No personal cameras allowed!

[smitty2101]

Lately, I have had many problems with people bringing their own personal camera and shooting pictures when I am shooting pictures. How do you politely and frankly deal with this?? What type of wording you use for your materials? How do you review it with your client during your consultation?

[Brian Mullins]

Are you at a wedding? A portrait session?

There is a fine line between doing your job and costing yourself business because of unreasonable requests. Asking guests NOT to photograph while you are working is completely reasonable. Asking a client to make sure their guests don't bring cameras is unreasonable.

What problems, exactly, are you running into?

[scootermcq]

They always come and use the p&s cameras at weddings.... you will not be able to do anything about it. I tell everyone to wait until I am done and before I change up the pose / group they can snap one. Same with first dance etc... I have the MC announce to allow the photog the first bit to do his thing.... then they can "have at it" I just do my shots and then signal that they can go nuts. People for the most part cooperate.

[theosus]

I can see the problem with the others getting in your way and interrupting your workflow with you having to stop and wait. Even worse would be a bunch of flashes going off screwing up your lighting.
I completely understand that. Like someone else said, ask them to let you work and give them a few seconds between shots to take their pics. You might also tell the bride and groom that if you have to wait between every shot on the crowd of cell phone cameras, it's going to take a lot longer.

But if you're saying you don't want personal cameras because it might cost you a photo sale, get over it. That's unreasonable.

[Jim Poor]

Depends on what & where you're shooting. We need more details.

[MrCoffee]

Recently I was shooting at a local sporting event, and the only real request made of me by the primary photographer was no flash allowed. This enabled everyone to shoot with out it harming anyone else. Probably the best solution all around.

Could you make the same request?

[Jim Poor]

The odds of one photographer's flashing impacting another photographer's image are really remote.

[Jim Bryant]

Originally Posted by Jim Poor

The odds of one photographer's flashing impacting another photographer's image are really remote.

True, but those with cameras don't know that. When I shoot weddings I ask others not to take pictures of the formal settings, but after I'm done, they can.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by Jim Poor

The odds of one photographer's flashing impacting another photographer's image are really remote.

You'd be amazed. After shooting quite a few live music shows, I can assure you that the kids running around the stage with their rebels on auto, flashing away, it ruined half of my shots.

[bhursey]

I have it in my wedding contracts that no other photography is allude during formal portrait session before and after the wedding. I also ask in the contract for no other photographers with professional equipment. Now I don't consider a canon rebel with a kit lens and a pop up flash professional cameras. But If I see some one walking around with a pro body with a pro lens and a flash like a 580EXII walking around taking the same shots I am I ask to stop. The problem I have found is not that i care about them taking photos. Its that they distract my subjects. I ended up with photos of the people looking at the person with the P&S instead of me.. I just politely ask that they wait tell after all my sessions are done..