Range Etiquette and Safety

[coloradokevin]

In something like 8 or 9 years of competition, I have never seen video or photography become a point of contention. Most people don't care and say something like, "Cool, send me the link!". From time to time, there might be a military or law enforcement person who doesn't want to be photographed. A short word with the person with the camera is all it takes.

Additionally, I don't think there is anything illegal about recording a person in a public place where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy (despite what the OP may think). I don't have the case in hand at the moment, but I seem to recall that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on this very issue in the past (filming someone in public, that is). On a daily basis most of us are probably recorded on hundreds of cameras, most often without our knowledge!

Obviously safety issues are another matter entirely, and where the videographer stands during a stage may or may not present safety concerns, or be in violation of the rules of any given competition. But, I still believe they are within their legal rights to film someone.

As far as etiquete is concerned, it has been my experience that most shooters LIKE to be filmed during their USPSA/IPSC matches (even those of us in LE). I'm a police officer, and I usually squad-up with at least 4-5 other officers during local USPSA/IPSC matches. I love it when someone is willing to film my stages, because it gives me an opportunity to figure out where I did things correctly, and where I might have dropped the ball... In other words, it makes me a better competitor.