To remind you that no photography includes you?

[persee]

We went to our daughter’s graduation ceremony yesterday. She was getting her PhD from Oxford. The ceremony is a solemn/traditional one. At the beginning of the ceremony, they said no phones please and no filming or photography. There was a live video being recorded that you can obtain online. It also said this in the degree ceremony handbook.

Why is then, that some people think this rule does not apply to them? A woman in front of us stood up numerous times to video parts of her child’s graduation. Another chap was taking pictures, texting, and had his phone go off loudly.

When dd was up front for her bit in the ceremony, the woman in front was on her phone again. The screen was distracting from being able to focus on the degree ceremony.

It wouldn't bother me personally, I tend to think these official videos are just a money spinner.
I probably wouldn't have the cheek to do it myself though.

This seems a very common issue... Lots of people seem to interpret "no photography" signs as actually saying "no photography by anyone expect you". I'm not sure what exemption they think they've got but the rules clearly don't apply to them...

Why is solemn- shouldn't it be a celebration?

It wouldn’t bother me either as long as they didn’t make a noise or flash photography.

Some people are rude, entitled fuckers, alas.

Same happened at dd's graduation, people bobbing up and down taking photos. But if no one stops them, they just carry on.

Fully agree with you. I hate it when people think the rules don’t apply to them 🙄

I couldn’t get worked up about this - unless someone was sitting nearby and talking on their phone. Then they would get a loud “shhh” from me.

I can see why it'd bother you, but I also understand why people would be so excited and want to take a photo of their own family member.

I had to approach a parent taking photos during swimming class.
It didn't go down well, I was very polite and factual, she ended up having a go at me in the changi g rooms later that she can't take pictures but I can look at another child (I was talking to a parent aski g how their dc was doing improving their crawl) she then shouted 'He' s got an ehcp' and when I asked what an EHCP had to do with taking photographs when children were swimming when it is clearly forbidden to take photos she flicked Vs at me and marched off.

Spike to staff, this week many more posters are up reminding parents they should not take photographs.

The people who say “it wouldn’t bother me” - that’s not the point. The rules of the occasion, set by the venue and the hosts, are no photography. Like phones in cinemas or theatres. Because it’s distracting.

I think some people simply don't care what anyone else thinks or experiences.

It’s not a solemn occasion . I agree with rubyfowler the videos are just money spinners. Considering the amount of money phd’s cost the least they can let you do is take a photo/ video of the tiny bit of the ceremony your daughter is involved with. I went to my sisters and it was almost a whole bloody day, who the hell would want a video of that?

If they're standing up and taking a snap of their kid when they are receiving their aware, I don't see the problem - no one else is going to care are they?

I don't think someone being in their phone would distract me from seeing my daughter graduating. I think you might have got yourself worked up about it a bit and then not been able to focus on anything else. It must have been annoying as if they'd seen their child so now didn't care.

If I see a no photography rule in a museum or gallery or church/cathedral I abide by it. But lots seem to think it doesn’t apply to them.

Because an increasing number of people are massively entitled and don’t think rules apply to them.

The Oxford ceremony is a solemn/traditional one- in the same way that a wedding or christening can be both a celebration and a traditional, solemn ceremony.

@NutellaEllaElla

If they're standing up and taking a snap of their kid when they are receiving their aware, I don't see the problem - no one else is going to care are they?

Yeah if it's their own child then I don't see the issue.

@JoyOrbison wow they sound nasty

Everything is increasingly ruined by phones.

Live gigs are now peppered with sad bastards on their phones, not dancing, not talking, why are they even there. Everyone hates them; they are massive wankers and they spoil it for everyone else. The FACE HEIGHT ELBOW HINGE of the tragic insta-addict is a modern public safety issue in my view.

It's ironic that social media produces such antisocial twats.

YANBU OP. There its a no photography rule in our clinic. Its because the videos/photos get uploaded on the the internet. I dont want to be on the internet/SM especially when I'm working.

Even though there is a sign up saying no photography I still have to tell people to put their phones away. Its really fucking annoying.

Congratulations to your daughter on getting her PhD, you must be so very proud of her

@mokojolo

Everything is increasingly ruined by phones.

Live gigs are now peppered with sad bastards on their phones, not dancing, not talking, why are they even there. Everyone hates them; they are massive wankers and they spoil it for everyone else. The FACE HEIGHT ELBOW HINGE of the tragic insta-addict is a modern public safety issue in my view.

It's ironic that social media produces such antisocial twats.

Agree they ruin gigs. But at a graduation surely it would just be one or two taking photos of their graduate not a whole crowd of people taking pictures. It's up to them if they want to witness the moment through a phone screen they might want pictures for relatives unable to attend.

@mokojolo

Everything is increasingly ruined by phones.

Live gigs are now peppered with sad bastards on their phones, not dancing, not talking, why are they even there. Everyone hates them; they are massive wankers and they spoil it for everyone else. The FACE HEIGHT ELBOW HINGE of the tragic insta-addict is a modern public safety issue in my view.

It's ironic that social media produces such antisocial twats.

This!