VIDEO: ABC features Brenda Priddy, International Spy Photog of Mystery
Click above to watch the video after the jump
The news media has turned its empty head to the deeper world of automotive coverage, beyond the front lines of dismal sales numbers and Cash For Clunkers.
None other than spy photographer extraodinaire Brenda Priddy has now been on the receiving end of the gentle, semi-informative coverage mainstream news is so deft at cranking out. A quick package on ABC's flagship World News Tonight broadcast was but a precursor to a more in-depth piece on Nightline that blows Brenda's cover and profiles her hard work in the searing desert heat. Hit the jump to view both videos. Thanks for all your tips!
[Source: ABC News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
marcus_dmoore 8:11PM (8/19/2009)
As a television reporter, who happens to be an extreme car NUT, I loved ABC's piece lastnight. Great story!
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thomas 8:13PM (8/19/2009)
have to admit. its pretty exciting to see pre production cars.
I've seen a few running around SF no doubt for press previews and photos.
I've never seen a car so new its been covered in camo though...
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Fooman 8:41PM (8/19/2009)
I see about 5-8 cars in camo a year... What is even wierder is that I am up to 2 Seat Leon's in 6 months.... WTH!!
Oh and the 405 between LA and the El Toro "Y" is where you see them.
thomas 8:55PM (8/19/2009)
how that you mention it.....
i saw a Seat recently.... the GF was like " a wha?? oh.... a car. nvm"
thomas 8:56PM (8/19/2009)
and by "how" i mean "now"
+1 vote for edit comments.
Brad 8:14PM (8/19/2009)
She truly is awesome, gotta thank Brenda!!
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A.~.B 8:16PM (8/19/2009)
That seems like a pretty awesome job! I wish I could work for her!!
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jerk chicken 8:31PM (8/19/2009)
Someone is going to "whack" her one of these days. She more or less invading someone's or somethings privacy since she wasn't invited by a particular manufacture to snap shots, but God forbid you use one of her photos, she will snap right back at you.
I hope she learns her lesson.
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James Donovan 8:55PM (8/19/2009)
It's public property. So you're also saying that anyone else on the roads should go somewhere else because they weren't invited by the manufacturer?
ronnie schreiber 9:27PM (8/19/2009)
You can't invade anyone's privacy in public. Brenda's a sweetheart.
I've taken some spy shots myself. Just about every car company that does business in North America tests vehicles for radio frequency interference in the "radio farm" in south Oakland county, about two miles north of the Detroit city limits. It's great fun going up to some foreign branded car that's all camo'd up, tapping on the window and watch the shocked reaction when the engineers who can barely speak English hear the acronym "RFI". They think it's a secret, but hang around the broadcast towers near 10 Mile and Greenfield and you'll see all sorts of preproduction cars.
ronnie schreiber 9:29PM (8/19/2009)
BTW, if you don't know the difference between taking a photo in a public space and stealing the use of that photo from the artist who created it, well, I guess you should just open up your front door and let folks take whatever they want.
Bob 11:02PM (8/19/2009)
There is no privacy on public property.
chconline 12:54AM (8/20/2009)
That's only the USA. In places like Canada, the laws are weird. :| (For clarification: I live in Canada and I don't believe in such ridiculous laws, but last I checked you can get sued for invading privacy for taking photos on PUBLIC property. Weird but true.)
Mike P. 3:53AM (8/20/2009)
@chconline
It can be deemed an invasion of privacy in Canada if the person you are taking a photograph of is the main subject of your photograph and the person can be clearly identified, and if you use those photos for commercial purposes (which means for editorial photos--i.e., newspapers--permission is not required; ditto for CCTV). Of course, the definition of "main subject" is somewhat subjective, but grabbing photos of a couple engineers standing around a car clearly doesn't fall under invasion of privacy laws when the car is clearly the subject of interest. Besides, when they run spy photographs in magazines, they typically black out the eyes of the people in the frame.
Andy 8:34PM (8/19/2009)
Great piece last night. I loved the part where they interviewed the guys with the cars about how they just spend their time driving around. They seem to enjoy the cat and mouse game.
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adelossa 8:55PM (8/19/2009)
what camera/lens is she using?
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Visnick 9:45PM (8/19/2009)
Pretty sure it was a Canon 50D but I am not sure which L series canon lens she was using.
Andrew Roberts 9:51PM (8/19/2009)
In the 2nd video, it appears she is using a Canon EOS 40D or 50D with the 100-400mm f/4.5 IS USM L lens. The shutter burst is too fast to be a 5D and the body is too small for a 1D.
Me!!! 10:26PM (8/19/2009)
50D + 28-300mm f/3.6-5.6 L
Josh 1:03AM (8/20/2009)
Definitely a 100-400mm canon L, the camera sounded like it had a pretty quick shutter speed so probably a 50D, Though - the one she was popping batteries into the bottom of (I think I saw this) is a 1D MkIII.