Photographer Denied Access From Six Flags For Wearing An ‘I Shoot Raw’ T-Shirt
Jun 11, 2014
Udi Tirosh
Udi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.
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Having spent a few days with Jared Polin (AKA FroKnowsPhoto) I have not seen him wear anything but a variety of ‘I shoot RAW’ T shirts. I am not sure he actually has any other shirts in the closet. Being a well coined photography term, Jared went to a New Jersey Six Flags wearing this shirt and was detained at the gates by security for wearing the I Shoot Raw shirt (after getting a ticket), and was asked to replace the shirt with another one.
Jared told the security that he is going to film the discussion and tried asking the security guards why he can not wear the shirt. To this he was replied with a series of recursive answers, ranging from ‘it is a family friendly park’, ‘it is up to management discretion’, ‘Several guards pointed up your shirt’ but they could not explain why the shirt was deemed inappropriate.
In the end, Jared had to go in the park and get a different shirt to be allowed in (see lead photo for his selection).
Here is how Jared describes the episode:
I was honestly taken back with being told that I could not come into the park with my shirt. I have been wearing them for four years and have traveled the world with not one issue. When I asked what was inappropriate they would not tell me, so I chose to take out my phone to film me asking the question. I included the entire interview un-edited. I did not want to cut anything from it so you could hear and see the exact conversation.
I was not happy that they would not tell me what about my shirt was inappropriate. I fully understand my shirt has double meaning but to not get an explanation is pretty infuriating. The one thing my brother was told was that my shirt could have double meaning. That may be true but you should SEE the shirts they sell in their stores that are even worse than mine. I have the images posted on the website.
Actually Jared was not even upset about not going into the park, and is not dissing six flags in any way, his rant has more to do with the fact that the park is somewhat hypocritical and sells a bunch of shirts just as double meaningful as I Shoot Raw!
To make it a complete #fail story, the response from the park’s social media team has been nothing more than a cut and paste answer.
Hey @SixFlags I did film the encounter if u would like to see. It was upsetting not to get an explanation as to what was inappropriate.More)
— FroKnowsPhoto (@froknowsphoto) May 30, 2014
If you feel like supporting Jared, you can get the I Shoot Raw shirt here.
[Six Flags Denied Me Access To Their PARK Because Of My I SHOOT RAW SHIRT: RANT via froknowsphoto]
Udi Tirosh
Udi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.
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45 responses to “Photographer Denied Access From Six Flags For Wearing An ‘I Shoot Raw’ T-Shirt”
I guess Six Flags feels strongly about shooting in JPEG. Lol Their loss!
^^^^^^ LOL!!!!!! ^^^^^^^
Everybody’s loss, really. Polin shoots RAW because it’s lossless.
Thank you, thank you, I’m here all week.
talk about 1st amendment violation
This doesn’t fall under a first amendment violation. As a private company they can pretty much dictate dress code…
Whoa. Someone that actually knows what the first amendment is for.
Is it because the “shoot” paranoia or because your to “RAW”?
Enhance your calm John Spartan, LOL.. My brother was declined to enter a company for wearing a WWE t-shirt :)
that said RAW?
No it didn’t.. But had a drawing of wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin with snake arms.
Thats good, that shirt sounds hideous.
The good thing about personal preferences, they don’t require other people’s approval
well at least the door guy agreed with me.
Birds of a feather..
when in rome…
I agree having the other t-shirts on sale is hypocrisy, but needing the supervisor to say on camera what he already knew the double meaning to be – that’s being a dick.
Do you know if they meant SHOOT or RAW. That was the thing, what was the issue, the shoot or the raw?
They probably thought it was sexual… “I shoot Raw”
I didn’t get the double meaning and google wasn’t really useful. Could’ya explain this to me?
Well there could be different takes on it, but you could say a male “shoots” through the genitals. Now make what you’d like of it from that
You wrote, “I have not seen him ware anything but a verity of ‘I shoot RAW’ T shirts.”
Did you mean “wear” and “variety”?
I most certainly did. Thank you.
