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buckeyephoto

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Tonight I was at a girls H.S. basketball game. I was under one basket and there was another photographer under the opposite basket. From what I could see through my zoom, his camera was a DSLR of some type; but here's the kicker....he was using a flash. It was a distraction through my lens so I can imagine it was a distraction for the girls shooting. Question is...Is this wrong/unethical for a photographer to be using a flash for indoor sports? If so, would it be wrong of me to say something to him?

P.S. He was wearing an I.D. badge, so I may assume he was with a local paper.
 
buckeyephoto said:
sports? If so, would it be wrong of me to say something to him?
Click to expand...
Yes, but not wrong to speak to the school officials who are in charge of the event. Ask if flash photography is allowed and, if not, ask them to police the situation better.

--mamallama
 
buckeyephoto said:
Tonight I was at a girls H.S. basketball game. I was under one
basket and there was another photographer under the opposite
basket. From what I could see through my zoom, his camera was a
DSLR of some type; but here's the kicker....he was using a flash.
It was a distraction through my lens so I can imagine it was a
distraction for the girls shooting. Question is...Is this
wrong/unethical for a photographer to be using a flash for indoor
sports? If so, would it be wrong of me to say something to him?

P.S. He was wearing an I.D. badge, so I may assume he was with a
local paper.
Click to expand...
"Unethical"? hmmm, not the word I'd use. "Poor judgement" might be a a better description. What would he do if the school officials took umbridge with his use of the flash and expelled and/or banned him? School officials should do so if he's interfering with the game. He could be out of a job, if he's banned from sporting events at the schools. And whether it's wrong to say anything, I'd leave to your judgement. I don't know whether I could figure out how to suggest he refrain from flashing the players as they try to score without causing bad feelings; it'd be very dicey at the least.

ECM
 
buckeyephoto said:
Tonight I was at a girls H.S. basketball game. I was under one
basket and there was another photographer under the opposite
basket. From what I could see through my zoom, his camera was a
DSLR of some type; but here's the kicker....he was using a flash.
It was a distraction through my lens so I can imagine it was a
distraction for the girls shooting. Question is...Is this
wrong/unethical for a photographer to be using a flash for indoor
sports? If so, would it be wrong of me to say something to him?

P.S. He was wearing an I.D. badge, so I may assume he was with a
local paper.
Click to expand...
Local photographer standing under the visitors' basket with a flash?

Perhaps the coach hired him....

--
bob

Sleepers
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Travel Galleries
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Flash at a basketball game is not unethical, immoral or at all a problem, except maybe for the OP shooter who seems put out. On camera flash may not be the best solution for "realistic" images, but it's been used since the invention of the flashbulb until today without a problem. I started shooting basketball in high school using a Speed Graphic and a Heiland strobe with a reflector the size of a saucer and a wet-battery pack that weighed about the same as a VW car battery. I've used flashbulbs (how about those Press 25s) and a variety of smaller strobes with TLR and SLR cameras for indoor sports throughout the '60s. This isn't meant to be bragging or reminiscing about the "old days," but to show that never once was there a problem with a flash going off. Everyone did it, it was expected if the sport was to be shown in the newspapers, and there weren't any difficulties. And photographers were smart enough to stay out of the way during fast breaks!
 
I have this thread in another forum also.

Thanks for all the advice. It seems that this is "split decision." (Pardon the sports pun). I used my new Canon EF 50/1.4 that came in Thursday and (to my surprise when I got home yesterday, Friday) my new Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 and had no problems shooting without flash. Shot some real nice pics, about 15-20% keepers.

But from now on, I will ask the Athletic Directors, Coaches, and Officials about positioning and flashes (if needed).
 
Fred Klaiss said:
Flash at a basketball game is not unethical, immoral or at all a
problem, except maybe for the OP shooter who seems put out. On
camera flash may not be the best solution for "realistic" images,
but it's been used since the invention of the flashbulb until today
without a problem. I started shooting basketball in high school
using a Speed Graphic and a Heiland strobe with a reflector the
size of a saucer and a wet-battery pack that weighed about the same
as a VW car battery. I've used flashbulbs (how about those Press
25s) and a variety of smaller strobes with TLR and SLR cameras for
indoor sports throughout the '60s. This isn't meant to be bragging
or reminiscing about the "old days," but to show that never once
was there a problem with a flash going off. Everyone did it, it was
expected if the sport was to be shown in the newspapers, and there
weren't any difficulties. And photographers were smart enough to
stay out of the way during fast breaks!
Click to expand...
Nail on the head there.

