Do people bring personal photographers?

[poncho1973]

My father (an avid hobby photographer who shoots some weddings, graduations, events, etc. each year... not a hardcore pro like many of you probably are) recently went on his first cruise and asked me, as a seasoned vet, if I had ever noticed someone bring along a personal photographer.

 

Admittedly, I haven't. Of course, that person wouldn't being wearing a vest that said "LOOK AT ME! I AM THEIR PHOTOGRAPHER!" because they would've probably just seemed like a member of the family.

 

I've seen people drop some serious $$$$ on all sorts of weird stuff, but do people ever do this? I imagine most ships would have a problem with someone attempting to do too much in this regard, but someone who just was a part of your group, taking family photos couldn't be a problem. People do that every single vacation.

 

Is this a legitimate thing?

[zackiedawg]

I haven't seen it for someone simply on vacation...but I have seen a photographer for hire brought on a cruise for a wedding being held on the ship - and he spent time photographing and documenting the entire cruise, wedding, and after - some posed shots and some 'vacation' and scenic shots. I spoke to him a few times as he'd be up shooting the sunrise or sunset on deck when I was - he was pretty happy with the gig - it was his first time on a cruise and the wedding party picked up his tab, plus was still paying him for the wedding photography.

 

But just a regular vacation, I haven't seen anyone hire a personal photographer for that.

[the_journeyman]

Haven't seen it myself, BUT I'm sure it happens. I'm a hobby/amateur that shoots a photo shoot or wedding here and there. I would LOVE to be paid to take a cruise just to be a photographer!

 

JM

[poncho1973]

Haven't seen it myself, BUT I'm sure it happens. I'm a hobby/amateur that shoots a photo shoot or wedding here and there. I would LOVE to be paid to take a cruise just to be a photographer!

 

JM

 

I'm 100% positive that is why he was asking, even if he didn't directly say so. He'd probably do it just for a free cruise!!! HAHAHA! He loved his first cruise so much.

[travlnblueberries]

DH and I talked about it for our one cruise. We got married and we just wanted good photos to remember it all. We didn't have the big wedding party and all the people, it was just us two.

[chipmaster]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304708604577504612972076008.html

 

There are time when your iSomething isn't worthy, you got money to capture that moment, and you don't need to be bothered with posing as someone will capture it all while you just live it up :D

 

My father (an avid hobby photographer who shoots some weddings, graduations, events, etc. each year... not a hardcore pro like many of you probably are) recently went on his first cruise and asked me, as a seasoned vet, if I had ever noticed someone bring along a personal photographer.

 

Admittedly, I haven't. Of course, that person wouldn't being wearing a vest that said "LOOK AT ME! I AM THEIR PHOTOGRAPHER!" because they would've probably just seemed like a member of the family.

 

I've seen people drop some serious $$$$ on all sorts of weird stuff, but do people ever do this? I imagine most ships would have a problem with someone attempting to do too much in this regard, but someone who just was a part of your group, taking family photos couldn't be a problem. People do that every single vacation.

 

Is this a legitimate thing?

[donaldsc]

You better check w the cruise line before you do this. I would imagine that many of them would not let you take business away from the on-board photographers who are paying good money to have photo rights on-board. It might end up that you personal professional photographers might not be allowed to work.

 

DON

[Tiggertastic]

I've seen one get onboard with a visitors pass, take bridal party pictures then leave again but with so many people on the ships I'm not sure I'd notice a photographer if there was one

 

I've seen a couple of guys take and pay for their own nurses to go with them. They kept forgetting the nurses cabin number and kept ringing me instead

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have only seen a professional photographer on ships when there is a wedding followed by a reception. After everything was over, they left.

I have never seen one stay on for the entire cruise.

I have also seen quite a few personal nurses on ships.

[poncho1973]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304708604577504612972076008.html

 

There are time when your iSomething isn't worthy, you got money to capture that moment, and you don't need to be bothered with posing as someone will capture it all while you just live it up :D

 

Nice link. I forwarded it to him.

[poncho1973]

You better check w the cruise line before you do this. I would imagine that many of them would not let you take business away from the on-board photographers who are paying good money to have photo rights on-board. It might end up that you personal professional photographers might not be allowed to work.

 

DON

 

I'm not sure how anyone could ever tell. I'm not talking about him setting up a studio on the ship, just following people around and documenting their journey. People often have a family member who does this already.

[travlnblueberries]

I'm not sure how anyone could ever tell. I'm not talking about him setting up a studio on the ship, just following people around and documenting their journey. People often have a family member who does this already.

 

My thoughts as well. I don't see how they could stop you from taking your picture. That would be like none of us being able to take a photo either.

[the_journeyman]

I could see why they wouldn't want a pro coming in and setting up a full backdrop and whatnot setup. Likely, if a hired photographer is with a family or group, they won't look much different than me with my DSLR, waterproof camera, a couple tripods etc. FWIW, I took many great pictures of my wife and I on our honeymoon (her first) cruise, but we still spent around $150 on pictures in a package from the ship because we liked them.

 

JM

[chipmaster]

See the attached photo :D

 

I think there was recent blog from about concerts and having people check in their phone to stop and enjoy the moment.

 

I have only seen a professional photographer on ships when there is a wedding followed by a reception. After everything was over, they left.

