Steven Frischling's Unbelievable Political Lies!

You asked for more stories, you got 'em. 

Thank you very, very much to a FishFraud MVP/future Pulitzer Prize winner who sent in the following incredible research exposing travel blogger Steven Frischling's lies of covering national politics as a photojournalist.

STEVEN FRISCHLING AND POLITICS

Frischling has gone on and on about how he is a seasoned political photographer. Thanks to some help from my friends, we've assembled a huge list of his tales. But first, let me explain how a few things work in the realm of covering politics, especially when traveling with campaigning presidential candidates as well as the press pool that covers the president and vice president. This will help in understanding how he is lying about a lot of the tales we found.

THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS POOL

The White House press pool for still photographers consists of AP, AFP, Reuters, a rotating "agency" pool and a magazine/newspaper slot (currently held by the New York Times). AP, AFP and Reuters and NYT travel with the president everywhere and are considered the "tight pool". They travel on Air Force One, in motorcades and are always with the president when he has any movement. The agency pool only travels in presidential motorcades when the president has movements within close proximity to the White House. The agency pool rotates between (I believe) eight agencies and commits a photographer from each agency to three days a month covering the White House. Photographers in the agency pool DO NOT (except on rare occasions) travel on Air Force One.  The traveling press pool pays a hefty price to travel on AF1 and in motorcades with the president with an annual price tag of about a million dollars per agency. If other press does for some reason pay to go on of the president's overseas trips, they do not fly on AF1 but instead are put on a charter.

When the president has an event (like a speech at a college) local press covering the event must submit a request for credential and vital info (like date of birth, social security) days prior to the event for a background check. Everyone who covers a presidential visit will be given a White House press pool pass. They are typically different colors at each event and have a Secret Service sticker attached to it with a number. There are two kinds of these passes, a PL and an L. PL is for pool, which would allow you to temporarily join the traveling press pool in the area called the buffer at the front of the stage or to tag along if the president is touring a facility. The PL passes are given to photographers from the local newspaper and often wire services that aren't in the traveling pool. The L pass is for local press and it gets you a spot on a riser with limited (if any) mobility. I have attached a photo of these passes. I bring this up because Frischling claims in one of the following posts that he has several dozen of these that he apparently wears on his neck as if he were part of the White House press pool. Like I said, everyone who has covered a presidential visit has one of these passes. They mean nothing once the event is over.

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS

I spoke with a few photographers who traveled extensively with candidates in 2004 and in 2008. When I say traveling, these guys and gals were out for weeks at a time on the candidates planes, motorcades and hotels. I asked if they had ever seen Frisching on a campaign plane. They did not. I asked if they had seen him at Howard Dean's event where he dropped out of the race. They had not. On the Kerry campaign? Nope.

The only coverage I have ever seen of political nature by Frischling is a day he spent with Ralph Nader in 2004, a few days (3 or 4 tops) he spent with Howard Dean at the start of his presidential bid in 2003 (where he had one on one coverage of him riding in a car and talking with aides), three or four days covering Dean on a bus tour through New Hampshire in 2004, a couple events here and there including a debate and election night in Boston covering John Kerry (not as a member of the traveling press.) There was also some Nader event that he covered during the 2000 cycle.

Presidential campaigns are expensive if you are traveling on the plane. Freelancers don't travel on the plane since it can cost between $2,000 and $5,000 (or more) a day depending on how much flying is done. You pay for everything, food, the flight, hotel, press files, food, you name it. Since the amount changes each day based on how many people are traveling, the campaigns always bill out the fees, never ask for money up front. Bus tours are usually more accessible to freelancers and smaller low budget agencies and generally only occur in the early stages of a campaign (like Iowa and New Hampshire).

When Dean was traveling through New Hampshire, the bus fee was probably in the neighborhood of 50 to 100 bucks a day. The buses are usually pretty easy to get on and most photographers avoid them since they usually have to cover multiple candidates in a single day during the Iowa Caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. The bus works for those who are assigned to a single candidate. So, technically, you're not actually "traveling" with the candidate and you're not in any "pool," you're essentially getting a ride to their events and they drop you off at the candidate's headquarters at the end of the day.

