Taking Pictures?

[+harvchick]

So, I'm brand new to Geocaching. Cannot believe I've never heard of this before and kinda disappointed I didn't know about it too, as this appears to be something very interesting and fun.

 

Anyway, I tried searching for this question but couldn't find it, so sorry if its a repeat.

 

Are you allowed to take pictures of the geocache once you find it or is that not allowed?

[+cerberus1]

So, I'm brand new to Geocaching. Cannot believe I've never heard of this before and kinda disappointed I didn't know about it too, as this appears to be something very interesting and fun.

 

Anyway, I tried searching for this question but couldn't find it, so sorry if its a repeat.

 

Are you allowed to take pictures of the geocache once you find it or is that not allowed?

If it's a simple ammo can with cool markings, lock n lock with standard camo, or a pill bottle hide and you're holding it, or placed in front of you, sure.

 

Most COs don't much care for pics of the creative, hard-to-find hides, built to blend in, now exposed for all to see, especially if you show it in it's hidden spot.

So I guess I'd say, just use some common sense so no spoilers.

Edited August 15, 2015 by cerberus1

[+Touchstone]

Are you allowed to take pictures of the geocache once you find it or is that not allowed?

 

I had a friend that took pictures of every cache he found, but I would probably not post a picture with my Log Entry. Always difficult to know if a cache owner will consider it a "spoiler" or not.

[+dprovan]

Generally, you shouldn't publish pictures of caches. (You can take pictures, of course, for your own uses.) Post pictures of the scenery, instead.

 

As other replies have suggested, there are times that it's OK to post pictures of caches, but don't try that until you have more experience and can better judge what might spoil the hide.

[+briansnat]

I see no issue posting photos of a run of the mill container. If you've seen one film canister, ammo box or lock n lock you've seen them all. As a cache owner, one of my favorite photos to see in logs for my caches is of the smiling finders holding the cache. I've posted hundreds of these myself and never had a cache owner object.

 

On the other hand do not post anything that could be construed as a spoiler. When I post photos of me or my partners with the cache I usually move away from the cache location. That way someone can't figure out where the cache was hidden from the photo. Also never photograph the cache in its hiding place and don't post shots of specially camouflaged caches such as fake rocks, bird houses, etc.

[+Team Microdot]

I see no issue posting photos of a run of the mill container. If you've seen one film canister, ammo box or lock n lock you've seen them all. As a cache owner, one of my favorite photos to see in logs for my caches is of the smiling finders holding the cache. I've posted hundreds of these myself and never had a cache owner object.

 

On the other hand do not post anything that could be construed as a spoiler. When I post photos of me or my partners with the cache I usually move away from the cache location. That way someone can't figure out where the cache was hidden from the photo. Also never photograph the cache in its hiding place and don't post shots of specially camouflaged caches such as fake rocks, bird houses, etc.

 

Personally I usually opt not to post photographs of any cache. The most I'll do is post a photo of the signed logbook.

 

The way I see it is that most of the time when searching for a cache there are a number of unknown elements - subject of course to what the CO is prepared to 'give away' in any hint provided.

 

1. Precisely where is it hidden?

2. Precisely how is it hidden?

3. What does it look like?

 

I fully agree with the idea of not including the actual hide location in any photograph - but why should the hide location receive special treatment when it comes to spoiler potential? I don't understand why the hide is sacrosanct but the cache container isn't - given that disclosure of either by photographic means probably makes the find easier by roughly the same amount.

[+on4bam]

You can take all the pictures you want of course. Just never post any of them if it helps others to find it.

Remember to delete or alter the EXIF data, especially for multi's and mysteries, as you may give away end coordinates.

[+harvchick]

Thank you for the feedback!

 

I understand the common sense part and wouldn't post anything to give away a spot. I've enjoyed the 3 hunts I've been on so far and would have been disappointed.

 

Was thinking more along the lines of pictures of what was inside of the box but just more for my own reference not to post on here.

[+dprovan]

I see no issue posting photos of a run of the mill container. If you've seen one film canister, ammo box or lock n lock you've seen them all. As a cache owner, one of my favorite photos to see in logs for my caches is of the smiling finders holding the cache. I've posted hundreds of these myself and never had a cache owner object.

I don't think you're wrong, but I have seen a lot of photos that seemed innocent but gave away a lot of info. Yes, I've seen plenty of film canisters, but if I'm not expecting a film canister, the picture will tell me something I didn't know. The most common give away I run into is a picture showing me that the container is too big to be a hanger.

 

Not that I want to discourage such pictures: I look for them all the time to figure out what I should be looking for.

 

Was thinking more along the lines of pictures of what was inside of the box but just more for my own reference not to post on here.

The contents are less of a problem, really no problem at all if you can get your picture without showing the box itself. Of course, I'm assuming the cache's size isn't listed as "unknown" or "other", since it that case the CO might be hiding whether or not it can hold anything.

[+briansnat]

The most common give away I run into is a picture showing me that the container is too big to be a hanger.

 

Wouldn't the listed size already tell you that?

 

Anyhow I've posted literally hundreds of photos in my gallery of the container or someone holding it. In 14 years of geocaching, I've yet to have a single CO object, so I suspect it's not an issue for the vast majority of cache owners.

Edited August 16, 2015 by briansnat

[+Team Microdot]

The most common give away I run into is a picture showing me that the container is too big to be a hanger.

 

Wouldn't the listed size already tell you that?

 

Anyhow I've posted literally hundreds of photos in my gallery of the container or someone holding it. In 14 years of geocaching, I've yet to have a single CO object, so I suspect it's not an issue for the vast majority of cache owners.

 

I suspect many owners never actually realise someone has uploaded a photo with their log, which makes it more difficult to be in any way sure that the 'vast majority' of cache owners wouldn't take issue with it.

[+on4bam]

Wouldn't the listed size already tell you that?

 

Nope. I've found "non chosen" containers that were nano's and others I could walk in and of course, anything in between.