Parents Flash Photography

[gwenmom]

What is USAG policy on flash photography during a meet when it messes up a gymnast?

 

[raenndrops]

lol, the policy is that there is NO flash photography allowed.
At the biggest meet I have ever been to, every time they saw a flash, there was a message over the PA - reminding everyone that there is NO flash photography... and after the 3rd, the lady threatened to ban all cameras!
I have never seen them allow a re-do because of it though.

 

[gwenmom]

Thanks. Poor DD was just starting her floor routine when a lady decided to start taking pictures of her DD on beam. With the flash on and directly at DD through her entire routine. It definitely showed. However DD rebound has has an excellent next two events.

 

[cbifoja]

At our meet this weekend the announces said that "at this level, you are no doubt aware that there is no flash photography". But then they came back on and said that if we didn't know how to use our iPads to turn around and ask someone to check your flash. It was kinda crackin' me up.....

 

[raenndrops]

In our gym, it is "Turn your camera around and take a selfie. If it flashes, turn it off for the safety of the gymnasts!"

 

[wnl256]

Argh! Drives me craaaaazy.

My job at gym meets is to run the scoring computer. This puts me at the scoring table and in the ideal position to spot flash violators. And it usually falls to me to go track the person down and talk to him or her. In nearly all cases the individual did not realize the flash was on, and in at least half the cases they have already turned the flash off by the time I get to them. But you know what: I don't mind. I am nice but absolutely insistent: you must turn that flash off.

It's worse with level 2 and 3 sessions. Most of those parents don't know their way around a gym yet.

 

[gwenmom]

In our gym, it is "Turn your camera around and take a selfie. If it flashes, turn it off for the safety of the gymnasts!"

We always do at our meets too. This was Non home meet for us. Very frustrating

 

[2G1B]

They need to make a new rule, "You will be allowed ONE warning in the lifetime of your gymnast. At that time your child's name will be taken. Should you have another infraction for the remainder of your child's gymnastics career then 1 full point will be deducted from your child's AA score for that meet."

 

[wnl256]

Thanks. Poor DD was just starting her floor routine when a lady decided to start taking pictures of her DD on beam. With the flash on and directly at DD through her entire routine. It definitely showed. However DD rebound has has an excellent next two events.

It's a good thing I wasn't sitting near that woman or she would have gotten an earful.

It falls to the meet director to take care of situations like this, and the judges will give him or her a hard time if the problem continues.

 

[wnl256]

They need to make a new rule, "You will be allowed ONE warning in the lifetime of your gymnast. At that time your child's name will be taken. Should you have another infraction for the remainder of your child's gymnastics career then 1 full point will be deducted from your child's AA score for that meet."

I'd go further than that. I'd start confiscating cameras. "You can have it back when you leave. Here's a claim receipt."

 

[GymMom67]

At the biggest meet I have ever been to, every time they saw a flash, there was a message over the PA - reminding everyone that there is NO flash photography... and after the 3rd, the lady threatened to ban all cameras!

I think I may have been at that meet! LOL The same thing happened at one we went to last year.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Thanks. Poor DD was just starting her floor routine when a lady decided to start taking pictures of her DD on beam. With the flash on and directly at DD through her entire routine. It definitely showed. However DD rebound has has an excellent next two events.

==
It's totally acceptable for any parent to nicely tell someone to turn the flash off. And at that point if they don't turn it off then they are too stupid to be a gym parent...

 

[wallinbl]

I was at a meet where an over excited dad bellowed absurdly loudly after his daughter finished bars. Startled a girl right off the beam (beam was no more than 20 feet from seating), and nothing was done about it. Really nice guy, former pro football player, just seems to have no idea how loud he is.

 

[profmom]

My favorites are the meets where the announcer will get on the PA after a couple of polite warnings and say, "The gentleman in the blue sweater in the second row, please turn the flash off on your camera now." Nothing like a little public humiliation . . .

 

[Becauseisaid]

It's worse with level 2 and 3 sessions. Most of those parents don't know their way around a gym yet.

This is why we have an unsanctioned meet at the end of our regular home meets (3 per year we host). The club owner/HC has publicly stated that it is to familiarize the kids with competition as well as the parents. Makes a world of difference being TOLD the rules rather than just assuming your parents know and sending them out to a meet.