How do you like to be treated by photographers?

Stuart the photographer · How do you like to be treated by photographers?

Not sure if this is worth a new thread or not but I would be interested to hear from any of you who perform about how you like to be treated by photographers. I have been told many good and bad stories by performers about photographers and would never like to be described as one of the bad ones. I generally do things along the lines of;

- I always try and say hello first so you know who I am.
- Ask if it is okay if I take photos.
- I don't take photos of people in pasties (although there are exceptions, for example if I have been asked to be the performer or if they are covered by a fan / prop / something else)
- If in doubt ask! On the odd occasion i have been unsure I send a mail before using the photo anywhere.

So is there anything else that should be on the list, I would be very curious to know?

Miss Baby Bones

you sound like an absolute sweetheart to me!

i think with pictures of tassels/pasties, theres always a female issue of 'ew i dont like my boobs in that picture'
rather than the 'im topless' issue

id happy with topless shots of myself going on photographers websites, if i get copies AND they're decent!

its certainly nice when they ask first if they're all ok.

as its such a personal thing to some people. haha!!

xxx

Diva Hollywood

You are a baby honey and I love your work I think you go about it the right way. I don't think there is a problem with pasties I think when you are spinning them they can look a bit silly when caught in action.
Diva x

Miss Baby Bones

haha definitely

xxx

Stuart the photographer

lol, yeah I have noticed that on the odd occasion I have been asked to take pictures while people spin. But it may be a frame rate thing, so if you took 10 frames a second over 3 seconds I am sure you cold find a good one that would look gravity defying. Shame that kind of camera body costs >£2500!

And you are both very kind, I'm not fishing for complements, honest. I am genuinely interested as it my fiancée is a performer and someone once shot her performing and then asked for about £10 per picture, no prints just the digital image!

Herr Geist

What kind of moron does that?

Miss Baby Bones

lol theres always someone trying it on!!

i think if you've taken pics without a legal model release form, the only polite thing to do is offer pics via email for free.

deary me

don't worry stuart, im sure you're great cos you've got manners!!

erm, i dont usually like shots from 'down below' or 'up above'
as they make my legs look short(er)

so dont do that if you ever shoot me. haha

xxx

Diva Hollywood

I have had someone take images of me and then the promoter tell me if I sent them £25 I could have a copy of the images. The photographer and me had got on like a house on fire and already sent me a cd for nothing as long as I made sure I added his name when I used the image. Which as an artist myself I would never think of not doing lol
Diva x

ameliesoleil

hi Stuart,

This is a matter that a few of us have been talking about recently.

Sadly there are a few photographer who like to take photos then sell it on without permission and even worse pass your image onto clubs you wouldn't support and then you end up on that flyer!! It can be really damaging to a performer's image so I'd advise carrying model release forms so the performer can feel reassured your heart is in the right place.

I'll always credit a photographer and lam beginning to et them know if I spy an image being used without their permission. It's only right but its also only right that the performer is protected too.

There are several photographers who are just wonderful when photographing events, Paul Wright has always been nothing but a gentleman and we always recieve copies of the pictures on disc plus the assurance they would never be used without our permission.

So basically, be honest with the performer and keep in touch after the event. Most performers have enough pictures for their portfolio but just want to make sure the images will be used professionally and correctly.

I always think about bettie page and how she didn't have any control over her pictures, the photographers and image makers made millions from her yet she's currently struggling to pay her medical bills...sad huh?

Good luck and hope to see you at an event soon

amelie x

p.s. diva; bloody liverpool echo wanted £75 for my front page picture that they didn't even ask permission for! Kindly reminded them about model release forms and they suddenly didn't want the money anymore; strange that?!

Miss Baby Bones

great points there Amelie!

xxx

Stuart the photographer

Thanks for all the information ameliesoleil, it was a really interesting read. I think I need to create a more standard release form and it is nice to hear that Paul Wright is a good guy. I have to say that I have admired his talent and spent a long time looking at his photos trying to work out 'how he did that'?

Still don't understand the attitude of 'you must pay me for photos of your own performance'. It just makes so little sense and I bet the same photographer wouldn't have paid to get in to see it to start with!

Thanks for all the feed back.

Diva Hollywood

Paul is fab really lovely guy and great photographer. It was not the photographer it was the promoter that wanted the money off me which I thought was rude. If I had not performed and spent month making my costumes and routines you would have nothing to photography thank you very much. I totally don't mind sending a photographer some free blank disks and postage, if they are brook.
Diva x

Stuart the photographer

Actually I did think that was strange when you brought it up before. I haven't ever heard of a promoter / night asking for money for photographs. Seems even stranger that they didn't sort that out with the photographer first, did that mean they were trying to profit from the photographers pictures without them knowing?

