First Timer With Big Questions/Fears About Photography

[maethlin]

Hi there, I'm going to BM for the first time this year - I wish to god I could have started planning several months earlier but due to the exact circumstances of my particular trip (I could post details but don't want to bore anyone) - I didn't really know I'd be going until now, and I only have a month left to prepare. I am also going solo, by the way.

I have done nothing but read, read, read about the event for the past several days and while I look forward to it with much eagerness, I also feel a lot of worry and dread regarding photography. Since I was a little kid first able to hold a camera, I've been a photographer. No, I don't make my living professionally (yet) - but let's just say that I take photography more seriously than your average hobbyist. So when I read the massive thread about Critical Tits and the very (understandably) heated posts therein, I get quite worried about how people (particularly women) will react to me bringing my gear out to BM.

I have a Canon 40D, which - as any rabid photographer would know - is a nice DSLR which sits somewhere on the high end between the amateur and professional range of camera bodies. I most commonly use a 17-55mm lens but also like to use a 70-200mm which produces beautiful photos when used properly. Why am I going into the exact gear I use? Because these lenses are physically pretty large - and I see a TON of angst from some posters talking about Creepy Old Men with their huge cameras who are just there to take pictures of tits.

I happen to be 37, which I'm not sure qualifies me for Creepy Old Man territory - I don't feel terribly old and don't really think I'm terribly creepy either. I have a wife, kids, am happily married - but didn't plan on wearing a costume my first time, though I'm considering it since some people seem to think it's less threatening to see a guy running around in drag.

I guess my point is this - I love taking photos, and I'd like to know exactly how much crap I should expect to receive for doing so. I'm not trying to sell these or wank to them, I don't plan on seeking out CT, though I sure as shit will want to photograph it if it passes me. My first and foremost consideration is to get as many pics as I can of the art, camps, installations, etc - as well as the people there. I adore taking pictures of the human form, and you can rest assured I'll be just as happy taking naked photos of huge hairy men as well as shapely, pretty women. I look for interest and impact in my photos, and I hate to think that I'll need to specifically avoid taking photos of women, or pointing my camera even in the general direction of places that happen to have women around, for fear of being branded a "Yahoo" or pervert.

I have no problem at all asking people for permission, though honestly it does suck a bit because people ALWAYS look more unnatural when they know a camera is pointed at them (I'm praying that a lot of the openness at BM will help a bit in this regard though, maybe people will remain relaxed.)

Perhaps it would help to walk around shirtless myself and have a big "I AM NOT JUST TAKING PICTURES OF YOUR TITS" across my chest? Seems more offensive and presumptuous to me to have to do that - but again, I'm just not sure how to best handle this. Is my best bet to just grow a thick skin and just be comfortable knowing that I'm not doing this to get my wank on later, or to post explicit stuff in public, etc. etc., and just deal with any derision?

One of the parts that kinda bums me out the most is people saying to just keep the camera at home and just experience the event. To me, taking pictures IS experiencing the event - of course I plan on meeting people, putting the camera down, and participating however I can as a newbie... but for some people to be so outright hostile towards photographers strikes me as a bit oppressive - like there is only a specific way to properly experience BM, and that having a lens around precludes it.

[Boijoy]

Burning Man is a photographers "wet dream". Bring the camera and don't worry about it. You will be so busy taking pictures of the beautiful landscape ( esp. at dawn ) art, art cars, etc. that you won't even notice the tits. ( but your gonna notice the tits ) :-)
You might consider asking permission for those "close ups". It IS respectful & most people won't say no..
See ya on the Playa!! I'll be looking for some doof with an expensive, dusty camera!!

[ZaphodBurner]

I guess my point is this - I love taking photos, and I'd like to know exactly how much crap I should expect to receive for doing so. I'm not trying to sell these or wank to them,
...
One of the parts that kinda bums me out the most is people saying to just keep the camera at home and just experience the event.

