The emergence of cheap digital cameras has led to an unique situation where every citizen is capable to create a print-worthy photo. Professional-grade cameras start at 1000$ nowadays, whereas every cameraphone can create a decent 15×10cm print. Unfortunately, traditional enterprises have had huge issues with this new freedom of information. Many houses have responded with repression – people who use cameras get booted off the premises.
This hard-hand approach sometimes leads to truly paradox situations – the (government-owned) Austrian railroad management company’s policy has inspired me to this rant. Before we dive in, it’s time for a little background information:
As the OEBB is a government-owned agency, it unfortunately isn’t free to do the economically best thing. After a few highly intelligent but misunderstood managers were laid off to protect political cronies, quality plummeted significantly. This led to bad press – the company responded by prohibiting professional photography on-site. Furthermore, hundreds and hundreds of Euros are invested into journalists every month, giving them access to free drinks, newspapers and even cheaper tickets.
Yours truly often commutes to the FH Hagenberg, and thus rides a train at least twice a week. So far, everything has gone well – unfortunately, the above-mentioned policy led to total mayhem a few days ago. I waddled into a Club Lounge with a loaner phone and wanted to test the camera by photographing a few coke bottles standing around the lounge.
Unfortunately, a brain-dead clerk felt threatened – and /me was booted out of the lounge by local security. Even though the press spokesperson intervened, the clerk still was stubborn as I returned to the lounge from Hagenberg in the evening (it was encouraged by a highly intelligent local head honcho).
In the end, the OEBB lost out big-time. The hundreds and hundreds of dollars spent on yours truly (and the good impression created by many motivated employees) has been fuxated by a single brain-amputee. Instead of a free link to its web site and a few mentions of its high-end Club Lounge service, the OEBB netted this rant.
Allowing customers to photograph stuff they like or dislike leads to discourse. While the discourse may not always be favorable, I personally prefer to “know my weaknesses”…
What do you think?
P.S. Seth Godin’s mind seems to be connected to mine somehow – he just posted about the same thing…
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Most of the time I carry a camera or at least a camera-enabled phone. I often take pictures of strange and funny stuff happening around me – and I often do that in stores, bars, malls, wherever.
Until now, nobody cared.
(and BTW: Nobody would dare to throw me out for taking pictures anyway…)