The pool for presidential campaigns is usually established once it is determined who the official candidate is (at the party convention) as this is when the candidate gets immediate Secret Service protection – which means police escorted motorcades, tighter restrictions at campaign events for local press and credentials issued to the traveling press by the Secret Service. Like the presidential pool PL passes, select local media would be allowed to join the traveling pool at events for a limited time. Like the White House press pool, the campaign pool runs in a similar fashion with some expansion. It is still AP, AFP and Reuters with other regularly traveling agencies. It does change from time to time, but only in tight situations and then it reverts back to White House rules.

Now let's continue to the stories Frischling has spread about his supposed up-close-and-personal political access...

Part A: The Frischling Fantasies

A) 12/5/07 Digital Wedding Forum –
"While was a full time photojournalist for more than a decade shooting everything from small town weekly council meetings to the war in Iraq and a rural highschool's home coming election to traveling with multiple major presidential candidates in their pool."

B) 11/24/07 Digital Wedding Forum –
"I am sure I'd clear the background check. I have been part of the White House Pool traveling with the President, and Presidential Candidates"

C) Flyertalk – 5/13/08  - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-safety-security/737272-benefit-clear-2.html#post9717204
"I have had my background checked and rechecked while being credentialed as a news photographer covering the United Nations, having been a member of the US House & Senate Press Photographer's Gallery, having traveled 1-on-1 with presidential candidates and traveled in the White House photo pool, as well as having been an embedded journalist in Iraq and having covered "homeland security"

D) 10/4/07 Digital Wedding Forum 
"My F5xb has been great for weddings, the majority of my weddings, as well as multiple trips to Iraq, shooting in four countries , on two continents and one sub-continent chain of islands in a single day (well really more than a day, but the international date line flips you back a day) , two years of covering presidential campaigns heavily on the road (2000 & 2004) and lots of less exciting every day shoots."

E) 11/24/07 Digital Wedding Forum
"Before the Newswear Pouches I used the Domke pouches that I have a dozen of. This set up is used with two bodies (again at times, rarely, 1 body) and I have take this kit on the road for weeks with political talking heads running for office, been to probably two dozen riots, Iraq, and a whole lot of weddings."

F) 9/16/07 Digital Wedding Forum 
"Two of the bodies have survived multiple assignments in Iraq, all have enjoyed stints at the Final Four, World Series, Presidential pool gigs, etc.........so why would I trade them in? They do a good job and do the same job they did five/four years ago."

G) 11/7/06 Digital Wedding Forum
"you can't spend 14 days in a car with a Presidential Hopeful before the real massive campaigning kicks off and never speak to them, it is just not possible."

H) 8/24/07 Digital Wedding Forum
"Years of shooting perp-walks in NYC as a wire shooter, covering national and international politics in a press pool, countless court assignments, post-game scrums on the field......all make Uncle Bob easy to work around."

I) 2/19/08 Digital Wedding Forum
"Maybe it is a news thing, but I have done countless 16+hr days shooting news. During the "political season" I could do back to back to back to back 16 hours days bouncing between New Hampshire and Iowa, shoot for 16hrs, get on a plane for a few hours, sleep 2hrs, up for 16hrs, then do it all over again. This could go on for 2 weeks"

J) 11/24/07 Digital Wedding Forum
"I have used this set up for days and weeks on the road shooting political candidates, floating around the world in a week , countless NFL and NCAA football games and a bunch of weddings..."

K) 8/28/07 Digital Wedding Forum
"I have been an agency contract photog traveling with political candidates trying to make unique images daily of the same person doing the same person every day. I have worked for wire services shooting riots and covered war..."

L) 5/2/06 Digital Wedding Forum
"Shooting for 12 to 14hrs is easy. You just get into a good frame of mind and do your job. Journalism was great practice for weddings, traveling in press pools covering political campaigns, the Olympics, riots, a being out on patrols in Iraq."

M) 2/8/07 Digital Wedding Forum
"oh yea, "My Boss" is also glad I no longer cover politics, where I am on the road for at times a few weeks or being shipped off to WTO and G8 riots with some frequency no more showing up before the hurricane and staying until the hurricane has left and no more trips to a hot desert with things being fired at me or items exploding near me."