I'd like to add....I played basketball all through high school and a few other sports and i have NEVER been bothered by a flash or photographer. If your an athlete and this sort of thing bothers you then you might find yourself on the bench soon. When your in the zone all you see are whats going on in the game.

I've shot flash at sporting events and with quite good results. I've never noticed any of the crowds being bothered by flash either. With all the cheap disposables going off who's to noticed another flash?

The only time I've seen this discussion is in these forums. Its a topic that makes me stare at the monitor and shake my head LOL.
--
***********************************************************
Rudi - Phounder Of The Phart ... CATS member #100 > ^..^
My Homepage: http://www.pbase.com/rudiman
My Pharts: http://www.pbase.com/rudiman/pharts
Favorites: http://www.pbase.com/rudiman/my_favorites
Alaskan Cruise 2004: http://www.pbase.com/rudiman/alaska
Everything in my galleries, God Made. Its just my job to show them.
***********************************************************
 
I don't like using flash with indoor sports, I hate the deer in the headlight look. My editor (I am a staff photog for my local daily) wants flash, so I use it unless it isn't allowed.

I used to think that it would bother the players, but I have asked many of them and most say that they never notice it. I set my ISO to 1600 and aperture to 2.8, I only use the flash for fill, which actually emits very little light.
I still don't like using it, but not my call.

--
Scott W. McClure

http://www.couriernews.com

'You only get one sunrise and one sunset a day and you only get so many days on the planet. A good photographer does the math and doesn't waste either.'... The Late Galen Rowell
 
...they would have zero inhibitions against doing something about it ON THE SPOT.

I guarantee you that.

--
RDKirk
'TANSTAAFL: The only unbreakable rule in photography.'
 
I was using a Mamiya Century press with a Strobonar IV flash unit...and that 12-pound battery pack.

--
RDKirk
'TANSTAAFL: The only unbreakable rule in photography.'
 
Rudiman said:
I'd like to add....I played basketball all through high school and
a few other sports and i have NEVER been bothered by a flash or
photographer. If your an athlete and this sort of thing bothers you
then you might find yourself on the bench soon. When your in the
zone all you see are whats going on in the game.

I've shot flash at sporting events and with quite good results.
I've never noticed any of the crowds being bothered by flash
either. With all the cheap disposables going off who's to noticed
another flash?

The only time I've seen this discussion is in these forums. Its a
topic that makes me stare at the monitor and shake my head LOL.
Click to expand...
It depends on the sport. Even at a younger level, try using flash at a gymnastics meet and you'll be tossed. At least at all the meets I've been to in the midwest.

Maureen
 
I was at a drum majorettes competition once, only as a visitor and my friend whose daughter was competing was using P&S camera to do some snaps of her. She is not very clued up with settings of the camera so she used it without knowing what and how to set and a couple of times used the flash as well. The officials asked the audience (there were some other flashes visible also) not to use the flash as it disturbs the girls executing their routine.

Just my 2 cents

Regards

Fredy

--
You don't take a photograph, you make it.
Ansel Adams
 
Mareda said:
Rudiman said:
I'd like to add....I played basketball all through high school and
a few other sports and i have NEVER been bothered by a flash or
photographer. If your an athlete and this sort of thing bothers you
then you might find yourself on the bench soon. When your in the
zone all you see are whats going on in the game.

I've shot flash at sporting events and with quite good results.
I've never noticed any of the crowds being bothered by flash
either. With all the cheap disposables going off who's to noticed
another flash?

The only time I've seen this discussion is in these forums. Its a
topic that makes me stare at the monitor and shake my head LOL.
Click to expand...
It depends on the sport. Even at a younger level, try using flash
at a gymnastics meet and you'll be tossed. At least at all the
meets I've been to in the midwest.
Click to expand...
Yes, not all sports are alike. Bowling is another one.