Thanks for all the feedback!

Diva Hollywood

Not sure hon
Diva x

Selena Lix

stuart i would say as long as you are courteous and put people at ease when they may be a little shy at having photos taken ( which you do ) then there should be no probs Very Happy

ameliesoleil

aww you've done some lovely pictures, i've seen your stuff before Smile

Heather Sweet

How do you like to be treated by photographers?

I like a guy with a long lenze,
Must have the right equipment and know how to use it.
Something that fits in the palm of your hand is fine but-
a tri pod is even better.

Someone who takes it slow but knows just how to manipulate the female form to it's optimum performance.

A guy who isn't afraid to shoot his load ed camera and spend the film. Twisted Evil

Stuart the photographer

That's interesting what you say about a flash as I do use one. I have asked a few time if people find it annoying / distracting. I use a strange type of diffuser that allows me to point the flash away from the performer, but kick some light forward and I am hoping this is less stunning. But after your comments I will have to ask around to see what people think.

Thanks ameliesoleil.

ladytwiglet

Stuart the photographer

Very true, I am trying to save up for a Canon 70-200 mm which is f2.8 across the range and image stabilised. They are going for around £1250 at the minute so I might get their some time after the summer.

Warren

I think Heather's given the best answer so far !

How do I like to be treated by a photographer - rough!

Whip me and tease me ...

x

ameliesoleil

argh i just wrote a big post but it was deleted... okay main points:

shame about expense of lenses. miss rain doesn't normally use flash at live events - sometimes one of those weird inflatable things but the below pic was taken without a flash (i think)

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/i...umID=1325502&imageID=16804822

i was going through some footage of a show recently. there is a photographer who always attends this event and has never introduced himself nor have i ever seen the pictures... but looking at the video i noticed first he stands and obstructs the audience...umm i'm paid to entertain audience not get him pictures... and then a moment later i was mortified to see he actually walks over the back of the stage BEHIND me during my act!! I literally could touch him...

He crouchs down, then stands at the back checking his pictures & fiddling then walks around the stage to the other side and crouches to take more pictures. Obviously i didn't see this because i was facing the audience but next time i see him....grrrrr... he'll be getting a mouthful!

i'm certainly not touchy about getting photographed but seriously i'd never walk across someones stage - probably even if there was a fire haha!

xx

Stuart the photographer

Interesting to hear about people moving around during performances. I usually just plonk myself down in a corner, but I will certainly avoid the temptation to shift around too much from now on.

PS love Miss Rain's work, that is one extremely talented photographer.

ladytwiglet

Stuart the photographer

yeah, maybe for me too. If I can get it together I am going to try and get an f1.8 lens, I have never used and suspect it will be great for depth of field. No idea what that kind of lens is like for live stuff.

ladytwiglet

Stuart the photographer

Heather Sweet

eeesh , get a dark room.

ladytwiglet

Bella De Jac

A question...What are the rules if someone takes your photo without your permission and/or tries to use it? Are you covered legally if they haven't got a signed model release form?

Miss Baby Bones

id assume no they cant use it

tell them off anyway! its bad form

xxx

Stuart the photographer

I wrote a massive post over this and then figured that no one would read it so lets go for simple.

Public place = likely photographer can get away with it (like on the street and the photo would have to be documentary, like a news report)

Private place = not so likely, they snap you in your back garden in a private environment, that's invasion of privacy. Unless at a massive stretch they can argue 'public interest', which mainly applies to celebrities that sell them-selves on an image principal.

Burlesque starlet on stage = complex. In a public place, for a news feature then they stand a good chance of publishing. If they want to sell it to a 3rd party for advising with-out a modelling release, then they are on the wrong side of the law as I understand it. The photographer does still own the copyright on the 'work of art', but your representation with-out consent in association with a product or event would certainly cause legal problems for the photographer.

If you know more I would love to find out, I know the BWI has a very skilled photography sub community.

Miss Baby Bones

thanks for the info stuart Smile

xxx

fingerinthepie

Stuart the photographer

Hi,

reviving an old thread here, but how do performers feel about having their photo taken at the end of their act in pasties? I have sworn off this in the past for a couple of reasons (act spoiler / potential use by 3rd party for evil), but they do make really great promo shots. Would love to know what people think.

Thanks

Stuart.

paulwrightphoto