Museum photo policies

I do not know if this is the right section, so moderators, please move this post to the appropriate section if needed.

I was wondering about people’s experience when taking photos in museums, their respective policies and how they are enforced.. both in the US and Europe, probably also in Asia..
First, museums vs cameras.. I take pictures with my Rollei Hy6, not as a professional photographer but just as an amateur whose family has used Rolleis for a long time and likes their rendition. Yet, it seems that to many museums, the size of the camera classifies me as a professional, and they can either accept that I am not after giving me a strong warning, or not accept it at all… With digital backs or color films that do not go over ISO 800/30°, no flash of course, my pictures will certainly be much blurrier than those made with modern compacts or camera phones, yet museums seem to still consider size a primary factor.. Imagine, I may try selling a blurry photo of what’s in the museum!.. I tried to explain them that not every Porsche driver on the highway is a professional car racer, but they did not want to understand the comparison…

Second, lenses. In a museum I visited last week, on top of giving me the lecture on professional photos, I was told it was forbidden to switch lenses! Again, a modern compact with zoom and CMOS sensor with high sensitivity plus image stabilization would take much better pictures than my camera that does not have all these modern functions, whether I change lenses or not.

Third, regarding the flash. I would never use flash when taking pictures of paintings inside a museum. Yet I have been forbidden to use flash at a classic car exhibition that took place in a museum (although there was no danger of car color fading…), and conversely I have seen many people who did not control their phone properly and took pictures with the phone light, without a word from the guards.

Fourth, backpacks. Although I understand the fear of museums that someone with a backpack turns quickly and bumps over a statue or another visitor, carrying a backpack in the front or holding it by hand is not practical at all, when the museum declines any responsibility for items left at the coat check. The traditional rope barriers have worked well in the past to protect pieces of art by giving enough space around them where people cannot be, so why aren’t they used anymore? And it is everyone’s responsibility to pay attention to whomever may be behind and in front oneself.

All in all, it seems that museums are getting paranoid about photos, for some obvious reasons but with restrictions that make me want to stay out of these places…

Have you experienced similar situations?

This has been discussed many times on many forums.

There is no uniform set of rules or consensus or even logic behind various institutional policies for photography, so you have to deal with each situation separately.

Many of these rule sets were established years ago and have fossilized into unchangeable statues that are blindly enforced with no recognition of technological change or recourse to logic at all.

If you want to attempt change, it does no good to joust with the staff of the institution; they have to deal with the dysfunctional policies daily and probably don't want to lose their job bucking a system that probably treats them poorly in the first place.

The only real chance of changing these inane rules is to appeal to the curators and directors of the institutions and hope someone has the mental capacity and fortitude to see their absurd nature.

However, you have to be aware of that change probably will just eventually lead to a total ban of photography of any kind.

Playing the Devil's advocate for a while, you need to see it from the viewpoint of the Art Museum or Gallery; Their only real assets in this World are their physical holdings and this is what keeps visitors coming and paying admission fees.

Add this to what appears (to me) to be an increasing willingness of the public to "settle" for a convenient digital representation of a physical object, the Curators and Directors of these institutions are rightly concerned that they will simply vanish or diminish to a barely sustainable entity if representations of their holdings become easily available to view online.

Government and Non-profit organizations are caught between the rock of needing to make these collections available, ever escalating costs of running the archives and shrinking budgets.

There is no real easy solution.

My opinion.

Often it seems that prohibitions on flash photography are rationalized as protecting the artwork from harm but also have to do with flash photography annoying other patrons.

AT one London art museum that "strictly prohibits" photography of the art work, I was looking at a favorite painting and mentioned to the guard that I would have taken a picture had he not been standing there. His repsonse was classic... go ahead and take a photograph if that's what you want to do.

The Louvre in Paris seems to have liberal policies. That's the Mona Lisa in the back. We and everyone else were taking pictures, similar throughout the museum. I think tripods and flash were forbidden.