--
***********************************************************
Rudi - Phounder Of The Phart ... CATS member #100 > ^..^
My Homepage: http://www.pbase.com/rudiman
My Pharts: http://www.pbase.com/rudiman/pharts
Favorites: http://www.pbase.com/rudiman/my_favorites
Alaskan Cruise 2004: http://www.pbase.com/rudiman/alaska
Everything in my galleries, God Made. Its just my job to show them.
***********************************************************
 
In my newspaper experience, flash has been the norm for indoor sports since newspapers went to color. Not to mention the many years before 35mm Tri-X came along. (If you think todays flashes are distracting, you ought to see a press 25 bulb go off. Those suckers could leave you seeing spots for an hour.)

The papers I worked for went to flash when they switched to color film -- the production department couldn't get decent print quality from available light on color film. We were already using on-camera flash at the smaller schools, where the gyms were too dark for 1600 Tri-X. For color negs, we'd set up a 400 WS power pack near the corner, with one head in the end about backboard high and another a few feet up the side, then work the corner between the two heads. Later, papers got fancier and many of them mounted flash heads semi-permanently in the rafters.

I agree with the other posts: With all that goes on a a basketball game -- or most sporting events -- any player who is going to be distracted by a little flash is never going to make the team.

--
J.R.

Somewhere south of Amarillo

http://jrsprawls.com
http://fotolocus.com
 
buckeyephoto said:
Tonight I was at a girls H.S. basketball game. I was under one
basket and there was another photographer under the opposite
basket. From what I could see through my zoom, his camera was a
DSLR of some type; but here's the kicker....he was using a flash.
It was a distraction through my lens so I can imagine it was a
distraction for the girls shooting. Question is...Is this
wrong/unethical for a photographer to be using a flash for indoor
sports? If so, would it be wrong of me to say something to him?

P.S. He was wearing an I.D. badge, so I may assume he was with a
local paper.
Click to expand...
--

Let me tell you first hand. I am a licensed High School Basketball official and I can assure you it is not acceptable to use flash photography DURING THE GAME. If I see that being done, I will first ask the photographer to turn off his flash unit. If it continues, we have the authority to remove the photographer from the gymnasium. I don't really know about the unethical part, but it is definately a distraction to the players. Most photographers know that the use of a flash is disruptive and prohibited during the contest. Flash is allowed, before, during intermissions, or after the games, but not during.

Hope that clarifies your question.

Conrad 'Bye Bye' Birdie
 
Hmm, based solely on my observations I would say your call on flash in not typical. Over many years I have oabserved and shot games in several states. In most of the cases we were allowed to use flash. In fact I cannot honestly remember one time in a basketball game where it was not allowed. But, as in every sporting event I shoot. I do whatever the ref asks as I do feel it is their call to make.
 
and who or what grants you that authority? Is it the same body that grants me an accreditation as a photographer?

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate it flash photography is not always OK, but if the venue or the ticket does not specify photography or flash photography is prohibited your say so is baseless.

--
Ted Szukalski

Photographic gallery: http://www.digital-photo.com.au/
 
jamesdak said:
Hmm, based solely on my observations I would say your call on flash
in not typical. Over many years I have oabserved and shot games in
several states. In most of the cases we were allowed to use flash.
In fact I cannot honestly remember one time in a basketball game
where it was not allowed. But, as in every sporting event I shoot.
I do whatever the ref asks as I do feel it is their call to make.
Click to expand...
He's the first i've heard of or seen mention it also. Is this a new thing just starting out maybe?

Believe me those players or most spectators do not notice the flashes, its just a few photographers that do.
--
***********************************************************
Rudi - Phounder Of The Phart ... CATS member #100 > ^..^
My Homepage: http://www.pbase.com/rudiman
My Pharts: http://www.pbase.com/rudiman/pharts
Favorites: http://www.pbase.com/rudiman/my_favorites
Alaskan Cruise 2004: http://www.pbase.com/rudiman/alaska
Everything in my galleries, God Made. Its just my job to show them.
***********************************************************
 
Ted.Sz said:
and who or what grants you that authority? Is it the same body that
grants me an accreditation as a photographer?
Click to expand...
I believe the event organizers have the authority in all cases. Such rules and restrictions should be well displayed and known beforehand and not left to the whim of a participant such as a referee or player.

--mamallama
 
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