New (?) Photo Policy on Cruise Shows

[midnitemist]

I know I am not going to be liked for this. But it has always been Disney's policy not to allow photography at the shows. They are not just enforcing it. YEAH!!!! I am glad.

 

[dianthus]

Not only is it annoying & distracting for the audience trying to view a show, but it truly is dangerous for performers on stage ~ especially on a cruise ship that is constantly in motion. I am glad to see they are enforcing it.

My DD noted this on our November cruise. She's a dancer & finds all the flashes from the audience can be blinding & sometimes impossible to see marks needed to hit during a performance. She said not only are they dancing on a moving stage from the motion of the ship, which must be hard to do, but in several shows like Hercules & Disney Dreams the floor opens up. If a performer is blinded by a flash, they could trip, or fall in, as the stage isn't that big when filled with moving performers. You need to look at it through a performer's eyes ...

ThreeCircles is correct about the intellectual property infringement. A few years ago we were in the audience viewing a performance of Phantom on Broadway. We had these yahoos behind us taking pics with a flash constantly in the first few minutes of the show. Two ushers came down the aisle & said very nicely to either give them the camera, which they could pick up after the show, minus the film, or they could be escorted out & be subject to arrest due to intellectual rights infringement. They did not have the Producer's permission to take pictures. During intermission this couple was arguing with Security in the main lobby about the film in the camera, as they had other pics of the city on it. Security was saying their no photography policy was clearly posted and communicated before the show & in the Playbill. They offered to have the film developed at the couple's expense & they could pick up the pictures the next day- the Phantom shots excluded, or they could mail them the non Phantom photos to their home address. We thought they handled very well. Firm, but nicely. These people grumbled like crazy, ruining the show for everyone around them. We wished they did escort them out...

It always amazed me that Disney would tolerate people taking pictures in shows, especially with flashes,with virtually no enforcement at all... KUDOS to the enforcers...

 

[PhotoLisa]

Depending on where you are seated in the theater, your flash does no good to you. Ever been to a football game or seen a bowl game on TV where during the halftime performance, thousands of flashes are going off in the stands? That is the sure fire way to tell that the user of the camera doesn't understand photography. Generally a flash will not illuminate the subject if the subject is beyond 55 meters (shorter distance in most situations depending on camera type and flash unit used).

In order to get good images from any lowlight situation, you will need to increase the ISO of your film or digital camera, steady the camera and use longer shutter speeds and larger apertures.

Just trying to shed a little light on another reason Disney bans flash photography.

Hope this helps you capture better images during a stage production.

When I return on 2/28/04 from our cruise, I'll try to remember to update this post with examples of what I capture. However, if there is a ban on photography due to copyright infringements, I will honor Disney's rights as I don't wish to have anyone making illegal copies of portraits that I create.

 

[bnickle3]

Four years ago, we were at MGM with our two daughters, and we were in the audience for the Doug show. Kate, who was 8 at the time, was picked from the audience to be "Quail Kid" and was taken backstage for a quick run-through and a costume. There were signs in the lobby that stated firmly the "no photography" rule, and the announcer at the beginning restated the rule. After the show, when we went down front to get Kate, the announcer brought her out and asked if we got lots of pictures. Uh, no, we said, we actually followed the rules. So I guess we could have taken pictures, but thought that it would be against the rules, and my anal-retentive husband begins to itch if rules are broken. *g*

I guess there is a difference between rules and rules that are enforced; its just a little game trying to figure out which is which.

Brenda