Shooting Over The Portrait Photog's Shoulders With THEIR PocketWizard Signal

My daughter played in the state honor band orchestra. I was in the balcony just behind the official photographer for the event. She was using PocketWizards on the strobes. It occurred to me that I could use my own PW and trigger cord to have her signal fire my camera; "sharing" her flash.

So there's the poll. What should happen if I were caught doing this?

Depends on what's being triggered IMHO.

If you are using the PW to trigger your shutter button to take advantage of the strobes I can't see any big issue.

OTOH, If you are using your PW to trigger her strobes then you should be tossed out on your arse.

If you are not firing her flashes but using the PW to trigger the camera, I wouldnt say there is anything wrong with the situation.

However if you were using the PW on your camera to trigger her strobes, then flogging would be too good for you!

I havent voted as there isnt a "no action" choice!

There is problem I see in all of this. You would have to set a delay for the strobes which most likely wouldnt happen... so the chances of you getting a shot and her getting a shot on the same strobe is pretty much impossible.. Think of it this way:

She focus and pushes the shutter button on her camera, that sends a signal to the strobes and they fire. Thats normal

However, in this case, there would have to be a delay on her end because you have to make up for the time that the signal is sent to your camera triggering your shutter then sending the signal to the strobes...

make sense?

if not, read this:

http://www.sportsshoot​er.com/news/1709

Yes, this sounds like an awesome idea. But before you do it, make sure to critique the pro on his/her strobe placement and then make it painfully obvious what you are doing. Bonus points if your camera is bigger than the pro's.

FWIW, if the pro is shooting with the idea of selling prints to the parents, I think this would be kind of a low blow.

To be clear, I would be be standing behind the pro with my camera aimed at the orchestra waiting for her PW to fire my PW to fire my camera. If I were to fire her strobes, yeah, that'd be a bit beyond rude.

bacchanal wrote in post #9533030
Yes, this sounds like an awesome idea. But before you do it, make sure to critique the pro on his/her strobe placement and then make it painfully obvious what you are doing. Bonus points if your camera is bigger than the pro's.

FWIW, if the pro is shooting with the idea of selling prints to the parents, I think this would be kind of a low blow.

Her camera was a Noink. Would I get bonus points for that?

What if I was planning on giving away free prints to the other parents so they wouldn't have to buy from her? (Kidding with a capital "K". I don't eat other photog's lunches.)

BillsBayou wrote in post #9533255
To be clear, I would be be standing behind the pro with my camera aimed at the orchestra waiting for her PW to fire my PW to fire my camera. If I were to fire her strobes, yeah, that'd be a bit beyond rude.

Her camera was a Noink. Would I get bonus points for that?

What if I was planning on giving away free prints to the other parents so they wouldn't have to buy from her? (Kidding with a capital "K". I don't eat other photog's lunches.)

Again the delay comes into factor andi doubt she will let you touch her stuff..

canonnoob wrote in post #9532876
However, in this case, there would have to be a delay on her end because you have to make up for the time that the signal is sent to your camera triggering your shutter then sending the signal to the strobes...

make sense?

if not, read this:

http://www.sportsshoot​er.com/news/1709

Great article. I need to experiment with my PWs. I have three of them. I'll have to see how this all plays out in varying configurations. I'll make one of my three bodies (10D, 5D, 7D) the source PW, a PW on the strobe, and a PW on one of the other two bodies. Then I'll toy around with lag times. Neat stuff. Thanks!

canonnoob wrote in post #9533296
Again the delay comes into factor andi doubt she will let you touch her stuff..

My wife has made it clear that I'm not to touch the equipment on any female photographer.

(err, not to touch the equipment OF any female photographer, either)

Does no one have any morals and ethics. The designated shooter has gone to the effort and time of placing lighting equipment and ensuring that they are working. For someone to come along and use that same signal to take a shot of their daughter when the intent is the pro to sell the shot, well this is just plain wrong on many levels.

ssim wrote in post #9533646
Does no one have any morals and ethics. The designated shooter has gone to the effort and time of placing lighting equipment and ensuring that they are working. For someone to come along and use that same signal to take a shot of their daughter when the intent is the pro to sell the shot, well this is just plain wrong on many levels.

I assume you selected something on the poll?

There is no moral dilemna here. If he has his own camera and he just shooting simultaneously so what. Chances of him purchasing pictures are slim. Chances of it working are slim. Being an exclusive photographer doesn't guarantee you sales. Some parents will always take their own pictures and most people will not buy pictures. And he is not in any way inhibting the photographers ability to take anyone's pictures. People have shot over my shoulder at weddings, softball tournaments etc etc. So I see no harm as long as he does no harm.

BillsBayou wrote in post #9533350
My wife has made it clear that I'm not to touch the equipment on any female photographer.

(err, not to touch the equipment OF any female photographer, either)

When did you start listening to your wife?

I wouldn't have an issue w/ you having her trigger your camera. I agree that it is wrong to trigger her lights, because they might be recycled when she needs them. I see no moral or ethical dilemma w/ having her trigger your camera. It is not taking sales out of her coffers. Now, if you use your shots to underbid and sell to parents then I would have an issue w/ that. I did have someone try to piggy back onto my strobes w/ a PW once while shooting Santa pics. He and I had a little chit chat and security escorted him off premises because he became irate. I know his sister and chances are if he would have asked to take a shot of his kids using my strobes, I wouldn't have cared.

asysin2leads wrote in post #9536816
I wouldn't have an issue w/ you having her trigger your camera. I agree that it is wrong to trigger her lights, because they might be recycled when she needs them. I see no moral or ethical dilemma w/ having her trigger your camera. It is not taking sales out of her coffers. Now, if you use your shots to underbid and sell to parents then I would have an issue w/ that. I did have someone try to piggy back onto my strobes w/ a PW once while shooting Santa pics. He and I had a little chit chat and security escorted him off premises because he became irate. I know his sister and chances are if he would have asked to take a shot of his kids using my strobes, I wouldn't have cared.

He fired your strobes with his camera? That's just wrong. I view strobes as a consumable resource. I wouldn't use someone else's strobes any more than I'd take a bite of someone else's hamburger.

Scene: Mall Santa photographer is working through his lunch:
"Everyone look at the camera! *CLICK* Very nice. Okay, look this way again... Hey! Lady! Are you taking a bite of my hamburger? What's wrong with you? AND PUT MY DRINK DOWN!"