Idea for photography project: but how to get permission?

<p>I live in Japan and for many years now I have this idea for a photography project, I want to photographically document video game arcades in the Tokyo / Yokohama area before they disappear completely. I am a big fan of arcade gaming and know many arcades and know a lot about the games themselves, but they are slowly disappearing, getting lots of competition from other kinds of games. Recently, one of my favorite arcades disappeared, this was one place where time simply stopped progressing after 1990 or so, and I thought I really want to start my project in earnest now. Here's a bit how this could look like: http://500px.com/antonkratz/stories/3839730/shibuya-kaikan<br /><br />However, it is of course not allowed to make photos inside arcades, because it is not a public space. Many arcades have even signs "no photo" plastered on all the walls. Therefore I want to get official permission to take pictures, but simply don't know how to go about it. One thing is, I do not yet know what I ultimately want to do with the photographs: I have vague plans of making a book or website, but at the moment I only know that I should start taking the pictures while it is still possible.<br /><br />I speak some Japanese and can write emails in Japanese if I have to, so the language barrier is not the issue.<br /><br />Do you have any recommendations how to best get the owners of these video arcades to give me permission? Should I stress that I want to make a book, or should I do just the opposite, claim that the pictures are just for my private enjoyment? I am not a professional photographer, and the only thing like a portfolio I have is my 500px page (http://500px.com/antonkratz).<br /><br />One problem I see is that I do not have concrete plans what to finally do with the images (book, website or what). But I feel I should really start with taking the pictures in the first place.<br /><br />Any ideas, comments on how to get permissions and possible legal issues involved would be very welcome, thanks.<br /><br /></p>

Just approach it as a documentary photog, and tell them pretty much just what you

wrote.... that you feel it important to capture this history before it is gone, and that

you will ask gamers for permission before shooting them. If they are as interested in

this legacy as you, I would think they would go for it.

<p>Anton, if your current intention does not include profiting from the venture, I might suggest making these owners participants and collaborators in your effort. </p>

<p>You can, for example, request interviews about the history and back-story of each arcade establishment along with permission to photograph so you can develop a documentary of sorts. In exchange, respective owners can use your material for promotional purposes or simply for keepsake. </p>

<p>I think you are more likely to receive a positive response if you develop and communicate a firmer grasp of your goals and concepts while being inclusive of your subjects' owners. </p>

<p>Thanks Michael, Dave. Regarding the question of profit / non-profit there's this dilemma. On the hand, I personally am not interested in making any profit from this or even to cover my own costs (I shoot mainly film). My motivation is only that there is something which is in the process of disappearing (Japanese video game arcades), and I believe I am a person with some knowledge on the subject (as a gamer and visitor to these arcades, but also from regularly attending the arcade machine manufacturers exhibition and reading stuff, and I have extensive knowledge of the games and their history/technology themselves), and I am also an amateur photographer. So overall I think I am qualified to document this and I believe it is worth documenting. On the other hand, it probably would be good to have a concrete goal in mind, like a book, and this would probably need to be something which is for profit, because this is simply how things work.<br /><br />I think the subject would make a *great* book. But this opens another whole can of worms and the audience is, I guess, extremely niche.</p>

<p>Having some photos to show is a good start. Take prints of your photos with you and show them to the arcade owners, managers and patrons to explain what you're doing.</p>

<p>To get some perspective on possible approaches - ranging from broad themes to specific types of photos - take a look at the collections of themed photos by other photographers. Offhand I can suggest a few I personally enjoy, and whose work is easy to find online, including on YouTube where proud owners of photo books will page through their books for the video camera:</p>

<ul>

<li><a href="

Fukase</a> (I had no idea until recently that one of my own themes is nearly identical to Fukase's "Solitude of Ravens", but I'm going to pursue it anyway).</li>

<li><a href="

Moriyami</a> - examples of his Memories of a Dog and Shinjuku work are easy to find online.</li>

<li>Brassai and his "Paris by Night" book may have influenced me more than almost any other photographer, since I first saw that book as a kid. I didn't realize until much later that most of those photos were at least partially set up and in many instances completely staged - the slow film and camera of his era would have made spontaneous, candid photography in nighttime streets and nightclubs impossible.</li>

<li>Bruce Gilden - I can't recommend his approach to photographing people, which would be too aggressive and intrusive in some environments, but his <a href="

Island</a> theme resonates with me and my memories of that area from my childhood.</li>

<li><a href="http://smalltowninertia.co.uk/">Jim Mortram</a> and <a href="http://www.zunlee.com/">Zun Lee</a> - Jim and Zun do documentary photography that is much more deeply personal and involved than most, yet worth considering for the sense of connection with people. Same with <a href="http://www.therawfile.org/">Brenda Kenneally</a>, and many others whose work often centers around themes but is more personally connection with the human beings involved. It's probably the most difficult type of photo documentary work and demands the most involvement and personal investment by the photographer.</li>

