Cameras Permitted–Maybe

[MOD]

The New York Times

Over the weekend, I took my family to see a freestyle motocross show continues

[Ptchfork]

I get that alot. I was stopped at a gig once and they told me I had a "professional" camera. What killed me was I was planning on taking low light - no flash shots. Instead, there were a binch of people at the foot of the stage with their P&Ss and flashes popping.

I also attended a festival in June that defined a "Pro" camera as one with a detachable lens. I saw some in the crowd the first night, asked around, and got some amazing shots the second and third. Turns out the security was never told of this

[Grogo]

And that's why my backup camera is the FinePix S9500, as it can shoot raw, 10x optical zoom and at 9mp will do quite well.

[Jen]

I have a few stories like this of my own. Specifically 2 weekends ago when I went to the horse races at Philly Park.

I was minding my business taking pictures of the horses for at least 3 races in the paddock and over by the track itself when they were racing. Then before the 4th race I went over to the paddock again to take the horses up close and the security guard who takes care of the paddock area comes up and says you can't take those! I was like huh? He said you need a press pass! I said I'm not in the press I'm taking these for hobby for myself. He kept repeating that i needed a press pass from "upstairs" and I kept repeating are you serious? I asked where it says that I can't take photos and he couldn't tell me. So I walked away from the paddock and went by the rail and took my photos of the horses racing only from that point on.

The PRO who takes all of the winners circle photos was chatting it up with me about my camera. I actually joined her in the winners ciricle for an unobstucted view....The kicker of the story is that a different security guard in charge of the winners circle area told me to stand back away from the rail for safety and when I asked if I could stand in the winners circle still but back farther next to him he said it was okay with him....

Conflicting rules - I never know who to believe...

I guess SLRS owners face their own form of discrimination all the time...if it's not something like this...it's strangers wanting to comment "OH MY! What a big camera you have little girl".... whatever.... uuugh

[oldfireguy]

"OH MY! What a big camera you have little girl"

Time to bulk up and start pumping some iron! It's a good thing I'm not a girl because if someone ever said that to me it would be something they would never forget after my mouth went off.

[Jen]

"OH MY! What a big camera you have little girl"

Time to bulk up and start pumping some iron! It's a good thing I'm not a girl because if someone ever said that to me it would be something they would never forget after my mouth went off.

[CDFPhotography]

Jen, I know how you feel. I used to frequent the backstretch to get better shots of the harness horses at the track near me, and was confronted several times. I laughed, because I knew they couldn't do anything except ask me to leave (which none of them ever did). I was told I could take pictures from the paddock area, I just couldn't use the flash (which I never did, it's just easier for me to leave the external flash on the camera). Haven't been over there since the security at casino stopped me for taking xmas light photos, but then again, live racing doesn't start back up for another week or so.
I'm not sure what their problem is with people taking photos, may I ask what track you were at?
Since there seems to be more and more confrontations with photographers, I'm going to post this link here too: http://www.photopermit.org/forum/index.php

I put that link in with the response to DaveM, with the trouble he was having from that panhandler he photographed (there's a couple more links if anyone's interested)

Thanks for the link MOD, very interesting read no doubt about it!

[Jen]

Thanks for the link!

The track was Philadelphia Park Race Track - in Bensalem Pennsylvania.

I've never had any trouble at the Meadowlands Race Track here in Jersey (but haven't photographed there that often).

[CDFPhotography]

I see Philadelphia's track has a casino...much like this one here in NY. Meadowlands doesn't have the casino I don't think...maybe that's their issue. Maybe some illegal activity regarding money? Seems the only thing plausible since their the ones getting uptight about cameras near them! I've never been confronted at the track here, until that stupid casino was built on the same property.
The security tried saying it had something to do with trade secrets, but since I wasn't inside, to me that doesn't sound reasonable...it's not like their architecture is anything to be proud of, nothing really special or glamorous about it to me! The old casino (Congress Park) downtown is much more pleasing to the eye in my opinion!
It's just amazing how things can change so quickly, and unfortunately, I think there's going to be more restrictions for photographers.

[Jen]

I wonder if it has to do w/ the casino that they just added.

When you go in the front doors you go through a seperate section to get to the horses so I would think it's pretty seperate.

But he kept saying over and over - press pass...

The funny thing is that in Las Vegas I was completely allowed to take photos around the casino...although at that time it was a point and shoot but they never said I couldn't in any casino...

I just feel like people bother photogs a lot and treat us like paparazzi...