> How many people refuse to go see > a play, or a movie because they aren't allowed to video tape it? How > many people refuse to go to a concert because they aren't allowed to > take photos?
the restrictions at BM are not the same as those at a theatre or cinema. At a theatre or cinema there is a blanket ban on photography from the audience, and a very clear distinction between audience and performers. As I understand it, at BM there is no distinction between audience and performers, and photography is not banned as such; rather, the organisers impose a condition (model releases) that is impossible to comply with, and claim rights to any photographs that are taken. This is very different from the situation with theatre and cinema. The question that always comes to my mind in cases like this is, why pick on photography? Do they also lay claim to writing about the event, or sketches that someone could make? No they don't, so what is different about photography? IF I were to go there, write and then publish a piece accompanied by a recognisable sketch and naming a supreme court judge "wearing nothing but boots, goggles and a dust mask, dancing to rave music dressed in a fluorescent french maid's costume", how would that be different from photographing the same thing? > There is also the fact that a lot of people go to the Playa to let > loose, and do the things that they can't get away with in what they > call the default world. People who would have bad things happen to them > if pictures of them doing some of those things got seen by the wrong > people. If someone wants to behave in a way that they don't want publicised, they should do it in private, not in public B > >> More on the subject: "Turning away from Burning Man": > >> http://duncandavidson.com/blog/2011/09/burningman > >> > > > > I wish he hadn't written this, it undercuts the rest of the piece: > > > > "I wouldn't concern myself with trying to be creative while > respecting > > anybody else's rights or demands". > > > > It implies that even without the conditions imposed by the > organisers, that > > the other people have some sort of rights and legitimate demands in > this > > matter and that photographers in some way breach them, neither of > which is > > true. > > > I'm curious if anyone else on PDML has ever been to Burning Man? > > There are some marvelous opportunities for photography, but burning man > isn't put on for photographers. > > I suspect that if the only people taking photos and videos were doing > it for the sake of the photography, things would be a lot different. > Go to http://www.burningman.com and read some of the stories about > photography and the critical tits ride. There are, unfortunately, a > bunch of sleazebags that don't even rate as high as GWC. ( > http://www.modelmayhem.com/po.php?thread_id=344092 ) > > There is also the fact that a lot of people go to the Playa to let > loose, and do the things that they can't get away with in what they > call the default world. People who would have bad things happen to them > if pictures of them doing some of those things got seen by the wrong > people. One of their goals is undoubtably to preserve an environment > where people feel free to do what they want without repercussions, > whether that's wearing nothing but boots, goggles and a dust mask, > dancing to rave music dressed in a fluorescent french maid's costume, > or just spending a week sitting around the camp drinking cold beer and > watching the hippies stroll past. > > Larry Harvey's megalomania might also have something to do with it. He > has always wanted to grow Burning man as large as possible, to take > over the world. It is an event that they undoubtably, and with some > good cause, feel that they need to take care about what is seen, > especially by people that aren't so understanding about some of the > lifestyle choices exhibited there. > > My first trip to the playa was instrumental in rekindling my love of > photography. I discovered the fun of night time digital photography > there. But there are plenty of reasons to go besides photography, and > there are also plenty of much better reasons to not go than the > restrictions placed on photography. How many people refuse to go see > a play, or a movie because they aren't allowed to video tape it? How > many people refuse to go to a concert because they aren't allowed to > take photos? Some, for sure, but there are many, many more that will > go despite those restrictions. And, in the case of burning man, there > are probably more people that will go because of the restrictions on > photography, than who won't go because of them > > -- > Larry Colen l...@red4est.com sent from i4est > > > > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and > follow the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
