To be annoyed that i couldn't take pictures of my son in his nativity today?

[SleepyDopeyGrumpy]

Was really excited as ds2 was in the choir so was up front the whole time and thought i would get some really great pictures!

However we are told once seated that we cannot take pictures but we can buy the dvd once its done for £5.

Now i understand that some parents might not want there kids showing up on facebook or some such but if the pictures are kept for family or yourself then whats the harm in capturing somebody else in the picture?

So no pictures of him singing. No group shots and the only way i can see him in his costume again is to fork out for the dvd for myself as well as my mum who desperately wanted to see it but couldn't.

Im just a little peeved especially as ds1 has his nativity tonight and school have said go for it take as many pictures as you like!

[StayingSantasGirl]

When ds3's school did a nativity play video, about 6 years ago, it cost £12.95, if I remember correctly, so though it is a pain, actually £5 is not too expensive.

Plus it will show him singing, which photos wouldn't, and you'll be able to show it to the whole family.

So yes, I do think you are being unreasonable.

[SleepyDopeyGrumpy]

£5 to me is a lot of money now days when i have to fork out £20 for ds1's dvds as well (£10 each)

Add the fact that i will not receive the dvd in time before i go away for xmas i cannot even give it as a present and cannot show my whole family as they are scattered throughout the UK and i rarely see them

[nickytwotimes]

It is a pisser.
Some of the parents must have asked that there be no photos.
Don't really get it myself.

[WhereTheWildThingsWere]

YABU as we have never been allowed to photograph ds in any of his school performances, and I would love the chance to buy a DVD so we have a record but it isn't something his school offers, so you are lucky imo.

[Bucharest]

Can you imagine how offputting though for the children if every parent was flashing away?

It's annoying that people make a profit out of it- dd's nursery had a photographer who insisted on being paid upfront, before we even saw the photos, but I can understand the reasoning.

Also, I believe a lot of the reasoning is child protection?

[IfYouCouldWouldYou]

I wish my DC's school had done a dvd, The pictures we took last year were so bad because of the stage lighting you couldn't see them properly, and we were stuck behind the twenty foot xmas tree couldn't see thae nativity properly.
So to have the DVD would have been great.
And for a fiver would have got one for family members as Christmas presents.

YAB a little bit U.

[SleepyDopeyGrumpy]

I guess i wouldn't mind if last year was the same but when ds1 was in the same nursery they allowed pictures and filming also.

[louii]

But whats the difference in parents taking pictures or someone videoing it?

I would be annoyed if this was the case at DS school, would just video it myself, what a load of nonsense!

[MummyDragon]

I'm sorry but YABU. At my DS' nativity play last week there were so many fecking parents standing up taking photos that it was impossible to actually see the stage. I asked a parent in front of me if he could move his camera so I could see my DS when he spoke his one line, and the father said no. Absolutely selfish and for goodness' sake, watch the play and enjoy it rather than vicariously living it through a camera lense.

And how are you going to ensure that someone doesn't post the pictures on the internet?

And there may be someone in the audience who hasn't given permission for their child to be filmed due to child protection reasons.

£5 for the DVD is pretty cheap. Ours cost £8 and that included a CD containing 300 photos from the dress rehearsal.

[SleepyDopeyGrumpy]

Yeah i probably am being unreasonable but a little moan never hurt anybody eh?

[MmeLindt]

Mixed feelings about this.

Some times parents are so keen on getting the best photo/video of their DC that they are all over the auditorium, blocking the view for others. It can be extremely annoying.

I do understand that on a tight budget that £5 can be too expensive for some parents, particularly when you have children in different schools, but I do think that it is a good idea to do this.

[pigletmania]

YANBU things have gone to far now.

[IfYouCouldWouldYou]

sorry crossposted there. Ok i see your dilemma about getting them for xmas presents.

Do you not know anyone who could do copies for you then that way you buy the originals and have them copied for family members.

[GloriaInEccentrica]

YABU it's a pain in the arse when parents keep leaping to their feet and waving for their little darlings to look in their direction and flashing cameras all the timre.

you aren't allowed in the theatre because it distracts the actors, for the same reason it distracts children in nativities and blocks the view and spoils the enjoyment for others in the audience.

It is also a pain in te arse for people to be leaning over the back of chairs and waving left and right between heads to video the performance.

And stage lighting makes any photos taken from the audience crap anyway.

so just sit and watch and enjoy the performance.

[itsmeolord]

We are not allowed to take photos at dd's school events because some children, (including dd) are subject to court orders preventing a parent from knowing their whereabouts, its a child protection issue.The consequences for some of these children if they or their parent/s were recognised could be awful.

However my school is very good at doing a dvd of the event and blanking out the children whose faces cannot be shown, they charge cost for this (for the blank dvd) which is normally around £1.50 ish.

YABU.

[AngryFromManchester]

Maybe if you had been beaten to the point of death by your childrens father and had to be moved part way accross the country, away from your family, and change your name in the hope he would not find you once he was released from jail then maybe you wouldn't think these 'awkward' parents were being unreasonable

[SleepyDopeyGrumpy]

I will buy the dvd of ds1 (as its his first) but will have to settle just for pictures of ds2.

Mummydragon - Parents are asked to stay in their seats and not move around the church so any picture taking would have been done sitting down.
Same thing with the school tonight, only in seats and no wandering except we are allowed pictures.

The school doesn't take any pictures themselves so it would only be video if you didn't take your own.

[SantaWears2shoes]

yanbu
I will video dd at hers on friday(and copy if for anyone who asks)

[Hulababy]

If the school is videoing it then the no photo decision isn't because a parent has refused to allow their child to be photographed. In that case a video wouldn't be alowed either.

[SleepyDopeyGrumpy]

Off to pick up ds2 from nursery will come back to you!

[Lancelottie]

It still might be because of child protection issues, actually (I suspect these were behing the choice of child to be 'back end of donkey' last year -- she got to take a bow at the end with the rest, but her face wasn't on the video)

[AngryFromManchester]

It also may be due to children being epileptic

[upahill]

So those posters citing child protection issues and the threat of being beaten to an inch of your life - what's the difference between a dvd and photo? Not being arkward or argumentative just tryong to see the other side of the coin.

[BrigitBigKnickers]

It is VERY offputting for kids who are performing to have parents taking photos, often with flashes, through a performance. Not only the flashes but the constant beeping from the digital cameras.

I do think this problem is very easily rectified though. Allow parents to take photos after the performance is over while the kids are still in their costumes. The school will already know which children are not allowed to have their photos taken as permission for this has to be sought when a child joins the school. A teacher could whisk these kids off (should they be upset at being put to one side)for a cup of juice while the parents snap away to their hearts content.

[undercoverelephant]

At our school they asked for no photos during the performance but had the children come out, group by group, at the end for a "photo session." So you don't get a picture of your child in action, but do get one of them in costume, on "stage."