N) 9/1/07 Sports Shooter http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=26249
"...and as for politics.....we'll get into that when you ask.....but the traveling press pool is tight and VERY EXPENSIVE , which is why few freelancers do it. When I have done it my client paid all expenses up front with the campaigns I traveled with (and the agency I was shooting for was owned by Bill Gates, so they had the funds, I didn't)."

O) 7/27/09 Sports Shooter http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=33647
"I've been assigned to be the 1-on-1 documentary photog shooting George HW Bush & Bono, but while I had great access I didn't get to know my subjects. I've photographed two sitting presidents; traveled with two candidates in the final stages of their presidential campaigns; photographed the Pope; The Manning Brothers; countless heads of state at the U.N.; etc etc etc...but so what? I didn't get to know my subjects in any way ."

P) 2/7/04 sports shooter  http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=7350
"Photogs are not necessarily dumping digital on the campaign trail. Jeff Jacobson obviously shot all film, but he followed Dean for a few days while Callie Shell was away, Shell shot a mix of film and digital (although I only saw her with a 28-70 on her EOS 1D for the three days I was on the Dean bus with her, while Jacobson shot only film for the two days he was on the bus). "

Q) 10/1/07 sports shooter http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=26651
"I have had m bodies since early 2003 and they have shot countless pro football and baseball games, heavily covered political campaign season, been to the middle east a few times, done a bunch of NCAA basketball games and 40+ weddings since early 2003 and the bodies average 1.3mil frame clicks."

R) 10/21/08 sports shooter  http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=31074
"Back in '04 I stood on the risers on Boston until well after 1:00am and John Kerry was a no-show. "

S) 10/10/07 Digital Wedding Forum
"I have had problems with the Secret Service shooting a "corporate portrait" of a U.S. Congressman in front of The White House, no lights, no tripod, no light stands, just me, two cameras, a waist pack and a US Congressman. This was in late 2005. Keep in mind that I was pulled aside, with the Congressmen, while in possesion of, and displaying, my credentials from the U.S. House & Senate The Dept of Defense, the United Nations, the NYPD, Mass. State Police and about two dozen "White House Pool" credentials (both "N" and "L" credentials) from White House events........still took 15-20 min to sort it out.....WITH A CONGRESSMAN!."

Part 2: The Reality

A. Multiple major presidential candidate pools? Who would that be? Dean and Nader don't really count.

B. As I mentioned before, AP, AFP, Reuters and Magazine/newspaper pool plus the agency pool are the only photographers who travel with the president in town. It is possible, but highly unlikely, that he was fulfilling an agency pool spot at the White House for UPI, which would put him in a motorcade and would technically be traveling in the pool. I have never seen a single photo to support this.

C. Again, unless for some bizarre fluke that he was assigned to sit in the agency pool for three days at the White House (extremely unlikely) he has not "traveled" with the pool.

D. Says in the 2000 and 2004 election cycles he was heavily on the road with campaigns. I have not ever seen one photo of Al Gore or George Bush campaigning from 2000 and the extent of his 2004 coverage can be seen here. http://www.upi.com/search/?sp=t&s_l=photos&ss=%22steven+frischling%22&offset=1 And here by searching frischling dean http://worldpicturenews.com/web/IndexPageLightbox.aspx?driverid=9296 And here (which by the way appears that he double dipped by giving pictures from the same event to Bloomberg and UPI – competing wire services) http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?contractUrl=2&language=en-US&family=editorial&assetType=image&p=steven+frischling+dean

E. Claims to have traveled with candidates for weeks at a time but no wire photographer who has traveled for weeks at a time has ever seen him.

F. States that he has done presidential pool gigs between 2002 and 2007 but has never mentioned this on any other message board and there are no photos to support this other than two times that he shot George Bush at local events from a riser.

G. Says he has spent 14 days in a car with a presidential hopeful before major campaigning commenced. He did spend a couple of days here and there following Howard Dean prior to him announcing that he was running but not 14 days. There is one photo on his site of Dean (under "faces") in a car mirror that was taken in 2003, although he has it captioned as if it was taken when he was the head of the DNC http://stevenfrischling.com/

H.  International press pool? HA

I. States that during the "political season" that he would bounce back and forth between Iowa and New Hampshire. When the Iowa caucuses are going on in Dec./Jan., all the candidates are either in Iowa or New Hampshire. They do Iowa and then New Hampshire, that's the election cycle. There is no real back and forth. Besides, I doubt he has ever been to Iowa.

