Opinion: "No Photos Allowed"

Deutsch version here


Banning independent photography in clubs achieves nothing... unless you count the suppression of self-expression as an achievement.

Last week I found myself at a decadent party in which surreal sights abounded. Unfortunately, no cameras were allowed inside. No doubt, the privacy of a few individuals who think that a club is not a 'public' space was protected. The price of this privacy was that dozens of potentially inspiring images went unrecorded. They will never be sent to friends via email, or uploaded onto blogs, or hung up in portrait galleries, or published in books.

As someone who lives to document underground parties, it is worrying for me to consider the possibility that, when this generation of Berlin clubs (currently under threat from developers) has ceased to exist, the only visual record that will be left will be tidy, promotional images that have whitewashed away all the chaotic beauty that reigned inside. 

At worst, we'll only have glossy shells of nightlife spots, stripped of the tangled pulsating mess of sensuality that reshaped many memories and realities. At best, we'll have carefully curated images, hand picked by a few individuals who think having their names on the deed gives them the right to choose which images suit their 'brand' best. There'll be no unvarnished, impartial record... and who will have benefited from that, except a few self appointed cultural censors that can't handle such raw self expression, and will never be made to face their 'worst' fears about it, and accept that they may have all been a paranoid fantasy? 

Some clubs have taken to hiring their own photographic 'artists' to take official photos, thereby satisfying their punters' need for memorabilia whilst maintaining strict control of what gets recorded. This approach is neither inclusive nor trusting; it also implies that only club promoters are entitled to record the club scene's memories. In reality, everyone who participate in Berlin's club community is entitled to a view on it - whether that involves taking photographs, making music, writing articles, creating comic strips, or putting on club nights. That autonomy, finally, is what distinguishes the underground from a mainstream  entertainment 'establishment'.

Clubs - all music venues, for that matter - are nothing if not a meeting place for like-minded people. Punters go there out of a shared musical passion and give the best of themselves to the night. They pay good money for the privilege of doing so, too. Is it fair to tell them that they can't even record the experience? Who knows: if allowed to do so, they might even elevate the experience to a whole new level with a few creative shots of their cameras. This is exactly what amateur photographers have done in underground scenes of the past.

The photo at the top of this entry, for instance, is one of several iconic shots of Woodstock taken by Burk Uzzle (source: Lawrence Miller Gallery), who attended the 1969 festival. Another excellent example of punter photography is found on the cover of The Clash's 'London Calling' album (it was taken by Pennie Smith while she watched the band play). There have been plenty of other photographers who came into their own while partying in underground scenes around the world, which just goes to show you that partying does not always have to be about losing oneself. Sometimes, it can be about finding oneself and one's talents, too.

Having said that, though, I would personally advise following a few basic precautions when you're shooting photos anywhere in the world to safeguard the public from unwanted prying eyes, or a sense of being 'under surveillance'.

1. If someone's face is going to appear in your photo, especially if it's identifiable or a central feature of the shot, ask them if they're alright with that before publishing.

2. If someone ends up in your shot by accident and is highly identifiable - meaning recognisable to someone who's not them - blur their faces. This is especially necessary in situations where people might be breaking the law. Even if the law they're breaking is ridiculous or outdated. 

3. If there are signs up on private property saying you cannot take photos, respect them. (Signs that are placed in public spaces can honestly be ignored, no matter what some self appointed 'camera police' would like you to believe).

Like Green Velvet said, Cameras ready, prepare to flash...!