Almost Arrested Last Week, Chased Down Tonight

Pablito said:
That's one approach. I never apologize but I always explain. "Explaining" has led to many images I could not have gotten otherwise. Currently working on an inner-city urban project and almost always those who come up to me with the fiercest challenge turn out to be gentle as lambs. Put your "rights" as a photographer in your back pocket and talk to folks is my advice. Evoke your rights, and the law, only when absolutely necessary.
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Exactly. At least, when they let you. But there is always a very small number of grade-A crazies who will try to stand in front of you to stop you walking away when you realize they're crazy.

My view is that if a smile and an explanation don't work, nothing will: you are not dealing with rational people. You may run into a dozen or a dozen and a half per decade; it's a bad year when there's more than one. Society is not obliged to adjust itself to fit the delusions of lunatics. Quote the law and walk away, or just walk away; but whatever you do, walk away.

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger Hicks said:
Dear Bll,

THAT'S the time to be driving an old Land Rover Series III with tree-sliders on the sills...

Cheers,

R.
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I drive around in a boring little, and now orphaned, Saturn. An old Mini could give me trouble.

More people have asked me to take their picture than have gone crazy when I pointed a camera in their direction. That probably reflects the fact that I don't take many photos of strangers. If someone does object, it's time to smile and, if necessary, move on, as you say.
 
DeanSilliman said:
Last week I accompanied my daughter's class on a field trip that included taking the MetroLink train. As the train approached I pulled my D-Lux 4 out of my pocket and took a theme picture of the kids standing on the station platform with the train approaching in the background. Next thing I know, I have a station officer in my face telling me that pictures of the train or near the train are completely disallowed and that I WILL put the camera away. I hesitated and almost asked for his authority on that point but as I was with the class, teachers, and other parents I let it slide and put the camera away. Grumble. And this is not NY or London, this is the %^@$ MetroLink station in San Bernardino, California.

So this evening I stopped by the local Farmer's Market night to see the sights and do a little street photography with the M6 TTL. All was great - pics of the band and some interesting merchants and characters. My very last shot of the night was a throw-away of a lady food worker cleaning her grill as the booth was being packed up. Just as I'm bringing the camera down from my face, I hear a snippy/craggly sounding woman 45 degrees off my right side, at an adjacent booth, ask someone near her in a desperate voice "That guy took a picture! What's he doing with a camera?!? Someone ask him! Get him!!" Because I did not take a picture of her, did not even have eye contact, and this had nothing to do with her, I simply put the camera down to my side and walked on my way. The night was over anyway, so I walked the block down, block over, and another block down to where my car was parked. As I'm turning the key and putting it in drive, I see a guy in my mirror run up behind my car, whip out a cell phone, and take a picture of my license plate as evidenced by the flash coming from his cell. As I was deciding wether to get out of the car to put the guy at ease, he runs away back down the dark street. So I pulled away and drove home.

We've come to the point where people are so paranoid and uptight that any public photography, even at an advertised public event or a public transit station, sends people into a frantic tizzy. I'm very conservative in the scheme of street photography. I don't take pics of kids, officers, or lovers. And yet in two weeks I've had two incidents. HCB should be turning in his grave.

Sigh.

Dean
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I find that strange. I've spent dozens of hours over the years photgraphing Metrolink, Amtrak, and BNSF freights in the Fullerton station in Orange County. maybe the Fullerton Station folks know what the law is? Sorry to hear of your problems, I'll keep them in mind next time I'm in the Southland...
 
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction

Thanks to all those who think that photography is some God-given right or that they are above explaining their actions we all now face the consequences.

Those "crazies" will soon make up the majority and remove all such 'rights'.
 
I had my first taste of this attitude today although the situation was resolved.
I went down to my local cricket club to take some photos and was told that I couldn`t because children may be present. Although clearly not on the pitch.
The official then had second thougts and suggested that I had a word with the club Chairman ,which I did.
He pointed out that it was English Cricket Club rules but after discusion agreed that they were only guidlines and that I could continue to take photographs of the game.
He himself had been prevented from taking pics of his grandchildren at nets.
I thanked him and said that I would send any suitable shots to the club for use on their web site.
What a confused state we seem to be living in. Very sad.
 