J. Again stating that he has spent weeks on the road with candidates – pure fiction.

K. Saying that he was a representative of an agency covering a campaign "trying to make unique images daily of the same person doing the same person every day" whatever that means.

L. Still thinks he has traveled in a pool.

M. Says his "boss" a.k.a. Susannah, is happy that he isn't gone on campaigns for weeks at a time anymore. There is no evidence to suggest that he has ever traveled with a candidate for any length of time other than 3 days on a bus.

N. Says that his "client" an agency owned by Bill Gates (better known as Corbis) paid for his campaign travel up front. That never happens. Travel is never billed upfront only after, sometimes weeks or even months after the fact.

O. Traveled with TWO candidates in the last stages of their campaign. If this was between 2000 and 2004, that would have to be Gore, Bush or Kerry. He wasn't traveling with Kerry and I have never seen a single photo of Gore or Bush during the 2000 election.  He also says that he didn't get to know his subjects in any way, but earlier says that you can't be in a car for 14 days with a presidential candidate and not talk to him.

P. Establishes that he was on the Dean bus for three days, not weeks.

Q. Another mention of how heavily he covers politics but there is no photographic evidence to support this claim. It is safe to say that he has never experienced traveling with a candidate on a plane for weeks at a time, let alone once or twice.

R. Establishes that he was not "traveling" with Kerry on the final day of his campaign and there is no real evidence to support his claim that he has traveled with two presidential candidates on the final stages of their campaign unless he is referring to Ralph Nader who never really had a real presidential campaign.

S. This was in late 2005 when he was employed by CRN. There is no real reason why he would still have a valid US Senate pass or the extremely difficult to obtain Dept. of Defense pass. The DOD passes are almost always issued to journalists who cover the Pentagon FULL TIME. The U.N. pass, according to my boss, has to be renewed twice a year and requires a newspaper or wire service sponsor. The funniest thing is how he says he has about two-dozen old White House press passes from WH events on his lanyard. That is just retarded. First of all, has he actually covered 24 presidential events? Sure, it is possible, but if he has, it has been over his career and most of those passes would be about 10 years old. He covered Bush twice for Bloomberg since 2004. Second, why would anyone carry dozens of those around their neck like a trophy? That would be one huge mess of press passes to carry around. He'd look like a clown.  

Once again we challenge Steven Frischling... Where are the photos to back up these stories?
Are you such a terrible incompetent photographer that you didn't get a single usable image? 

Frischling Fighting (At Least) Three Legal Cases!

Total winner Steven Frischling will be back in court YET AGAIN next Friday to be arraigned on his felony forgery/larceny charges. Who knows how the slippery Fish keeps getting out of entering a plea, but obviously the charges have not been dismissed (as per his lies on Twitter).

Then he was in court today on another much more domestic issue, which we hope to post about in detail later (but you can speculate about to your heart's content).

But our hero is due back in court on yet ANOTHER case August 30! Why?

In May 2010 a New Yorker named Elizabeth Klaproth sued Frischling, whom she unfortunately hired to photograph her wedding at some point. Obviously something went wrong (could it be she never got her photos?!). In October 2010 she won her case. We guess she's never seen a penny of the judgment, so she has filed to get the judgement enforced in Connecticut!

Ms. Klaproth, by the way, is an esteemed member of the New York bar specializing in litigation. Did he expect she would simply drop the case and say "oh well!" if he refused to pay her the judgement? How dumb is he?

The lovely Ms. Klaproth is suing him for $3,026.00. Captain Continuancy has been denied one continuance and granted another, but can't seem to get out of this one. Details here:

http://www.jud2.ct.gov/Small_Claims/sc_SearchDocketResult.asp?CaseStatus=ALL&Prefix=SCC&Docket_Number=393267&IncludeParty=on&Activity=ALL

Frischling Finally in Court Wednesday!

