A Little Rant

[mrdavson]

Well I have something to say that has been niggling me for a while and I thought I might just say my piece and be

done with it.

 

Whilst photography is definately not my main income, it has become a REAL source of income none the less.

Whilst i enjoy landscapes and portraiture, media and sports have been generating most of the income thus far.

Anyway, I have always been a respectful and couteous photographer. I have made sure that I do not get in other

photographer’s way (pro or rank ameteur) and have always been up for a chat should anyone approach me. I also

keep an eye on the “pros” with their extremely expensive (probably paid for by their employer given the way they treat

their gear) equipment and try to learn from them by observing what pics they take, where they place themselves and

when they move into new positions etc.

But lately, at some events, I have noticed that SOME photographers’ personality seems to diminish comensurate to

a) the amount of cameras they have around their neck and shoulders; b) the brands/models of those cameras; and c)

the size of the lenses on them.

I was standing next to one bloke in particular who could not give a flying rats arse about anyone else. He quite

readily stood directly in front of me and others to get shots that he knew I and others were also there to capture. It

was not simply a case of him not realising where he was standing, as he actually went from standing beside me to

moving right in front of me at the optimal moment so that I couldn’t get the shot.

Other’s won’t go to that extreme but don’t seem to want to say G’day even after you acknowledge them by a nod or

a “hello”.

 

I know that the full-time pros need to get the shot because it puts food on the table etc etc. and with the dawn of

digital every woman/man and her/his dog is now making money out of photography. But a little ettiquette would go a

long way. I mean, if I am standing there with a pro camera in my hand and a press pass around my neck, I would

expect at least a little respect. But also, saying that, a mother or father armed with their little point & shoot wanting

to get a great shot of their son or daughter kicking a ball or receiving a trophy has every right to get that shot as any

pro does.

 

Am I out of line here?

 

Anyway, I sleep at night knowing that I am not a twat to people and I suppose

[btmuir]

Now you can appreciate the size and weight of a Speed Graphic that many press photographers (maybe not sports) favored.

[ctbruce]

No I have to agree with you Mick. That being said most of the time the full time pros I meet at sporting events are very polite and usually are will to talk. I am a part pro and am always willing to offer advice to the mom and dads at the fields if asked. I always try to treat other photographers the way that I would like to be treated. However there is always some jerk that thinks he has the right to shot just because he a D3 around his neck.

 

Than again this is all from my point of view as well.

[Spearhead]

<i>But also, saying that, a mother or father armed with their little point & shoot wanting to get a great shot of their son or daughter kicking a ball or receiving a trophy has every right to get that shot as any pro does. </i><P>What do you think a client or editor is going to say when someone comes back and says "I missed the big shot because I let a parent get in front of me"? There's a reason for media passes, they confer some specific rights, one of which is to take the photos that they need to take. This may sound harsh, but nobody is getting paid to let people without passes block their shots.<P>Because of the sports I shoot, I am always inside a barrier, but there are sometimes people with passes for one reason or another (not photography) who have cameras. When there is no action, I let them shoot in front of me. Otherwise, my spot is my spot and I'm not going to jeopardize future business and relationships because somebody wants a photo of their kid, their friend, their spouse.

[pjmeade]

I've had other photographers get in the way at prizegivings, although not during games. I don't know what the answer is.

 

p

[daverhaas]

Mick -

 

I've noticed the same thing here stateside. It seems like all everyone wants is their shot, no matter what they need to do to get it, even if it means stepping in front of and blocking another Pro Photographer.

 

Add to that the general degree of unfriendliness and it is annoying.

 

I've tried several times at different events to start up chats with other photographers (be they "Pros" or "Amateurs" ) and have only once gotten beyond the "Hi, who you shooting for?". I realize that being on the sideline of a US football game or sporting event isn't social hour, but part of the reason I do photography is the people. To me what most are lacking is basic people skills. But it also seems that most are afraid that if they talk, they're going to miss getting the next Sports Illustrated cover shot or the next $1 million sports photo. I guess I learned early on how to multi task and keep 1 eye on the action and an ear on the conversation.

 

As for blocking action / views - If I'm in a restricted area, and there are other photographers there, I try to be considerate of them and expect the same in return...we're all working for a living and trying to get the "Shot". At the end of the day, if I block another "pro" then I don't feel that I've done my job. Blocking parents in the stands or who aren't supposed to be near the sidelines is a completely different matter.

