A guy was kicked out of Halloween Superstore!!!

[iHaunt]

Believe it or not.... why was that???

Check out this link http://www.halloweenforum.com/general-h ... store.html

Did he have the right to take some pics of something in the store or not? I'd like to hear your opinions here.

Thanks!

[Dittomist]

Nah, this doesn't surprise me. Some stores will allow you to take photos but many do not. I remember a few years ago I was working on a short Halloween film and I needed lots of shots of Halloween decorations. I took my camera to a bunch of places--I was asked to leave Spencers, but I don't think anyone at the other stores even noticed me. When you are taking photos in stores, it's wise to be a bit sneaky, and wait until the staff isn't looking.

[Pumpkin_Man]

As a pro photographer who's been in the business for over 26 years, I can tell you in no uncetain terms, that you have ABSOLUTELY NO RIGHT to walk into any place of business and start taking photos, without getting permission from the manager first. There could be many reasons why they wouldn't allow it, not the least of them being that it would make a lot of the customers uncomfortable. The store is also on contract with an add agency to do photos of their merchandise, and if you walk in there with a cell phone camera and start photograhing the various items for sale, that could put them in breach of that conract.

In simple terms, a store is NOT a public place or a public event. it's a PRIVATE business that's opened to the public. The purpose is that customers can come into the store, brous merchandise and make a purchase. If people who don't like being photographed, think they are being photographed against their will, they would leave, and that could be bad for business. It's like walking into any private property. You wouldn't go to a yard or garage sale and just take photos. Why would you walk into a Halloween Superstore and do the same? When I go on my 'haunted road trips," I try to get permission from the owners of the property or the powers that be to take photos and to enter the property. Usualy, abandoned places aren't really cared about, but it's ALLWAYS a good idea to ask first. It's essential when it's a place of busintes to ask first.

Mike

[Spookymufu]

most places dont allow you to take pics, you have to do it on the sly, and why was he taking pics like that anyway, I could understand if he was taking pics of an item he might want or if he sees an item someone he knows might like, but it looked like he was just snapping away pics of the whole store.....I dont have a problem with them kicking him out.

[Pumpkin_Man]

That's the thing. You have to be very prudent about taking photos in a place of business, and it's allways a good idea to ask before you start shooting. If for no other reason, it's just good common curtisy. Now if the guy wanted to take a photo of a Halloween item that he things some friend of relative of his would like, the best way around the legalities and protocols of having to ask permission, is he can purchase that item, bring it home, and then take a photo of it on display at his house. Then he can e-mail the jpeg to his friend or who ever and say: "I just bought this really neat Halloween decoration at Jo Schmoe's Halloween Depot the other day." That way he isn't violating anyone's privacy, he isn't making a nuisence of himself at a place of business, and he isn't putting that place of business at odds with their add agencies who are on contract to photograph all the merchandise that the store in question carries. He's taking a photo of his own house with the addition of a Halloween decoation.

Mike

[Spookymufu]

well, i dont think buying it is a solution unless it's something that you might want as well. My sister likes those life size animated witches, so when I see one I take a pic of it and send it to her with where I saw it and how much, I'm not going to buy one just to send her a pic. I just snap a few pics and thats about it, I dont make a huge spectacle of the act either and I dont do it like I'm the owner of the store. The key is to be low-key and a little sly.
the problem with asking is that you automatically call attention to your self, most times I'm sure they would say "go ahead" but on those occasions they say no you're screwed because now they are watching you....nope, best to be low-key and sly about it

[Pumpkin_Man]

When I said that I meant within reason. If you sister wanted a Rolls Royce, you certainly wouldn't buy it so you could bring it home and take a picture of it, either. I was thinking more along the lines of a fake jack o'lantern, or one of those model witches or skelitons or something like that. Those life size things that cose 30 or 40 bucks, I can understand. Usualy, if it's just a cell phone and you don't blaze away photographing everything in sight, then it isn't a problem. The only thing is that the store is under contract with their advertising agencies, and the worry about how the other customers are going to react if they see a guy shooting a whole photo study of the store and every item in it.

Of course, I don't own a cell phone. My camera is obviously a camera, so there's no way I could "slyly" take photos of anything anywhere. But if I ask, I usualy don't have a problem.

Mike

[iHaunt]

I think it's good idea to ask the manager or the owner for permission first before taking pics.

[MacPhantom]

I say take the pictures. If they throw you out of the store and ban you, at least you have the pictures to remember it by.

[angel222]

if i were a manager, i wouldn't have a problem with it. corporate greed.

[iHaunt]

if i were a manager, i wouldn't have a problem with it. corporate greed.

If I am the owner of my own Halloween store, or my own haunted house then I would not have any problem for some people to take some pics.

[Pumpkin_Man]

iHaunt, what if you were the owner of a haunted attraction that was truely unique, and your competitoin came in, took photographs, stold your ideas and under cut you? Then you would not like some one taking photos, which is why many places of business don't allow picture taking. It saves jobs, every bit as much as it saves corporate proffits. Besides that, if you are in a haunted attraction, where darkness is required to project the images or what ever, and some one sets off a flash to take a photo, that can be dangerous, very distracting and annoying.

Take it from sone one who knows. It's allways a good idea to ask, when ever you want to do a photo shoot at a place of business.

Mike