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Michael Markey said:
I had my first taste of this attitude today although the situation was resolved.
I went down to my local cricket club to take some photos and was told that I couldn`t because children may be present. Although clearly not on the pitch.
The official then had second thougts and suggested that I had a word with the club Chairman ,which I did.
He pointed out that it was English Cricket Club rules but after discusion agreed that they were only guidlines and that I could continue to take photographs of the game.
He himself had been prevented from taking pics of his grandchildren at nets.
I thanked him and said that I would send any suitable shots to the club for use on their web site.
What a confused state we seem to be living in. Very sad.
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I am shocked at this attitude. It is also a bit funny, because...

Don't they know that these children take pictures of themselves with their cell phones? We all middle aged men & women would be shocked if we saw some of the pictures that young teenagers exchange between them.
 
Olsen
Yep shocking and a bit pathectic because whatever it is they are trying to stop I can`t imagine this sort of attitude being effective.
The ground was ,of course ,covered by CCTV but that is deemed to be OK..
I worked in Gov all my career and all to often this sort of measure is endorsed by people who are exploiting the situation for their own career ends.
I played the game back by being polite and just a little bit official myself .
It worked and I got my pictures. The trouble is any one could have done that.
 

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Times Square - New York

Well, just when we are getting the 3rd degree everywhere for having/using our cameras, guess what the police have been doing since last night's alleged car bomb attack?

Yep! Going straight to the people who may have been taking photographs to get leads.... wonder how many of them were hassled before the SUV was discovered only now to be asked for their potentially valuable photos?🙄
 
dave lackey said:
Times Square - New York

Well, just when we are getting the 3rd degree everywhere for having/using our cameras, guess what the police have been doing since last night's alleged car bomb attack?

Yep! Going straight to the people who may have been taking photographs to get leads.... wonder how many of them were hassled before the SUV was discovered only now to be asked for their potentially valuable photos?🙄
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Good point!

Which shows that 'street photography' do have values beond what we photographers can see at the moment of exposure.
 
dave lackey said:
Times Square - New York

Well, just when we are getting the 3rd degree everywhere for having/using our cameras, guess what the police have been doing since last night's alleged car bomb attack?

Yep! Going straight to the people who may have been taking photographs to get leads.... wonder how many of them were hassled before the SUV was discovered only now to be asked for their potentially valuable photos?🙄
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I have never been hassled taking photos in Times Square - or most anywhere else. I have many photos of the place and a few portraits cops posed for - all in recent years. Were you hassled just for taking photos? That seems unusual when people are setting up tripods right in right in front of the Police office and not getting any flack.

Outside of NY I have only run into a couple of situations in many many years. An over zealous security guard at the mall thought a new US Federal law had been passed requiring explicit permission to photograph any individual anywhere. And a Water District Cop (protects watersheds) told me it was illegal to "photograph structures", but she was really angry at me for parking illegally.
 
Never been to New York and neither do I care to go... sorry, it is just not on my list of things to do.

I have, however, been stopped from using my M3 photographing statue art at a local outdoor shopping mall... I just moved on and haven't been back to shop there in a year. So, I can only presume that there have been people in New York stopped from photographing somewhere....something....at some time or other. 🙄

The point is, CNN is broadcasting the fact that the NYPD and other law enforcement agencies would like to have still photos and/or videos taken in the area around the time of the incident. This should, hopefully, be parlayed into a positive for photographers, but I don't know who would step forward.:bang:
 
After a very busy weekend to think about my experience, a few “take-aways” have come to mind.

First, I should have diffused the situation by finding the woman in the dark and discussing the matter with her. She was probably more freaked out about the fact that I just walked away than the fact that I was taking pictures. I guess trying to not elevate certain situations may do more harm than good.

Second, I will put the summary of photographer’s legal rights in my bag or perhaps wallet (thanks for the link). I’m an attorney but I’ve found that announcing that in most situations does more harm than good. Showing someone else’s conclusion then making argument from there can be more compelling.

Third, as suggested in some comments here, I probably would move away from Southern California given half a chance but family and career concerns prevent that.

I’m still very disgusted with the state of public photography but perhaps some situations just spice things up and get the creative juices flowing.

Now if I could only get a bit of time to develop those market night pictures ….

Dean
 
Well ,an update on my situation re Cricket Club. The club has considered the matter further and decided that any photographers need to be signed in and out and carry some form ofphoto ID or an ID from a camera club.
I must say that they have been very helpful and are trying their best to be accomodating whilst protecting their backs in the preveiling climate.
They have put a lot of effort into this.
I`ll just feel guilty when they see my crappy photos. 🙂
 
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