Despite his Twitter claims that the Connecticut prosecutor thinks the case should be dismissed, epic winner Steven Frischling is due for his first appearance in court Wednesday! He is finally supposed to enter a plea after numerous postponements.

According to the public docket at jud.ct.gov, Frischling is finally listed with a lawyer - Bachand Discala. It appears he found his name on a billboard or late night TV as this firm specializes in personal injury lawsuits!

Even better... check out Mr. Discala's background, as mentioned in this 2008 article:

A Norwalk lawyer, who is accused of violating ethical rules, forging signatures on legal documents and deceiving a client in order to thwart a potential malpractice suit, offered testimony Tuesday to the statewide committee that oversees professional standards among lawyers.

According to the Connecticut Bar Association, Discala was officially reprimanded for his actions.

Oh to be a fly on the wall at that courtroom....

UPDATE: Frischling has failed to enter a plea once again! His case still says awaiting plea. His next arraignment will now be 8/19. How long can he try to stall this?

Steven Frischling: Accident-Prone Superhero

Thank you to a FishFraud MVP who compiled this list of Steven Frischling's amazing injuries. Of course it would be impossible to compile all of his spectacular traumas, but we have already called bullshit on a few. (For example, the time he claims he was assaulted by actor Hugh Grant or shot nine times.)

But it's an impressive list. Of course, few of these accidents ever seem to prevent our superhero from getting his photos. Only problem: where are the photos?

For example, he claims he had not one, but TWO medical issues during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. There is no confirmation and no photos to support him being there, much less working for the Olympic Committee as he's claimed. He also claims he was assaulted by a fan while shooting Manchester United against AC Milan, which is so laughable we don't know where to start. He has no photos of this match.

Digital Wedding Forum 1/30/05
“In 2002 I had to have an emergency procedure on my throat while at the Olympics, released from the hospital at 1: AM, at work at 6: AM. I felt like death hit me with a stick, but my client could not possibly get another shooter credentialed that fast for the Olympics. I am dumb I guess, I often shoot when sick, was outside last month for 6hrs shooting a news story with a 101 fever.”

Sports Shooter
12/13/02
“I spent a day in Park City during the Olympics unable to shoot because my eyes were watering for three hours after I made the mistake of saying I'd like to try a half rack of the hot sauce. The pit roasted chicken is amazing!”

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=693

More tragic stories follow:

I've got a visible dent in my skull from a nasty fall skating in a 1/2 pipe when I was younger, and seem to break myself all of often

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=4380

I have uttered similar words when someone has run into me; panned so fast and hard their lens hood slammed into my lens leaving me a bruise under my eye

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=5827

I have unfortunately had the lovely displeasure of crutches a few times
( broken arms, broken feet, popped knees, busted thumb with a broken
tib-fib).  I started to use a waist pack, I started with the Lowe Pro
Orion AW and now use the Domke OutPack waist pack.  When shooting I
place the crutch out in front of me and use it as a sort of mono-pod.
I hung a single camera a short zoom off my right shoulder, even when I
cracked my right leg (or left leg as well) because it was easier to grab
since cameras are made for righties (I use my left hand more often) .
Use the crutches as your balance.  Cruthces ALWAYS SUCK, but they can be
used to your advantage.
A good chunk of what I do is breaking news, and crutches slow me down
alot , but i made do, I went to the 180f2.8 rather than the 28f1.4, and
300f2.8 rather than my 80-200f2.8.  I found standing on my roof with a
long lens worked OK for me.
Rule of thumb, I have cut my last few casts off after 2-3 weeks, not a
good idea.  I cut 'em off so I could go chase
news/snowboarding/surf/skateboard/climb  , not something I suggest.  I
am regretting it just a lil' bit now that I need to have a few joints
worked on.

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/9dc20cf4787a9ae5/eb410b4f1ce659e5?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22steven+frischling%22+broken#eb410b4f1ce659e5

I have had my bones broken, stiches requied to heal the wound, and have had to dispose of pannels on a bullt proof vest because it was used to protect myself.

