Contest camera restrictions

[TomNine]

So, I am entering the Jr USA venue last weekend, ticket and camera bag in hand. A friend is entering in front of me and the lady at the door checks out his camera, asking if it has a detachable lens. He says it does. She says he can't bring it into the auditorium, and he stands around for a minute wondering what to do.

Another lady looks at my camera, which anyone with any photography knowledge would recognize as a DSLR. She asks me the detachable lens question, and of course I say it does not detach. She also asks me if it can shoot video, and sternly warns me that I'll be in a lot of trouble if caught shooting video of the event.

I proceed, and my friend with the forbidden detachable lens also enters, ignored since the initial banning. I notice another friend, with a very large camera bag, mistakingly enter through the unmanned competitor's entrance, bag unchecked and ticket unscanned.

Of course during the event I see all sorts of still and video cameras in use. I see no staffers patrolling the audience telling anyone to stop. I talk to a few other photographers about this, including James, and everybody has a little story to tell.

Maybe after the NPC decides on its figure judging criteria, they can start working on a reasonable and consistent camera policy, then let people know what it is before they decide to attend. Of course enforcement should remain optional, just like drug testing.

[BigD]

WTF is this all about??? That is ridiculous.

[Tre]

...sternly warns me that I'll be in a lot of trouble if caught shooting video of the event.
Yeah, those Repetrope guys are gonna get ya.

Funny story, Tom - thanks for sharing.

[Ann Dana-Caliri]

This makes me chuckle every time I read it. I especially love the part about enforcement of the rules being optional...

[James]

lol. Thanks for sharing tom. Yes, I was going to bring this subject up also. We wrote to Pam asking for press passes. I knew it was a longshot, but of course pam writes with a link to the NPC press pass policy, BUT she said in the email i could buy a ticket and shoot pix. (what i like to refer to as an internet press pass)

So I am stopped by 2 elderly ladies who ask me the same question. "Is that a detachable lens?"

"No." I said. lol. But it was funny because the the camera body is already detached from the 2 lens' that i brought. I could see the wheels in their head working. Like they were saying "Does not compute, does not compute".

Pam cam over and I explained that I did ask beforehand. So she let me go but warned about the video.

I think the guys at Lindsays shows are given the marching orders of 'No tripods or monopods".

But on Toms point about enforcing, I probably could have mounted a Panavision movie camera on scaffolding and no one would have said anything..

[Tre]

I'll put it this way.

They want bodybuilding to be considered a sport.

So, when the NFL starts banning cameras, then the NPC/IFBB should, too.

[Zennie]

So, I am entering the Jr USA venue last weekend, ticket and camera bag in hand. A friend is entering in front of me and the lady at the door checks out his camera, asking if it has a detachable lens. He says it does. She says he can't bring it into the auditorium, and he stands around for a minute wondering what to do.

Another lady looks at my camera, which anyone with any photography knowledge would recognize as a DSLR. She asks me the detachable lens question, and of course I say it does not detach. She also asks me if it can shoot video, and sternly warns me that I'll be in a lot of trouble if caught shooting video of the event.

I proceed, and my friend with the forbidden detachable lens also enters, ignored since the initial banning. I notice another friend, with a very large camera bag, mistakingly enter through the unmanned competitor's entrance, bag unchecked and ticket unscanned.

Of course during the event I see all sorts of still and video cameras in use. I see no staffers patrolling the audience telling anyone to stop. I talk to a few other photographers about this, including James, and everybody has a little story to tell.

Maybe after the NPC decides on its figure judging criteria, they can start working on a reasonable and consistent camera policy, then let people know what it is before they decide to attend. Of course enforcement should remain optional, just like drug testing.

Man! What are they going to do about those video-camera-equipped cell phones?!?!

[BigD]

I'll put it this way.

They want bodybuilding to be considered a sport.

So, when the NFL starts banning cameras, then the NPC/IFBB should, too.


What would they do if we all just stopped shooting their events? Photographers and journalists are what gives them any publicity at all.

[fbbhubby]

The NPC just wants to make money if the photogs are making money off the NPC. What's wrong with that? So a solution is for the NPC to charge for press passes and give 'em up front seating. But they gotta get over that stupid internet policy.

[Tre]

The NPC just wants to make money if the photogs are making money off the NPC. What's wrong with that? So a solution is for the NPC to charge for press passes and give 'em up front seating. But they gotta get over that stupid internet policy.
The NPC should be thanking god for the 'internet people' who are entirely responsible for the incredible growth the federation has enjoyed in the past 6 years.

The reason this particular 'policy' is in place, however, has nothing to do with contest coverage. But, once the ball began rolling, it seems like no one has wanted to admit, "Oops, we made a mistake".

The only time it's been an issue for me was a couple of years ago at a show up in northern California. The security staff explained their position, then the promoter explained his, and then the box office refunded my ticket purchase. I didn't make a big deal about it, nor did I feel a need to pursue it any further at the time. I got what I needed out of the weekend and then moved on to bigger and better.