bryan_quattlebaum

Great! The email that everyone needs to use is:

kjeffries@mbayaq.org

Be sure to tell Karen that you would support a "Photographer's Night" at the Aquarium.

All of you have made some terrific and highly informative postings. Yes, by "legal" I meant exactly what D.B. Cooper so expertly worded -- an alternate technique that would satisfy all involved parties.

On a side note, I have shared your postings with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Press Office Staff. They have informed me that they are now considering hosting several "Photographers Only Events" that would happen after the Aquarium has officially closed (probably limited to non peak periods) throughout the year. We would have the full run of the place (with our equipment), but we would still have to honor the requirement to not use any images for commerical use.

If any of my colleagues would like to encourage the MBAQ to pursue this possibility, please go to their website and send an email to their Press Office/Media Relations!

I did contact the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Press Office, and Karen was good to get right back to me and explain their rationale for the "no camera support" policy. Here it is:

"Thank you for your inquiry. There are three reasons we prohibit the use of tripods and monopods:

1) Visitor safety. I agree monopods are easier to control than tripods, but we can’t make exceptions for monopods for the following two reasons.

2) Visitor access to exhibits. We’ve found that photographers using monopods and tripods often take up a prime spot in front of an exhibit and stay there a long time, regardless of how many people are around. We’re trying to be fair to the other visitors.

3) Proprietary issues. We prohibit private sales of images of our exhibits and animals, especially as stock images. We state on the visitor maps that people are welcome to take photos for their private use, but any commercial photography must be licensed and falls under location fees. With the advancement of digital cameras and camcorders, we are finding more and more people selling images taken here – a private business that receives no public funds – without a license. We find these regularly and contact the sites to remove the images, and take further action if needed. We’re a non-profit organization, and feel strongly that any sales of images should benefit our education and conservation research programs – whether they’re taken by our photographers or outside photographers under contract."

I was recently surprised to learn that the Monterey Bay Aquarium specifically prohibits both tripods AND monopods

from use. I understand the tripod prohibition (they interfere with visitor movement), but monopods? Does anyone

have similar experiences at other locations with this kind of prohibition? Any success in getting around it

(legally)?