An aspect I haven't seen mentioned here is legislations like the General Data Protection Regulation of the EU, which allows all EU citizens the right to demand to know what information, including images, any organisation has of them, requires informed consent before taking the photos, and allows the "right to be forgotten", meaning they can demand that any photos of them are removed from databases, websites, etc. It's something that affects the whole world, and in my day job we extend the rights provided by GDPR to all people we work with, regardless of their nationality.
In Toronto, we have had a photo policy for a number of years. I wrote it thinking about the community's comfort and safety (no flash is one of the rules for example), and the policy is posted at the entrance to all the dances. Whenever I am shooting for Toronto Contra Dance, I check with the band and caller in advance to make sure they are comfortable with me shooting, and being on stage, and also with the photos being posted. I also do them the courtesy of offering them access to the photos afterwards for their own use/promotion. Some have asked to approve photos before they are posted, which I always allow too. The other thing I think is important in photo policies, aside from community comfort and the safety of dancers/performers, is the protection of children, and I never shoot children without their parents' permission. Just my two cents worth as a comms person, photographer, and dancer :) Simon On Sat, Mar 20, 2021 at 12:17 PM Laura Alexander via Organizers < [email protected]> wrote: > I think the reason we care about this issue is that while we are a public > gathering, we are also a community. We know our community, and many > communities in general, include people who have strong preferences for not > being recorded, regardless of end use of the photo/video, (and also people > under 18), and we want to explore how we can preserve their ability to > fully/joyfully participate in the community, while allowing others to take > photos and video for promotional and social purposes. > > Compromises - some people who often take photos at Mt Airy have gotten > really good at artistic filters that still capture the energy and beauty of > the event while obscuring people's faces. Or one line of the hall can be > designated 'off-camera'. > > An unresolved tension is that performers and organizers benefit from the > ability to take video of the whole hall. Capturing the full energy and > scale of the event allows organizers to promote the dance and performers to > promote themselves to other dances. Maybe the only solution is to blur out > the people in a video who wish to be off camera. I hope there are some ways > to do this that are accessible for people who aren't tech-savvy. > > On Sat, Mar 20, 2021 at 11:43 AM Alex Shevits via Organizers < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> I have to ask. I apologize if somebody already has asked this. How does >> a person in 2021 avoid being photographed. Drive a car? Traffic cameras. >> Walk down the street? Security cameras. Walk past your neighbors house? >> Security camera. Walk in a store, a bank? Security cameras. We know we >> are being photographed every where we go. We have no control over how or >> when our photo will be used. Everybody (almost) has a phone with a >> camera. >> >> Somebody mentioned people in the witness protection program. It made me >> think, how do these people avoid being photographed? >> >> Back to dance halls. Can a person who has to accept the reality of >> security cameras realistically attend a public gathering and require the >> organizers to prohibit photography? I wonder. >> >> >> On 3/20/2021 10:21 AM, Lisa Brown via Organizers wrote: >> >> Posting vs Tagging >> >> Sometimes, being tagged in the photos is what bothers people not the >> posting of the photos. But even if your dance organization doesn't tag >> people in the photos, other people can still tag people. Or as someone else >> previously mentioned, other dance attendees, who are not under your >> control, can post photos and tag. >> >> Lisa >> >> On Sat, Mar 20, 2021 at 10:04 AM Stephen Moore <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> I believe that public gatherings are any gatherings that welcome the >>> public whether they’re paying or not. So aside from publicly-owned >>> facilities, all spaces are privately-owned. Tanglewood is privately owned… >>> Fenway Park is privately owned, but they are still public gatherings. >>> >>> If a dance community decided to form a club with membership which was >>> required for entry (like a members-only golf course) then those would be >>> private events. Invitation-only events are not public events like weddings. >>> But our dances, which we advertise in hopes of having the public come (and >>> in the serious hope that we’ll have some new dancers each night!) are >>> public events. >>> >>> Stephen Moore >>> Lenox Contra Dance >>> and not a lawyer... >>> >>> On Mar 20, 2021, at 9:46 AM, Ron Blechner <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> It's my understanding that most dances are held in non-public spaces, >>> and thus, not public gatherings. No? >>> >>> >>> On Fri, Mar 19, 2021, 7:10 PM Stephen Moore via Organizers < >>> [email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Hello everyone, >>>> >>>> Gads, worrying over dancing issues seems so long ago. >>>> >>>> Re: photographs. I edit a small town monthly newspaper/journal in >>>> western Massachusetts and so the laws around photography are pertinent. >>>> >>>> It’s pretty simple as far as what is legal- Photography of people, >>>> regardless of age, at a public gathering is permissible without permission. >>>> >>>> But as an ongoing event, you might wish to have a more considered >>>> approach, especially if someone has raised it within your dance community. >>>> >>>> And by example, a school classroom setting is not a public gathering. >>>> Common sense should prevail too. >>>> >>>> Stephen Moore >>>> Lenox Contra Dance >>>> >>>> On Mar 19, 2021, at 2:32 PM, Lisa Brown via Organizers < >>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>> Hi Jeff, >>>> >>>> Also from our social contract: >>>> >>>> Children >>>> ● Children are welcome; however, those under 18 must come with an adult. >>>> >>>> Lisa >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 1:01 PM Jeff Kaufman <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi Lisa, >>>>> >>>>> How do you handle situations where someone is taking pictures of the >>>>> whole crowd if you have minors dancing? >>>>> >>>>> Do you not allow people under 18 to attend your dance without a >>>>> responsible adult? >>>>> >>>>> Jeff >>>>> >>>>> On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 12:27 PM Lisa Brown <[email protected]> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> > >>>>> > We