Isn’t that the Mach Loop brigade?

Daz

[cat1]

The hunter gather
Has the rarest camera body with the rarest lens and drives the rarest car. Like most has spent a long time studying aviation but is consumed by the passion to tell anyone in a 5 meter radi all about what he's learnt. Constantly scouring eBay and similar websites to find random items which he claims 'are worth thousands actually'. Brother of the nutter.

The argumentative one
Security are always wrong in his eyes. Lives in a Communist bubble where those who don't agree with him must be a crazy lunatic. But it gets worse. The argumentative one will do his upmost to make you change your mind. Avoid like Chernobyl.

The clueless
Walked into a camera shop all the cash and no idea. Emerged with the latest and greatest in photography technology. Yet to learn what shutter speed is. Goes oppis6side of airbase from everyone else in a bid to be different, only to learn that everyone is stood one side for a reason.

The overachiever
The bain of the clueless ones life. Uses a bad quality camera and very scratched lens yet produces perfect photos. In his eyes no ladder is equal to a car roof.

The settings thief
Parrots to every one in earshot, at least 5 times a minute 'what settings are you using' then sends a hurt look in your direction when his photography skills begin to manifest themselves in his photos.

The tracker
Has his/her own personal antenna and knows 'apparently' exactly where each aircraft is. A very useful person save the somewhat unnecessary announcements such as touch and go and he's taking off (not that the latter can be heard anyways)

Mr sweaty fingers
He bought a waterproof sportlens for a reason. Could fill the Atlantic several times over. Writing on any camera buttons has long since succumbed. Shaking his hand is difficult as well as uncomfortable.

Edit:
I know the spelling is atrocious, it's being typed on a phone

[das]

The Dutchman
Has all the kit, must have the best paid job in the world, most understanding boss, manages to attend every show/exercise in the western (and often eastern) hemisphere, font of knowledge, collects everything with wings, determined to get everything whether it's visible or hangared, and yet still manages to stand in front of your camera just at the crucial time

[reaperops]

The self acclaimed Fast Jet Pro Photographer!!

Has all the kit and own personal parking spot, usually in the shade of trees!!

Manages to attend every Friday to view anything that resembles a 'vertical climb'. Uses vocabulary that gains an extra 100+ likes on SM, words like 'Spluff', 'Jelly Air' and 'look at those carrots'.

[Blackcat1]

The Dutchman
Has all the kit, must have the best paid job in the world, most understanding boss, manages to attend every show/exercise in the western (and often eastern) hemisphere, font of knowledge, collects everything with wings, determined to get everything whether it's visible or hangared, and yet still manages to stand in front of your camera just at the crucial time

And he’s about 8 foot tall

[marku51]

What's really amusing about a lot of these is that they really translate into all other enthusiasts--I work in public transport and come across all kinds--railway enthusiasts, bus enthusiasts, pylon enthusiasts (it is a thing, believe me) and can think of times I've seen most of these!

I'd suggest another (which I think I probably fall into): The 'born-again'--was in the hobby when they were a child/teen and has now re-discovered it later on in life, and constantly surprised to see how much things have changed in 25 years.

[cat1]

just looking back on this thread three years later (excuse me, but where's the time gone?)
thanks to all those who made this thread so hilarious, here's to a better 2024!

[Red-Eye-Knight]

just looking back on this thread three years later (excuse me, but where's the time gone?)
thanks to all those who made this thread so hilarious, here's to a better 2024!

How can it be 3 years later when the thread was only made in February of 2023? Or am I missing something?

[cat1]

Mine is showing as Sep 2021, maybe its a glitch of some kind

[Alf]

Mine is showing as Sep 2021, maybe its a glitch of some kind

Are you looking at the date you joined the forum rather than the date of the post? Your join date is Sept 2021.

[cat1]

wow I really need another coffee, my mistake

mild relief that I didn't just miss a year of life

[roughcutter]

i guess none of us are angels, reckon I could easily count myself amongst the many character categories listed there. What really saddens me, is the lack of empathy shown amongst spotters these days. There's simply no more courtesy, just arrogance, contempt and aggression - "ME! ME! ME!!!!"

[AK01]

Agree on that, but isn't the whole world ME ME ME nowadays, so are spotters "normal" people?

[paddyboy]

Sadly, the preceding two posts are only too true, I’m afraid