No Flash Pictures Please --- Redux

[pixiewings71]

I think I know they guy who kept taking flash pictures! His picture is posted at my school's neuroscience lab:

It's pretty much official...I love you....LOL You are cracking me up on this thread!

 

[Kittyskyfish]

It's pretty much official...I love you....LOL You are cracking me up on this thread!

Thanks! Sometimes it's easier to pity these camera flashers when you know they have to go through life with the brain they were dealt. D'oh!

 

[pixiewings71]

Thanks! Sometimes it's easier to pity these camera flashers when you know they have to go through life with the brain they were dealt. D'oh!

True, very true.....sometimes it's easy to forget how smrt they really are.....

 

[Gisele]

yes....smart @#$

 

[Belle Ella]

It's been too long! This thread is in need of a bump!

 

[The Orchid]

I take pictures on dark rides without the flash. I don't like the way photos look with a flash so I never use it for any reason. That aside, I honestly don't mind if people use a flash or take video unless they are snapping pictures non stop. If they snap a half a dozen pictures, I don't care. They want to remember their experience. For some people, Disneyland may be a once in a lifetime trip and they want to hold on to everything they do. I can understand that. I would be annoyed if they took dozens of pictures, of course, but a few...I don't honestly care. I'm lucky in that I get to go every year, but many people don't and I really can understand what would make them want the pictures.

Unless people are REALLY acting badly (talking loudly, smoking, letting their kids stand and carry on in the boat), I am uncomfortable if somebody else on the boat starts to "police" other people. I just don't see the need to chew somebody out because their flash went off. Oftentimes, a person will say, "flash photography isn't allowed" which, of course, is true. But then the person who was just policed gets angry and says something snarky and then you have a "situation" on the boat. A hostile situation on the boat is, by far, the most disruptive circumstance. It's hard to have a "magical" time when people around you are being snarky or when one passenger feels the need to embarrass or humiliate another passenger. I would take a few flashes a hundred times over verbal fights and snarkiness. THAT sucks the magic dry in a hurry.

 

[Belle Ella]

It may not be a big deal to you, but it is to others. There are ways to remember your experience without (a) ruining the quality of the ride - it's dark for a reasn - or (b) causing pain and discomfort because flash photos in the dark after your eyes have already adjusted is very painful for some people. The best thing to do is just do as instructed and not take flash photos.

 

[The Orchid]

It may not be a big deal to you, but it is to others. There are ways to remember your experience without (a) ruining the quality of the ride - it's dark for a reasn - or (b) causing pain and discomfort because flash photos in the dark after your eyes have already adjusted is very painful for some people. The best thing to do is just do as instructed and not take flash photos.

Don't worry, as I stated, *I* do not take flash pictures on ride. I don't like how flash looks on virtually any picture. My sincerest apologies if my opinion offends you. Just remember, it is just that. An opinion. I said that it doesn't bother me. I did not at any point in my post say that people should take flash pictures...simply that it doesn't bother me when people do. It's one of those little things in life to me and I just don't care. As I said, I would much prefer to ignore the little inconveniences than to create a scene that would make other people uncomfortable. It's simply not worth it. I don't enjoy hostile environments, especially at Disneyland. I've been on rides where people felt the need to get into it over stupid things like a flash going off and all it accomplishes is to ruin the ride for everybody. But again, that is simply one person's opinion. I can assure all who hate flash photography that I won't be adding to the problem. I simply won't be applauding if you chose to chew somebody on the ride out if their flash goes off.

 

[Belle Ella]

I didn't say your opinion offends me, I'm not quite sure where you got that from, and I understand that we all have our own opinions. Believe me, I don't like making a scene either so I agree woth you there to a point. I'm sure some people make a huge fuss about the flash photography just to be rude just as I'm sure there are some people out there who purposefully take photos with flash not because they want the memory but to irk other people (not saying they are in the majority, but I'm sure they are out there). It's just that in my experience the situation is turned hostile by the 'offenders' (for lack of a better word) than those of us who speak up for ourselves and remind them not to use flash when it does bother us. Because for me and others it's not about wanting to chew someone out but because it really does effect how we view the ride and for me it really, really, really hurts my eyes and leaves me with a bad headache afterwards. I don't understand why everyone can't follow common courtesy and do as directed, because you are specifically told no flash pictures - heck, even the ride says it in the case of POTC (which this happens to me the most on) and the Haunted Mansion. I spoke up once and the girl in front of me I said it to qiote literally turned around and flashed her camer directly in my face - what she did was completely uncalled for and I wouldn't apologize to her or to anyone else for the reminder that we are on a ride in the dark and not the appropriate place for flash photography.

