Stopping one from taking pictures with pro equipment

I was at a local cheer event at the beach. Been there couple of times before and no problem shooting from the general area. The hired pro don't shoot action at all only group portrait after the 2-3 min show on stage.

This yr, they change the shooting area. Now people with tripods etc made to stand in the corner with no direct view of the stage. I got their early and stood next to the judges as it has straight on view of the stage. Got my 1dmk2 and 70-200mm f2.8. After an hr or so, a security dude comes in "What are you shooting?", "who you shooting for", "we have no photography policy" and blaa blaa blaa. Asks me to move to tripod area but I told I got monopod. I told him I am no pro, not selling anything and I always refer people to the hired pro sitting next to the stage, and only using monopod being a handicapped person it is just easier when standing for long time. He leaves me.

But then 10 min later, I get him again with the event staff lady. Same stupid questions but in a louder voice. "you aren't a pro but you got pro euipment". I am "yes coz I go the money to buy, so". She is "you can't take pictures as we have a policy". I am "your policy clearly says no video unless your team, that is it, nothing about photography". She is "well you can't take pictures with pro euipment, we are getting complaints". I am "I am not taking any business from your pro. I am not even going to buy anything to begin with and I have no friends/family to shoot for, so why prevent me".

There must be 100+ people shooting little p&s and video camera. Nothing to them.

So I left and before leaving checked the hired pro company name. Logged into their site and main pictures on the main page look like total crap (sorry). I assume actual group shots that take are much better othwerwise nobody will pay even $5 for the pictures they show on the web site.

It is happenng everywhere you go. At my friend's kids school graduation they put a big fenced off area so parents have to sit/stand way back so their little p&s wouldn't be able to take a decent shot of their kid. Most parents buy the pkg from the hired pro anyway but just want to feel good that they took the shot themselves witht their camera. I took my 500mm and shot from way back. I know now next yr they will also say no pro camera/lenses.

My rant is why we have such a protectionist policies here in good old USA. I love the Chinese for allowing all sorts of camera euipment at the recent olympics. Wouldn't have happened over here. And I don't think it is about people safety at all. I won't hit someone with my $5000 glass. What about the beer bottles? And here folks aren't crazy like UK soccer fans.

bobby,

Sadly they are doing it just to protect the participants... whether it is crazy or not.. honestly i cant give a huge opinion because we dont know exactly what happened as we were not there. but all i can say is sorry and better luck next time.

It's their event, they make the rules.

canonnoob wrote in post #8726711
Sadly they are doing it just to protect the participants...

Exactly. Shooting cheerleaders and saying "I have no friends/family to shoot for" kind of comes off the wrong way, don't you think?

I think you find that 99% of uk soccer fans aren't hooligans and don't take kindly from such remarks

bensherman2 wrote in post #8727036
I think you find that 99% of uk soccer fans aren't hooligans and don't take kindly from such remarks

Yeah, and if you say it to them, they'll kick your head in.

Wait, that almost contradicts the above statement.

Seriously, where do people get this idea that football fans are hooligans? I shoot football every week, and I've Once seen any trouble, and that was a local derby, with any trouble immediately stamped out.

It's things like this that get football (I'm not calling it Soccer because you've riled me up) a bad name and prevent families from going to games. What you've done is make a HUGE generalisation that in any newspaper would be grounds for libel proceedings and a boycott of the publication. (google - Kelvin McKenzie, Hillsborough, The Sun)

I must admit though, I would have to say "Their Event - Their Rules"

Having a camera DOES NOT automatically give you the right to shoot what you want, where you want. Particularly where an organised event is concerned. If you enter (pay or not) an event, you abide by their terms and conditions of entry. If that includes the caveat NO PHOTOGRAPHY then sorry, but that's their choice and there's not a lot you can do about it.

Get accreditation, do it properly, and then you can shoot to your hearts content. If you want to show how much better your work is, then contact the organiser and ask to shoot it pro next year.

Dont just whinge about it...do something pro-active.

Sorry about the UK fans, didn't mean it that way.

jamesb84 wrote in post #8727452
Yeah, and if you say it to them, they'll kick your head in.

Wait, that almost contradicts the above statement.

Seriously, where do people get this idea that football fans are hooligans? I shoot football every week, and I've Once seen any trouble, and that was a local derby, with any trouble immediately stamped out.

