NY Times article about photographing in the subway

Sad state of affairs... Some power hungry minions are still getting off on this unreasonable vigilantism. Why won't they stop the people with cameras in their cellphones even before they go into the train station?
 
Of all the interesting places in NYC this gentleman could photograph he had to pick the subway....... and the fact that he had the laws earmarked on his BlackBerry seems as though he was "spoiling" for a confrontation.

Even if the case is dismissed, he's now earmarked by the NYC Police and everytime he has a liscence or background check it will continue to haunt him.

I hope it was worth it..............
 
land of the free......................🙄

I wanted to take pictures in the subway when I was in NYC last year but didn't dare for these reasons. great isn't it.

Luckily I live in New Zealand, however am from England, where I am right now visiting family. This place has turned into a surveillance nightmare!!!
I wonder what happens in London, on the tube - I may have to test this out for fun.
 
sherm said:
Of all the interesting places in NYC this gentleman could photograph he had to pick the subway....... and the fact that he had the laws earmarked on his BlackBerry seems as though he was "spoiling" for a confrontation.

Even if the case is dismissed, he's now earmarked by the NYC Police and everytime he has a liscence or background check it will continue to haunt him.

I hope it was worth it..............
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The fact that he had the laws earmarked show that he was an intelligent, well-prepared, law-abiding citizen. The only thing he should have done differently is bring a group of peers along to videotape the arrest. It might have caused the police to drop the other charges too, which I assume were also wrong accusations.

As far as being "earmarked by the NYC police", it can also help him in that the authorities will often stop harrassing someone who has lawfully defended themselves and proven to be on the right side of the law, something that these officers were not.

Bottom line, the officers who arrested this man should be reprimanded by the department, first for either not knowing the law or applying it in an ILLEGAL manner. Secondly, they have caused the taxpayer more money. It is the officers that should be held responsible, not the photographer.
 
Even MI5 thinks it's ridiculous

Even MI5 thinks it's ridiculous

jrichie said:
land of the free......................🙄

I wanted to take pictures in the subway when I was in NYC last year but didn't dare for these reasons. great isn't it.

Luckily I live in New Zealand, however am from England, where I am right now visiting family. This place has turned into a surveillance nightmare!!!
I wonder what happens in London, on the tube - I may have to test this out for fun.
Click to expand...


I'm afraid that is the case. In case anyone missed it, (even) the former head of MI5 commented that she believed the government was wrong in using fear as a tactic to increase surveillance and intrusion, together with removing individual's rights. Her comment was that we are in dangeer of becoming a police state.


But, more chilling is the police follow up

'In the case of Mr. Taylor, the “officers misinterpreted the rules concerning photography,” said Paul J. Browne, the Police Department’s chief spokesman. “The Transit Adjudication Board is being notified that summons was issued in error, resulting in its dismissal.”

However, the police will press on with charges of impeding traffic and unreasonable noise, Mr. Browne said.'

Even though they clearly were in the wrong, they are seeking to punish the guy for standing up to them. The state apparatus, or at least its employees, know that anyone who disagrees is clearly a threat to be dealt with...

Mike
 
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sherm said:
].... and the fact that he had the laws earmarked on his BlackBerry seems as though he was "spoiling" for a confrontation.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say that necessarily. Even the CTA in chicago has recommended that photographers who wish to photograph CTA trains and stations have a copy of their rules on hand, to show officers and transit workers if questioned. Fact is - often their employees have NO idea what the rules are. Being prepared to educate them (politely) is not "spoiling" for a confrontation IMO.
 
sherm said:
Of all the interesting places in NYC this gentleman could photograph he had to pick the subway....... and the fact that he had the laws earmarked on his BlackBerry seems as though he was "spoiling" for a confrontation.

Even if the case is dismissed, he's now earmarked by the NYC Police and everytime he has a liscence or background check it will continue to haunt him.

I hope it was worth it..............
Click to expand...


what's your problem again?
 
40oz said:
what's your problem again?
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i agree!

the subways are my favourite place to shoot, regardless of where i am, NYC included. i think it's brilliant that he came prepared. rather than "spoiling" for a fight, i believe he was protecting himself -- like having a rubber in the wallet before a date 😛
 
Pherdinand said:
well sherm, what exactly SHOULD he photograph? the twin towers?

or a pepper in his appartment, maybe that would be safe enough indeed.
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I think you meant peeper? in the apt.

It wasn't or isn't my intention to tell anybody what should be photographed and if you read my post you'll see that I didn't do that.
 
cam said:
i agree!

the subways are my favourite place to shoot, regardless of where i am, NYC included. i think it's brilliant that he came prepared. rather than "spoiling" for a fight, i believe he was protecting himself -- like having a rubber in the wallet before a date 😛
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Well seeing as how you're located in Paris this should hardly matter to you.

And I'm most impressed with you practice of "Safe Sex"
 
sherm said:
Well seeing as how you're located in Paris this should hardly matter to you.
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how is that? because i live in Paris this shouldn't matter to me? is that not being elitist?

and i suppose i shouldn't even mentioned any of the subway photos i took whilst i was there last Spring, nor the ones i plan on taking in a few months time. no, it doesn't matter because i don't live there. nor, according to you, should it matter to anyone on this forum that is not a New York native.

i'm grateful most of the people here are a little broader minded.
 
Thanks for posting this!

Hopefully, articles like this will serve to educate the transit workers and the law enforcement community. Cases like this will hit them in the pocketbook, where it really hurts. If common sense and the written law will not convince them, money talks!

rogue_designer said:
Even the CTA in chicago has recommended that photographers who wish to photograph CTA trains and stations have a copy of their rules on hand, to show officers and transit workers if questioned. Fact is - often their employees have NO idea what the rules are. Being prepared to educate them (politely) is not "spoiling" for a confrontation IMO.
Click to expand...

Ya know, sometimes you just don't want to get into a hassle. You really can't expect a maintenance worker to know the law, or even the transit regulations. (I'm referring to a brief confrontation I've cited many times here, covered in: http://omababe.blogspot.com/2008/02/beneath-windy-city.html)

It's far easier in many cases to just feign an apology and move on, and continue shooting. In this case I just wanted to get the situation over with quickly and continue. No, I did not quit shooting. 🙂
 
"cam"

Not trying to be elitist at all, I don't live in NYC which is why I didn't think it would matter to you or me. Also my reply was only to you and not all of the RFF membership.... shame on you for trying to make this more than just a reply to you...........
 
dmr said:
Thanks for posting this!

Hopefully, articles like this will serve to educate the transit workers and the law enforcement community. Cases like this will hit them in the pocketbook, where it really hurts. If common sense and the written law will not convince them, money talks!



Ya know, sometimes you just don't want to get into a hassle. You really can't expect a maintenance worker to know the law, or even the transit regulations. (I'm referring to a brief confrontation I've cited many times here, covered in: http://omababe.blogspot.com/2008/02/beneath-windy-city.html)

It's far easier in many cases to just feign an apology and move on, and continue shooting. In this case I just wanted to get the situation over with quickly and continue. No, I did not quit shooting. 🙂
Click to expand...


Finally a "cool and calm head"

Perhaps your approach will make more sense
 
Location shouldn't matter. As long as one respects local laws and customs. I too would like to photograph in NYC subways, even though I'm not from there it does matter to me that my rightful freedom is unrightfully limited, home or abroad.
Or maybe we should all play it safe and resort to safe photography of kittens and flower macros, just so we don't run the risk that some knucklehead misinterprets the law?
 
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