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09-08-2011, 07:08 PM   #1
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Pay to get a permit to shoot in state parks?

So I just emailed a friend who is a photographer and she told me that maryland state parks now require permits to shoot there. (commercially, not just for fun) not only that, but each time you take a customer there, say for a senior portrait, you have to file for a permit days before, submit $25 fee and have $100,000 in liability insurance... Is it just me, or is that nuts?
I have the persons name at the state parks who is suppose to have full information, and plan to contact him, but I can find NO information on this online at all.

Anyone else hear of anything like this?

09-08-2011, 08:14 PM   #2
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All I'm going to say it, who said you were shooting commercially

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09-08-2011, 08:18 PM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by SlickYamaha Quote
So I just emailed a friend who is a photographer and she told me that maryland state parks now require permits to shoot there. (commercially, not just for fun) not only that, but each time you take a customer there, say for a senior portrait, you have to file for a permit days before, submit $25 fee and have $100,000 in liability insurance... Is it just me, or is that nuts?
I have the persons name at the state parks who is suppose to have full information, and plan to contact him, but I can find NO information on this online at all.

Anyone else hear of anything like this?
It sounds about normal.
09-08-2011, 08:26 PM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by Adam Quote
All I'm going to say it, who said you were shooting commercially
True, and since you're shooting with a Pentax, it's not like anyone is going to assume you're a professional photographer (just kidding!)

09-08-2011, 08:39 PM   #5
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County and city parks in this area require a permit if you are doing professional shoots, say for a wedding or sweet sixteen, for example.

I don't believe the forms require proof of liability to be indicated, but I am sure that will be next. The permits average around 25 bucks.

You can get a permit in advance at the park office or city hall, or you can buy one from the park staff on site.

In our case for our daughter's Quince and also our son's wedding we were advised by the photogs once we told them where we wanted to have the sessions, and we picked up the permits ourselves.
09-09-2011, 03:21 AM   #6
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Yes, but those are large scale items, with alot of people, taking up alot of space. I'm talking about small scale shoots. Me, a camera, and say a couple looking for engagement photos. No props, no lighting, no tripods.
It just seems silly to me, if I take my parents on saturday to get 1,000 photos, they welcome it. If I come back the next day with my parents friends to take photos and charge $50, they want $25 and to file for a permit.

The way I see it, if I'm making money, the state wants money, how is that not a tax? Whats next, having to pay $10 per State road used to get to the park? Then I have to pay for parking on a state parking lot? Are they going to put coin slots on the water fountains for photographers only?

And if its sunny, I guess Ill have to apply for a good weather permit too.

*I know Im being silly about this, but really, this all seems very silly to me. What happened to the philosophy that state parks were "A place for all to enjoy" (Unless your making money!)

And I dont even want to start what I think about the Governments idea of "Making work easier for small businesses" Then taxing them for something like this.

Last edited by SlickYamaha; 09-09-2011 at 03:31 AM.
09-09-2011, 05:25 AM   #7
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NPS Digest- Commercial Filming and Still Photography Permits


Here in Toronto it hasn't been made law as i know it as yet but it is up to the properties to enforce it. The paid permits for wedding photographers started being enforced at popular venues when fist fights broke out between photographers fighting for spots, so far i haven't heard of such fights for engagements shoots, there are still many photographers who still don't get a photography permit for wedding or commercial shoots they still prefer the gorilla style impromptu shoot


Last edited by Clicker; 09-09-2011 at 05:31 AM.
09-09-2011, 08:00 AM   #8
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The same is true for National Parks. They don't always charge a fee but they usually require a "permit for commercial photography" and even for certain personal photography it it involves models or sets which could hinder other visitor's use of the park. And they will sometime charge you for the escort ranger's time...

Of course you could always just tell any inquisitive ranger that you are a photography student doing a class assignment using your friends who just got married as subjects. Hard to get away with though if he remembers you using the same excuse the previous weekend. LOL

I think these requirements are ridiculous since we all own these parks. As long as we are not in the way, why should it matter? However, like many similar permit systems they were designed for large operations like motion pictures but have been extended to the small business as a way of generating revenue A similar situation existed at one time in NYC that encompassed the whole city, not just parks. It was addressed in a thread here on PF somewhere a couple of years ago. Fortunately saner heads prevailed and the requirements were relaxed significantly.

