Pay Attention! This Is Important...

Saturday Ambassador

I like to believe that most human beings are basically decent and won’t harm you or steal from you and will treat you and your property with due respect. However, I am 43 years old and I’ve been around the block a time or two. Over the years, I’ve developed a rather cynical attitude; I’ve worked in professions, such as law enforcement and the transportation industry, that have brought me into contact with some of the less desirable aspects of the human species.

For the past thirteen years, I’ve been an OTR (over-the-road) truck driver, delivering freight across the nation via eighteen wheels. I carry the tools of the photographic trade with me in the truck, in lieu of the ubiquitous television and other normal trucker paraphernalia. My sleeper is studio, production set, digital darkroom and library. The equipment I traditionally carry includes cameras, lenses, lighting gear, sound apparatus, two laptop computers and a portable generator. The value of these items totals well over $10,000 and, as a student, I would find any of this equipment very difficult to replace. If I was injured in an accident and the vehicle towed, it is very likely that many these valuable items would simply “disappear”. Far too many people have access to such an event and not everyone is scrupulously honest.

Photographic Equipment, Deva Mayorga-Malone, 2013, HDR Composite

 

I have been on vacation for the past couple weeks, and my truck has been sitting in an unsecured tractor-trailer lot in a major metropolitan area. When I returned, I found that my truck had been ransacked and tools, CB radio, et cetera were gone. Fortunately, I had removed most of my valuables and all of my photographic paraphernalia from the vehicle, yet it is certainly vulnerable when I am working.

Door Damage 1,  Deva Mayorga-Malone, 2013, Digital Cell Phone Image

 

Though few students probably travel as much as I do, you must transport your equipment from time to time to complete assignments on-location. Here are some tips for keeping your equipment safe:

      Lock your car! I know that sounds basic, but it is vitally important even if you are in a rural area and know everyone.

 

      Don’t invite theft. Don’t leave items in the car where they are visible – place them in the trunk, cover them with a blanket, whatever it takes. This stuff is far too valuable to lose to a thief.

 

      Don’t talk about the equipment that is in your vehicle. The less people know, the safer your belongings will be.

 

      If you don’t have an alarm, get a fake: A box with a flashing red LED that sits on the dashboard is a very good deterrent. Thieves look for easy prey.

 

      Park in well-lit areas where others can see your car and don’t leave your loaded vehicle unattended for long if you can help it.

 

      If a theft occurs and you discover the scene, don’t touch anything. Let the police collect evidence before you inventory your loss.

 

      Keep your receipts and make a list of equipment serial numbers. This is how the police will track your equipment if it is stolen.

 

      Perhaps most important of all, insure your equipment. Many insurance companies will write a provision for equipment that is not business-owned on a homeowners’ or renters’ insurance policy. If you do have a photography business, you should insure your equipment as a matter of course as a prudent business owner.

 

These are the tools by which you will perform your craft as a photographer. Protect your investment!

~Saturday Ambassador