Explanation please...

[Not_Pennys_Ship]

In her defence, Ashley Lawrence had cancelled her photoshoot plus the grouped Hellraiser photoshoot because she doesn't like cameras with flash.

 

Ashley did come to the photoshoot. A few different attempts were made using darker glasses and less flash but it was still causing her discomfort. It wasn't a dislike - she's recovering from eye surgery after an accident. And sadly, a lot of people were not turning the flash off as requested. So there was a lot of shouting at attendees for causing the guest physical pain.

 

I must admit, I was absolutely knackered when I wrote that and my brain was unable to give me the words I was looking for. But this was what I had originally intended to say

[xlorix]

It seems to be getting worse, I remember the first few MK events I attended and I honestly can't remember a single time I was refused a photo. Now if I ask, the crew next to them act as if I have just asked to take them home!

 

It does seem that on the majority of occasions, the star is willing but the crew say no because they want everyone to buy a photoshoot which I think it is incrediably unfair and rather selfish. Not everyone can afford a autograph AND a photoshoot, not after entry costs and travel aswell, we ain't made of it! I'm not saying this is the case but it does seem weird how they always turn to the crew member and seem hesistant to give an answer.

 

I have replied to this earlier in the thread so have quoted part of it as the answer applies to your post.

 

 

However I can tell you that there were guests that I myself saw telling the GA's that they didn't want photos with certain people (couldn't tell you why) or sometimes just didn't feel like it, if they fancied it at the time they'd just say yes and do it but if they didn't they'd say "Oh it's up to my assistant" who'd then do the bad work and say "no sorry"

 

As crew we are 100000% never ever told not to allow photos at the desk because of a photoshoot. Maybe some guests use this as an "excuse" to say no? They don't want to seem like the bad guys. The only times that NO PHOTOS signs are up is if the guest/agent has requested it, or time does not permit photos.

[madmonster*]

This topic comes up every time and I can understand peoples frustration and confusion as to the multitude of what appears to be excuses as to why guests won't have over the table shots.

 

There is no definitive answer, each guest has different reasons for allowing and not allowing shots at any given time. I would confirm that I have NEVER been briefed by Showmasters not to allow posed photos in order to encourage photo sales. I have been told by guests and I have been told by agents. They are not there because they are a charity, bluntly speaking the guests are there as a job.

 

Other reasons can be quite simple, the guest just doesn't want to, perhaps they prefer to be in control of the photos being taken or they may prefer to be made up before having photos taken. Please remember these are people who make a living out of how they look! A bad photo is for life, not just for your amusement, especially with the rise of the internet and forums like this. Whatever the reason, as the guests want you to like them and think they are great (as 99.9% of them are), it should always be the crew member who looks like the one saying NO, even if it is 100% down to the guest.

 

Last year, my guest was really enjoying standing up and posing for photos all day, we did not have any signs up restricting photos, until later in the day when he was quite quiet and a female attendee asked for and got a posed photo. I stood up to take the photo and watched him through the viewfinder flinch and go cold on her. I'm powerless to do anything at that moment as I don't really know what happened, but he refused the next few requests himself, until we could get a quiet moment to chat. Then, I realised what had happened that I couldn't see from my side of the photo. We did not allow any more standing up photos except for with children for the rest of the day, but neither did we explain why to everyone who asked, we just said no.

 

If anyone can suggest a better way to resrict the shots without a sign that says, "No posed photos if you've forgotten to use anti perspirant today, look like you haven't washed, make the guest feel uncomfortable, or have bad breath" or "No posed photographs today, if we've just done 10 on the trot and the guest is all flashed out, the guest has a hangover, the guest has a headache, or the guest wants to go to the loo but we need to clear the length of the queue a bit and photos take extra time" I'm sure we'd be happy to use it, in the meantime, it's a question of just accepting that for whatever reason, sometimes you will get a photo sometimes you won't.

 

Thank you for bearing with this long post, which after a gruelling weekend may not make alot of sense. I'm now off to sleep for a week.

[DavidB]

This has been covered so many times. I'm sure you can all search on this forum and find god knows how many topics.

