97 replies to this topic

[DavidB]

I would suggest that the logistics between somewhere like Disney and theme parks etc would be slightly different to an event like this. Working on a huge scale such as that compared to a smaller temporary event surely has to make it easier to introduce than here? *shrugs*

Dealers usually sell nice plastic folders you can put your prints in, or bring a folder with you etc. It's easy to not bend stuff.

[SilvaNemesis]

TommyT, on Apr 24 2012, 10:31 PM, said:

Quagmire, on Apr 24 2012, 08:56 PM, said:

The photo is copyright of the photographer

Correct.

Quagmire, on Apr 24 2012, 08:56 PM, said:

and if you get the copy then all rights are removed

Please quote me legislation or case law on that one. I can buy digitally perfect copies of digital audio or video recordings - doesn't mean that the rights are removed.

But surely when you've paid £15/20/25+ you must've paid for the copyright by that point. Surely if it has your image on it then you should be in charge of any copyright over that, although that said, the guests in the photos with you would end up sharing joint copyright of the photo with you .

I've never thought about it before, but since it's been raised, it's started me wondering... what actually happens to the original digital copies of the photos on the camera? Do they just get deleted afterwards? I'd hate to think my pictures were floating around somewhere out there. Although Showmasters could always open a pay site where you can access and download your photos digitally perhaps.

[DavidB]

SilvaNemesis, on Apr 26 2012, 12:51 PM, said:

I've never thought about it before, but since it's been raised, it's started me wondering... what actually happens to the original digital copies of the photos on the camera? Do they just get deleted afterwards? I'd hate to think my pictures were floating around somewhere out there. Although Showmasters could always open a pay site where you can access and download your photos digitally perhaps.

As far as I know, Jason's house is wallpapered with photos of you. But that might just be a rumour.

[SilvaNemesis]

DavidB, on Apr 26 2012, 12:58 PM, said:

SilvaNemesis, on Apr 26 2012, 12:51 PM, said:

I've never thought about it before, but since it's been raised, it's started me wondering... what actually happens to the original digital copies of the photos on the camera? Do they just get deleted afterwards? I'd hate to think my pictures were floating around somewhere out there. Although Showmasters could always open a pay site where you can access and download your photos digitally perhaps.

As far as I know, Jason's house is wallpapered with photos of you. But that might just be a rumour.

That wouldn't surprise me, I'm not exactly petite so one photo would cover several walls if not an entire room

[anam]

RickGreerUK, on Apr 26 2012, 10:46 AM, said:

I'd prefer to just have the digital version then a print! My photos go on my PC/Facebook/iPad. I have maybe 1 or 2 in actual print, all my old photos have been scanned into my PC, sorted in Picasa and the originals destroyed.

Exactly! This is not 1980 anymore! Most of us don't have or want printed pictures.

DavidB, on Apr 26 2012, 11:07 AM, said:

I would suggest that the logistics between somewhere like Disney and theme parks etc would be slightly different to an event like this. Working on a huge scale such as that compared to a smaller temporary event surely has to make it easier to introduce than here? *shrugs*

Disney probably manages far far more customers on a daily basis than this event. And having digital copies is not something new or group breaking, it is a current exiting and proven technology that is actively used in many attractions. And only those that wants the digital copy gets it so it's not like a huge thing. And if anyone argues that what if everyone wants it, then I guess it speaks for itself. If everyone wants then obviously everyone values it more so it should have been there in the first place :)

[Count Fooku]

anam, on Apr 27 2012, 04:49 PM, said:

RickGreerUK, on Apr 26 2012, 10:46 AM, said:

I'd prefer to just have the digital version then a print! My photos go on my PC/Facebook/iPad. I have maybe 1 or 2 in actual print, all my old photos have been scanned into my PC, sorted in Picasa and the originals destroyed.

Exactly! This is not 1980 anymore! Most of us don't have or want printed pictures.

