Hmmm. Guess I’ll stick my head over the parapet. A few thought re Legends and ‘those press photographers’.
I wasn’t there.
I usually have a press pass.
I almost always ‘do’ the line as a press photographer.
I’m always shephereded (wow wot a word!) by a high-viz jacket wearing escort, and up to 3 – 4 other press photographers. Many I’ve never seen before, some I never see again. All those I’ve spoken too in the last couple of years have a good reason to be there. DX PR have tightened up who they let in.
Given that every year I have to provide proof that I’m a (currently) published press photographer, I am sure the same rule applies to all the others. If you can give name and number of someone who shouldn’t be there, Tracey Woods, IWM Duxford is the person to inform. Don’t just guess; as far as I’ve been able to establish, BY ASKING, everyone out there is publicizing Duxford in the broadest sense.
When out there, we ALWAYS are walked behind the aircraft, with a chance to come around to the front for photos. We always seem to go for a brisk pace; leastways changing a film is harder there than during the flying display!
There is a limited ‘slot’ for the press to be out. Septic’s suggestion of earlier & later is one I agree with; but that the moment, that’s how it is. There’s a lot of people want to get out DX press limit them, and stager the groups. In the nature of things, like busses, we may all seem to arrive at once.
I ALWAYS move quickly; I’m ALWAYS aware of other who’ve paid good money don’t want me in their picture. However, I do reserve the right to take a picture and that’s a few seconds. Sorry.
I don’t appreciate abuse here or out on the line; but I’ll gladly answer questions. Most folks know who I am; I’ve got nothing to hide and am up for a discussion. I’d like to add a couple of points clearly overlooked or not known.
It’s not an exclusive ‘club’ to join. Get published, apply, get a pass. I’m happy to give people pointers on the ‘form’ but I got passes by getting pictures published taken from the crowd. So can you.
I’d like to publicly thank the escorts. Always professional, courteous, they watch for aircraft, ground and aircrew, the public and their charges; and have always, in my experience, been polite to all. Sometimes in the face of uncalled for abuse. Many of them are photographers themselves. They leave the camera behind when on duty. No greater love… Their job is hard. Don’t abuse them.
It’s not all beer and skittles. Some are operating to tight editorial demands, timescales and difficulties the enthusiasts – sometimes including me, don’t consider. Many are doing their job. Bear it in mind. It’s not my job, it’s my hobby, but sometimes I need to ‘get’ a particular shot. The Man from the Telegraph may well step on my toes too. No point wingeing. Some here I know are professional press photographers. They may like to elaborate on this point.
I have helped the chief escort deal with the mainstream media after the P-38 Accident. It was not nice. A particularly unpleasant part of a very unpleasant day. Their adherence to a difficult and unwanted code of conduct moderated the PR damage of that day. Would you? Think about it. That is a day at Duxford I’ll never forget, for all the wrong reasons, and the behaviour of the mainstream media, not getting what they wanted, was another nasty bit. Sometimes it’s a very tough job (Mercifully mine isn’t usually. But I don’t throw mud, as a result of this realisation.)
The press are there to publicize the positive (ie non ‘crash’) side of ‘old aeroplanes’. Broadly, that’s something we all want to support. If the public only see crash pictures…
I could go on… But the remarks made which have no facts to back them up don’t help.
There are unexpected risks. Someone I know split his jeans taking pictures on a flightline in full view of several thousand people… Oh dear. By laughing and pointing I don’t think we helped much!
Fire away!
PS; Digby, Albert. Take it outside lads. I know you both know better. I hope you both know that you both know better. It’s a bit of as bad example for the more impressionable forumites, hmmm?
Cheers / Salut
By: Flood - 14th July 2004 at 13:21
Can’t speak for Legends (don’t think my credentials would impress them anyway) but of the few airshows I have attended as a member of the press corps none have allowed me into areas where I would be likely to be a/ in danger (ie not given freedom airside, nor on the ‘wrong’ side of the crowd line) or b/ in anyones way in an exclusive position (that is a position exclusively for the press which was different from those facilities available to the public – a bit of string separating me from them, me having freedom of a fence and them all crowded behind the windbreaks, etc). When things were apparently available (like a cherry picker over the static park at RIAT, or a ride in the ‘follow me’ truck) these were usually booked up by members of the media who were in attendance the whole weekend – usually the moment the media centre opened. The press are usually herded into an enclosure at the end of the hopitality stuff (at RIAT, for example)where there were no windbreaks or chained step ladders, if we were lucky there might be soft drinks and sandwiches, the media centre might have a list of photo opportunities already fully booked (except those that coincided with the flight of the star attraction – the chance to photograph someone who flew around the world solo in a tiny Cessna for an animal charity rather than snap the single B2 flypast, anybody?) and staff who are eager to please but cannot help that you are 24 hours – or more – too late to put your name down for those opportunities anyway. Best I got was half an hour in the reserved for media seats on a grandstand as the Bear flew past at Fairford. Never had the chance of a guided tour through the static park (sniff).