I was at the Uffuzi in Florence, Italy last year and saw a sign that indicated that non-professional photography without tripod or flash of the artwork was OK but taking of people was not. As crowded as it is I don't know how one could avoid taking pictures of people in that place.

Also, in their regulations it curiously states:

"Only the use of pencils and digital devices is allowed, while colours, tripods, stands and any kind of cumbersome equipment are forbidden inside the museums."

I'm guessing that applies to those who want to sketch or paint there.

The US Park Service demands paid permits for "Professional Photography", which is hilarious, as I could take a 6K Blackmagic Video camera in and shoot cinema quality material at any time. This only makes sense if you are shooting with a crew and possibly damaging the flora and fauna, but most rangers seem to think it means "big cameras with big lenses".

Kino said:

... "Professional Photography"

Click to expand...

Kino said:

... means "big cameras with big lenses".

Click to expand...

The last time I was challenged on this at a venue with similar policy, I was using a Graflex SuperGraphic. Even they laughed at themselves when told when the last time such a camera was used for professional/commercial photography.

BrianShaw said:

... but also have to do with flash photography annoying other patrons.

Click to expand...

^^^THIS^^^

I have had it several different ways from no camera to being able to use a 4x5 on a tripod as long as it was only in the sculpture garden outside. Most seem to permit small amateur style cameras. You might get by with a Leica or a good quality point and shoot that fits in a pocket. Most museums don’t permit flash.

The museums I have visited have their photography policy on their website, so you can know in advance what is permitted.

Anaxagore said:

. . .

Second, lenses. In a museum I visited last week, on top of giving me the lecture on professional photos, I was told it was forbidden to switch lenses! Again, a modern compact with zoom and CMOS sensor with high sensitivity plus image stabilization would take much better pictures than my camera that does not have all these modern functions, whether I change lenses or not.

Click to expand...

When my children got to around 7th grade and they started thinking logically, they started commenting on such paradoxes. I explained that as they continued to grow and learn that they needed to think things through, consider the logic and consequences of each action, be logic and act as an adult, until they became adults and then they could be like all the other adults and act on impulse or illogically as they wished. Do not expect logic from adults or museums. I have seen that some museums prohibit cameras but allow cell phone to photograph everything.

Flash not only disturbs others, it can fade paintings.

VinceInMT said:

I was at the Uffuzi in Florence, Italy last year and saw a sign that indicated that non-professional photography without tripod or flash of the artwork was OK but taking of people was not. As crowded as it is I don't know how one could avoid taking pictures of people in that place.

Also, in their regulations it curiously states:

"Only the use of pencils and digital devices is allowed, while colours, tripods, stands and any kind of cumbersome equipment are forbidden inside the museums."

I'm guessing that applies to those who want to sketch or paint there.

Click to expand...

Haven't museums had problems with people splashing paints and oils on their paintings? So, they prohibited painting and only allow pencil sketching and digital devices. What, no film cameras?

Alan Edward Klein said:

Haven't museums had problems with people splashing paints and oils on their paintings? So, they prohibited painting and only allow pencil sketching and digital devices. What, no film cameras?

Click to expand...

The quote indicated that “colours” were prohibited so maybe you can only shoot B&W.

The Dali Museum in st. Petersburg, FL never let you in with a camera or a camera bag, even if you state you have no intention to take pictures - they have a stand of lockers outside you must place them in. They say the purpose is to avoid the disruption of patrons.

Meanwhile as everybody has their cell phone out and snapping away.

I told they may have relented as they either recognized their foolishness, or they got a lot of backlash!!!

Alan Edward Klein said:

Haven't museums had problems with people splashing paints and oils on their paintings? So, they prohibited painting and only allow pencil sketching and digital devices. What, no film cameras?

Click to expand...

Film camera's are heavy and often metal - you can throw them at a painting, even a sculpture, and damage it!

