No photographs please

Subject: RE: No photographs please
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 10:50 AM

I not only agree with Johnny, but our church website photo policy is pretty much along his preferred lines.

~S~

Subject: RE: No photographs please
From: Crowhugger
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 10:48 AM

Johnny J, are you talking about professional photographers or the public taking souvenir stills and/or video?

Whether I'm performing or watching, I find them both annoying when they go overboard. I would be happiest if the pros would not get between performer and audience, nor use flash unless authorized by the performer. The clear exception IMO would be if the event is clearly billed in advance as a video-recording or photography session so that the audience knows up front that the priority is good camera angles, and that they may be in some of the shots.

These days cameras are everywhere. Often I've found them pointed at me and my dogs. I go immediately to the person and let them know please don't take any pictures of my dogs or me. One guy demanded to know why not--it astonished me that he didn't understand the most basic privacy issue. Duh, because I don't want you to!

But back to performance situations: The public is a hard thing to control with a video-recorder in every cell phone.

Intellectual property is how artists make their bread and butter, so where is the line between souvenir shots and theft? My a cappella quartet was hired for a BIA sidewalk sale last weekend, and perhaps the apparently spontaneous nature of the singing made people feel free to record. Several times, fully 50% of passers-by who stopped also whipped out their phones and started recording. (Yes, we're fairly good, but still that seems a high percentage!) We have an image to maintain and we deal with copyrights and permissions, yet the public usually thinks little, perhaps cares less about the fact that we want to control whether and where our image appears.

This has not been an issue at our formal performances. We are unknown enough not to be invaded by loads of thoughtless, unsolicited photographers. Our audiences themselves have been very respectful. A bit of an afterthought: Does alcohol play a role in some camera excess? We typically perform in unlicensed venues.

~CH.

Subject: RE: No photographs please
From: GUEST,Jiggers
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 10:45 AM

yep - I hate it when someone starts to film the event in front of you so that all you can see is the wee brightly lit led screen. I hate it when someone moves in front of you to get a better a view thus blocking yours.

I hate it when an event is ruined by people's gadgets. What is more distracting than someone trying to be sooo discrete that they draw all attention to themselves as they move slowly into their discrete position like a stalker after some game.

Maybe there should be an announcement before any concert to say that photography is not allowed or perhaps there should be a 5 minute photo-window at the end or something like that.

I hate it when people buy rustly sweets at the cinema or crunchy popcorn. Whats worse is when they try and be discreet and open the sweets more slowly - just prolongs the agony - see parallel with 'discrete' phtographers. The cinemas sell these things so its partly their fault. I don't go to the cinema any more as these people just disgust me too much.

rant - fume - rant

Subject: RE: No photographs please
From: Mooh
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 10:44 AM

Discovering photos of myself, ones I obviously wasn't aware were taken, was a little disconcerting at first. These days I guess I'm past the point of concern and simply accept that there are some things I cannot change. Sometimes such photos are a pleasant surprise, other times not. Not being particularly photogenic has helped.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: No photographs please
From: Mary Katherine
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 10:33 AM

A friend of mine who is a professional musician once chided a photographer who was being very annoying, big bright flash going off every few minutes, even during quiet, powerful unaccompanied songs - totally breaking the mood for both performer and audience.
He said: "You are destroying the moment in order to preserve it."

Subject: RE: No photographs please
From: alex s
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 08:21 AM

I'm with you JJ - it's not so bad if they ask but many don't. we have several clips on youtube we didn't know about or necessarily want shown.

last weekend I was playing at a festival and got a bit annoyed with a chap who kept sticking a camera with a massive flash in my face as i was singing. the classic Derek Brimstone line "I wish you'd get that bloody lighter fixed" got a laugh but didn't make me feel any less pissed off.

Subject: RE: No photographs please
From: Jack Campin
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 08:20 AM

I have no problem with it (and hardly anybody I know does) - what I do have a problem with is people not sending me a copy of the picture/video, or a link to it. I usually give photographers my card whe I know they've taken a picture - I get a reply about 5% of the time.

Subject: RE: No photographs please
From: Will Fly
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 08:12 AM

Johnny, I think you're perfectly entitled to as much privacy as you want and should certainly tell would-be photographers if you want to retain it.

Personally, I'm an old musical tart and couldn't care less if people stick a camera up me nose - musical faults and all - but I certainly don't allow anything more personal than this on the internet if I can help it. Most people I know who take photos at gigs - and they're mainly the organisers - have the courtesy to ask if they can use the pic(s) on the net before just posting them there.

Subject: No photographs please
From: Johnny J
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 08:02 AM

I realise that I'm probably very much in the minority here as everybody seems to want to be an exhibitionist these days and post photographs of themselves, their family, and pet cat on all the web sites in the world for everyone to see. That's up to them, of course.

However, I'm afraid that every time I see these pesky photographers wandering around gigs, sessions, workshops(even) with their cameras I can't help but get irritated.
Fair enough, if the performers give permission but the audiences should be left in peace. Also, I like to "enjoy a tune" in a session or a have a dance at a ceilidh with worrying about my privacy being constantly invaded.

Of course, I've no objection to friends taking my photograph especially if I'm asked first but I don't want to stumble upon my picture posted on some website or have all my "bum notes" available for everyone to enjoy on You Tube.

As I say, I'm probably a lone voice here but maybe there a few others out there who agree with me but are just "too nice" to complain?