calcuttaman said:
Are there any legal or etiquette issues with taking photos at pool tournaments? Some questions...
Do you have to (or should you) ask the tournament director if its ok to take photos?
Do you have to (or should you) ask players if you can take there photo?
Do your answers change for the above if you are going to post those photos to your own blog or to a site such as azbilliards.com?
First off, almost any event where you will be watching pro/semi-pro pool will be a private venue (even if it is in a public space, it is likely rented out by *someone*).
That being said it is 100% legal in america to take pictures from any public space, in a private location (even one publicly accessible) it is a bit of a judgement call. In a pool hall, unless posted you can reasonably assume photography is permitted. If you are at some big banks corporate headquarters, you can reasonably assume photography is not permitted. If it is reasonable to assume it's permitted - you can't really get in trouble for it if no one (as of yet) has told you not to/to stop.
There is much discussion on this if you read photo discussions (say on flickr), but in general you can take pictures anywhere unless someone (who has the proper right to do so) tells you otherwise.
This link provides an excellent one pager going over basic photographers rights:
http://www.krages.com/phoright.htm.
On to your specific questions: You don't *have* to ask the TD...that goes with judgement calls. If ESPN is doing an event...probably a good idea to ask. At your local regional tour - probably not a big deal (it's unlikely they'd be banning photos). Incidentally - if you want to get pictures, and you can reasonably assume it's ok - don't ask. Asking is always going to make people think about it...and at best you will still be allowed and at worst you wont!
Same thing goes with taking photos of people - in general you are always allowed to in a public place, or a private place if it's reasonable assumed they don't have a right to privacy. That's how the paparazzi get away with it - if you can't expect to have privacy you don't get it. If you are in a pro tour stop...it's not like you are expecting any privacy!
Etiquitte: At an *event* you shouldn't need to ask people, they are there, they expect there will be some audience - nuff said. Taking candids off the table is another question - some people are really sensitive about it - even though it is still legal.
In general the answers don't change if you aren't selling the photos or using them for commercial purposes. So putting them up on a personal blog, or posting them in a public forum is ok. Putting them up on the AZ main site not ok. You might think that if you simply give the photos to AZ, say because it is such an awesome photo, it's ok - but it's still helping AZ to sell advertising which means the work is causing increased revenue = same as selling outright (you don't get cash for your pictures, but AZ maybe gets more revenue as a result of the picture on the front page).
If you think you might want to use the photo in ways that might not fit the above - you can download a standard model release contract and have people sign it. Low ranked pros probably wont mind - high ranked people will - as they actually have an image to protect.
As far as actual working etiquette:
1) ABSOLUTELY no flash - test fire your camera in whatever mode you will be shooting in. Be sure that if you turn it off it comes back on in the same mode (or with the flash still off). If you are ever unsure of these things, take some heavy black cloth over the flash in case it does go off. Or tape it down if it's a pop up type.
2) Unless you are in a venue that is lit for television it is unlikely your pocket digicam is going to get a decent picture (and if it's lit for television...there's a good chance you wont be allowed anyway
3) If you actually want decent pictures: buy a semi decent SLR (even the entry level canon/nikon/sony/etc DSLR's are fine - you can pick one up for around 400 now or less for a used one). Then the bigger, more important thing - get a fast lens - if you really want fantastic event pictures you'll end up spending more on the lens than the camera most likely (if I had the money to spend I'd be bringing two canon lenses with me that cost around 1100 and 1600 - far more than my camera). I usually use a fast prime which works well, just don't have any zoom
Especially with the pros you can get away with a slower lens with IS - because a good player will be rock solid still during the shooting motion a slower shutter speed will suffice.
3a) If you want to use a pocket digicam - try and get one that at least enables manual mode - then you can futz with shutter speed vs ISO and try and get some nicer pictures.
4) I found that after a few events I got bored of taking pictures - they pretty much all end up the same - how many times do you want to see XYZ famous player bent down over a shot - there's really no difference. I go for some artistic shots now and then, or maybe the victory shot (someone posted a great photo of Earl fist pumping after his 9 racks in a row win to avoid getting bumped from the WPC today). The action shots can be more fun - but then you need a tripod - and it's more likely you wont be allowed to use a tripod than photography in general (reasons can range from the tripod being obtrusive, getting in people's way and they tend to only let the "professional" photographers use them - the MTA is like that about subway photography - ok to shoot handheld - not ok to use a tripod).
Also keep in mind - *even* if they say no photography - they can't make you give them your camera/film/memory card - the best they can do is ask you to leave. Keep in mind that's not trespassing - it's only trespassing if you don't leave or come back.
I think it's lame when they don't let audience members take photos - as people lament all the time, pool is not the most popular/glamorous/profitable sport around - anything that acts to inhibit the spread of pool is sad. I went to Mohegan Sun to watch the challenge of champions and ESPN decreed no photography (after I went through hoops with the casino security to manage to get my camera to the pool arena!). It's not like they took a million photos and posted them for the fans - there was barely any photography to be had at the event
I took a shot of Joey and mistakingly didn't turn the flash off - Joey I hope it didn't distract you - but another tournament player, sitting nearby and watching some matches, laid into me. I felt bad, and made sure my flash was off for the rest of the weekend. (That guy and I chatted later, he apologized for getting in my face, I said no problem, I had it coming, all was good.)