Camera policy at the Louvre in Paris​

You are allowed to take a camera into the Louvre and take pictures of artworks displayed in the permanent exhibitions. The photos must be for personal use only and not be reproduced commercially without prior permission from the museum authorities. What isn't permitted is the use of flashes, any other form of lighting, or selfie sticks. You should also avoid taking photos of any security cameras, members of staff, or the public. It's possible that photography may be banned at some of the temporary exhibitions so ask first before getting your camera out.

My local museums allow photos but no flash or tripod. The rules for special traveling shows may be more restrictive. Some argue that the risk of flash damage is overstated. Some argue that a real motivation for museums to ban photography is that they want you to buy their postcards.

My local museums face criticism for only appealing to non-diverse elites as well as suffering from the general trend of virtual activities displacing in-person experiences. The Louvre may not have a shortage of visitors, but my museums worry about that a lot. I think the trend of liberalizing their policies will continue as they pull out all the stops to remain relevant. They may soon allow flash if for no other reason than the innumerable phone users that are clueless about how to turn off their flash.
https://westevan.org/flashphoto4.htm

Many museum policies about cameras are about safety and not disturbing other visitors. Just as tripods are not allowed, selfie-sticks are increasingly being banned inside museums. There is the possibility of harming the art on display as well as other patrons. Large bags and backpacks are usually banned no matter what is inside. As far as the size of the camera is concerned, the museum staff cannot be expected to know who is intending to make "professional" or commercial shots--which may be prohibited--and who just has a big ol camera. Some artists and institutions do not want their work photographed, and that is generally posted in the exhibition. Before smartphones, museums regularly sold slide pages with their greatest hits. They still sell postcards and posters. There may be the theory that personal photography cuts into those sales. It never ceases to amaze me that people take smartphone photos of all the painting in an exhibit. Just buy the damn book! They probably won't look at those photos again, anyway.

I go to a lot of museums, and I go to museums a lot. I even have a project I'm considering about museum guards. Who knows?



Louvre, Paris 2007

jvo said:

they have a stand of lockers outside you must place them in.

Click to expand...

I love those and fortunately virtually all musea I've been to have easily accessible lockers. That way, I don't have to lug around a camera in a place where it's of no sensible use anyway.

koraks said:

I love those and fortunately virtually all musea I've been to have easily accessible lockers. That way, I don't have to lug around a camera in a place where it's of no sensible use anyway.

Click to expand...

I love taking pictures in museums, usually of the visitors with the art (or ignoring it), sometimes the staff, sometimes just the facility. And sometimes just before the staff tells me no pictures.

SF MOMA circa 1996

The assumption that phone photos are okay in museums because professionals would never use a phone may not hold up over time.

Back in the day, art students were encouraged to copy the artwork of the masters as a learning activity. This was considered legit as long as the student did not claim the work as their own creation. My understanding is that one of the reasons that art museums were created was to provide a place where art students could view and copy (at least flat pieces) examples of great art. I study photos of art I have taken in museums as a way to learn.

bluechromis said:

The assumption that phone photos are okay in museums because professionals would never use a phone may not hold up over time.

Click to expand...

You would have to ask why professionals might want to take photos in a museum. A fashion or editorial assignment? Usually, clearance would be arranged by the publication. A wedding? Fuggedaboutit! An art project, maybe, but permission might be obtained. I just attended a mind-blowing project commissioned and shot in conjunction with the V&A by fashion photographer Tim Walker, inspired by objects in their collection. Other commercial uses that might indicate endorsement would be pretty much impossible. Like shooting a Ferrari in the Uffizi or Chanel perfume in the Louvre. Plus those kind of things are easy to create in post.

I would be more concerned with tik tok creators making videos and disrupting museum goers.

bluechromis said:

The assumption that phone photos are okay in museums because professionals would never use a phone may not hold up over time.

Click to expand...

I can shoot 4K 30fps, 10 bit log encoded video with my iphone 10. Already way past that point...