csgaraglino
Senior Member
More and more I am being stopped and asked to put on a safety vest while shooting.
I have always received specific vets at professional sports events and will always have to use theirs for that, but more and more nonprofessional events are requiring vests to separate the working photogs form the masses and they usually have some you can borrow.
Now local police are requiring that I must have a vest when covering public events that take place in city parks and/or on closed streets, covering police or fire activity, journalism activities, etc.
I know that if I am in the street/traffic for any reason shooting, I must have a vest.
I'm good with all this - and I do have my own vest that is always in my truck - but now I am being told that my vest must identify who I am as in it must have MEDIA, PRESS or PHOTO (something) clearly marked on the back in large letters that it can be read form a distance - like my camera or video gear doesn't convey that enough?
I understand why they want this and there are Pros/Cons to identifying yourself, but that's a different post.
I don't know what the proper etiquette is; what it should say, size, colors? This is a fairly new trend and standards don't seem to be available yet.
I'm a freelancer - so I don't have a organization specific vest and I don't always shoot for news - most of my work goes to magazines, blogs and different websites - even to companies/manufactures/sponsors. For example, I'm a frequent walk on at Pikes Peak International Raceway and I do very well selling images to sponsors of drivers that compete.
On the flip side I also shot a lot of Commercial Real Estate Development that puts me in the street quite often smack in the middle of traffic.
Like I said, I understand the need for a safety vest and I also understand the need for identification so that someone (police or otherwise) knows why/what I am doing.
But how do I identify myself? Am I MEDIA, PRESS or do I try to find a patch that says PHOTO? PHOTO patches over 5" are very hard to find.
Thoughts?
I have always received specific vets at professional sports events and will always have to use theirs for that, but more and more nonprofessional events are requiring vests to separate the working photogs form the masses and they usually have some you can borrow.
Now local police are requiring that I must have a vest when covering public events that take place in city parks and/or on closed streets, covering police or fire activity, journalism activities, etc.
I know that if I am in the street/traffic for any reason shooting, I must have a vest.
I'm good with all this - and I do have my own vest that is always in my truck - but now I am being told that my vest must identify who I am as in it must have MEDIA, PRESS or PHOTO (something) clearly marked on the back in large letters that it can be read form a distance - like my camera or video gear doesn't convey that enough?
I understand why they want this and there are Pros/Cons to identifying yourself, but that's a different post.
I don't know what the proper etiquette is; what it should say, size, colors? This is a fairly new trend and standards don't seem to be available yet.
I'm a freelancer - so I don't have a organization specific vest and I don't always shoot for news - most of my work goes to magazines, blogs and different websites - even to companies/manufactures/sponsors. For example, I'm a frequent walk on at Pikes Peak International Raceway and I do very well selling images to sponsors of drivers that compete.
On the flip side I also shot a lot of Commercial Real Estate Development that puts me in the street quite often smack in the middle of traffic.
Like I said, I understand the need for a safety vest and I also understand the need for identification so that someone (police or otherwise) knows why/what I am doing.
But how do I identify myself? Am I MEDIA, PRESS or do I try to find a patch that says PHOTO? PHOTO patches over 5" are very hard to find.
Thoughts?