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/e58f0ddff14081a9/931a0b99d288d5bb?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22steven+frischling%22+broken#931a0b99d288d5bb

here I sit with a minor concussion, still have a ringing
in my ear and have blurred vision in my left eye because I was covering
a "disturbance" yesterday and was smacked in the head by a low flying
beer bottle (yea one day I'll remember the simple word I learned when I
played hockey "DUCK" )

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/c9673720790cf03a/fb399843b5dc4e?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22steven+frischling%22+injured#00fb399843b5dc4e

I had a lovely encpounter with a flying metal projective
(twice in me, 7 times in a vest...all at once) while in the projects ,
another another time elsewhere.

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/177b035d8c1f737f/99bf71617cfe6432?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22steven+frischling%22+injured#99bf71617cfe6432

I have developed tendinitos in my right wrist from shooting verticals at
very slow speeds often.   I think every photojournalist has developed a
bad shoulder, bad lower back and favouring one eye (I have a shattered
rotator -cup in my right shoulder from a snowboard racing accident).
Someone asked about skiing accidents?  How about snowboarding?  I used
to compete in slalom & super G...am now missing my right kidney froma
whipe out at 72MPG, torn rottor-cup, busted knee , hips, lower
back

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/5773d07b82cd821b/63a1b91fb4350280?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22steven+frischling%22+kidney#63a1b91fb4350280


Presently I have a completely torn ligament on the anterior of my right ankle and a nearly completely torn ligament on the interior of the same ankle ... which is drastically changing how I shoot. My stability is significantly thrown off as is my ability to move very quickly and pivot. I have adapted how I am shooting, how I am planning my 2nd & 3rd motion as I shoot, as well as how I am using long lenses.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=36642

Last year I had a fight with a Ford Taurus (I lost) and ended up in a brace which held my right arm at a 90degree angle for nearly four months.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=2258

I broke the lower portion of right my eye socket a few years ago (concrete got tossed at me, photographing a narcs raid in California). It hurts dude!

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=914

My 400f2.8's hood was dented by what appeared to be a beer bootle yesterday at Giants Stadium.

I was on the 2nd level shooting Manchester United vs AC Milan, when Man U failed to make a goal. I made a voice note into the back of my 1D , something like "Nice shot, would be better if ball was in net." Some fan was able to hear this (no idea how over the crowd), and swung a bottle into my hood. The bottle didn't break, but my hood now has a flat spot.

I wonder how they got a glass bottle into the stadium, since they are supposed to check everyone's bag.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=11118

I think the worst was a player from Fordam's woman's basketball come off a shot and kick my camera into my face. My head hit the floor so hard I was seeing stars. The worst part was the player then stood over me swearing at me for being on the line (where I sat for nearly every home basketball game at UMass, because I shot for the University). Her coach reprimanded her and the ref tossed her from the game for unsportsman like conduct.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=18140

Last year I was kicked in the face by player on Fordham's women's basketball team when she flew out of bounds. Nice dent in my 24f2.8 lens hood. My head hit the floor so hard all the cheerleaders thought I split my head by the sound. They surrounded me so my daughter (1.5 year old at the time) who was in the stands with Momma wouldn't see me struggling to get up. Just a bruise on my eye and a massive bump on my head and I was back to shooting the game. (nice to shoot the same arena all the time, the UMass cheerleaders all knew my daughter was a big womens B-Ball fan :0) ) The Fordham player leaned over me and said "@$$hole" before heading back to the court. I could not believe it, neither could the official, UMass coach, cheerleading coach or anyone else who heard it.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=1309

I spent today waist deep in a freezing Dleware River on the New
Jersey/Penn.  boarder shooting flooded homes.  I could not feel my feet
for an hour or so, then they hurt severly and now they are just raw, but I
got good pictures, at least I think. 

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.journalism.photo/browse_thread/thread/1c9eb591961a00d2/3afdb612d2bf1c4?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=steven+frischling+hurt#03afdb612d2bf1c4

My D1 has survied fast moving concrete as 7 World Trade Center collapsed 1.5 blocks from me on Sept 11 in NYC, a direct hit from a tear gas canister being fired from riot cops in my direction, other random riot action, being run over by Ricky Williams (Miami Dolphins) in Dec, me being put on Cirpo (it did not need the Cipro) after Anthrax was found in the Hart Senate Building, many hours and photos following politicians, trials, executives, The Olympics, etc etc etc.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=1252

I had my tonsils out on the 27th of October. The surgery is out patient, no overnight in the hospital. The bill was around $5,500 I think.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=18274

Last summer I got nailed in a car wreck, destroyed my shoulder. The surgery and rehab was covered by the insurance. Months later I got a serious infection in the area of the surgery, my insurance said the visit to the doctor was not required and denied my claim. I did not have the $350 to cover my expenses, because "technically" the infection won't kill me, so I can deal with it (of course it restricted movement in my shoulder.