 

No one wants the guests to look bad. Crew are there to stop awkward situations etc. We have to respect what they want. Not like we're ever going to say 'so and so doesn't want photos with you because they hate you' ..

[crippsy_99]

I got told off for taking a picture from far away (the end of the stalls) - flash was off. Was told I cant take pictures of the guests. Never had that problem in past events

 

Who were you trying to take a photo of?

 

 

Also - would have been nice to be told politely rather than shouted at. :|

 

Not having a go, just wondering, but could it maybe be possible the crew were shouting to be heard over the noise? I know when im trying to speak to people not directly next to me, I often have to shout as I cant always get my voice to carry without getting loud.

 

As I said in a previous thread - I don't think anyone should have photos taken at the table - its annoying when you spend money on photoshoots and then see people having photos at the desk.

 

Thing is, posed photos were around a long time before photoshoots were, and trouble is, you'd then get people moaning they cant afford photoshoots, so why should they be penalised because their poorer than some etc..

Its OUR choice to spend money on photoshoots. I had posed photos with about 7-8 people who I had photoshoots with also, I like to get both. But id be annoyed if I couldnt afford a photoshoot and couldnt get a posed photo for this reason.

 

See now usually the "NO posed photo signs" ect are posted on the back wall and i saw none of these. One by nat on her table which makes things difficult but I did have to ask several members of staff if guests were posing, pics just signing on none. Some staff in blue shirts had no clue and I had to ask the guests themselves.

 

Do what I do..stand near (if theres no que), and see if others are getting photos. If their doing posed photos for most, then I go in and ask too (with an autograph of course)..

If not, I'll wait until later in the day incase things change, or go through anyway if ive got a photoshoot booked.

 

 

Ashley Laurence has a medical condition that results in temporary blindness if subjected to flash photography. This is the reason why in her case there was no photography allowed and no photoshoot. Guests around her were also asked to ensure no flash was used near her.

 

Not to sound like im having a go, but from an attendee's point of view, shouldnt SM have been aware of a medical condition regarding photos before the event? In which case, they could have made up an alcove somewhere perhaps rather than put her out in he open?

 

 

Strangely Kyla Cole seemed to think because the photoshoot was a tenner for her.. then shots of/with her at the table was the same price..even if you bought a few photos.. so a photo and a pic, came to £20..

 

Yes I came across this. The other models were including photos with autographs or for about a fiver, but Kyla wanted £10. I got the impression she though she had to charge this because of the £10 cost for the proper photoshoots, and didnt think it would be fair to others who had paid £10.

Ive had a photo before with her, so decided to just get another auto as I really liked one of the photos she had on her desk I hadnt seen before.

Would have had an actual photoshoot pic with the models, but didnt realise until too late it was the same time as Robert Kneppers shoot the other side of the hall doh!

[TommyT]

This has been covered so many times. I'm sure you can all search on this forum and find god knows how many topics.

 

No one wants the guests to look bad. Crew are there to stop awkward situations etc. We have to respect what they want. Not like we're ever going to say 'so and so doesn't want photos with you because they hate you' ..

 

Fair enough, but if SM are going to staunchly maintain on here that (except in high demand cases like Karen Gillan and Alex Kinston this weekend) it's never SM's choice to stop guests doing photos at the table and that in fact they actually encourage guests to have such photos, then might it not be an idea to agree with those guests who don't want to do them some plausible story as to why they're not doing them? Because otherwise if you have guests who come out and say "SM won't allow me because I'm having a photoshoot", such as

 

There was no sign above Mark Sheppard so I asked him for a quick photo and he said he was sorry but couldn't as SM told him he had a photo shoot. Also confirmed by the woman next to him. He was open q as well.

I got the same response, he told me the women next to him would go nuts if he let me.

I asked for a hug but he told me to do it quickly because again she would go nuts with him.

It seemed a little odd.

then it just makes you look like you're lying and feeds the conspiracy theory that it really is just a ploy to make people buy photoshoots. Surely it's better to agree some sort of story rather than have the guest say effectively "I am now going to give you a reason that casts the event organiser and his board moderators as liars"? I mean, "playing the bad guy" for the guest is one thing, but surely there are limits and this just makes your job harder than necessary?

