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Photos - a polite request


mumofthree
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Hi, I am hoping that I'm not the only one with this problem and will have some sympathisers.

I know the organisers keep tabs on everything that is mentioned on the forums so I'm hoping this small plea will not fall on deaf ears.

 

I, like many people who attend these events, have three kids who just love coming along and meeting their heroes.

Getting autographs isn't a problem. We pay the one price and all three go up to have a quick meet and greet and come away happy.

 

My problem is the photos.

£15 - £20 per person (even if posing in the same photo) is something that most families just can't afford on top of the autographs as well.

Is there anyway that a group/family can pay the £15 - £20 and have a single group photo?

 

There have been several occasions where my kids would have loved to get their photo taken with someone but we just can't afford another £45 on top of the £15 already paid for the autograph!

I can get out of hand very quickly!

 

Anyway, other than that, keep up the great work with the shows!

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The only problem with this as far as I can tell from discussions that have taken place on this forum before is that people that aren't in 'families' or 'couples' etc will have to pay full price, yet if you're in a 'family' then you can get however many in a photo for just the one price.

 

This isn't something that a lot of 'single' people are happy about whenever this suggestion is made i.e. why should they have to pay normal price while others are able to get in groups and pay just the one price etc.

 

Plus how do you define 'family' or 'group'? Suddenly you'll get random people abusing the system to get into the same shots and save money, which is unfortunate but it will happen.

 

By having the price per person, everyone's treated the same. I know it's costly, but I'd be very surprised if they did it any other way.

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Exactly. I don't buy autographs, I buy photos - and paying the same price is fine by me. If you go in a group of four for a photograph, you're paying £5 each. For the same opportunity, I am paying £20. See why that wouldn't and couldn't work?

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Exactly. I don't buy autographs, I buy photos - and paying the same price is fine by me. If you go in a group of four for a photograph, you're paying £5 each. For the same opportunity, I am paying £20. See why that wouldn't and couldn't work?

 

Your post makes a little more sense then some I have seen in the past on this subject, but you don't realise that the three kids and the mum are not paying £5 each while you, pay £15 or £20 quid, mumofthree is probably paying the whole lot herself so thats £45 to your £15 and £60 to your £20 and if you put it that way it does seem a little much.

 

Maybe then should there not at least be a cheaper rate for families ie 3 kids at £15 is £45 so why not say £30 or £35? But yes unfortunately people would abuse the system, but there will always be someone who will try, though I have never seen this happen at other events

 

I can see why showmasters do it this way, and they are entitled to do so, though I am also entitled not to agree with there reasoning, but showmasters signing events are the only signing events (not conventions) that I go to in this country where I have seen someone make each individual person pay the same price to be in a shot with other friends or family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

:uhoh:

LLAP :lol:

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I can understand why someone would want that for kids, and perhaps a cheaper rate would be preferable for children.

 

But when it gets to the point of "Well, I'm married, and married people share things, so we should get a buy one get one free because we're married" then I draw the line.

Edited by Psychosis
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unless, you say that kids under say 14 could be in a photo for free with a full paying adult, but everyone over that pay full price

I agree this could work. But I think the cut off should be under 12s like the child price entry fee to LFCC/G-Mex/Glasgow.

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The only problem with this as far as I can tell from discussions that have taken place on this forum before is that people that aren't in 'families' or 'couples' etc will have to pay full price, yet if you're in a 'family' then you can get however many in a photo for just the one price.

 

This isn't something that a lot of 'single' people are happy about whenever this suggestion is made i.e. why should they have to pay normal price while others are able to get in groups and pay just the one price etc.

Although of course, one would presume the group would only get one print between them if they paid the single price. (I will also grant that it doesn't stop them from being cheapskate barstewards afterwards and scanning it at home and printing out their own copies, no matter what any copyright notice might say).