 

Dave

[mrdavson]

Yes I agree with the points that pros are there for a reason....but there are times when even the pro has to venture out of the media area to get a shot or two and I think it a bit rude of some to step into someone else's position when they got there first fair and square.

[Spearhead]

The media area is usually not intended to be the sole place the media can use, just the place that gives the media unfettered access. The only times I've been restricted to the media area aren't for sports shooting, but for concerts. At sports events I've shot, the general public isn't allowed to stand in the aisles, which is usually where I shoot from when I go outside the closed area.

[John Crowe]

I am not a pro shooter but I have the cameras and the huge lenses, and even some talent, to be one. I have to side with the pros on this one. I was at a car race this summer when this very incident happened to the man shooting next to me. Both of us were behind the barrier. A pro stood directly in front of him, in front of the barrier, and he got quite upset by this but managed to keep his mumbling beneath his breath. The pro was only there for a 1/4 of the time involoved and if he hadn't blocked that amateur photographer he would have blocked another, even me! Heck, I had to change my shooting angle for awhile because a pro was in my shot as he stood behind the cars trying to get rear shots.

 

 

Two years previously at the same event I arrived at 7:00 AM for a 3:00 PM race, as I always do, to secure a spot right on the barrier with a clear shot of the track. People who arrived at 2:00 PM were frustrated with me since I was often standing and taking photos with my 400/2.8 on a monopod. Not much was said either way but the gentlemen beside me remarked to them that I had been there since early morning just for the purpose of getting the best spot possible. Those are my sentiments exactly. Yes I tried to sit down as often as possible but since I was still shooting film at that time I needed every opportunity that I could get. They also had every option to mount the hill behind us to get an even better view as they were not trying to take pictures. I always depart for my car 1/2 hour or so before race end to beat the rush and monitor the race from near the exit so at least they had some time to view the race from the barrier.<div></div>

[wilsontsoi]

Chill, Mick. If someone gets in front of you shooting a game, he/she was then in a forbidden area to begin with (granted that you situated yourself right up against the allowed territories with credential) and I would suggest either to ask him to move back or step forward to his advancement to get the shots (whichever makes senses for situation,) of course unless he's the video guy with FSN or ESPN. Kudos to you for trying to strike up convesations with others, but don't expect same in return as you have no idea of how each different individual is like and don't just judge them all by the gears they're carrying. Stay true to yourself and go on about your business the best you can, and you'll sleep well at night. Don't fret over things that are out of your control.

 

As for your last comment, sure, moms and pops have all the rights to shoot, but unless one has a credential, he/she do not have equal photographic coverage, particularly sideline access. That's just the way it works, at least in the area that I shoot.

[mrdavson]

Well it has certainly generated some comment. Just for the record, I am only referring to a select few. The vast majority of photographers I come across are friendly and courteous. Like the title says, just a little rant aimed at the ones that don’t play by societies rules..

[craig_shearman1]

There is a hierarchy even among the working pros. When I was with United Press International (as a writer but I hung

with the photographers and I've also been a newspaper photographer), it was understood that AP and UPI were the

two top dogs at any news event. Didn't matter who else had been there for how long, the AP and UPI guys could

walk into the room at the last minute, set up right in front of everybody else and aside from some grumbling nobody

tried to stop them. This was because the photographers from the various newspapers knew their desks were going to

be getting the AP/UPI photos a few minutes after the event was over, very likely before their own photographers got

back to the darkroom. AP and UPI were expected to get the shot come hell or high water and there were absolutely

no excuses if you wanted to keep working there. If the newspaper guys could shoot over their shoulders or around

them, so be it. If not, tough luck. The upside was that photographers from the paper were freed up to try other angles

or to be innovative because the main shot was already being taken care of. Now naturally the wire guys wanted to

get along with the other guys and once they had the shot would move out of the way. In fact, once they had the shot

they were usually out the door to go process and transmit and everybody left could do what they wanted.

[matt_m__toronto_]

press pass/pro gear or not, it boils down to being courteous. in your situation mick, i would have pushed in front of said photographer and given him a little taste of his own medicine. he could have very easily taken 2 seconds and asked if it was ok to go in front of you like that to get the shots to pay the bills. it's not like you were court-side at some pro basketball game either!