no.. it's a VIDEO camera, I'm not taking your photo

[Paul Mailath]

I must have said that a dozen times during the last reception and people just kept on posing.

I'm using a GH1 and loving it but hating the fact that I have to explain to everyone that I'm not the photographer and they should just keep doing what they're doing - how do you guys that are using DSLR's cope with this?

[Paul Cascio]

Here's some ideas:

Try standing farther away and use a longer lens. Don't linger so long setting up the shot.

Be a bit more discreet and look away from the camera once you know you've framed the shot properly. If you're not looking in the viewfinder, they don't think you're shooting.

Stop explaining if you want them to ignore you.

Good luck.

[Don Bloom]

When I was using full sized cams obviously it wasn't a problem. Well except once in a while when the person spendt a bit too much time at the bar.
Now with the smaller cams I just smile and tell them I would be happy to record them if they wished to say something to the bride and groom. Some do some don't and honestly I don't care one way or the other because I rarely use that stuff anyway, unless it's someone on my list. Parents, g-parents someone special. This is also something I hardly ever do anymore but the point is, you can go along with it and pretend to "take their picture" or just tell them you do video. No big deal. Only happens during cocktail hour anyway.

[Chris Hurd]

I had this same problem way back in the day when I was shooting with a Canon L1.

I felt kind of like Francis Ford in Apocalypse, "just keep moving! Don't look at the camera!"

[Marty Welk]

we had the same problem (long ago) when working in places that they never knew what a video camera even was "Is that me there on that Tv thing?" <--- Actual words that were used.

i can (possibly) tell you a way to get a handle on it, have yourself announced at the party at least. Heeeerrrreees Johhney ! he is our video-toe-grapher guy today, and he will be taking the VIDEO of all your happy smiling in action faces. This Here ----> is the PHOTO grapher , he will be asking you to pose with purdy smiles for to hang on the wall and put in the albums. This is a Mic , it is held by this end, and put up to your ear so you can hear ;-)

[Marty Welk]

if that dont work, put a huge matte box on the front, a 500W light on the top of the camera, wear a beret , and have a sound guy running around stuffing a boom in their faces.

[Chris Davis]

I shoot with a JVC HD100 which has an ENG look to it. While I don't get the "taking a photo" type of response, I do get a lot of questions like "is this going to be on tv?" or "what channel is this going to be on?" Not just from kids, mind you, but from fully grown adults too.

I am old enough to remember the era before consumer video cameras; back then when you saw a video camera in public there was a 99% chance it was from a television station. So there are apparently some people who have not noticed a change in the past 30 years.

[Taky Cheung]

It happens to me too... Here's a video clip

YouTube - This is not Photo Taking

on top of the funny look, there is also the language barrier.

[Paul Mailath]

that's the EXACT look!! - very funny

[Dror Levi]

This is so funny, I guess it happened not only to me.
Last event i shot i had this guy that chased me all evening to shoot him thinking i am a photographer ( i have the fx1000) I told him many times that this is a video camera and i am not a photographer.
For some reason he did not get it. So what i did every time he came by for a picture was give him the thumb up like i got the shot and then he left me alone.

[Pete Bauer]

In defense of our hapless subjects, besides ALL of us having grown up knowing what a still camera looks like, there's no red "record" light to remind everyone the camera is recording. Even my wife, who was perfectly knowledgeable about the camera (at least before all the frosty beverages...) did the "statue pose" when I was taking video at her birthday party. She said I could even post the clip, but I don't think I will in case she forgets that verbal contract later on...
;-)

[Jon Kon]

Originally Posted by Taky Cheung

It happens to me too... Here's a video clip

YouTube - This is not Photo Taking

on top of the funny look, there is also the language barrier.

lol Taky - thats funny

[Tim Gilbertson]

I just run with it. I've started incorporating the sort of video-photo, where people will pose for the video, but there will still be subtle action. Lots of films feature this, but off the top of my head all I can think of is beginning of Syriana.

T

[Jacques E. Bouchard]

I chuckled when I saw the title of this thread. I shot at a rave for new year's eve and even though my XH-A1 could not possibly be mistaken for a still camera, plenty of people asked me to shoot them and stopped perfectly still when I pointed the lens at them.

Maybe it was all the recreational drugs...

[Victor Vongpraseuth]

Originally Posted by Taky Cheung

It happens to me too... Here's a video clip

YouTube - This is not Photo Taking

on top of the funny look, there is also the language barrier.

Wow! Take a look at my Halloween video. Not as bad as that first smiling woman in your video, but everyone was posed waiting for the flash to go off.