What grates me the most is that it's a rule with no consequence and so it feels almost as though we're told by a lot of people to just deal with it. Well, why can't people just 'deal' with not using their flash at all? It seems every single time I go it just gets worse and worse with more flash photogrpahy going on than before.

 

[The Orchid]

I understand what you are saying completely. I have very sensitive ears and when people scream it really hurts them a lot. I HATE people who go on rides and scream just for giggles. I mean I really dislike that. There is absolutely no point in doing it other than to make other people uncomfortable. But as is true with those who take flash pictures, if you say something to them, you risk a nasty, hostile reaction. People in this day and age are very self-focused and I've seen more than one verbal fight break out when one person reminds another person of the rules. There was one case when two people who were in our Splash Mountain Log started in on each other (one was using the flash and the other said something about it) and they started yelling at each other which ruined it completely for us. Those two actually were still yelling at each other when they got off the ride and were in front of the Pooh store. Security had to come and break it up. It took two years before I could ride that without thinking of that unpleasant incident.

Another reason I prefer to just say nothing is because one time I DID say something. Some idiot was smoking a cigar while walking down the street next to the Muppet attraction. I told him that smoking wasn't allowed and I thought he was going to slit my throat. So at that point, I decided that the only time I am going to say something to somebody is when I am 100% prepared for a conflict. I can only think of one case when I felt that way and that was when a woman cut in front of me and my kid while we were waiting in line to see a character. But that is a story for another thread. Ugh.

Honestly, people scare me. When you go up to somebody and lecture them about the rules, you run the risk of getting cussed out at best and physically knocked around at worst. I find that no matter how gently somebody tell somebody else what the rules are, it almost always produces an aggressive reaction. So I have learned to just ignore the little things. I hate the screamers, but I know that they only show up on a few rides on any given trip so I just close it out, take something for the headache, and get back in line so I can ride again and enjoy it. No, it's not right that it has to be that way, but there is nothing I can do to stop the screamers and I'm sorry to say, there is nothing you can do to stop all the flash photography. I find it easier to admit defeat on these kinds of issues and learn to deal with it without letting my anger and resentment get the better of me. There's nothing to ruin a ride more than sitting there simmering through the whole thing. That's all I meant by my post. And to some degree, I do find that it helps to try and think of reasons why people engage in behavior that is offensive. Sometimes when you try to figure out reasons for such things, it takes some of the resentment away a little and it makes life easier. But that is just my opinion.

 

[Belle Ella]

Oh man, totally OT, but all that comes to mind about the whole reminding people of the rules and getting aggression back was this one time I was driving home and had the right of way to turn onto my street and some idiot at a stop sign decides to gun it for the road I had to cross. I have enver been so close to an accident in my life and I honked my horn and yelled inside my car more out of surprise and fear. The next thing I know I'm parked across the stree from my house and the same guy followed me home, got out of his car, and was screaming bloody murder at me. I don't think I;ve ever been so scared in my life. Never would have happened if (a) guy didn't feel like he woened the road, (b) guy didn't have anger issues, and (c) people followed the rules of the road. I agree with you 100% about how people nowadays are totally centered around themselves. Not everybody, obviously, but it's always 'me' who comes first and if 'I' want to do this, screw what anybody else thinks.

I wish the whole flash photography thing doesn't bother me as much as it does. I have those other pet peeves around the Parks as well (the screaming for not reason other than screaming, etc.) that I overlook as well, but for me flash photography isn't a small pet peeve, it's a big one. Maybe I'll blame the genius who took a flash photo of the Blue Bayou while I was eating my lunch by myself and I was situated directly across from where the boat was at a waterside table. Maybe I've been holding a hugr gruge since then, lol.

But I guess this is why I like keeping this thread bumped - what is the saying ... "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"? Something like that. The more people who know not to do it for any reason (cruddy photos, against the rules, painful on eyes, etc.) before, the better.

 

[The Orchid]

OMG That is scary! What is WRONG with people these days? I'm glad you got out of that ok. That is just awful. I don't understand why people have such bad tempers that they have to stalk somebody over a mild traffic issue....but they do. You hear of this all the time and unfortunately sometimes the outcome is far worse. I'm glad the idiot didn't have a gun. That is just terrible. Did he know that you were at your home?

Anyway, the one thing that I wish people knew about flash photography is that it really is a waste of their time. Pictures look awful when flooded with a flash. But it's more than that. The dark ride attractions are meant to be seen in low light. When they are lit up, there goes the magic. I've been on dark rides that have broken down and they turn on all the lights so get people off and omg, it really isn't very nice like that! I would imagine that the flash would suck the magic out of the experience. My camera takes decent pictures in the dark and it wasn't even that expensive (canon sx20). People would be far better off just getting a decent camera and turning the flash off.