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Last edited by MRRiley; 09-12-2011 at 09:02 AM. Reason: typo
09-09-2011, 08:05 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by SlickYamaha Quote
Yes, but those are large scale items, with alot of people, taking up alot of space. I'm talking about small scale shoots. Me, a camera, and say a couple looking for engagement photos. No props, no lighting, no tripods.
It just seems silly to me, if I take my parents on saturday to get 1,000 photos, they welcome it. If I come back the next day with my parents friends to take photos and charge $50, they want $25 and to file for a permit.

The way I see it, if I'm making money, the state wants money, how is that not a tax? Whats next, having to pay $10 per State road used to get to the park? Then I have to pay for parking on a state parking lot? Are they going to put coin slots on the water fountains for photographers only?

And if its sunny, I guess Ill have to apply for a good weather permit too.

*I know Im being silly about this, but really, this all seems very silly to me. What happened to the philosophy that state parks were "A place for all to enjoy" (Unless your making money!)

And I dont even want to start what I think about the Governments idea of "Making work easier for small businesses" Then taxing them for something like this.

Here those small scale situations will require a permit also. You could try to sneak by but if you break out a tripod, use an external flash, or start doing multiple poses with a couple around the same bridge, tree or stream the park staff will approach you with their receipt book in hand.
09-09-2011, 10:10 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by crewl1 Quote
Here those small scale situations will require a permit also. You could try to sneak by but if you break out a tripod, use an external flash, or start doing multiple poses with a couple around the same bridge, tree or stream the park staff will approach you with their receipt book in hand.
One word: Disguise.

I've read that in the early days of motion pictures in L.A. it wasn't unknown for film crews to sneak to public locations, quickly setup and shoot a scene, then speed away before the cops could arrive. Ah, the good old days...

But for a paid shoot in a public place, just get the permit and include that in your fee.
09-11-2011, 07:01 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by RioRico Quote
But for a paid shoot in a public place, just get the permit and include that in your fee.
Respectfully I would just make one adjustment to that advice.
I would include it as a separate line item on the invoice, clearly
stating "xyz Park Photography Permit Fee" or something like that.
Like tire dealers here show a separate line item on new tires invoices that say
"State Disposal Fee of Old Tire" (or whatever the actual words are).
That way you are not upping your fee for what last month was a $50 shoot
to a $75 shoot this month. The customer dissatisfaction will hopefully
then be re-directed to the fee charger not you.
09-12-2011, 03:13 AM   #12
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The problem really isnt the fee, (well, it is because it annoys me) but the big problem is that they require a $1,000,000 insurance policy to take photos on park grounds. Im mega amateur. I cant afford a million dollar insurance policy. It would probably take me 4 months worth of jobs just to pay for the insurance....
09-12-2011, 04:58 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by SlickYamaha Quote
The problem really isnt the fee, (well, it is because it annoys me) but the big problem is that they require a $1,000,000 insurance policy to take photos on park grounds. Im mega amateur. I cant afford a million dollar insurance policy. It would probably take me 4 months worth of jobs just to pay for the insurance....
A million or $100,000? I agree though that the requirement is ludicrous. Far better for "amateurs" if they allowed you and the people you were shooting to sign a waiver of liability absolving the park of any responsibility for injuries.

Mike
09-12-2011, 07:38 AM   #14
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I do some mobile dj work on the side and a 1m liability policy is common at many venues. There are organizations that sell these policies for around $150 per year.
I would expect there is something similar available for photographers.
In the mobile entertainer biz it separates the serious business owners from the amateurs with a laptop and illegal music.
I bet photographers who do it for a living welcome this insurance requirement as it cuts down on the Uncle Bobs with a camera. .
09-12-2011, 07:44 AM   #15
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It's to protect the public from legal action should a commercial venture on public land create a tort for which the state is third partied.

Very reasonable for those using public land for private gain.
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