 

I have never seen one stay on for the entire cruise.

 

I have also seen quite a few personal nurses on ships.

[mefinephotoman]

I had my gear with me on our last cruise and set a shot up with my wife and then recruited two absolute strangers One to hold the flash and one to take the shot. It turned out great (it's my avatar) but while setting up the shot one of the ship photographers came up to me and in a polite way told me that he would be setting up his gear there and needed me get done and move on. They can tell the difference in the equipment. When they see better, more elaborate gear than they use they know.

[chipmaster]

The reality of photography is that in many studios, on ships, on location shoots, with a entry level consumer camera, cheap prime, or entry zoom and the right lighting setup one can produce really nice photographs worthy of very large prints. The difference between a 5KMKIII / D800 with a 24-70 2.8 and a ti3 with an tamron in the hands of someone with a little practice is small for setup shots like portraits.

 

But nice gear is fun to have :D

 

I had my gear with me on our last cruise and set a shot up with my wife and then recruited two absolute strangers One to hold the flash and one to take the shot. It turned out great (it's my avatar) but while setting up the shot one of the ship photographers came up to me and in a polite way told me that he would be setting up his gear there and needed me get done and move on. They can tell the difference in the equipment. When they see better, more elaborate gear than they use they know.

[awboater]

I don't know if the "professional" photographs on the ship are really that good. They generally have good equipment, but they are very expensive for what you get.

 

For instance, portrait photos at a minimum should have that nice blurred background with nice bokeh to decouple the subjec. I have yet to see any of those photographers come anywhere close to that for those setups that don't use a background (i.e. they use the ship itself for the background).

 

My wife insisted on a portrait a couple of years ago, and the backdrop was the main staircase on the ship. Of course, the entire background was in focus, and the whole photo was confused looking. You advanced guys know what I mean.

 

That to me seems fairly amateurish. $20 seems a lot for just an average looking photo.

 

Now, they may be perfectly capable of producing such photos, but by and large, these are just photo-mills; get out as many photos as you can for as much profit as you can, disregarding any semblance of quality.

[chipmaster]

"Professional" I think here means "paid" and "making a living from it" its a seperate discussion entirely whether they have expensive equipment and produce bad shots, or cheap equipment and make great shots, or cheap equipment and make bad shots.

 

I recalled on Princess they were using Dxx consumer body with a prime lense, really more than good enough to blow up to 11x17 if required. At my son's graduatoin the "professionals" were using consumer bodies and primes, again if they know what they are doing good enough!

 

Then of course I've seen a guy on the top of whistler with D800 and 70-200, I was very tempted this past year to use him. When I did do a couple portraits with a bunch of "professsionals" I did pick the guy with the expensive equipment, no gurantee but figure better than the guy with the d90 and tamron :D

 

BTW that background is real, 7th Heaven on Blackcomb

[Keith1010]

On some cruise lines there are master photographers who will spend time for a private shoot both all around the ship and even in port with you.

 

Keith

[havoc315]

I don't know if the "professional" photographs on the ship are really that good. They generally have good equipment, but they are very expensive for what you get.

 

For instance, portrait photos at a minimum should have that nice blurred background with nice bokeh to decouple the subjec. I have yet to see any of those photographers come anywhere close to that for those setups that don't use a background (i.e. they use the ship itself for the background).

 

My wife insisted on a portrait a couple of years ago, and the backdrop was the main staircase on the ship. Of course, the entire background was in focus, and the whole photo was confused looking. You advanced guys know what I mean.

 

That to me seems fairly amateurish. $20 seems a lot for just an average looking photo.

 

Now, they may be perfectly capable of producing such photos, but by and large, these are just photo-mills; get out as many photos as you can for as much profit as you can, disregarding any semblance of quality.

 

That's a matter of taste. I usually blur my portrait backgrounds... When the background is irrelevant, or when it's mostly just for color. (Such as a heavily floral background).

 

But... Take the other extreme. A family portrait at Disney World in front of the castle. I want that Castle to be sharp, not blurred. I see many cruise ship photos the same way-- point is to capture the memory that includes the ship, not a blurred indecipherable background.

[the_journeyman]

I agree Havac - We actually walk the ship and check out all of the backdrops because we want the backdrop to represent our cruise or some part of the ship. I certainly wouldn't want those backgrounds blurred. A good example of this, is on one of the formal nights on our honeymoon cruise, I was in a tux and my wife in her wedding dress. They as set up a photo station on one of the really nice staircases and it made an awesome picture. The staircases and the associated background needed to be sharp.

 

JM

[havoc315]

I agree Havac - We actually walk the ship and check out all of the backdrops because we want the backdrop to represent our cruise or some part of the ship. I certainly wouldn't want those backgrounds blurred. A good example of this, is on one of the formal nights on our honeymoon cruise, I was in a tux and my wife in her wedding dress. They as set up a photo station on one of the really nice staircases and it made an awesome picture. The staircases and the associated background needed to be sharp.

 

JM

 

Precisely -- A certain level of photographic knowledge and experience teaches the benefit of portrait background blur, and how to achieve it. A higher level of experience, and you know when to use it, and when not to. And when to just use a very mild amount. (Beach vistas can sometimes benefit from just a very mild amount of blur, to add a "dreamy" aspect to the portrait.)