Is it an ethics issue?

[timethief]

Ok so this is what happened.

I was at a photo gallery today. it was nealry empty, just me and the door man.
I was wondering around inside and went down to a section which i think was not open to public. but there were some pieces there and i wanted to see them.
when i was down and looking around some lady comes up to me and says "hi sorry for the mess".
there were some photos and cut outs and some paintings and brushes on the floor.
i said "dont worry its no problem I am sorry if i intruded". I was carrying my camera bag with me. so she asked me if i take photos. I said i do, and she asked me if i could take a few pictures of her while she was working, she needed them. Apparently she was the photographer/artist whose work was on display and she was preparing for the opening she has in a few days. I said i would do it gladly.

ok so here is where it got a bit awkward. She handed over her camera (nikon d70) and asked me to get her and some background that she wanted. She said all the settings are ready and all i needed to do is take a few pictures. I offered to shoot the pictures with my cam and she said no mine is fine. The lighting in the room was poor and there was no external flash.

I looked at the settings and i didnt like them at all. and i inadvertently played around with the settings and took a few pictures, she said they looked pretty good.. We talked for a while, then i left. As i was leaving i found a booklet and started reading. Apparently she has had more then 50 international shows. Thinking back on it I think she might have been pissed becuase i played with her settings?

Was it wrong of me ? What do professionals do in simillar situtations if there might be any?

 

[Village Idiot]

If I would have been in your situation and actually used her camera, then I would have changed the settings to get the appropriate shots.

However, If I were in your situation to start with, I'd use my own gear and lighting and get paid for it.

By the way, those images are copyrighted to you.

 

[timethief]

If I would have been in your situation and actually used her camera, then I would have changed the settings to get the appropriate shots.

However, If I were in your situation to start with, I'd use my own gear and lighting and get paid for it.

By the way, those images are copyrighted to you.

Thanks, i didnt think of the copyright issue.
That d70 is really terrible. and i think it was a kit lens. I use the d90 and i was still confused with that thing. I insisted on using my cam bust she just kept on asking for hers.
She said she normally uses film. I cant say i liked her work.

 

[Overread]

I'd probably have taken the camera - shot the shots and not worried or cared much beyond that. If the settings were way off I'd probably have chatted to her about them and my concern (because I've no idea how to change settings on a nikon - I tried once..... it was scary fiddly - so she'd have to tell me how to change them )

As for her demanding that you use hers its makes perfect sense - she might have just needed a few quick snaps that very moment rather than have to wiat for some stranger to maybe upload the shots onto somewhere online.

As for copyright and other factors - meh - I would probably consider it more rude to demand payment after the fact in such a situation. Unless you're a highly published and well known top photographer I doubt that she was after "pro" pictures on the cheap.
If you were to have mentioned payment I'm betting she'd have walked on by and got the security chap to take a few snaps because that was the level she was after.

 

[David Dvir]

You should have just taken the photos and used her settings. For all you know she may have wanted a poorly lit shot, if someone says "the settings are good to go" then just take them. Doesn't sound like she wanted any help, just a person to hit the shutter. If you don't like her work, or the settings that's fine, but if you're going to "help" someone, perhaps just do what they ask and if the photos are poor, it's her own fault, but she'd know that.

 

[Christie Photo]

Is it an ethics issue?

Sounds to me more like an ego issue. Most of us (photographers) have strong egos. It's a hard thing to learn how to give the help that's requested and not the help we deem fit. It comes with age... and being married... and raising children... etc.

Do give it any more thought. Just find gratification that you could do something to help another.

As for copyrights, payment, and thoughts like that.... well... that doesn't come from a spirit of helping.

-Pete

 

[Derrel]

Just let it slide right on by. It's all in the past now. You've got a good story out of it.

 

[timethief]

I dont have any issues with getting payment or having any copyright or what not. I was glad to be of help. it was an experience. And it didnt cross my mind at the time to debate if i should change the settings or not. I just did it as a reflex.
I mean if it had crossed my mind at the time i would probably have shot with her settings. And like overread said, she was in a hurry. getting ready for a show in two days. so she wanted something quick probably.
I mean come to think of it if i was in her place i might have been pissed off. She probably handled it better than i would ever have.
Anyway i am going to go to her show probably. So i will ask what she thinks then.
Thanks guys.

Sem .

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Is it an ethics issue?

Sounds to me more like an ego issue. Most of us (photographers) have strong egos. It's a hard thing to learn how to give the help that's requested and not the help we deem fit. It comes with age... and being married... and raising children... etc.

Do give it any more thought. Just find gratification that you could do something to help another.

As for copyrights, payment, and thoughts like that.... well... that doesn't come from a spirit of helping.

-Pete

:thumbup:


You people need to relax. And learn to enjoy life as well as enjoy meeting other artists. There is a time to charge and there is a time to fooking forget about it.