Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/02/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]TEX WORKER wrote: > > A message among Lugs recently reminded me when I was in Rome some two years > ago. I casually had my R7 mounted on a tripod and proceded to photograph the > city. In less than an hour I was told since I was a professional I needed a > license. I finally found out if you have a tripod you must be a professional. > > I have yet to get paid a thin dime for a photograph. Has this happened to any > of you professional? If so what countries do I have to worry about? > > I leave for Turkey , Greece, and Israel Sunday. Can I take my tripod or is it > a waste of time? > Clifton, I just returned recently from Paris. I was using my Leicas with no problems. My assistant was using a view camera on a tripod and this proved to be a major hassle. Just about everywhere we went we caught some hassle about using a camera on a tripod because it was thought to be professional. While we're both professionals we didn't admit to this and indicated the work was strictly for personal use, pour plaisir ou touristique. Mais non. Quelle bureacratie! At the Jardin du Luxembourg we were able to obtain a permit. For the city after spending several hours at city hall we were told we would have to wait a week and we should have written. Mostly, my assistant would just set up and try to get his photo before we were hassled. The problem is that he does mostly multi-frame panoramas so it takes a few minutes; not to mention how cumbersome a 4x5 is. All his work is strictly for display or art photography. Much of it he platinum prints. The irony is that nobody questioned my Leicas as serious pro cameras. I did a ton of black & white for my own editorial and personal use. I also did some color for stock. I should add that we were there stricly on a "busman's" holiday. Had a good year last year and didn't need much of an excuse to go. My assistant had never been there and probably wouldn't be able to go on his own. It was his holiday bonus. The upshot of all this. If you really want to work with a tripod it's probably a good idea to write months ahead, get the permit and reassure them that it's not professional if that's the case. Or, get very good at hand holding the camera. Carl S.