[DjxTheGame]

*removed by moderator*

 

djx, you have been warned before.

 

You may think your comments are funny, but they are not. We are not tolerating such comments against guests on the forum.

 

It has been posted all over the place and even in this topic that Ashley Laurence has a medical condition. So yes, she has every right to ask for no photos and also every right to expect that her wishes are respected. She wanted to meet her fans and at least give them something. To a certain extend professional photo sessions can be done without flash, Malcolm has proved this before.

 

But at the signing table this almost never happens. If she sees a camera she can not automatically know that the flash was off, unfortunately only one in a hundred is.

Edited July 12, 2011 by Queen_Sindel

[sydney_bristow]

I've been told no by SM as I have a photoshoot tomorrow

 

Corey Feldman said the same thing...not trying to cause trouble at all as I buy photoshoot tickets, but why is it that showmasters say that they encourage the guests to do photos over the desk, yet I would say a good 75% of the guests were no posed photos this weekend.

 

I have met Corey Feldman at two other showmasters events and he has always been more than happy to do photos over the desk, and in the situation at Milton Keynes he was far busier and still managed to get through everyone and pose with everyone that asked.

 

Great weekend regardless...

Edited July 12, 2011 by sydney_bristow

[showmasters]

 

If this is the case, then it would solve a lot of problems if the guest/agent were honest with the attendees and just stated on the sign "no photos at the request of the guest/agent". I can see this itself could cause issues in itself, but I for one would have respect for a guest and respect the request and not ask. This would also cut-down (not stop as there are always some) the amount of people who complain to Showmasters each time!

 

this is the case for a fact , we deal with this all the time , in the end we are the bad guys , guests do not want to say no or do not want to look bad , an agent will talk to a guest then tell us they do not want to do this any more , it might be because the are tired or have a headake etc what ever resion they do not like saying not to the fans as it could make them look bad so we have the job to inforce this .

 

we get kicked on here because of it and have to deal with it on the day and get blamed for it to , but in the end if a guest is not busy i would perfer that they did photo at the table , i have said this for the past 10 years of running show , i am a fan and i think if there is no big line they should take part in this , but i cannot make them and we have to look like the bad guys is we are asked to inforce this .

 

its the truth and nothing more can be done to change this and in the future we will be blamed again for it .

 

its the way of things

 

i hope that helps in some way to understand why these thing happen

 

 

jason

[chrismk]

This topic comes up every time and I can understand peoples frustration and confusion as to the multitude of what appears to be excuses as to why guests won't have over the table shots.

 

There is no definitive answer, each guest has different reasons for allowing and not allowing shots at any given time. I would confirm that I have NEVER been briefed by Showmasters not to allow posed photos in order to encourage photo sales. I have been told by guests and I have been told by agents. They are not there because they are a charity, bluntly speaking the guests are there as a job.

 

Other reasons can be quite simple, the guest just doesn't want to, perhaps they prefer to be in control of the photos being taken or they may prefer to be made up before having photos taken. Please remember these are people who make a living out of how they look! A bad photo is for life, not just for your amusement, especially with the rise of the internet and forums like this. Whatever the reason, as the guests want you to like them and think they are great (as 99.9% of them are), it should always be the crew member who looks like the one saying NO, even if it is 100% down to the guest.

 

Last year, my guest was really enjoying standing up and posing for photos all day, we did not have any signs up restricting photos, until later in the day when he was quite quiet and a female attendee asked for and got a posed photo. I stood up to take the photo and watched him through the viewfinder flinch and go cold on her. I'm powerless to do anything at that moment as I don't really know what happened, but he refused the next few requests himself, until we could get a quiet moment to chat. Then, I realised what had happened that I couldn't see from my side of the photo. We did not allow any more standing up photos except for with children for the rest of the day, but neither did we explain why to everyone who asked, we just said no.