DavidB, on Apr 26 2012, 11:07 AM, said:

I would suggest that the logistics between somewhere like Disney and theme parks etc would be slightly different to an event like this. Working on a huge scale such as that compared to a smaller temporary event surely has to make it easier to introduce than here? *shrugs*

Disney probably manages far far more customers on a daily basis than this event. And having digital copies is not something new or group breaking, it is a current exiting and proven technology that is actively used in many attractions. And only those that wants the digital copy gets it so it's not like a huge thing. And if anyone argues that what if everyone wants it, then I guess it speaks for itself. If everyone wants then obviously everyone values it more so it should have been there in the first place :)

I think the point David was making was that because Disney is so much bigger and handles so many people on a permanent daily basis they are probably better equipped to deal with an event that is smaller and will only operate for a weekend.

Ideally I would like the option to have digital copies of photos made available but the fact this question has been asked after and before every Showmasters event since they started doing photos with guests and it's something that hasn't been introduced as yet makes me think that for whatever reason its something that they just don't think is viable. Showmasters haven't been too shy to take people's suggestions on board in the past which I think indicates they don't see this one as viable at present.

I know in these situations the temptation is to say "It's easy, all you have to do is XYZ" but I suspect when someone actually has to sit down and put the thing into practice, trying to foresee any problems that might come up then deal with the the problems that do come up, make sure there are enough staff (many of whom may be unpaid volunteers) to deal with demand, it probably seems very far from easy.

[BrendaH]

8 years ago at the Madame Tassauds - London, you could enter your email address and they just emailed you a digital copy. Cheaper by far for them than printing. The issue, here in the States, is that most places won't print a photo if it has a photographer's watermark on it (or even if they suspect it was from a professional photographer). I've had Walgreens (the drug store on the corner) refuse to print my own photos (i.e., ones that I took) for fear of copy-write violation.

[BeatrixKiddo88]

If this is the same as showmasters other events, there are no watermarks or logos or anything on the photos.

It's you, the guest/s and the background. Done.

[Ashura]

BeatrixKiddo88, on Apr 25 2012, 04:47 PM, said:

But with thousands of photos over the weekend, logistically how will the right people get the right pics/USB without taking a stupid amount of time to stand there with everyone.

Graduation photographers manage to do it all the time; you get the digital ones almost immediately and the printed ones after.  I can't imagine there will be more people at the con than my entire university's graduation ceremony.

If they don't want to for whatever reason that's their business, but there's no reason at all they COULDN'T.

[BeatrixKiddo88]

Ah but surely they are in some for alphabetical/registration order for a school? Plus you have the school to help as they know all of you.

LFCC last year had around 30-40 thousand people attend. If this had the same amount or close, how would it work at all?

That's why I said they could do it, just with the smaller events they run with 100s of people, not tens of thousands lol

[niceblokejohn]

Digital cameras and modern software should make this easy. How about the following (and if it gets used, a free VIP pass please Showmasters )?

Staff at entrance check ticket and at same time check to see if the person also has an accompanying "digital copy" ticket. Photo taken on digital camera, connected to e.g. Adobe Lightroom. Photo is almost instantly transferred to a PC via this software - this is automated and can be measured in mere short seconds, if that (added bonus that photographer can check that it came out fine, versus looking at smaller screen on back of camera), and second person sat at the PC then saves to a USB stick. Heck, set up a macro so its all done in a keypress on the PC, so no possibility of user error once the photo is on screen and a clean USB stick is in the drive. USB stick is then given to customer as they leave the area. Second person could even be an event volunteer to keep costs down.

No further work needed after the event.

Or you could buy an event USB stick, which when presented at the shoot when your ticket is taken allows you a digital copy with each photoshoot also. Therefore rather than pay £5/£10 a few times, you pay say £25 up front, and only get the one USB stick.

Added bonus - more event photos on facebook etc, more exposure, more guests next time...

[sagart]

It can be done and is done at big cons in the States, with thousands of attendees. I hope it is something this con's organisers consider.

[anam]

sagart, on Apr 29 2012, 03:11 PM, said:

It can be done and is done at big cons in the States, with thousands of attendees. I hope it is something this con's organisers consider.

I second that. Newer DSLRs have wireless capabilities which instantly transfer images, no need to physically connect anymore.

[BrendaH]

I don't get the whole USB stick concept - seems like one more thing to lose.