Well, nobody's going to give you crap about photographing art, and probably not performances except for Critical Tits. Photography -is- art. The openness you speak of on the playa exists there, which is exactly why you shouldn't be afraid to ask people if you can take their picture. Bring a notepad and offer to send them a copy if they give you their info.
They may not be as "natural" but you're more likely to shoot them willingly expressing themselves the way they want to be seen, and there's certainly no shortage of naturally photogenic creatures on the playa who don't mind being photographed. You'll run out of film first.

Assuming you're NOT a pervert, by Friday afternoon you'll know exactly who everybody is bitching about. It would be interesting to see somebody shoot a shirtcocker gallery of those people, although if you wanted to lead by example you'd ask for their permission.

In terms of experiencing the event, that means that, like Mardi Gras, a whole bunch if not most of "it" is interpersonal and can't be captured on film.

Lastly, people are a whole hell of a lot friendlier to each other on the playa than they are here.

-c

[EB]

Burning Man rules say you can't take somebody's picture if they don't want you to. First Amendment says otherwise.

Critical Tits is a spectacle and, as such, enjoys no reasonable expectation of privacy. Snap away.

That said, I'm not an aspiring professional photographer and I choose NOT to take pictures of the ladies riding by. It takes me "out of the moment" and would just feel pervy.

But if I WERE a photog-in-training, damn straight, I'd have my camera out, loaded for bear (bare?) and taking as many pictures as I needed. What would Jimmy Olson Do? Yet, I might ask you to take a deeper look at the event. It's a spectacle which unfolds some unique characters and stories: There's the shy girl with her not-so-shy-friends, there's the overprotective boyfriend/husband who runs around scowling at the photographers, there's the pimps who try to steer the girls to their "post ride" parties.

Among the bare breasts, there's plenty of naked boobs, if you take my meaning. Don't forget to photograph them, too.

[motskyroonmatick]

If you ever get that feeling of ...Um maybe they did not want their picture taken just now...Just ask if they mind and if they do delete the picture while in their presence.
Last year at the big rig jig after a terrible dust storm a topless woman rode in to the end of a video shot I did. There were topless women everywhere as the critical party was winding down. I had that feeling that I should ok it with her. I walked up and told her she was in the last few seconds of video I just shot. She was ok with it but made it clear that if I shot critical tits or it was commercial then it was not ok.

[Zulegoona]

At the gathering before the ride there is a large gathering of riders and a number of photographers many riders happily give their permission . Others seem to have showed up with the intention of getting even for a lifetime of mistreatment by men . Be respectful! don’t jump out in front of riders, Don’t give anyone good reason to want to break your camera.
Consider the images you take will not be seen by people “other than burnersâ€

[Marscrumbs]

Anybody with a camera at Critical Tits is a perv. Else just have fun and shoot art and performances which includes the constumed perverts.

[theCryptofishist]

Some attendees come from fairly conservative families, jobs, towns and having their photos in playa glory might cause embarrassment, or worse. Be respectful.

[Captain Goddammit]

It might be worth mentioning that you'll want to be prepared to protect your gear from fierce dust storms. You'll need to be able to completely seal your stuff air-tight. Big zip-lock bags work well. A good Burning Man dust storm will defeat a regular camera bag.

[JezebelinHell]

And for the love of god, DON'T CHANGE LENSES! Seriously. Your camera will never recover.

[Captain Goddammit]

What she said! Seriously! Really do not change lenses, for real.

[Fried_Eagle_Mind]

Also I hear it is best to use a prime lens.
Dust gets in the barrel of a zoom lens and will never move quite the same.

[thirt33n]

Anybody with a camera at Critical Tits is a perv. Else just have fun and shoot art and performances which includes the constumed perverts.

mars, i know what you mean but i totally disagree. I've seen some pics of the tits ride that have made me feel warm inside. and that had nothing to do with the tits and i'm pretty sure the photographic goal was not based out of perversion.

hey maethlin- don't worry so much. it does you no good. take a deep breath and smile. you're about to do something amazing. keep both eyes open. or all three if you can.

