How to take photos at a convention (and not be an idiot)
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Posted by snowleopard

This year will be very crowded - please don't do dumb when you have a camera! :)

- Sincerely, someone who will barge into your cross-hallway photo-op ;)

(I created this image, but feel free to steal and share far and wide - http://imgur.com/gallery/CwWWErh)

Posted by bith

But what if I REALLY want to take the photo right there?

Posted by lord thrifty the cromulent

This is always a pain in the neck in any crowded place where people might want to take pictures.  At first, you want to be accommodating and not block someone's shot.  After a while it gets tiresome waiting for people to take their pictures.

Posted by snowleopard bith

bithlord wrote:
But what if I REALLY want to take the photo right there?

Then you'll be the proud owner of a blurry photo of my side. ;)

Posted by snowleopard lord thrifty the cromulent

mstabosz wrote:
This is always a pain in the neck in any crowded place where people might want to take pictures.  At first, you want to be accommodating and not block someone's shot.  After a while it gets tiresome waiting for people to take their pictures.

I've seen one photographer hold up traffic, which results in other photographers jumping in for additional photos. Sorry guys, you're done here! :P

Posted by nascragman

I've been going to Gen Con too long I think.  I cant remember the last time I took a pic of a random costume.  I appreciate the effort, I really do, but do you have any idea how many harley Quinn's I've walked past over the years?

Posted by leswhittaker

/slowclap

Posted by mvotruba snowleopard

snowleopard wrote:
bithlord wrote:
But what if I REALLY want to take the photo right there?

Then you'll be the proud owner of a blurry photo of my side. ;)
+1  I have to agree with this one.  I try to be polite and accommodating, but it gets old.

My only concern is that the people that NEED to read this thread, won't. 

 

Posted by leswhittaker

Let's make T-shirts!
 

Posted by snowleopard leswhittaker

leswhittaker wrote:
Let's make T-shirts!

Someone on Facebook already printed buttons!

Posted by mhayward1978

I feel one of the nice things about digital photography is that if you walk through someones shot you don't "ruin" it - you just make them wait and try again.

I don't worry much about walking through peoples digital shots if they are taking more than a few seconds and blocking the way.

Posted by leswhittaker snowleopard

Can we nominate those people to run for Congress?  We need some real problem solvers around here.

Posted by austicke mhayward1978

mhayward1978 wrote:I feel one of the nice things about digital photography is that if you walk through someones shot you don't "ruin" it - you just make them wait and try again.

I don't worry much about walking through peoples digital shots if they are taking more than a few seconds and blocking the way.


As photographer, I completely agree. I hate when people wait and don't just proceed. It's nice they're trying to be polite, but I'll get my shot, don't you worry.

____________________________________________________
Alec Usticke, Unofficial Gen Con Indy Facebook Discussion Group

Posted by clevelandk1

I haven't done a con of any sort since the 1980s, and I've been reading a lot about asking permission before taking any photos, but I'll be at Gen Con for work, and the boss has asked for pictures (cons are completely foreign for most of the folks I work with). So, with that in mind, is it okay to take random "atmosphere" shots to give them a sense of what the event is like without asking permission? This would be mostly fairly wide shots of crowds and the exhibit hall and whatnot done with a phone. Nobody in the office will likely recognize the bulk of the cosplay (heck, I probably won't recognize a bunch of it), and I don't have any real interest in photos of individuals, posed or otherwise. Just looking for some honest advice.

P.S. I'm pretty sure the graphic above could be titled "how to take photos at any large event (and not be an idiot)". Sadly, that sort of behavior isn't limited to game cons.

Posted by austicke clevelandk1

clevelandk1 wrote:is it okay to take random "atmosphere" shots to give them a sense of what the event is like without asking permission? This would be mostly fairly wide shots of crowds and the exhibit hall and whatnot done with a phone.

Sure, go for it. Asking permission of each individual person in this photo would be a bit of a chore.

____________________________________________________
Alec Usticke, Unofficial Gen Con Indy Facebook Discussion Group

Posted by mvotruba

@ Clevelandk1:  That shouldn't be a problem.  I've done that in the past, and I've seen it done many times.  You want to ask permission of you're trying to get a shot of a specific subject (cosplay or whatever), but if you're just standing back and getting an overall shot, you should be fine.

I would encourage you to be at the Exhibit Hall on opening day and try to get a shot from the 2nd floor.  Also, once inside the Exhibit Hall...you'll find plenty of things to snap pics of...just try to be mindful, as this thread suggests.  Besides the Exhibit Hall, there are plenty of other photo ops...just look around.

What you DON'T want to do is be a creeper taking pictures of cosplaying ladies & gents without asking first.  Judging by your post, it doesn't sound like that's your intent anyway, but wanted to mention this for other readers.
 

Posted by clevelandk1 austicke

austicke wrote:
clevelandk1 wrote:is it okay to take random "atmosphere" shots to give them a sense of what the event is like without asking permission? This would be mostly fairly wide shots of crowds and the exhibit hall and whatnot done with a phone.

Sure, go for it. Asking permission of each individual person in this photo would be a bit of a chore.
____________________________________________________
Alec Usticke, Unofficial Gen Con Indy Facebook Discussion Group

Yep, that's the sort of view that she would find incomprehensible. I've told her that I've read that it's a bit like Black Friday on steroids, and I think she's just waiting to see proof before she believes it.   :)

Thanks!

Posted by clevelandk1 mvotruba

voice_of_reason wrote:
@ Clevelandk1:  That shouldn't be a problem.  I've done that in the past, and I've seen it done many times.  You want to ask permission of you're trying to get a shot of a specific subject (cosplay or whatever), but if you're just standing back and getting an overall shot, you should be fine.
I would encourage you to be at the Exhibit Hall on opening day and try to get a shot from the 2nd floor.  Also, once inside the Exhibit Hall...you'll find plenty of things to snap pics of...just try to be mindful, as this thread suggests.  Besides the Exhibit Hall, there are plenty of other photo ops...just look around.
What you DON'T want to do is be a creeper taking pictures of cosplaying ladies & gents without asking first.  Judging by your post, it doesn't sound like that's your intent anyway, but wanted to mention this for other readers.
 

I'm not a fan of creepers. I also have a life goal to leave as little photographic evidence of my existence as possible and can respect other folks who don't want their photos taken and passed around outside their control. I recently found out that I know a cosplayer so if I find myself with an insatiable desire to be a massive photo pest to a cosplayer, I'll save it for her. She'll understand if I'm annoying, and I can do it at my leisure when I get back home and there are no crowds to fight.   ;)

Posted by jpederso

I love that shot of the crowd waiting to get into the vendor hall.  I've used a similar shot to sum up the immensity of Gencon to others and to prepare first timers of the fun they have to look forward to.  In regards to taking pictures, I will ask to get a group shot of the GM and players for all the games I play in at Gencon (usually all RPGs).  Usually after I ask, others in the group want pix too.  Then I'll take some shots during the game.  A great way to remember.  

Posted by lord thrifty the cromulent austicke

austicke wrote:
clevelandk1 wrote:is it okay to take random "atmosphere" shots to give them a sense of what the event is like without asking permission? This would be mostly fairly wide shots of crowds and the exhibit hall and whatnot done with a phone.

Sure, go for it. Asking permission of each individual person in this photo would be a bit of a chore.
____________________________________________________
Alec Usticke, Unofficial Gen Con Indy Facebook Discussion Group
Oh Jesus... is that the mess that I bought tickets for?

Please tell me that's, like, San Diego Comicon or something.

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