 

[pixiewings71]

I don't think most people use the flash out of spite but because they simply have no clue how to use their cameras. BUT when I got my new camera and wasn't sure of the settings I simply did NOT take photos when the flash would go off. And I personally have been reduced to a migraine so bad I was reduced to tears BEFORE PotC was over, I was hiding my face in DBF's chest, he was trying to shield ANY light from getting in and I was crying before the ride was over. It was HORRIBLE and no one should have to worry about that while at DL because someone doesn't know how to use their camera. I understand people want to remember their trip, I have NO problem with that at all, take all the photos you want but please learn how to turn your flash off so you don't inadvertently make someone else's trip/day horrible. DBF kept asking the to stop using their flash and they just kept doing it, it was ridiculous and rude and they laughed as they got off the boat, while DBF helped me off in so much pain I could hardly walk.....

 

[Gisele]

That is just rude........ of those obnoxious guests flashing away.... then laughing about it by the end of the ride. That is just so low class! I hope that you told the CM about it. And that they allowed you to ride again, right then and there, and in the lead boat!

 

[Funball]

That is just rude........ of those obnoxious guests flashing away.... then laughing about it by the end of the ride. That is just so low class! I hope that you told the CM about it. And that they allowed you to ride again, right then and there, and in the lead boat!

i do not like people like that. and oh then when you mention it to them they act like that dont' understand english...

 

[pixiewings71]

We did, we had to because I needed a quiet dark cold place right away to rest. Unfortunately there wasn't anything they could do and DBF had to walk me to the First Aid Station in the bright sun which made it worse. The offenders were gone before DBF could point them out, I think he saw us talking to the CM's and they took off. I spent the next few hours in the FAC crying while DBF got us FPs for rides. The CM's at PotC did offer to send us thru again but it wouldn't have done any good, I would have cried the whole time. Luckily this was a no kids trip and when I finally was able to leave the FAC the nurses there had a front of the line pass for us to use, that was pretty cool, we used it more than once because a few CM's just gave it back to us. Especially after they heard why we got it. I wasn't able to do any coasters for the rest of that day, it was all things like Pirates (which we told the CM what happened and he made sure we got the front row), HM, BLAB, etc etc. We had fun that day but that few hours was really horrible for me. I can't remember how long I was in there, DBF was in and out with me but it felt like forever. lol

 

[Funball]

next time i see a camear flash go off in POTC i will throw that camera in to the water.. just a warning for all ya'll!!

 

[The Orchid]

I think that people tend to respond better when they feel that a request by another person is made because the other person needs help and not because the other person is trying to order them around. For example, I think a person may respond well to, "Excuse me, but I have a TERRIBLE migraine and the flash is hurting my head really bad...would you mind terribly turning the flash off please?" But they may respond like jerks if you say in an authoritative voice, "Camera's are not allowed on dark rides." I'm not saying it is right, but people tend to go on the defensive when something is put to them in an authoritative manner by somebody they do not see as having any right to dictate rules to them. Honestly, if somebody were to tell me something in an authoritative manner, I would probably feel hostile as well, especially if I was unaware of the rule. I find that you catch more bees with honey and that being nice and appealing to a person's better nature is far more effective than telling them what they should do.

I think that you guys should do your best to keep this bumped so more people see it. Frankly, I have found the thread to be educating. I never realized that flashes bothered people or caused migraines before. They don't bother me, and I never realized that something like that could cause real health issues for some people. I would guess that many people are not aware of this fact. Like I said before, I don't use flash, but I've never been bothered by people who do. I've gone to hundreds of concerts and people always take flash pictures (even though I frequently try to tell people that their pics will look MUCH better without the flash, but nobody ever believes me ). Maybe I'm just used to it after all these years. But it really is sad that some people's days are ruined by the flashes.

It's too bad that Disney doesn't enforce the rules. But then they really don't enforce many rules. I have seen people smoking and walking right by CMs and the CMs do nothing about it. Drive me nuts! Same with heely's. They aren't allowed, but I've seen many kids put themselves or others in danger because they are flying low in a populated area. Sometimes CMs tell them they are not allowed, but other times I've seen CMs walk right by and do nothing.

 

[Funball]

Are you joking? They do not respond to “excuse me can you not use to your camera flash I have a migraine”..no . tey just keep doing it…

 

[Gisele]

I too love to loath those offenders that feign not being able to understand english, when you both know that they can perfectly fine.