Dan Aykroyd poses for a photo with members of the Steel City Ghostbusters before signing bottles of his Crystal Head Vodka at the Shadyside Wine & Spirits store on December 15, 2010.
On a personal note: Dan was perhaps the rudest most self-centered person who has ever passed in front of my lens in my entire 11-year career as a photojournalist. While shooting him, along with a handful of other photographers and TV cameramen, he stopped signing autographs to instruct me to stop shooting him because he felt I had enough photographs of him. He then proceeded to explain that the flash was distracting him. However, I wasn't using a flash, so I assume it may have been the flashes from the other photographers or perhaps the countless fans who walked up to take a picture of him. After explaining to him that I wasn't using a flash he then scolded me and told me my shutter was distracting him. Then he continued his rant by telling me that if I didn't listen to him and stop shooting him that he would see to it I was removed from the store. Going even further he then told me that he would personally escort me outside. Standing in front of him confused and shocked that this was actually happening, I was speechless. He then continued by telling me that a, "Real professional photographer would have his picture in 6 frames or less." Completely unsure what to say or do, I stood in front of him and the packed store, baffled by his rude comments and tone. He proceeded to go back to signing autographs and continued muttering "6 frames" several times under his breath. I packed up and left. When I got home I checked my files to see if perhaps I was heavy on the shutter. In the entire 10 minutes of him signing autographs, I shot 9 frames!
On a personal note: Dan was perhaps the rudest most self-centered person who has ever passed in front of my lens in my entire 11-year career as a photojournalist. While shooting him, along with a handful of other photographers and TV cameramen, he stopped signing autographs to instruct me to stop shooting him because he felt I had enough photographs of him. He then proceeded to explain that the flash was distracting him. However, I wasn't using a flash, so I assume it may have been the flashes from the other photographers or perhaps the countless fans who walked up to take a picture of him. After explaining to him that I wasn't using a flash he then scolded me and told me my shutter was distracting him. Then he continued his rant by telling me that if I didn't listen to him and stop shooting him that he would see to it I was removed from the store. Going even further he then told me that he would personally escort me outside. Standing in front of him confused and shocked that this was actually happening, I was speechless. He then continued by telling me that a, "Real professional photographer would have his picture in 6 frames or less." Completely unsure what to say or do, I stood in front of him and the packed store, baffled by his rude comments and tone. He proceeded to go back to signing autographs and continued muttering "6 frames" several times under his breath. I packed up and left. When I got home I checked my files to see if perhaps I was heavy on the shutter. In the entire 10 minutes of him signing autographs, I shot 9 frames!