I broke my tooth, my insurance told me that getting a cap was not required, and considered cosmetic, so I had to find $700 for the work.

When I moved from VT to MA I did not have health insurance, my daughter began getting ear infections. With no health insurance we shelled out nearly $1,900 to deal with the ear infections.

I have also been denied health insurance a few times, once by an employers insurance carrier because I am missing my right kidney due to trauma, and have an on going problem with my throat. My insurance each month is through the roof, some months I have to drop my insurance to pay rent and get my family fed.

My insurance carrier, Blue Cross, once denied my claim for an ER visit to have my throat scoped because while I was totally unable to swallow for nearly 40hrs, I was breathing. Had I lost consciousness then had someone call 911, they would have covered my claim.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=4562

I can't shoot when my shoulder has such an infection that I can barely move it 10 degrees in any direction.

It makes a bad impression to walk into a corporate photo shoot with one of your front teeth missing.

I missed a photo assignment (two actually) when I was down for my throat problem in the above mentioned siuation.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=4562

I was injured racing in the '91 US Open Super G, so I lost out on sponsor money.

In certain situation, such as violent situations, or an extreme example would be having been near #7 World Trade Center when it collapsed on Sept 11, 2001, my gear was the last thing on my mind. I lost a camera body that day and didn't even go back and look for it. In riots I protect myself, not my equipment, I make sure I can get out in one piece. A broken finger or bruised rib is not a big deal, but a busted nose, arm, wrist, leg, are not injuries I want to endure, and simply can't ensure in terms of lost income.

In terms of getting hit by a football when a receiver misses the pass I'd rather get it than have it hit my gear, but in most situations there is no time to think about saving yourself or your gear , so your instinct does what it is going to do. I try and shoot with two eyes open to avoid getting hit on the sidelines, but freak accidents happen.

As for sitting on the sidelines, like most freelancer, I go to work hurt. When I was in a metal brace, with my right arm held out at an 87 degree angle, I went to work, I shot some baseball, soccer and pro lacrosse, was awkward, hurt like hell, but I had to work to survive.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=6979

Ummmm, 1991, lost my 80% of my kidney = $42,000 (100% covered)
1991, had another part of kidney removed = $5,600 (100% covered)
1992 through 1993 , three more surgeries, around $14,00 = 100% covered

Various concusions, lost teeth, broken fingers, leg, rebuilt shoulder,11 procedures on my throat since 1999 all 100% covered, hospital stay, surgery, ER, doc, nurses, drugs, all 100% covered (except down time, excluding the shoulder, I was paid for my down time) ........my camera gear repair is a minimum of $500 out of pocket, so it is cheaper to break me than the gear :0)

OK, I don't like breaking anything, me or gear, so I try and move out of the way now.

......I am joking is NOT cheaper to break me, just have good health insurance (well not good dental any more)

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=6979

The cops at UMass and Amherst Police generally carry MK III 5 &10 OC (5.5% & 10% Oleoresin Capsicum pepper). I have had the displeasure of being sprayed by the stuff at close range while shooting a demonstration by the APD on their techniques.....don't know what he was thinking.