Flood.™
By: Arabella-Cox - 14th July 2004 at 12:45
Yet again, I’m intreagued at a silence. A few facts (rather than off the cuff opinion) and no teddy slinging, and… Nothing. Interesting.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but certainly from my point of view it was very interesting to read a Press Photographer’s perspective. That I hadn’t responded was really just down to the fact that I found it informative… yet don’t have enough knowledge of the subject to be able to comment with any authority.
Nice to see you’ve had some other comments made though, and if I may add slightly to Snapper’s comment about the veterans, well in all honesty I felt humbled to be able to walk around the aeroplanes with George and Snapper. I guess in some people’s eyes that probably makes me a hanger-on. I’m not a Presser, I’m not ground crew, I’m not a veteran. If I got in people’s way, I apologise. But I’m a minority; the people I bumped into ‘over the line’ were a mixture of re-enactors, pressers, ground crew, veterans, and owners. All of which, I would humbly suggest, either needed to be there or had earned the right to be there. They certainly don’t deserve some of the comments that have been directed their ay either on the day or in postings afterwards.
Am I rambling? Yup? Okay, I’ll shut up now… 🙂
By: Snapper - 13th July 2004 at 22:19
I applied, sending a huge envelopes stuffed with clippings from books, mags and papers. I have to fill in forms for every event. I freelance, but have proof of publication that is not cheap to post and has taken quite a while to get. And not just aviation stuff. I agree that perhaps times for before and after the flightline are open would be better – but that isn’t our choice. This weekend I didn’t make use of my press credentials. I was offered help by friends – and took veterans out to the flightline instead. Veterans who ahd flown in or worked on the aircraft you saw out there. Veterans who were only too happy to chat to the visitors. Veterans who for once weren’t being exploited by big business. Unfortunately they are all in their eighties – Sorry if we got in your way.
By: mmitch - 13th July 2004 at 18:51
At large motorsport events the photographers have to sign on like any official does. They are then given a viz waistcoat usually with an identity number on the back. This started because some insisted on standing in front of the paying public causing complaints. Needless to say the regular photographers didn’t.
mmitch.
By: JDK - 13th July 2004 at 17:08
Which is why DX and OW have gone the ‘proof of publication’ route.
Fair comment, broadens the topic, but isn’t relevent to DX.
By: John Boyle - 13th July 2004 at 17:04
Overhere, I dare to say that 90% of the “press” I see at Dutch airshows consist of spotters who made their own press id’s in their computer. So, I am afraid their is a loth of truth in the complains some have. Like their are “bogus” “veterans” at many veteran events, there are many “bogus” press at airshow. Can’t help it.
BW Roger
As a former USAF public affairs officer in the U.K., I’ve got to agree that we got a lot of phoney requests for media credentials.
It seemed that everyone who had ever read FlyPast and had a camera wanted special access, calling themselves a freelancer.
As an “enthusiast” myself, I was a sympathetic and tried my best to help out the spotters, etc., but many of my colleagues were quickly soured by all the frauds. Which made it that much harder for the actual media people.
By: JDK - 13th July 2004 at 16:59
Hi Roger.
I’m sure your are correct. However, I was refering specifically to Duxford. At Duxford (and Old Warden) it does not work like that. Credentials are known and checked.
What people often don’t realise is that there are a lot of different media from all over the world at Duxford shows; including publishers and film crews, to include two groups most of us overlook, thinking it should only be magazines and newspapers.
Thanks for the comment Billy.
Yet again, I’m intreagued at a silence. A few facts (rather than off the cuff opinion) and no teddy slinging, and… Nothing. Interesting. I’m not an authority, but I did bother to ask and check. Before moaning.
With groundcrew, reanactors and press out there, it is crowded. However everyone has a reason to be there. What I forgot to put in the first post was the fact that I often stop in the flightline walk after the escorted press walk and take a few pics from there – and it’s a lot less hastle! Different pictures; different oportunities.
Cheers / Salut.
By: EHVB - 13th July 2004 at 16:43
I have never been to “Legends”, nor did I in the past “work” a lot in the UK, so I can’t realy judge the situation at your side of the Channel. Overhere, I dare to say that 90% of the “press” I see at Dutch airshows consist of spotters who made their own press id’s in their computer. For 6 years I was the editor of a large airsport mag in Holland and had the experience that for the Lelystad airshow, some 10 years ago, 14 people accredited themselves for “my” magazine, and all 14 I did not know. And, it can be so easy. We only have here 2 official press id’s here. If you don’t have one of these, you are no press, so you have no acces. However, most organisations in the borderline don’t work like this (at the defense airshows here, or at Lelystad today, you can shake it if you have no official credentials).
And another thing, when at an airshow, and I see the equipment most of my “coleques” work with, I wonder how it is possible that they can “see” themselves as profs. What is the use of standing in a press compound shooting with a 30 years old Praktica with 50 mm while you need a 500 mm plus lens to start with, due to the distance you see the aircraft.
So, I am afraid their is a loth of truth in the complains some have. Like there are “bogus” “veterans” at many veteran events, there is many “bogus” press at airshow. Can’t help it.
BW Roger
By: Billy Banana - 13th July 2004 at 10:30
Well said JDK.
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July 13, 2004 at 2:14 am