Plus how do you define 'family' or 'group'? Suddenly you'll get random people abusing the system to get into the same shots and save money, which is unfortunate but it will happen.

 

By having the price per person, everyone's treated the same. I know it's costly, but I'd be very surprised if they did it any other way.

I suspect that it's also done to discourage group shots. If it's a sizeable group, say 3 or more people with the guest, the photographer probably has to re-jig his composition from the normal 1+1, plus of course you have the problem that with multiple people in shot it can be a bit like herding cats; you have numerous people to get ready, plus the increased chance that somebody in the shot is going to blink or look away or otherwise necessitate another shot being taken. I'm sure it's a much slicker operation to run if it's just one person out of the scene and another one in each time.

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I have at another photo shoot had two of my children with 4 guests. I paid multiple for the guests but didnt pay extra for more than one child. There never seemed to be a problem there. I have seen other families having their pictures taken and only had to pay one price.

 

It has put me off getting photos with my daughter and a guest paying double even though we only wanted one picture.

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While I may slightly agree with the free kids in the photo under 12 thing , how about a bit of a compramise ?

 

 

So all these families who use their young kids to get better posed photos at the signing , or free autographs and longer with the guests ( you know who you are :uhoh::thumbup: ) stop doing that and annoying us who are sometimes lucky if the actor looks up when signing our autographs , and we will feel better about you getting your kids free in the official photo shoots that we have to pay full price for ;)

 

 

 

Does that seem like something we can agree upon , or work with ? :thumbup:

Edited by jesterrace
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She isn't talking about adult group photos, she is talking about adults with children!

How can you compare a mother and her children to groups of adults getting photos? Its totally different. The mother/father is paying the amount themselves from their money as opposed to 3 or 4 adults ,who make money themselves, splitting it between them. Its not the same at all

I think a cut off age would be a great idea. After all they are only getting one photo between them. A family photo deal would also be a good idea :)

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I have always thought that Showmasters defination of the payment for the photoshoot is that you are paying for the photo/s and nothing else.

 

If you are a Family with children you are being told that you have to buy X amount of photos, that you probably do not want, where as a single person is only buying one photo.

 

Also, if you want to take it to another level, If there are only say 500 tickets available for a photo shoot and you have say 25 families of 4 people, you have instantly stopped 100 single people from having a photo with the star rather than 75 if they did them as a group. How selfish of them.

 

Personally, I don't have photo shoots as I would prefer to have one with my wife in as well, and why would I want two photos anyway.

 

Anyhow, the bottom line is that these shows are always going to be driven by money, Showmasters are a business bottom line, and why sell one photo shoot when you can sell four.

 

Perhaps in the interest of fair play only single people should be allowed to attend these shows and then there will be no he will only pay this but I have to pay that. :D

Edited by lallen
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There are pros and cons with your suggestion.

 

It would help families if prices were reduced for younger children. However, why should people who do not have children pay full price when those with children pay lesser prices or nothing at all for children?

 

Some people on here have said about single people, more specifically adults, earning the money and parents paying for the children. Well, why should people who earn the money such as single or childless couples/adults be any different?

 

What about those of us on minimum wage, or on unemployment benefit, who save up to come to events and have to pay full price?

 

Once a business, and that is what the vast majority of conventions/signing events are, starts basically penalising one group of people by giving free or reduced priced photo sessions to children, then you get into the realms of people being unhappy. This is what will happen if you start reducing it for families.

 

At the end of the day, if someone chooses to take their children, then it is their choice and they should bare the brunt of costs.

 

Now, I know someone will come back and say that they only get one photo. But this is where the other problems come in...logistics.

 

As any photographer will tell you, having to change between number of people in the shots means changing things on a camera. This inturn will mean longer time taken, and thus less people getting through the photo sessions. So, this will impact on other people going to the events.

