Qype Party and Ghost Walk: the photography event

Once again Qype have produced a great little event to entertain us. An evening based at the very pleasant Hop Cellars, and including a potter around London’s riverside with some bloomin good stories. Click on the links for my Qype reviews of the event and the venue. I hope to do a separate review of the walk later…

A great evening, and no real complaints, but for me the amount of photography going on did end up being an annoyance. I don’t really want to come out ‘against’ it, as I know many people enjoy the pictures. Plus, heck, Qype lays on these events, and it’s good for them for there to be loads of pictures. But it did become an annoyance for me, and I can’t help wondering if I was the only one? It would be a shame if some folks ended up keeping away from these events because they don’t want flashes going off in their faces every few minutes.

I’m sort of agnostic about getting my picture taken. I don’t mind the odd one, but when it comes to Qype I do sort of like to be a bit anonymous. That’s why I don’t have my picture on my Qype profile. It reduces the chance a venue is going to recognise me the moment I walk through the door (as if they would! Maybe I just like playing the big reviewer!) Also when taking pictures myself I’m careful about other people. Sometimes you can’t avoid getting them in (I do try…), but if you see someone actually featured in my pictures then I’ve asked if they mind being on a website. I think it’s common courtesy and I sort of expect it of other photographers too.

So on this night out I found myself constantly moving to avoid the lens of one photographer in particular. At times it felt like he was actually trying to catch me out. Maybe just being a little obsessive on my part, but if true then really out of order as far as I’m concerned. I also felt for the guy leading the walk, though he didn’t complain. Every place we stopped he had flashes in his face several times. Then the camera would be turned on the crowd. I mean, did the picture really change that much according to which brick wall folks were standing against? I can understand taking pictures of locations. But nope, this guy just wanted to take pictures of people at every stop. Obsessive, catalogued, recording rather than art if you ask me. OK, I know that the more pictures you take, the more chance of getting that really good one. But sometimes it really is better to get a few pics then relax and enjoy, and actually experience, an event.

Remember too that this is outside at night. Of course with streetlights everywhere it wasn’t too dark. But I still feel that camera flashes are not going to help with any possibility of adjusting to the dark and seeing into dark corners. Low lighting makes the flashes more unpleasant too.

You could fairly argue that any Qype event is a media event and anyone there is fair game for the Qype papparazi. Yep, though it’s a point I think bears discussion. What do the folks attending really want? For or against constant heavy photography? It’s seems to be becoming more and more socially accepted that certain categories of people are fair game for photography, whatever they say. Including all celebrities and attendees at some events. On the other hand I’ve been to quite a few SF conventions with actors attending, and at those it’s not considered polite to blind the guests. The general rule is that during talks flash photography is allowed just for the first few minutes. If you see a guest in the corridors you ask before taking a picture. At autograph sessions pictures may be with the guest only, permission only, or totally banned. Maybe we need some ground rules at Qype events too? Discussion welcome…