Can I bring my camera to a car show

<p>I will be accompanying my boyfriend to a car show in a few weeks. The listing had already stated "professional photographer on site" ...which is someone other than me. I have experience shooting weddings for a large studio in the area, and have my own portfolio, website, the whole deal, and the equipment to produce professional images (I would bring my 5D Mark III & most likely my 85 1.2 or 24-70)</p>

<p>I was wanting to attend with my camera, take some casual photos, hand out my card and cheaply sell a few digital files if anyone so desired to buy some.</p>

<p>I imagine this could cause conflict with the designated photographer. <br /> Am I allowed to do this? I assume the best thing to do would be to talk to the host of the event, which I plan to do as soon as I can find some contact information. But mostly, I'm also wanting to know how to possibly become the designated photographer for these types of events. At the moment this is outside my specialty (which is weddings & portraits), which is why I have so many questions about it :)</p>

<p>I would say no; if they've hired someone to take photos, trying to hock your own pictures would seem crass and rude. OTOH Taking images for your own amusement or to build a portfolio of your own would probably be ok.</p>

<p>A car show is a really bad environment to photograph a nice car. The lighting is bad, the background is bad, there's no room, etc. I wouldn't even take a camera. I was gather information and establish contacts. Hand out cards, sure, but you'll need some experience to produce good car photos. Look at some custom car magazines. Practice with your own car. Then you'll be ready tp produce.<br>

Al</p>

<p>People bring cameras to car shows all the time and shoot anything from snapshots to serious photos. If you talk with the people who own the cars and let them know you're interested in getting into car photography it's probably a good way to make contacts to end up doing this in the future. But I think you cross the line when you start handing out cards and trying to sell photos at a show that already has a designated professional shooting, especially if you are selling photos "cheaply" and undercutting what he's doing. What would you think if somebody showed up at one of your weddings and made some "casual" pictures and tried to sell them "cheaply"?<br /><br />I agree with Al -- make some connections, shoot cars on your own to get good and have some samples. Rather than trying to compete with the official photographer at the show, maybe watch discreetly as he works to see what they're doing. Or even go up and introduce yourself and see if he needs an assistant at future shows. Maybe he's a car photographer who would like do to weddings and you could use him as an assistant on some of your jobs.</p>

<p>Ok, thanks. I think what I am going to do is photograph for whoever asks, whoever just happens to chat us up. I don't think I will sell the files.</p>