Teatro Juarez and camera policy

[Waymond Smith]

Today I went to Teatro Juarez to take some interior photos. When I was paying the attendant for the entry and camera fee he started questioning me regarding why was I taking photos, why didn't want to purchase any photos, etc, etc.

This despite that I've been at the theater and never had any issues at all? Why would they have a camera fee and hassle someone on the purpose of taking photos? Are they allowing persons with camera phones to take photos?

Most importantly, who can I contact in order to determine what the policy is regarding this issue?

[DonJuane]

The laws about photos in Mexico sometimes seem to be from the stone age. My guess is that having a very expensive camera means to a ticket counter or security person that you surely are into some enterprise that is going to capitalize by selling something their souvenir shop or historical society is also trying to make money from and you are potentially going to take away from that by stealing images to sell or publish from their heritage to put money into your pocket instead of theirs in the process. They believe that camera phones don't make any difference because of the traditional bad quality but in their society if you have thousands of dollars worth of equipment, then you must have some purpose in mind other than boring relatives at Thanksgiving or friends on Facebook with your work. There has been no precedent set in Mexico in the past that someone would invest the amount of money Gringos do in some of the very expensive equipment bags and they with all that large investment don't somehow have making money in mind.

So just consider that the concept of amateur or hobbyist photography doesn't exist in the traditional society of non-wealthy western societies, and in the form like I say where so much fancy and professional equipment is involved. If you are wanting to photograph their facilities, in their mind you must have something up your sleeve and are looking to make a profit and therefore at their expense so they either stop you from taking the photo or hit you with a big "camera fee".

And where this is not the driving factor, perhaps also they simply think if you have enough money to afford a professional quality camera, maybe you might be able cough up the cash to snap photos of their often expensively maintained artifacts, because for everyone who looks at your high quality photos and skips a tour through there, they loose another admission fee (while entry fees may be all that's keeping the historical marvel afloat).

[jesm]

DonJuane offers several ideas worth absorbing.
Allow me another. This country has seen its cultural treasures plundered, abused, destroyed and used for the benefit, financial and otherwise, by invaders, investors and visitors for over 500 years.
The USA has invaded so frequently there's a frigging museum in CDMX devoted solely to that subject!
Thus, perhaps the charge to photo is a small stroke of repayment or revenge.

[Waymond Smith]

Thanks for your replies. The guy WAS asking why I didn't want to purchase some of their photos, etc. I attempted to explain that I do photography as a hobby and I suppose (like in one of the replies), he couldn't fathom me having a hobby!

Thanks for the advise and insight to the mindset of Mexico.