[JezebelinHell]

I (as a female) have never taken issue with someone on the playa taking my picture. I think if you plan on posting a picture somewhere, and it involves nudity, then you should really make sure you have permission. Otherwise, snap away. I know what the BM rules say, but this guy:

is a good friend of mine/ my former roommate. He wasn't told this picture was being taken, no one asked his permission, and he only found out it was up on the site because one of his other friends saw it. He thought it was awesome, and there are certainly no hard feelings, but clearly not all of BM's photographers follow the rules they lay out for us since the image is posted on the main site as well as on the Burning Blog. It's a hectic event, and you don't always have time to get express written permission from someone while you're trying to capture a moment.

[maethlin]

Thanks so much for the replies!

Seems there's a range of opinions and while it's obvious to just use "common sense" - there's also a range of senses, common and uncommon, to consider. Will definitely try to relax and not worry about it too much and communicate as best I can if I think there may be trouble. Thanks for all the kind words and well-wishes.

Also, I do plan on putting together a ziploc bag contraption to let me shoot the camera without even taking it out of the case. If the dust isn't too bad in calm air, I pay pull it out but I'll definitely be wary as I've seen no end of warnings about the insanely clingy and persistent dust. Sadly, I can't limit myself to a Prime lens while also avoiding lens changes - I mean I can but I'd miss so many shots... I'll just have to be as careful as I can with my Zooms and keep their dust exposure to a minimum (and pay to have them professionally cleaned when I return.) =)

[actiongrl]

Jezebel, for a photo like that where you cannot recognize the subject, there is no legal reason a release is needed to use the photo publicly, and we wouldn't require one if we were asked permission to use it anywhere else.

[JezebelinHell]

Actually, his tattoos made him pretty recognizable to everyone who knew him. No worries though, because like I said, he was stoked about the whole thing. He's not a shy boy.

[maethlin]

It's a great picture.

[Captain Goddammit]

I don't know if you have an RV of any sort, but if you do then here's how to make a dust-free environment at BM, so you can take apart whatever sensitive stuff you want; search Craigslist for an old Rainbow vacuum. Those are the ones that you fill with water - they suck the air through the water instead of a bag. They make the most effective playa dust filter I've ever seen. Seal up your rig tight. Tape over all hatches, window seams, caulk anything that could allow dust by. Run the A/C instead of opening windows, and run the Rainbow when you need to clean the air..

I do this and it works!

[dr.placebo]

I pretty much agree with the above responses, although I've used a modest zoom lens (28-135 IS) with a low-end Canon DSLR for the past 3 years without problems. In most cases it's better to risk damage to a zoom lens than it is to virtually ensure damage by changing lenses.

If you can honestly say that you are being respectful and are asking for permission wherever possible then you've essentially covered the bases. There is enough angst about Critical Tits that it's best to not bring a camera anywhere close, but otherwise I think that you'll find that respect and mindfulness will keep you out of trouble.

Most people on the playa are quite picture friendly, I've found. In many cases they've worked on their costume (and even skin is a costume) and are happy to have it be seen. Even those who happily say "Yes" like to be asked, though. And for those who have modesty (or fear nasty social consequences) it really sucks to have someone with a camera who won't hear "No."

[gyre]

Critical tits might be interesting if everyone involved could make up their mind whether it's a parade or not.

Until then, there are plenty of other things to see.

Maybe it's an american thing?

[RedheadBarbie]

[quote="maethlin"]Perhaps it would help to walk around shirtless myself and have a big "I AM NOT JUST TAKING PICTURES OF YOUR TITS" across my chest? [/quote]

I'm a photog too and really considered unloading my tickets because of all of the hostility towards cameras. I've read that they douse you in water, purposely hit you, and one psycho attached barbed wire to his bike and was ramming it into the photogs at CT. I will NOT ever consider attending CT because of the attacks and because insecure women equals catty bitchyness.

I am going to paint across my chest something to tell the photogs to take a pic of my tits as protest for the attitude.

[betrdanevr]

Critical tits might be interesting if everyone involved could make up their mind whether it's a parade or not.

