Something interesting, but frustrating happened to me tonight. I went to the Oilers game (at least they won), but before the game, I wanted to get a few shots of the guys warming up. After taking a few shots (it’s freaking hard given how fast they move – if you go, F8-F11 and ISO 800 should get the shutter at the right speed – or shutter priority), I was called over by an elderly usher who asked me to come with her.
She took me to the Northland’s office where she told me that my camera wasn’t allowed because it was “too professional”. I told them that I had checked with the Oilers office and they told me that I would be allowed a lense shorter than 200mm or one that would fit in my hand, “a beer can sized”, they said would be fine. So I thought my 28-135 would be fine. But the senior guy at the desk (I’m assuming senior) said “no way!” and then another guy checked their guide book and sure enough, what I was told on the phone was there. The senior guy asked if I had a media pass, to which I said no, and then he said that I would have to check the camera. So it seems that the Oilers, Northlands and the security guy who I checked with at the gate all have different stories.
I can understand that any one of the players would want to make sure that they have some way to control their image and the same for the Oilers, but the fact that any camera can be used as a pro, and that likely the only way that they noticed me was that fact that I had a big black camera on my face. My guess is that the guys one row behind me with the G7 who may have been a pro was ok… he must have had a media pass or something.
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