In Camp Photos and Video
Guidelines to Keep Everyone Safe
Kanuckistan is working hard to make camp a place that people are and feel safe. In the past we have not had any specific policy on photography in camp, specifically within the private shade structures and camping area. To date there has not been a serious issue but we want to be proactive and make sure that an issue does not come up this year or in the future.
Restricted Photo/Video
To protect the privacy of people camping at Kanuckistan and ensure that all campmates can feel safe while expressing themselves within camp, we are asking everyone to follow these simple guidelines:
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Kanuckistan will clearly mark what areas of camp are considered Private Shade Structures and Camping Areas.
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Before taking any still photos within the Private Shade Structures and Camping Area within Kanuckistan we ask that you first verbally ask anyone who will be directly in the photo, as well as anyone in the background, permission to take a photo.
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You must ask each and every time you take a photo. Just because someone said it was ok to take their picture yesterday does not mean that they are ok with you taking a picture of them today.
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If possible, move to the front of camp by BLASTO or some other non-private area to take photos.
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Ensure that you take the photo in such a way that you eliminate or reduce capturing people in the background. The people you are taking a photo of may be ok with it, but that naked person in the tent that happens to get caught in the background may not.
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There is NO video recording allowed within the Private Share Structures and Camping Area. Particularly using small video cameras on a tripod. People that are being video recorded may have no idea that their image and/or voice is being captured.
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There are no time-laps images allowed within the Private Share Structures and Camping Area. Once again, individuals may not be aware their image is being captured.
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If you accidently take a picture of someone in camp, immediately show them the photo and ask them if it is ok. If they say no, immediately delete the photo. Asking for forgiveness is not as good as getting prior consent but it is the next best thing.
What’s at stake
When at Burning Man many people are pushing their boundaries, dressing differently and potentially doing things that they would not feel comfortable doing in the Default World. We want to encourage people to make the most of their Burning Man Experience and to feel safe doing so in camp.
Some people have employers, relatives, friends, etc. that they may not want to share their Burning Man activities with. We want to respect those people and ensure they can do all the Radical Self Expression they want without fearing repercussions because photos and/or video images make their way onto the Internet. You do not want to be the cause of someone losing their job, harming their relationship with family, losing custody of their kids or other serious consequences.
How fast do images make it to the Internet?
We are constantly amazed how quickly images are posted to the Internet. Often your friends see photos of you at Burning Man while the event is still going on.
How to share pictures?
We all love to post pictures on Facebook and other social media sites; however, this is not always the best way to share Burning Man photos. The Kanuckistan site has a photo gallery that is password protected. Consider using this as a good place to share pictures.
Burning Man Photo Policies
Burning Man itself has very strict policies on photography. Click here for details. You should also make yourself familiar with these policies so you know the rules.