They are obviously somehow matching you to the photo - otherwise picking it up later would be a nightmare. Why not use that match on a digital copy uploaded to a website. You could use your booking number/ last name (or some other security) to log on and download any and all photoshoot photos whenever you want (within some 30/60/90 day time period).

I would think this would *have* to be cheaper for them than printing photos (and better for the environment) and I don't have to worry about bending a photo or losing a usb stick.

[Ashura]

BeatrixKiddo88, on Apr 29 2012, 02:51 PM, said:

Ah but surely they are in some for alphabetical/registration order for a school? Plus you have the school to help as they know all of you.

Not at all actually; they set up a booth and everyone wanders in as they feel like it/have the chance.  They just attach the picture to your order as soon as they take it--they have to input the information anyway and it's easier to do it all at once. It's really no more difficult than doing it in print--I've been a photog assistant for both methods and it's really quite simple no matter how many people you have. Unless you're shooting with a polaroid and handing them the photo RIGHT THEN without taking any information, it's not any harder to include a digital. Promise.

[BeatrixKiddo88]

Basically, unless they change major stuff, this aint happening.

Next thread please?

[etmuse]

BrendaH, on Apr 29 2012, 03:43 PM, said:

I don't get the whole USB stick concept - seems like one more thing to lose.

They are obviously somehow matching you to the photo - otherwise picking it up later would be a nightmare. Why not use that match on a digital copy uploaded to a website. You could use your booking number/ last name (or some other security) to log on and download any and all photoshoot photos whenever you want (within some 30/60/90 day time period).

I would think this would *have* to be cheaper for them than printing photos (and better for the environment) and I don't have to worry about bending a photo or losing a usb stick.

You are matched to your physical photo by you going to the photo distribution area and being handed the photo by the team there that has your face on it... They're all laid out so attendees can point themselves out too which makes matching 'in person' faces to the photo faces faster.

Even if some method of distributing digital files is eventually implemented, I don't see it replacing printing and handing out the physical copies - a lot of people like to get their photoshoots signed and you can't do that with a digital file!

And anything that needs to be done extra as someone is leaving the photo area is just going to create a backlog, unless it's something that can be done in LITERALLY less than 10 seconds, consistently. The photo areas get through 400+ photos/hour for busy shoots. Any digital distribution method has to be able to match that or you're going to get a bottleneck somewhere. (They HAVE to allow for the case that every single person would want a digital copy. Might never happen, but if it isn't taken into consideration then if/when it does happen there would be a mess.)

[Rhianydd]

Plus, the crew are volunteers, and only there during the show, which would mean someone else having to sit and personally email out all the images, just the thought of how many that would be or how long that would take sends shivers down my spine!

AND matching the images against descriptions!..................that takes sooooooooooooooooo long!  When I am on photo distribution, (and indeed any crew do this) I/We match up the images while we have any free time, and it takes so long!

BeatrixKiddo88, on Apr 29 2012, 04:43 PM, said:

Basically, unless they change major stuff, this aint happening.

Next thread please?

lol  

Edited by Rhianydd, 29 April 2012 - 05:10 PM.

[anam]

Rhianydd, on Apr 29 2012, 06:06 PM, said:

Plus, the crew are volunteers, and only there during the show, which would mean someone else having to sit and personally email out all the images, just the thought of how many that would be or how long that would take sends shivers down my spine!

AND matching the images against descriptions!..................that takes sooooooooooooooooo long!  When I am on photo distribution, (and indeed any crew do this) I/We match up the images while we have any free time, and it takes so long!

BeatrixKiddo88, on Apr 29 2012, 04:43 PM, said:

Basically, unless they change major stuff, this aint happening.

Next thread please?

lol  

Do you really think people look at the photo, determine who it is and email it?? Is that what happens when you order a mp3 from iTunes? It's all automated. I can code a system that can match and download images from the server (if named appropriately or tagged according to ticket) within 30 minutes. It's not something HUGE! The only thing here is naming and moving the files appropriately based on the ticket or VQ.

[TerraHawk]

What happens when photos are posted/reprinted? Surely a system that can cope with that could cope with the additional service, at cost.

I understand the next big event by a new rival is offering digital.