The Uninitiated...

I came across something I wasn't really expecting at Bethany's nativity?

Before the show was about to begin, a load of parents got up the back with camcorders. There were about 12 of them back there.

When the teacher was announcing the entrance of the kids she just offcuffedly, quickly asked if anyone was bothered about videos and cameras, but also obviously stating that it was a bit late anyway.

Now this kind of afterthought treatment of the situation was a pleasant and unexpected surprise. I always assumed that taking photos at a children's show had become a frowned upon thing. I have been asked at a children's football match to not take photos of the match.

Now I thought that maybe it's just because I have immersed myself somewhat in photography and camera related activities and so I hear more about the stories of our kind being stifled at every opportunity. These camcorder parents were maybe just oblivious to the stories of photographers being stopped.

On a related note, I was relaying this story to a girl at my work and she told me of a rather sensible approach to the situation at her kid's school. The put the onus on the possible complaining few by making it policy that if you don't want your child photographed at such events, your child can't participate. A bit harsh on the child if enforced but should certainly make the parent think about what's important.