[Dimma]

First 3 songs, max, then get out and earn your captures the old fashioned way.

It's not your right to stand in front of punters for entire sets waiting for the 'money shot'.

And to those whose sole camera is a smart phone or ipad that get photo passes, you're just taking the piss.

[Ingrid]

3 Songs, no flash

And if it's really crowded, same sollution as most European festivals have: 2 groups, 2 songs for each group

[cowboy71]

First 3 songs, max, then get out and earn your captures the old fashioned way.

It's not your right to stand in front of punters for entire sets waiting for the 'money shot'.

And to those whose sole camera is a smart phone or ipad that get photo passes, you're just taking the piss.

TESTIFY BROTHER!

[surfslamdive]

First 3 songs, max, then get out and earn your captures the old fashioned way.

It's not your right to stand in front of punters for entire sets waiting for the 'money shot'.

And to those whose sole camera is a smart phone or ipad that get photo passes, you're just taking the piss.

+1. I never understood why people would spend half of a band's set in front of the barrier...

[Soundchaser]

3x1 Song, anytime during the set (all at once or self chosen)

that's something the cruise is also "famous" for, to enter the pit anytime, not as everywhere else onyl the first songs.
Will also get more variety in pictures for the different magazines for us.
No Smartphones or tabs in the pit, only "real" cameras.

[KDibildeaux]

First 3 songs, max, then get out and earn your captures the old fashioned way.

It's not your right to stand in front of punters for entire sets waiting for the 'money shot'.

And to those whose sole camera is a smart phone or ipad that get photo passes, you're just taking the piss.

Exactly. Especially in the Spectrum it's ridiculous to have photographers in the way the whole time

[meshuggah]

So photographers are in front of all of us who are actually at the show, so they can take pictures which we can look at of the show we couldn't see because they were in front of us. HMMMMMMM.

[D.T. Metal]

As one of those who usually stands in your way I agree to some point and I actually try to take care of business during one or 1.5 songs at the most.

First 3 songs won't work since there are WAY to many photog on broad. Having two groups like at some bigger festivals looks nice on paper but the photo pits are usually bigger at festivals and can accommodate more - again, not really working on 70K. I believe at the Spectrum most of us were either on our knees or sitting to not stand in peoples way; I didn't see an issue there. But with all this being said ...

I felt that the pit-etiquette went down the drain this year. Some of my "colleagues" were in the photo pit during the ENTIRE set! REALLY? If it takes you 45minutes to take some pictures of a band playing you clearly don't belong there.
Totally agree with soundchaser about the "real cameras" - No DSLR = no photo-pit. I have no issue with another musician or a wife/girlfriend or anybody with a priority (green) wristband being there to take some pics or video but if you only have a smartphone or point 'n shoot camera you don't need to be occupying the pit for the entire set. Got it, you have press credentials and need some pictures for your online content. Request stock photos from UMC since most of us have to send them pics without our watermark for general use anyway.

I know this might sound harsh but standing in front of all the fans is a privilege NOT a right but sadly some apparently thought: "oh great, I can see band X up close for the entire set".

But on the other hand, Andy wants to make the cruise not only fan friendly but media friendly as well and that's why there is no "3 songs-no flash" rule. I guess we all have to take the good with the bad and hopefully one of these days there will be a standard for photog on the cruise.

Looking forward to next year and if I blocked your view during one of the set's - I am sorry.

[cowboy71]

Mate - you were one of the good ones :) Whenever I saw you in the pit, you were the utmost professional. Always being sure to stay out of view as much as possible, never in the face of the artists, never there for the whole set.

But yes, I observed some terribly unprofessional behaviour of the 'official' photographers. There for the whole set, just standing there and watching from the photo pit, using iphones, holding up cameras right in the face of singers and using the flash(!).....

So not cool.

[X-Thor]

Maybe next year we should take photos of the photographers using iPhones/blocking our view? Some kind of accountability?

[cowboy71]

Maybe next year we should take photos of the photographers using iPhones/blocking our view? Some kind of accountability?

I LIKE IT!!

Then when they share their photos expecting positive comments to inflate their ego, they get inundated with comments like "HEY! You're the dickhead that blocked my view the entire set!!!"

[surfslamdive]

As one of those who usually stands in your way I agree to some point and I actually try to take care of business during one or 1.5 songs at the most.

First 3 songs won't work since there are WAY to many photog on broad. Having two groups like at some bigger festivals looks nice on paper but the photo pits are usually bigger at festivals and can accommodate more - again, not really working on 70K. I believe at the Spectrum most of us were either on our knees or sitting to not stand in peoples way; I didn't see an issue there. But with all this being said ...

I felt that the pit-etiquette went down the drain this year. Some of my "colleagues" were in the photo pit during the ENTIRE set! REALLY? If it takes you 45minutes to take some pictures of a band playing you clearly don't belong there.
Totally agree with soundchaser about the "real cameras" - No DSLR = no photo-pit. I have no issue with another musician or a wife/girlfriend or anybody with a priority (green) wristband being there to take some pics or video but if you only have a smartphone or point 'n shoot camera you don't need to be occupying the pit for the entire set. Got it, you have press credentials and need some pictures for your online content. Request stock photos from UMC since most of us have to send them pics without our watermark for general use anyway.