I dunked my head in cold water on and off for 3-4 minutes and the burning in my eyes, and on my skin cleared up fairly quickly. I was told to do this in the station by the cops. My guess is his run in was with UMPD or APD, rather than the Mass State PD (not sure what they carry), so I was speaking from direct experience with what he would have come in contact.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=1849

I don't have problems with my lenses getting scratched shooting sports usually, but it is the other assignments I get where my gear can get seriously banged around. I have cracked the glass of a number of filters, I prefer a busted $50 filter to a busted front element. I have not yet replaced my filter for the 17-35f2.8, but I popped two UV filters in a month on it ,when not using the hood, The first while shooting the USCG 25ft Defender Class boats on active patrol in Boston Harbour, we hit a wave, and I went camera first into the butt of a 50cal mounted machine gun, and the other shootiing in a Black Hawk chopper when we hit some turblance and my lens was right into the back of the helment the flight crew chief was wearing.....he was fine, my filter was cracked in a spider pattern.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=1946

Yet despite all these terrible accidents, assaults and misfortune -- concussions, broken bones, being shot nine times, pepper sprayed in his eyes, broken eye socket, hit by a car, kicked in the face by a basketball player -- he then claims the worst thing that ever happened to him while he was out shooting was arriving 20 minutes after his baby mama at the hospital when she was in labor!

This is the worst that has happened to me.

I was in a cell phone dead area when my better-half's water broke! I came back into cell coverage to more than 30 messages from A Lady in Labour, my former editor, night editor, wire editor, 3 reporters, the PR person from the hospital and a medic at the EMS unit.

I think above all else that is by far the worst thing that has ever happened to me while out shooting an assignment.

(No, I didn't miss the birth, I was at the hospital less than 20 minutes after her)


http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=11113

Happy Lying!

Best of FishFraud!

We're playing around with Blogger pages and want to do a "Best of FishFraud" for newcomers. We want to link to the top content that has appeared on this blog in the past. Please leave a comment with your nominees for:


Funniest FishTale:

Most Offensive FishTale:

Favorite FishFraud Post: 

Favorite Frischling Idea to Counter FishFraud:

Just a Reminder What This Blog Is About

Recently we've had to delete some comments accusing other people of also being frauds. It's not that we think these other people are genuine. Are there a lot of frauds out there? Of course. Is Frischling associated with shady people? Naturally. Are there other know-it-all photographers or travel "strategists" who are as full of themselves as they are full of shit? Absolutely.

The purpose of this blog is still to expose blogger Steven Frischling as a dishonest individual who has no credibility whatsoever, who should never be used as a media source and whose advice should be ignored at all costs. However, on legal advice, we are not going to allow other comments that may be libelous against private individuals. After all, the comments are anonymous and there have been a few that seem... suspicious. It could be that Frischling is leaving them himself, trying to get us in trouble. We would put nothing past this guy.

To help keep this blog running, we ask you to restrict your comments to Steven Frischling and his adventures in dishonesty. The only exception is for other bloggers who may be fabricating quotes or lying about their resumes. We would be very interested in this information.

This blog has nearly 3,000 comments. If you feel you have been unfairly targeted, then email us with the link and date/time and we will consider removing it.

Frischling Gets Court Pushed Back.... Again

Frischling is now scheduled for a third time on the docket...

Pending Case Detail

Data as of the Previous Business Day

Docket Information

Docket No:K10K-CR11-0313446-SProgram:Court:Arresting Agency:Arrest Date:Bond Amount:Bond Type:

Activity:	Awaiting Plea	Next Court Date:	7/29/2011 10:00 AM

Miscellaneous:New London GA 10CSP TROOP E6/2/2011$25,000 (This case only)Nonsurety(Released From Custody)Companion:

Defendant Information

Last, First:Birth Year:Times on the Docket:Represented By:FRISCHLING STEVEN E19753

Current Charges

Statute	Description	Class	Type	Occ	Offense Date	Plea	Verdict Finding
53a-123	LARCENY 2ND DEG	C	Felony	1	1/19/2010
53a-138	FORGERY 1ST DEG	C	Felony	1	1/19/2010

What is going on? He still has no lawyer listed.

Of course, Frischling is happy to put a spin on it:

flyingwithfish Flying With Fish 

@ 

@flyddw Had court. Wasn't arraigned. Prosecutor believes it's a civil case, charges will be dropped. @aschonland is being investigated.

9 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Really? If the prosecutor thought it should be a civil case, why did they bring charges in the first place? If charges will be dropped, why does he have a new court date? Why does it still say "awaiting plea?"

The lies never end with this guy. Too bad people on Twittter like @flyddw seem to fall for anything they are told and don't bother to investigate anything.