There is a big difference between taking an unnecessary risk and acting recklessly.
Operating in marginal conditions close to max weight is not reckless.
And there in lies the rub. A young fellow/lass who through lack of training/experience doesn't know what they don't know. To be taking a risk you have to have fore knowledge of the risk. It's typical to get an endorsement flying at light weights and you then get to explore the limits with customers on board. Some days you get to go home dry, and on an unfortunate day you get to go home wet. If you're really unfortunate it ends in tears.
Have to disagree with topendtorque
, the camera is not the problem, it's the CAMERAMAN/WOMAN. The most difficult people that a helo pilot can ever get work for, purely because of what they ask you to do to "get that shot". Doing the the job at max gross for the prevailing conditions is not of itself taking unnecessary risk, but it does limit you in what you can reasonably do, and you have to have the fortitude to be able to tell the camera person NO when asked to do something you think untoward. Find out what the camera person is after, there will be times when taking a joyrider along is no problem, other times you will want to off load every kilo you can. Establish the ground rules before you get to the aircraft, and you can bet the camera person will try to change the rules once airborne.