GoFuckYourself.com - Adult Webmaster Forum - View Single Post - Rant DSLR camera automatically makes you a "pro photographer"

SilentKnight · 04-26-2015, 04:01 PM

Just got back from seein' the monster trucks at Monster Jam this afternoon. Had to feed my little inner redneck.

So my wife and I are walking through the food concession area after attending the pit pass party...we were killing time waiting for the show to begin. One of the venue employees walks up to us and tells me my camera is considered a "professional camera" and that I wasn't allowed to use it during the show.

I had my Nikon D80 with Speedlight flash and on-board battery pack attached - and an 18-200x lens. My standard rig.

At first I thought he was shittin' me, so I asked him what constitutes a "professional camera". He said any camera with a detachable lens over 3 inches in length. I told him it was a personal camera and that I wasn't a professional photographer...the photos were for personal use only. On the website where we'd purchased the tickets it said digital cameras were allowed, but gave no definition of what they deemed a 'professional camera'. It pointed out there was no video allowed, which was fine...I wasn't taking video.

I demanded to speak to his supervisor and we were directed to a customer relations counter. We went round in circles with another employee, and I demanded another level of supervisor. This went on for close to half an hour as I grew more and more pissed off. Each employee had an arbitrary definition and interpretation of the policy.

My wife had her little Canon Powershot SX20 (with a 560mm optical zoom lens) and they said she was okay with that. In comparison, I only had a 200mm lens! I had carried the camera openly over my shoulder through two separate admission doors, past venue staff...and not a word was said. I'd use it to shoot the pit party (we'd paid extra for pit access)...not a word was said.

Luckily, I'd brought along my own Canon SX20 (which I'd left in the car)...so I was able to exit the building and retrieve it - leaving the Nikon in the car. I had to shoot the show with the small Canon - while I looked around me at others using their DSLR cams without anyone saying a word to them.

So folks - just remember - when attending these types of shows - don't use a lens on your camera that's longer than the management's penis.

Ironically (and sadly amusing), during the show the announcer mentioned they welcomed people to upload their photos to their MonsterJamCanada.ca website.

Yeah, they can blow me.

04-26-2015, 04:01 PM
SilentKnight Megan Fox's fluffer Industry Role: Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: shooting pool in Elysium Posts: 24,818	DSLR camera automatically makes you a "pro photographer" Just got back from seein' the monster trucks at Monster Jam this afternoon. Had to feed my little inner redneck. So my wife and I are walking through the food concession area after attending the pit pass party...we were killing time waiting for the show to begin. One of the venue employees walks up to us and tells me my camera is considered a "professional camera" and that I wasn't allowed to use it during the show. I had my Nikon D80 with Speedlight flash and on-board battery pack attached - and an 18-200x lens. My standard rig. At first I thought he was shittin' me, so I asked him what constitutes a "professional camera". He said any camera with a detachable lens over 3 inches in length. I told him it was a personal camera and that I wasn't a professional photographer...the photos were for personal use only. On the website where we'd purchased the tickets it said digital cameras were allowed, but gave no definition of what they deemed a 'professional camera'. It pointed out there was no video allowed, which was fine...I wasn't taking video. I demanded to speak to his supervisor and we were directed to a customer relations counter. We went round in circles with another employee, and I demanded another level of supervisor. This went on for close to half an hour as I grew more and more pissed off. Each employee had an arbitrary definition and interpretation of the policy. My wife had her little Canon Powershot SX20 (with a 560mm optical zoom lens) and they said she was okay with that. In comparison, I only had a 200mm lens! I had carried the camera openly over my shoulder through two separate admission doors, past venue staff...and not a word was said. I'd use it to shoot the pit party (we'd paid extra for pit access)...not a word was said. Luckily, I'd brought along my own Canon SX20 (which I'd left in the car)...so I was able to exit the building and retrieve it - leaving the Nikon in the car. I had to shoot the show with the small Canon - while I looked around me at others using their DSLR cams without anyone saying a word to them. So folks - just remember - when attending these types of shows - don't use a lens on your camera that's longer than the management's penis. Ironically (and sadly amusing), during the show the announcer mentioned they welcomed people to upload their photos to their MonsterJamCanada.ca website. Yeah, they can blow me.