A Courtesy

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by Molten

Why has this become such an issue that it goes on for three pages? Is it really too much to ask for someone to request a picture? It takes two seconds.

It might add only two seconds of the photographer's time, but it takes a lot more than two seconds from the person being asked permission from. I would rapidly become very irritated if everyone who just wanted a snapshot of our team's robot had to interrupt me and get my attention first. Maybe I'm just unusally sensitive to what I consider pointless disruptions, but I think it seems much more polite to take the photo without undue fuss than to turn the process into a ritual.

Just knowing that there are people who request that you ask, should be enough reason to ask. You shouldn't have to know why, or have to agree with them. Just remember to ask.

The problem with that simple advice is that there are people who would prefer that you not bother them just to ask for permission to take a picture. I myself don't understand why anyone would think they need permission to take a picture of a robot at a competition in the first place.

However, it's now apparent that the original poster's request wasn't strictly about taking photos without asking first. It was about taking flash photos without asking first. That's a good point, and something I agree with completely.