 

If anyone can suggest a better way to resrict the shots without a sign that says, "No posed photos if you've forgotten to use anti perspirant today, look like you haven't washed, make the guest feel uncomfortable, or have bad breath" or "No posed photographs today, if we've just done 10 on the trot and the guest is all flashed out, the guest has a hangover, the guest has a headache, or the guest wants to go to the loo but we need to clear the length of the queue a bit and photos take extra time" I'm sure we'd be happy to use it, in the meantime, it's a question of just accepting that for whatever reason, sometimes you will get a photo sometimes you won't.

 

Thank you for bearing with this long post, which after a gruelling weekend may not make alot of sense. I'm now off to sleep for a week.

 

Brilliant post thanks, it's interesting to hear these stories to help show that it's just one of those unexpected, unavoidable things.

 

[Howie]

I think SM need to get this problem totally defined once and for all..it's annoying when you see a guest posing for a photo' with some1 then you ask and they say no..or if they say no then you see them doing 1 with some 1 else...this happened with at least 3 guests I have even seen guests posing for a photo with some1 even though there is a no posed photo' sign up(ie Carrie Fisher)

[gazadams]

I wasnt going to bother getting Walter Koenig . But when i saw him just sitting their looking bored . I thought i might as well as i do like Star trek . Their was no one else around and i thought i'd ask him for a picture . He said no but i could take one of him . His crew member sitting next to him was saying no photos . So i said i thought that if he was not busy could i have one across the table . Walter Koenig just said sorry they wont let me looking at the crew memeber . Had i of know this in advance i dont think i would of bothered getting his autograph . I can understand it if they are busy , etc . But even on their forum which iread the day before the event . Showmasters say they encourage over the table pictures . SO when you ask you feel a bit awkward when the crew say no and the celebritiy doesnt seem to mind . He then carried on twiddling with his thumbs ...wasnt exactlly busy was he ?

 

so in a situation like that . when the money is running low and you have to make a choice between a couple of guests . I would of not gone for the one that wouldnt let a posed photo with . Then if i was boardering on bankrupcy ..lol

 

I simply would not of got him ! Then they lose out on the money .

But all in all had a great time and got some great people . Thanks showmasters !

[DavidB]

I think SM need to get this problem totally defined once and for all..it's annoying when you see a guest posing for a photo' with some1 then you ask and they say no..or if they say no then you see them doing 1 with some 1 else...this happened with at least 3 guests I have even seen guests posing for a photo with some1 even though there is a no posed photo' sign up(ie Carrie Fisher)

It is a bit puzzling sometimes I must admit. Plus I do think it's a shame when people ask when the signs are up, when others respect them.

 

Nice to meet you by the way

[Evie_Nitram]

On Friday night, the guest I was seated with couldn't believe we didn't charge extra for photos over the table, or for autographs on items such as posters and DVDs. He explained that at previous events he'd done in the states, it was the accepted way of things, and that the fans over here were entirely different for expecting so much for free.

That being said, when I explained that it was his choice whether to do photos over the table, he said he didn't mind, and had a few photos - from that moment on, EVERY SINGLE person coming for an autograph clutched a camera. Some asked politely, others merely swung their camera round in an inquiring sort of way, and the guest stood up again.

 

 

I think those of you complaining about inconsistency should try standing up every three minutes and leaning over a table while you are trying to work, or have a conversation. You might not mind it the first 5, 10 times; but after two hours, constantly standing up and sitting down again gets a bit tiring.

 

 

I am not going to say there is any right/wrong answer to this discussion, or any way of making it better or clearer - Attendees just need to go to these SIGNING events with no expectations of getting a photo over the table, and if you ask politely and get an affirmative, then enjoy your freebie photo-experience and ALWAYS remember to say thank you!! If you get a no, you really haven't lost anything.

[Orangepeel]

On Friday night, the guest I was seated with couldn't believe we didn't charge extra for photos over the table, or for autographs on items such as posters and DVDs. He explained that at previous events he'd done in the states, it was the accepted way of things, and that the fans over here were entirely different for expecting so much for free.