It's things like this that get football (I'm not calling it Soccer because you've riled me up) a bad name and prevent families from going to games. What you've done is make a HUGE generalisation that in any newspaper would be grounds for libel proceedings and a boycott of the publication. (google - Kelvin McKenzie, Hillsborough, The Sun)

I must admit though, I would have to say "Their Event - Their Rules"

Having a camera DOES NOT automatically give you the right to shoot what you want, where you want. Particularly where an organised event is concerned. If you enter (pay or not) an event, you abide by their terms and conditions of entry. If that includes the caveat NO PHOTOGRAPHY then sorry, but that's their choice and there's not a lot you can do about it.

Get accreditation, do it properly, and then you can shoot to your hearts content. If you want to show how much better your work is, then contact the organiser and ask to shoot it pro next year.

Dont just whinge about it...do something pro-active.

While I agree its their rules, the issue seems to be that he was using a "pro" camera, I'm willing to bet if he had a little p&s then nothing would have been said period...that is where I see the problem being, if it was a "no photography" policy then yes you are right .."quit whining", but if you allow all the p&s shooters then, there must not be such a policy..Unfortunately he is seeing what others on here have seen, a prejudice against cameras that are considered "pro" (i.e. not a p&s) in many events...not fair....but, its the game we have to live with until attitudes change

Gatorboy wrote in post #8726721
It's their event, they make the rules.

I second that notion.

Practically speaking, venues often have rules that they don't enforce until somebody becomes a nuisance or somebody complains. The complainant might have been the hired pro, or it might have been the other photographers who were consigned to the tripod area, or perhaps somebody who nearly tripped over the OP's monopod. In any event, the rules ensured that he would have no argument if they came up and said that you can't do what you're doing because it's against the rules.

We're hearing more and more about no-pro equipment rules. One may wonder why. It could be that the hired pro has an exclusive contract. It could be that pro equipment is heavy and can hurt somebody if it hits them in a dynamic setting. It could be that the venue doesn't want legal difficulties if one's expensive equipment gets damaged.

In the OP's case, it sounds like there was an area reserved for tripod photographers and he decided not to use it, based on the legalese that his monopod wasn't a tripod. The venue staff apparently didn't agree with him.

Perhaps the venue situated the tripod area in a location that limited one's ability to get good shots. However, they're the ones making the rules.

digirebelva wrote in post #8727933
While I agree its their rules, the issue seems to be that he was using a "pro" camera, I'm willing to bet if he had a little p&s then nothing would have been said period...that is where I see the problem being, if it was a "no photography" policy then yes you are right .."quit whining", but if you allow all the p&s shooters then, there must not be such a policy..Unfortunately he is seeing what others on here have seen, a prejudice against cameras that are considered "pro" (i.e. not a p&s) in many events...not fair....but, its the game we have to live with until attitudes change

Meh, it happens everywhere...in the UK the rule at football is "No Photography" unless you're accredited. We all seem to fall victim to one extent or another of the "no pro equipment" or "pro equipment = paparrazi"

That has caused me no end of hassle in protests, news stories etc. Being young doesnt help either...i've been "kettled" on one occasion because the police thought I was too young to be a press photographer, and wanted to know "where did you get all that equipment"...despite the fact I had my UK Press Card on me.

That's just the nature of the beast now I'm afraid...once you've dealt with it week in-week out then you learn to just ignore it.

if you were using a non l series lens without a monopod im sure you would have been fine. That is discrimination. The pro photographer was probably intimidated you had a better piece of glass.

tohara wrote in post #8732682
i you were using a non l series lens without a monopod im sure you would have been fine. That is discrimination. The pro photographer was probably intimidated you had a better piece of glass.

+ 1

Find it interesting that the OP mentioned that nowhere in their rules was it mentioned that photography was not allowed or any mention about pro equipment yet they all of the sudden claim that they have a no photography policy when they see his pro gear. I bet there were multiple people with P&S cams with flash snapping away right next to him that they didn't bother .

I myself have not encountered this kind of discrimination yet (knock on wood) but have heard of it quite a bit .

tfd888 wrote in post #8732727
+ 1

Find it interesting that the OP mentioned that nowhere in their rules was it mentioned that photography was not allowed or any mention about pro equipment yet they all of the sudden claim that they have a no photography policy when they see his pro gear. I bet there were multiple people with P&S cams with flash snapping away right next to him that they didn't bother .

I myself have not encountered this kind of discrimination yet (knock on wood) but have heard of it quite a bit .

"There must be 100+ people shooting little p&s and video camera. Nothing to them"

Have you ever had a contract with an event as the pro photog? I have verbage in all my contracts that limits cameras or their location (depending on event) It is part of protecting your profit as well as the events share in most cases.

eigga wrote in post #8736741
Have you ever had a contract with an event as the pro photog? I have verbage in all my contracts that limits cameras or their location (depending on event) It is part of protecting yourprofit as well as the events share in most cases.

Well said Matt.