 

Another logistical nightmare for an event like Collectormania, LFACC & G-Mex is time. With the guests swapping between talks, photo sessions and signing; time is a premium. At an event like Eclipse, you are able to set aside specific signing periods, photo sessions and talk sessions. You will often find full weekend conventions like Eclipse will have specific photo sessions for multiple person photos, as well as not multiple person photos. I remember a Buffy/Angel convention I went to several years ago and had 3 sessions over the weekend to incorporate single shots, multi person shots and a group guest shot.

 

So, in summary:

 

1. Lowering/Removing prices for families will penalise other people, which is wrong.

 

2. Logistically, at an event like CM, LFACC or G-Mex it is practically unworkable.

 

3. At conventions like Eclipse it can work.

Edited by AJ Jones
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The only problem with this as far as I can tell from discussions that have taken place on this forum before is that people that aren't in 'families' or 'couples' etc will have to pay full price, yet if you're in a 'family' then you can get however many in a photo for just the one price.

 

This isn't something that a lot of 'single' people are happy about whenever this suggestion is made i.e. why should they have to pay normal price while others are able to get in groups and pay just the one price etc.

 

Plus how do you define 'family' or 'group'? Suddenly you'll get random people abusing the system to get into the same shots and save money, which is unfortunate but it will happen.

 

By having the price per person, everyone's treated the same. I know it's costly, but I'd be very surprised if they did it any other way.

 

 

unless, you say that kids under say 14 could be in a photo for free with a full paying adult, but everyone over that pay full price

 

 

unless, you say that kids under say 14 could be in a photo for free with a full paying adult, but everyone over that pay full price

I agree this could work. But I think the cut off should be under 12s like the child price entry fee to LFCC/G-Mex/Glasgow.

 

I agree with all these posts I do feel it would be of great if children under the age of 12 can be in a photo with a full paying adult.

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So, in summary:

 

1. Lowering/Removing prices for families will penalise other people, which is wrong.

 

2. Logistically, at an event like CM, LFACC or G-Mex it is practically unworkable.

 

3. At conventions like Eclipse it can work.

 

A question then.

 

How come other UK signing events (not conventions) charge per photo (which is usually only one) not per person in the photo, when you say it would be unworkable at CM, LFACC or G-Mex?

 

 

 

 

 

 

:hathor:

LLAP :borg:

Edited by zebredy
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I've seen photo sessions at 'other events' that have only had like 5 people going through, so it's a lot easier to work on stuff with that few people.

 

Now obviously that doesn't apply to every single event, but the lines I've seen for photo shoots at SM events compared to ones (or lack of ones) I've seen at some other events .. well, there's a huge difference.

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I've seen photo sessions at 'other events' that have only had like 5 people going through, so it's a lot easier to work on stuff with that few people.

 

Now obviously that doesn't apply to every single event, but the lines I've seen for photo shoots at SM events compared to ones (or lack of ones) I've seen at some other events .. well, there's a huge difference.

 

I've been to conventions where you had huge lines as well, maybe not similar to the LFCC ones but certainly identical to most of those I've done at Collectormania (James Marsters excepted).

 

Every organizer has its own rules and we have no other choice than to deal with them. but I think that the financial aspect is certainly not a valid argument as the price to pay with one or two people in the photo is the same as long as Showmasters produce only one pic. The actor only does one photo so that should not change his/her fee. Most other organizers ask for £5 for each additional person on the pic with a maximum of 3 I think.

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So, in summary:

 

1. Lowering/Removing prices for families will penalise other people, which is wrong.

 

2. Logistically, at an event like CM, LFACC or G-Mex it is practically unworkable.

 

3. At conventions like Eclipse it can work.

 

A question then.

 

How come other UK signing events (not conventions) charge per photo (which is usually only one) not per person in the photo, when you say it would be unworkable at CM, LFACC or G-Mex?