</ul>

<p>Hope this helps. You're off to a good start and you've identified a theme that I think will appeal to many folks, including regulars around the arcades. You have experience in that environment so you have an advantage over outsiders, while also having your own unique perspective. Go for it.</p>

<p>Regarding the outcome of the project, if anyone asks you can say it's for your blog or for a book. With Blurb and others anyone can self publish. Via Facebook my contacts include folks like <a href="http://www.smogranch.com/">Daniel Milnor</a>, which helps keep me motivated toward finishing my own self published book projects. Almost every day Daniel posts links to books of photos and graphics that he finds inspiring. And several photo.netters have published their own work, including <a href="http://www.citysnaps.net/">Brad Evans</a> - via his website, you can find links to online samples of his books.</p>

<p>If you have been spending time around this industry -- the arcades themselves and their trade shows -- presumably you already have some contacts. I would start by speaking with the people you know, who can put you in touch with more people in the business. That's likely to be much more successful that just cold-calling people or sending emails that might never be opened. Even if it's just somebody working at your favorite arcade -- tell them you'd like to meet the owner.<br /><br />I would definitely pitch it as hoping to do a book that would honor and preserve the history of their business. if you're not a writer, team up with someone who is.<br /><br />Yes, you do want to make a profit on this. A book project is a major undertaking. You deserve to be paid for your work even if it's a labor of love. If you do put a book together and manage to find a publisher, they are going to pay you for it. <br /><br />Alternative to a book is maybe a gallery exhibit. But if you display prints and they sell, will you turn down the money?<br /><br /></p>

<p>I'd only add that it may not be "politic" to approach the owners with the "save images of it before it is gone" theme. They may not be pleased at the assumption that they are in a dying way of life, so to speak. They may well be aware of the trends, but let them raise that issue if it comes up.<br>

I'd put it more as commemorating a vibrant aspect of urban life in modern Japan.</p>

<p>I think its not uncommon for photography not to be allowed in gambling locations. Owners seem to have a view that their clients have the right to gamble in secret if they wish, and if the clients think their wives, employers etc might just see them in a published photograph it may cause them grief or alter people's opinion of them. It doesn't matter whether these fears are true or not- this is the land of "might be", and you can expect that once you have got in front of the owners of these premises, some will say no for this and other reasons. </p>

<p>Its an interesting project, but I'd suggest going into it with an understanding that finding and persuading the owners of these places will take a lot more time than actually making the photographs, especially if the ownership is widely spread. You will also, I'm sure, understand that having permission will not protect you from the views of gamblers who simply don't want to appear in any pictures. Think about whether its the places or the people/place interaction that motivates you. If the former you could volunteer to take pictures just before opening or after closing. </p>

<p>It seems like you only need a couple of owners who would agree to do your inside shots. When I was stationed in Japan, I used to enjoy stopping to play Pachinko. Something hypnotic about it. </p>

<p>Thank you very much for your input. After thinking more about this project and what exactly it is I want to do and talking with a few friends, I am now convinced the best would be to at least to have the option to publish a photobook commercially. So I have this follow-up question, especially in the context of Craig Shearman's answer:<br>

If I want to be able to publish this as a photobook with a commercial publisher, do I need to have a property release?<br>

I found a Japanese language property release from Getty images (http://contributors.gettyimages.com/article_public.aspx?article_id=1834), which does not seem to be specific to Getty images, and was considerng using that one.</p>

<p>@Craig: no, I certainl wouldn't turn down the money if someone wants to pay me for prints or book proceeds, I just wanted to say that money is not the motivation but the - hopefully artistingly pleasing - documentation of classic Japanese arcade gaming.<br>

@David Henderson: Thanks for the input. Just to clarify: This is about arcade gaming (i.e. Pac Man, Steet Fighter...) not about gambling. Though much of what you write aplies to both. Yes, my idea was to take the pictures before opening. Getting the players into the pictures would be cool to but is in my opinion not very feasible (explain what a model release is, why I need it and convincing the guy to sign it would probably take five times as long as your typical game takes). And considering the amount of people there and them moving around... it's simpl so much easier if there are no people in the picture.</p>

 

<p>Don't know the law in Japan. But in a lot of places you would not need property releases for photographs in a book. You might need a property release for photographs used in the promotion of a book, since the use of an image in promotion of the book might in your jurisdiction be considered commercial. Though I'm not sure what the benefit of avoiding property releases is in the context that you're going to seek prior permission anyway , and you're going to be open about your purpose /hopes for the portfolio, it doesn't seem out-of-the-question to get a proerty release signed up.</p>