We should wear a size matters shirt without the theme park branding and see if it passes then use the parks own shirt as backup.
Size matters and have it just say F/2.5
Now I want that shirt… add a picture of an open aperture…
Idiots! “That’s inappropriate/offensive/etc. … ‘Why?’ … ‘Because it is.’”
And you, and I, and Jared all know it is too. They don’t need to say it, we all know, it’s meant to have a double meaning and he got stopped for it. Take a deep breath and move on. Or, you know, try and get lots of internet attention because someone worked out your tongue in cheek offensive t-shirt is actually offensive in a family environment and made you take it off.
“I shoot RAW” may sound potentially sensualized to the uninformed masses who know nothing about photography. However, to anyone who knows anything about cameras, it’s clearly not.
The problem isn’t the shirt, the problem is an absurdly hypersensitive society that exists in a constant state of searching for something to be offended by.
The only reason the photographic term “I shoot RAW” made it to the front of a t-shirt IS because it is sensualised, the exact reason why “I shoot JPEG” ISN’T on a t-shirt. The absurdity here is the guy got asked to take it off at a family theme park and he turned it into a massive drama you’re buying into
I repair guitar amps. A well known parts mfg,Mercury Magnetics T shirt says “Our Transformers are Stacked” and proud of it! The double meaning is a hell of a lot more obvious. No one has as muched even chuckled at it. Now if they only offered a DD model…. I think I’ll go to 6 flags and see what happens. Is it really more important than Jesus?
What would they have said to a woman wearing the shirt? ;)
Love the Princess replacement shirt Fro!!!!
Funny how she couldn’t even bring herself to say it! LOL!!!!
They reserve the right to deny entry based their discretion at the appropriateness of attire. Businesses don’t have to explain why. As long as the act isn’t discriinatory they have the choice to refuse service. End of story! But hey, the internet minions need something to bitch and moan about so this story is on the front page of what’s supposed to be a photography blog simply because it’ll generate page hits and one of the people involved takes pictures….
Did you watch the vid? I think it’s a fair point. They do have the right to refuse entry, but probably would be decent to do this before paying, before you make it into the park.
I honestly don’t know the innuendo they meant but the shirts they sell in their park had very obvious innuendo so I guess it’s the one rule for one but not all problem.
I want an I shoot Raw shirt. Jpeg just sucks.
Usually I see this shirt (I have one) as a sexual reference more than anything
Given the knee-jerk reaction recently about anything gun related, what makes you think it was the “RAW” part that the park objected to?
well now, I’m off to buy one of those them there t-shirts. and polin just went up a notch in my book. ‘funny’ (sarcastic for ‘really sad’) how the gun violence is making americans sensitive to t-shirts and not better gun laws. now for a crazy 2nd-amendment, tea-party reply in 3, 2, 1…
you clearly picked the phrase because of its double entendre towards “raw=nude.” That you needed to explain the photographic definition should demonstrate that non-photography knowledgeable would not understand. You even admit you understand the double meaning. therefore, you are being a dick for not admitting that when security stopped you.
You also hit on the other aspect… “I Shoot” and you still complained.
Get over it. That is clearly what you are being a dick most about. You understand the meanings that might be offensive, and yet you refuse to let it go. you decided to rant. dicks rant. Adults just get over it when someone decides who and what they allow on their private property. Ask for a refund and walk away.
tell him james ya sheep! baa baaa baaaa mate
how many t-shirts he sold after the post?
Can you really follow the logic of anyone who uses the term “unappropriate” (3:23)?
I would have shirts made to match the I shoot raw that say things like I like it rough, size matters, etc. and then have some friends wear them into the park next to you in your shirt. if they ask you to remove yours and not theirs, they are on crack. if they ask everybody to change shirts go into the gift shop and call them out on it. hope that makes sense.
They have the right to do it…even if its stupid, and that`s all of it…
I wear my “I Shoot RAW” shirts frequently. I have never had anyone say anything about it. You should have shown them the back of your camera LCD screen and file format options. Maybe then they would get it.