I know this might sound harsh but standing in front of all the fans is a privilege NOT a right but sadly some apparently thought: "oh great, I can see band X up close for the entire set".

But on the other hand, Andy wants to make the cruise not only fan friendly but media friendly as well and that's why there is no "3 songs-no flash" rule. I guess we all have to take the good with the bad and hopefully one of these days there will be a standard for photog on the cruise.

Looking forward to next year and if I blocked your view during one of the set's - I am sorry.

Definitely agree with you on this one. I'm pretty sure I was one of the faster photographers and at least one security guy mentioned it to that effect. Go in. Get your photos. Get out. Enjoy the rest of the show (or move on to your next band to photograph). The photo pit is for taking photos, not taking in the band up close without anyone pushing or shoving into you.

[Speedy]

holding up cameras right in the face of singers and using the flash(!).....

So not cool.

The guy almost shoving his flash down Dianne's throat during Xandria's second set was especially annoying

[cowboy71]

holding up cameras right in the face of singers and using the flash(!).....

So not cool.

The guy almost shoving his flash down Dianne's throat during Xandria's second set was especially annoying

EXACTLY the guy I was talking about!!

[Lala]

There was a guy who videotaped complete Shows out of the Pit....
http://www.youtube.com/user/generichrist/videos

[MLH]

I don't care too much about the ppl taking pics at the front there. If they cause problems its pretty much the organizers fault and on most festivals it works just fine. Didn't really pay attention to what happened at that section on the previous cruise. So guess it wasnt that big of an issue.

On the other hand, i fucking hate the general mass of crowds holding their shitty phones in air taking some shit-quality ear-breaking footage and blocking the view on top of that, instead of interacting with the band and other ppl at the crowd. Yeah i understand taking a pic or 2 occasionally but I've seen ppl hold fucking ipads up to take footage. What next? I'll go buy biggest laptop or flat screen TV with integrated cam in it and drag it to the next gig i'm going, to be one of the cool kids.

[Ecliptica]

There was a guy who videotaped complete Shows out of the Pit....
http://www.youtube.com/user/generichrist/videos

I am way more okay with this than I am the photographers though.

I'm just sad he didn't get any shows I wanted to see ;-)

[Metaladdict187]

First 3 songs, max, then get out and earn your captures the old fashioned way.

It's not your right to stand in front of punters for entire sets waiting for the 'money shot'.

And to those whose sole camera is a smart phone or ipad that get photo passes, you're just taking the piss.

Agreed bro!!!!!

[cowboy71]

What next? I'll go buy biggest laptop or flat screen TV with integrated cam in it and drag it to the next gig i'm going, to be one of the cool kids.

How about this?

[Digimortal]

I agree. Must say that I stayed for the last Symphony X set because I knew the girls would be brought on stage at the end and did not want to miss that haha.
Now if only some bands would be nice enought to give us some good lighting during the first three songs instead of at the end of the set, that would be killer!

[Speedy]

At PPM Fest last weekend the photo pit was only open for the first three songs for any band. After that all photographers had to get out.

[Max_Rockwell]

Never had any issue with photographers on the two I went on, so I can't really say much on this.
However, I do agree that it seems rather silly for a photographer of any kind to spend a whole set trying to take pictures.

[Sgt. B]

At PPM Fest last weekend the photo pit was only open for the first three songs for any band. After that all photographers had to get out.

That is normal policy for almost every show I have worked concert security at.

[D.T. Metal]

At PPM Fest last weekend the photo pit was only open for the first three songs for any band. After that all photographers had to get out.

See my post earlier in the thread. While this is industry standard, it wouldn't work on 70K since the photo pits are way smaller than on festivals.

The last couple of years we had about 100+ media folks on the boat. Let's say half of them are writers only, which leaves about 50 or so folks with cameras. Imagine having us all in the photo pit in the smaller Spectrum type lounge at the same time. Or the theaters for that matter. The pit had to be bigger to accommodate us all which would take space away from the viewing area. Not feasible on a boat.

[Max_Rockwell]

At PPM Fest last weekend the photo pit was only open for the first three songs for any band. After that all photographers had to get out.

See my post earlier in the thread. While this is industry standard, it wouldn't work on 70K since the photo pits are way smaller than on festivals.

The last couple of years we had about 100+ media folks on the boat. Let's say half of them are writers only, which leaves about 50 or so folks with cameras. Imagine having us all in the photo pit in the smaller Spectrum type lounge at the same time. Or the theaters for that matter. The pit had to be bigger to accommodate us all which would take space away from the viewing area. Not feasible on a boat.

Could always rotate you guys, let a few go at a time for a couple of songs.
Bands do play two sets as well so you have two chances to get live pics.

In any case, don't know how it all works just thought I'd throw that out there.

[LadyBlackfhyre]

I barely notice the people in the photo pit... I'm usually at an edge of the mosh pit so it doesn't bother me.

BUT I do understand how it can be annoying, and I agree that there should be more rules as to how long you can be taking pictures etc..