have a photography policy for minors and musicians. It's part of >>>>> our social contract. >>>>> > >>>>> > Photography, Videography, and Recording >>>>> > ● Permission of the responsible adult must be obtained before >>>>> publishing photos or videos of minor children. >>>>> > ● Permission of the performers should be obtained before making >>>>> videos or recordings. >>>>> > >>>>> > Lisa - Country Dancers of Rochester >>>>> > >>>>> > On Wed, Mar 17, 2021 at 10:28 PM Jeff Kaufman via Organizers < >>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >> >>>>> >> BIDA has: >>>>> >> >>>>> >> "Photography: We don't have a photography policy, and it is common >>>>> for >>>>> >> dancers to take pictures and post them on social media." -- >>>>> >> https://www.bidadance.org/accessibility >>>>> >> >>>>> >> We talked a lot about ways in which we could potentially make the >>>>> >> dance better for people who don't want to be photographed or have >>>>> >> their pictures shared, but we ended up running into the same >>>>> problems >>>>> >> Alan describes. >>>>> >> >>>>> >> If you have a place where people can trust that photos of them will >>>>> >> not appear on social media without them having the option to opt >>>>> out, >>>>> >> then there are people who can come to your dance who couldn't >>>>> >> otherwise. On the other hand, if you make some effort in this >>>>> >> direction but it still happens, which is what will happen unless you >>>>> >> have quite strict enforcement (especially with newcomers), you >>>>> aren't >>>>> >> successfully making the dance more accessible and you are making the >>>>> >> dance less enjoyable for dancers who like sharing photos. >>>>> >> >>>>> >> Jeff >>>>> >> >>>>> >> On Wed, Mar 17, 2021 at 10:19 PM Winston, Alan P. via Organizers >>>>> >> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > BACDS started trying to address this 10 or so years ago when we >>>>> wanted to put dance images in our publicity and privacy concerns meant >>>>> that >>>>> we couldn't just use pictures. It was very frustrating that while the >>>>> Board was arguing about this stuff pictures of our dances from random >>>>> dancers were turning up on FB with no concern for privacy. We eventually >>>>> concluded that if we were going to take publicity photos we'd let people >>>>> know beforehand, announce what dance in the evening we were going to do it >>>>> in, and let people sit down or leave the room for that one dance. >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > That's okay when you're in charge of the photographer. >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > It turns out to be effectively impossible to really prevent >>>>> photography without draconian measures like searches at the door and >>>>> confiscating all the cellphones. >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > The people who don't want to be photographed range from people >>>>> who just have a preference to people for whom it's a matter of survival - >>>>> those who have fled violent abusers or who are, say, in witness >>>>> protection. You cannot guarantee their safety and they need to understand >>>>> that you can do at most a best-effort attempt. >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > Given that, it's useful to designate one line as photos okay and >>>>> have signage at the desk about not photographing outside of that line, but >>>>> people will still miss or forget the signage, so organizers have to keep >>>>> an >>>>> eye on it and announcements have to be made, which may on any given night >>>>> be for the benefit of people who aren't there. >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > I don't think we've tried giving people "no photos please" >>>>> badges. That might be effective in that people reviewing images before >>>>> sharing them will see a reminder in the picture, but it's not likely to be >>>>> useful for people who livestream a minute of your dance. >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > -- Alan >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > ________________________________ >>>>> >> > From: Karey Bacon via Organizers < >>>>> [email protected]> >>>>> >> > Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2021 6:16 PM >>>>> >> > To: [email protected] < >>>>> [email protected]> >>>>> >> > Subject: [Organizers] photography policy? >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > Hi all, >>>>> >> > We in Philadelphia are using our Covid time to try to get some >>>>> policies done. >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > One thing that has come up is a photography/video policy. Some >>>>> dancers do not want to appear in any photos or videos. >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > Some ideas we tossed about that have practical drawbacks: >>>>> >> > -designate one line as always non-photo/video >>>>> >> > -buttons or badges for those who do not want to be on camera >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > Is this something your dance has grappled with? Anything you've >>>>> come up with that you're willing to share? >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > Thanks in advance, >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > Karey Bacon >>>>> >> > she/her/hers >>>>> >> > 267-437-5641 >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > _______________________________________________ >>>>> >> > Organizers mailing list -- [email protected] >>>>> >> > To unsubscribe send an email to >>>>> [email protected] >>>>> >> _______________________________________________ >>>>> >> Organizers mailing list -- [email protected] >>>>> >> To unsubscribe send an email to >>>>> [email protected] >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > -- >>>>> > Seneca Falls. Selma. Stonewall. >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> *Seneca Falls. Selma. Stonewall.* >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Organizers mailing list -- [email protected] >>>> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >>>> >>>> >>>> Stephen Moore >>>> P.O. Box 38 >>>> Monterey, MA 01245 >>>> 413-528-4007 >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Organizers mailing list -- [email protected] >>>> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >>>> >>> >>> Stephen Moore >>> P.O. Box 38 >>> Monterey, MA 01245 >>> 413-528-4007 >>> >>> >> >> -- >> *Seneca Falls. Selma. Stonewall.* >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Organizers mailing list -- [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Organizers mailing list -- [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >> > _______________________________________________ > Organizers mailing list -- [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >
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