At every trade fair your camera works between other stands, logos and products. This guide explains when neighbours in the background are fine, when you should ask first and how to protect your own stand. Practical guidance, not legal advice.
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A stand rarely stands alone. A competitor on the left, a supplier on the right, a stand with a huge LED wall opposite. Almost every photo taken from the aisle shows something that does not belong to you: stand architecture, logos, products, screen content, people.
Several legal areas play a part. A custom-designed stand can be protected by copyright, logos and product names are often registered trademarks, and product designs may be registered too. On top of that come the organiser's house rules and people's right to their own image. For day-to-day work, one question decides most cases: is the other party's property just background, or is it the subject?
This guide is practical guidance, not legal advice. If you want to show other companies' brands or products deliberately in your marketing, talk to your legal team first.
If another stand appears by chance and in a minor way in the background of your photo, that is generally not a problem. It changes when it moves to the centre or looks as if it were part of your presentation. You may have heard of freedom of panorama, the rule that lets you photograph buildings from public streets. It does not help inside an exhibition hall: a stand exists for a few days and is not in a public place.
Much can be solved with framing:
How to plan for this while the stand is still on paper is covered in our guide to stand design from the camera's point of view.
It is different when another stand becomes the subject, for a trend report, as inspiration for your own stand design or to keep an eye on competitors. Then:
What counts as normal practice at shows in your home market may be received differently in Germany. When in doubt, ask. People on other stands also have a right to their own image; the neighbour's staff do not belong in your show film just because the shot looked good.
Many stands show products from other manufacturers: distributors present the brands they represent, system suppliers build in components from others, software runs on devices of other brands. For photo and video that means:
More on this in our guide to third-party logos and brands in your show video.
Many exhibitors from Asia, the Gulf and elsewhere come to German fairs as part of a national pavilion or a joint stand. Several companies share one area and often one photographer. Clarify in advance:
A short written agreement, for example one email to everyone involved, prevents arguments after the show. On shared areas, Pixer clarifies in the briefing which zones and companies should be photographed and which should not.
The question also works the other way round. If you are showing prototypes or new products, you may not want every visitor to photograph them.
Once more: this text is not legal advice. What applies in a specific case depends on the subject, the use and the organiser's rules. Where rules vary, the exhibitor manual for your show is the reference.
Other stands in the background are usually fine; as the main subject they are not.
Angle, crop and focus keep the neighbours in the background.
If you want to photograph another stand on purpose, speak to the stand manager.
No false association in advertising; follow your partners' brand guidelines.
On joint stands and pavilions, agree in advance who may use which images.
A sign on the exhibit, briefed staff, stand design rights settled in the contract.
If they appear only in a minor way in the background, that is generally fine. If another stand moves to the centre or looks like part of your presentation, change the crop or ask.
Ask the exhibitor and check the organiser's rules. Publishing such images in your advertising is held to a stricter standard, so clear it with your legal team first.
Individual distracting logos can be removed. The image must not become misleading, for example by making another company's product look like yours.
Speak to them politely, point to the sign and involve hall staff if needed. Long discussions on the stand take time away from visitors.
With the partner's agreement, yes. Ask on their stand and confirm briefly by email, stating where the images will appear.
That depends on your contract with the stand builder. Clarify the usage rights for photos and videos of the stand before the show, ideally in writing.
Want your stand photographed so that neighbours and third-party brands do not get in the way? Tell us the fair and the dates, and we will plan angles and shots with you.
We reply within 24 hours. During a show week, WhatsApp is fastest.
