Interested in photographing OC around Williamsport

[jimoconnell]

Hi all -
I've been a member on these forums for a few months.
I initially found PAOpenCarry when I was Googling for info on obtaining my LTCF after returning to PA and the local range said they required one for me to use my pistol at their place. Before finding this site, I was unaware of the OC movement and I must say that it was a pleasant surprise to see such a polite and responsible group of people.

As I said, I returned to the area this Spring. I had been living overseas for a dozen years. (My mother was sick, so I came back suddenly.) I'd been living in Japan, where private ownership of guns is basically illegal, so my pistol sat in storage.

All that said, I am also a photographer and photojournalist. I've been thinking lately that I might like to do a story on some of you and pitch it to some newspapers and magazines. Unlike a lot of the press OC gets, I'm more interested in showing the positive side of what you all are about—spinning it as another "gun nut" story has no appeal to me and I'd like to keep it as un-political as possible. Basically I'd like to show reasonable people exercising their constitutional rights responsibly, without letting race/sex/political affiliation become dividing factors in how the readers form an opinion about OC.

Hopefully this sounds interesting to a few of you and you might want to help me put together this story. For lack of a car, I'm pretty limited to the Williamsport area, but I have a photo studio here where I'd like to do some portraits and some basic interviews. After that, I'd be interested in photographing some typical scenes from a day of open carry—going to a café, store or restaurant and the interactions you have with people you meet such as passing out the pamphlets that many of you distribute. For obvious reasons, I'd like this to be with people free and clear to legally carry, as well as with people with positive stories and experiences to share.

If you're not in the area and would still like to share your thoughts, you are welcome to contact me via email at oc@mmdc.net or take a look around my website: http://mmdc.net

Thanks,
Jim O'Connell

[Kaxi]

well im not really from up around in Williamsport im down in Elysburg/Bloomsburg area, But if you would like just let me know and i could work out getting up there, even tho i haven't been carrying for very long but I wouldn't mind being apart of this as long as its putting a good light on something that isn't really known or understood around here.

[lee]

If you want to photograph or report on unstaged interactions between an OCer and random people it's going to be a rather long project. People tend to only post stories when something interesting happens, but the vast majority of the time (literally about 100:1, at least in my case), absolutely nothing happens. It's like I'm not even carrying a firearm. Either people don't notice, don't care, or otherwise don't acknowledge it.

The idea that openly carrying draws attention and you get opportunities to have discussions or hand out pamphlets is true, but rare (again I'm basing this on my own experience). I realize people not even acknowleding an OC'er seems counter to what would be expected, but that's the way it is. I've often wondered what the results would be if as I walked past people someone would trail behind and ask questions (not sure exactly what, but something along the lines of if they saw me/noticed my firearm/what they thought about me/the firearm) what the responses would be.

I used to live near Williamsport and do go to the area occasionally (in laws), but I'm probably not a good candidate for your project.

[jimoconnell]

Thanks, guys.
Good point, Lee. I suppose the incident reports made it seem like interactions are more frequent than they really are, but perhaps having a camera pointed at you and your weapon might cause people to notice and interact more. (I'm looking more for positive experiences than MWAG/LEO incidents.)
I'll be talking to the Sheriff here as well, so they'll know that I'm working on this and I'll hopefully get some insight to how they feel about OC as well. I expect to be working on this for a few weeks at least.

Kaxi, (and anyone else) drop me a mail (oc@mmdc.net) and I'll send you my phone number and we can put something together.
Cheers,
Jim

[B2Luv2Hunt]

To bad you could not come the short way to Clinton Co. We have had several very positive encounters in our area. This is due to the preemption fights that we have been doing in this area. The articles in the Paper has had people talking. We have been going to the 2 borough councils and the city council meetings OC. Mill Hall just changed their No Guns in Park ordinance. Lock Haven and Flemington are next.

[jimoconnell]

It's not impossible. My girlfriend, also a photographer, is from out that way, so maybe we could arrange something.

[Xringshooter]

I'm in the State College area so I'm kinda too far. What I am interested in will be the report of how this goes when you talk to the Sheriff about OCing and what his thoughts are. Keep us in the loop on this conversation please.

[jimoconnell]

Thanks for the support. I'm working on this still and I'll keep you all updated as I make progress.