 

 

:hathor:

LLAP :borg:

 

I know the ones you are probably on about, and from the point of view of someone who frequented many different events by many different organisers, the numbers of attendees is alot different. If you found out how many people went to each event, and who lined up for pre-purchased/enquired about photos etc, you will see quite a difference. At events that do not have as many guests, attendees or talks etc, then choppig and changing in photo sessions isn't as much as a problem.

 

However, if you look at thet set up of Collectormania, London Film & Comic Con and G-Mex; then you will see a logistical nightmare chopping and changing for photo sessions. As I have previously mentioned, in my hometown I have helped organise and stage events/coventions. I have seen them grow and the logistics change. That is one of my main points of why changing the payment structure will penalise people who do not have children etc. At the end of the day, as my FULL post says below - rather than the summary you have just quoted - if people decide to bring their children, then it is their choice. Showmasters introduced a payment/charges structure that is fare to anyone choosing to come to events. Changing it will more than likely have an adverse effect and possibly hurt future events by loss of income generated.

 

As I have said before, I do sympathise with the families. However, I myself am currently unemployed and get no preferencial treatment. I have to save to come to events, yet I am in a similar position to families with children in that I am in very limited income. This debate will no doubt go on and on, with arguments both for and against change.

 

There are pros and cons with your suggestion.

 

It would help families if prices were reduced for younger children. However, why should people who do not have children pay full price when those with children pay lesser prices or nothing at all for children?

 

Some people on here have said about single people, more specifically adults, earning the money and parents paying for the children. Well, why should people who earn the money such as single or childless couples/adults be any different?

 

What about those of us on minimum wage, or on unemployment benefit, who save up to come to events and have to pay full price?

 

Once a business, and that is what the vast majority of conventions/signing events are, starts basically penalising one group of people by giving free or reduced priced photo sessions to children, then you get into the realms of people being unhappy. This is what will happen if you start reducing it for families.

 

At the end of the day, if someone chooses to take their children, then it is their choice and they should bare the brunt of costs.

 

Now, I know someone will come back and say that they only get one photo. But this is where the other problems come in...logistics.

 

As any photographer will tell you, having to change between number of people in the shots means changing things on a camera. This inturn will mean longer time taken, and thus less people getting through the photo sessions. So, this will impact on other people going to the events.

 

Another logistical nightmare for an event like Collectormania, LFACC & G-Mex is time. With the guests swapping between talks, photo sessions and signing; time is a premium. At an event like Eclipse, you are able to set aside specific signing periods, photo sessions and talk sessions. You will often find full weekend conventions like Eclipse will have specific photo sessions for multiple person photos, as well as not multiple person photos. I remember a Buffy/Angel convention I went to several years ago and had 3 sessions over the weekend to incorporate single shots, multi person shots and a group guest shot.

 

So, in summary:

 

1. Lowering/Removing prices for families will penalise other people, which is wrong.

 

2. Logistically, at an event like CM, LFACC or G-Mex it is practically unworkable.

 

3. At conventions like Eclipse it can work.

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This isn't going to be popular, but people choose to have children, and one of the factors in that choice is being aware of the fact that a family with children will incur additional costs. Holidays, food, bills, whatever.

 

I have no problem whatsoever with reduced costs for children, perhaps some sort of grading system, where <12 is half price, and babes in arms go free or whatever. But to expect a family of four to pay the same price as a single person is unreasonable and unrealistic.

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This isn't going to be popular, but people choose to have children, and one of the factors in that choice is being aware of the fact that a family with children will incur additional costs. Holidays, food, bills, whatever.

 

I have no problem whatsoever with reduced costs for children, perhaps some sort of grading system, where <12 is half price, and babes in arms go free or whatever. But to expect a family of four to pay the same price as a single person is unreasonable and unrealistic.

 

Not everyone who goes to these events chooses to have kids, but yes to expect a mother father or gardian to pay for everyone when there is a group of four of them and to pay the same as a single person if they only want/need one print is defintely unreasonable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

:hathor:

LLAP :borg:

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