I have to agree with you.

I'm a female child of the 60's/70's, and I haven't made it to BM yet and have tenative plans to make it in maybe a couple years. But I'm really surprised about the reaction to photographs!

I don't get it. Not at all. It is called a parade. I take it that none of us were raised in a vacuum.

I say if you don't want "it" looked at or photographed, keep it covered. There are thousands of people of the opposite sex. D'oh. Some of them are camera buffs. Some of them are likely also rude, and that's to be expected.

And if you want the freedom of having the cool breeze blowing through it like a York Peppermint Patty but want it to be kept just between you and the other girls, then experience that in a closed group where you're "safer."

Just being pragmatic here, I think . . .

[Ron]

Bring your camera, get permission before you snap, and be prepared both for dust and for crap from the participants no matter how careful and considerate you are.

Folk, Burningman is as much about attitude as it as about anything. You will bump into people who will give you crap about what you are wearing, what you are riding, how "involved," you seem to be, and just about anything else you can think of. From photographers to tourists, people who the drunks don't like will get an earful from those drunks if they come to enough burns. Don't let that stop you, would be my put.

So include considering how you'll deal with someone who yells, "PUT THE FRIGGIN' CAMERA DOWN, TOURIST, AND EXPERIENCE THE BURN!" as they pass by on an MV as much as you consider how you'll deal with the dust and how you'll get permission to shoot, would be my put, as the odds of you running into such a loudmouth are very close to the odds of you having to deal with dust, IME.

Ron

PS My first year I had an entire crew on playa shooting a documentary on a major art project. We had multiple high end video and still cameras and found that with work it's possible to have good gear on playa and experience no dust problems. We cleaned every camera, every night, in the RV with the AC running as a dust filter and when we got home the cameras were fine.

[mk-ultra]

As everyone else has said above -- the easiest way to make sure nobody feels taken advantage of or put-off by your photography is to simply smile, say hello, and ask, "do you mind if I take your picture?" Make the photography something fun and interactive -- not just lurking and snapping. Get to know the people you're photographing.

I can only think of one instance in the last 10 years of taking photographs where someone said they'd rather not be photographed. I'm more than happy to oblige.

One thing I do that people really like is I carry a bunch of cards with my name and e-mail address on them. When I snap something like a portrait photo, I say thank you -- write the exposure number (or timestamp) on the card and give it to them -- and tell them I'm happy to send them a copy if they'd like one. This way you give while indulging your hobby

I've made a lot of new friends with those cards over the years.

[betrdanevr]

That's a great idea to offer to send a picture!

[PlayaPunk]

Thanks for this great thread, I will be a first time burner and photography is top in my list for attending BM. I could only experience it by having a camera and avid photographers understand this. Having said that, as an artist I have a project I want to work on and ultimately I would like to share the images on the web as so many others have. If someone asked to take your photo and then to sign a release, would you be put off by it? The release is a simple paragraph and has room for an email addy so i can send images after the burn.

For me the release is important as I had a situation years ago where I took a photo and presented it online, with the subjects verbal consent. It was a simple portrait, but I was asked to take it down and threatened with legal action after the fact.

All images would be non nude, but a shirt cockers project sounds pretty funny.

[Harpman]

I believe anyone shooting with anything that looks even remotely like a professional camera, is supposed to register with BMO. It's in the survival guide somewhere.

[gyre]

I volunteered to run a betacam for the org my first year and they wouldn't use me until I had been one year.
Too bad.
I would have loved it my first year.

After that, I am unwilling to spend that much time focusing on a camera.
I would still love to take more photos, but I am unwilling to take the time now.
You may feel differently.

When I am home I wish I had more photos.
But there is a price to taking them.

[Harpman]

I always take 3 or 4 of those disposable cameras. They hold up very well in the dust. When I get home, I have CDs made instead of prints. I have found that the pictures that have the most value for me, are those of myself and my friends. There are so many great pictures taken by pro and semi pro photographers on-line after the event, that it really makes no sense for me to be a shutterbug.