The Perils of Posing
It's summer, so some friendly reminders
It’s not easy smiling for photos in exotic locations. One false move, and it could all backfire on you.
To wit:
—Four people in Montana’s Glacier National Park recently stood to pose for a photo with the backdrop of Avalanche Gorge. One of them slipped and fell in the water, while two in the group jumped in to try and save him. Two ended up caught in a downward stream, while the other was able to grab hold of a branch. They were eventually all rescued.
—Selfie snafu: In India, a recently married couple were in the news, when they pulled over on a bridge to snap a selfie, and the wife allegedly pushed her hubby into the drink to kill him. He survived, and the bride has been detained by local authorities. Petapixel points out Selfie Murders are actually a thing. In Turkey a man lured his pregnant wife 1,000 feet atop a cliff for a selfie, before pushing her off and killing her. (Film buffs will recall something similar happening in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1940 film Foreign Correspondent, only the pusher was the one who fell, because he missed his mark.)
—Selfie snafu, part 2. Petapixel also points out that you might want to think twice before snapping a selfie in the country of Dubai. If you take it in one of the many restricted areas, you could be fined $136,000. Per luxury travel company eShores: “One wrong snap could bankrupt your holiday budget. Taking photographs of people without explicit consent is classed as a serious privacy violation in the UAE…Cameras are strictly banned in government buildings, certain palaces, and designated areas throughout the emirate, so that Instagram story could literally cost you your freedom."
—In the Canary Islands, a man fell to his death 100 feet while recently trying to take a selfie from the 8th story of a luxury resort. In Yellowstone National Park in May, a man was gored by a nasty bison when he tried to get a selfie of the two. He survived, hoever.
Regarding Glacier, the National Park Service urges folks to take caution when visiting. They should “watch their surroundings near water. Swift, cold glacial streams and rivers, slick rocks or slippery logs all present dangers. Never walk, play, or climb on slippery rocks and logs, especially around waterfalls. Drowning is the number one cause of death among tourists visiting Glacier National Park. Since the park opened in 1910, at least five people have been killed after falling into the Avalanche Creek gorge.”
And please don’t ty to pose with wild animals. There have been too many recent reports about these kinds of selfies resulting in untimely deaths.
Another public service announcement from your favorite newsletter.
Summer in Utah!
Nothing beats riding bikes down country lanes in the backroads of Utah’s two coolest small towns, Heber City and Midway, and up and down the hills of nearby Park City. Come explore with me on Photowalks!
Jeff
Wowza. Selfie murders are a thing?! Wild.