That being said, when I explained that it was his choice whether to do photos over the table, he said he didn't mind, and had a few photos - from that moment on, EVERY SINGLE person coming for an autograph clutched a camera. Some asked politely, others merely swung their camera round in an inquiring sort of way, and the guest stood up again.

 

 

I think those of you complaining about inconsistency should try standing up every three minutes and leaning over a table while you are trying to work, or have a conversation. You might not mind it the first 5, 10 times; but after two hours, constantly standing up and sitting down again gets a bit tiring.

 

 

I am not going to say there is any right/wrong answer to this discussion, or any way of making it better or clearer - Attendees just need to go to these SIGNING events with no expectations of getting a photo over the table, and if you ask politely and get an affirmative, then enjoy your freebie photo-experience and ALWAYS remember to say thank you!! If you get a no, you really haven't lost anything.

 

I fully accept that.

I do.

The only issue I had was with Joel who seemed confused as to why he couldn't have a photo with me and the girl inches from him said I could and the only next to him said I could not.

 

Mark told me if he had a photo with me he would get in trouble from some women who was standing behind him? and when we hugged he said I had to be quick. I am not sure if he was joking or not though.

[Evie_Nitram]

That woman behind Mark was his agent. I was nowhere near Joel all weekend so can't comment on that, but if there was a no photos sign, the crew member was only doing her job.

[crippsy_99]

yet I would say a good 75% of the guests were no posed photos this weekend.

 

I keep seeing people say this about the guests, but I must have got lucky. I had 12 posed photos out of 18 or 19 guests I met, and that was only the likes of Karen Gillan, Alex Kingston, Christopher LLoyd etc that I didnt get them from for obvious reasons.

Must have went to most of them at the right time!

 

I think those of you complaining about inconsistency should try standing up every three minutes and leaning over a table while you are trying to work, or have a conversation. You might not mind it the first 5, 10 times; but after two hours, constantly standing up and sitting down again gets a bit tiring.

 

Walter Koenig on the friday night I think it was was just standing up the entire time. He was doing posed photos at the time, so I presume he was standing so he didnt have to keep getting up and down or something.

 

I am not going to say there is any right/wrong answer to this discussion, or any way of making it better or clearer - Attendees just need to go to these SIGNING events with no expectations of getting a photo over the table, and if you ask politely and get an affirmative, then enjoy your freebie photo-experience and ALWAYS remember to say thank you!! If you get a no, you really haven't lost anything.

 

There used to be a time many years ago before the photoshoots, when an over the table photo was the ONLY way to get a photo with a guest, so in a way its always been a regular 'done' thing and I guess thats why so many people still want them these days.

[Too Tall]

Lets clear this up again

 

Photos at the autograph table are an extra that are in no way included in the price of an autograph. They are a nice extra and one that SM as a company never stop unless completely nessasary.

 

The guests and their agents have the right to say they don't want table photos at anytime. It can be for whatever reason, sometimes it's simply that the guest is jet lagged and doesn't want to spend all day getting up and down for photos. I will not deny that sometimes it's because the guests doesn't feel they should give something away for free that others are paying for. Or the guests agent may "believe" stopping over table photos will mean more photo shoot sales, and tell their client this. But whatever the reason it is THEIR decision, never SMs.

 

At the end of the day the guests have right to say no at any time. It maybe that 2 minutes ago they didn't mind and now they do. I'm sorry that this will come across as unfair to an attendee, why them and not me, but it's THEIR choice. One they have every right to make.

 

Let me make it clear that SM always encourage the guests to do photos at the table. I have personally seen Jason have some serious discussions with agents about it, backing the rights of the attendees to get proof of authenicity.

 

The decision to stop photos will ONLY EVER come from SM because they believe there will be an issue getting all of the autographs done if they allow them.

 

And yes it does take more time to allow them, you may think "but it's only 2 seconds to take a photo!". We have done tests and it can make a difference of over 50% to allow them. That means the difference between getting 600 people through and 900. If we have given out 900 VTs, it's simply not fair to allow the first 600 to get a photo knowing the last 300 are likely to not get an autograph AT ALL!

 

Hopefully this bring this discusion to a close.

 

Thanks,

Stuart.