Nabbed by a cop for shooting a loaded Leica!

[yossarian]

nwcanonman, I wish my health would permit your remedy; I probably should have stayed outta this thread, so what's say we call a truce?

I still believe I'm prejudiced rather than bigoted, but I'm too worn out to split hairs...

Fred

 

[ch1]

I was once trusting, naive, all of it. Unless you've been through police abuse, your
words have no value and carry no weight.

As I said, I knew I would incite some reactions. And I also said that I don't care.
Maybe you'll be fortunate enough never to go through it. There is not one argument
which will ever change my mind; I've never been more resolute about anything.

There's the dictionary, and then there's life. Recite all you want; make all the personal attacks you want. Experience trumps empty platitudes.

I was going stay out of this but I cannot right now.

On 9/11/01 I was on my way to work at 6WTC and, standing on the corner of Fulton and Church Sts. witnessed the first plane hit Tower 1.

As did others, my first reaction was to run for cover - in that instance into the garage way of the Millenium Hotel.

The scale of the towers were such that shortly after the first hit - it became obvious that we "bystanders" were safe. So we crept out into the sidewalks and street.

We then saw many police and fire vehicles racing into a malestrom of disaster. As we were running away - they were running into!

Many of those "first responders" both police and firefighters died as the towers collapsed upon them.

Were they "sociopaths"?

I went through the '60's and have a damned good idea where you are coming from - but your brush is way to broad!

 

[oftheherd]

nwcanonman, I wish my health would permit your remedy; I probably should have stayed outta this thread, so what's say we call a truce?

I still believe I'm prejudiced rather than bigoted, but I'm too worn out to split hairs...

Fred

I'm sorry for the experience you had. As someone pointed out in this thread, and as I did in another, police are people just as we are. Some are good, some not, and some in between. Without knowing the circumstances, you apparently ran into one who was not. Usually there are mechanisms for redress when someone had been wronged, but unfortunatelly circumstances are often blurred, or worse, an attempt is made to protect a wrong-doer.

Just as a curiosity sir, how do you see your tag line's apparent message versus your understandable dislike of the person who sprayed you?

 

[yossarian]

The tag line is both fictional and satirical.

 

[Frank Granovski]

The war, which was started by the CIA trained terrorist (who's family is close friends with 'ush) has given authority to trample on everyone's rights, especially photographers and videographers, whether they use professional black ones or unprofessional silver ones. Times have changed. I'm glad to be a Canadian wetback---Canada: the largest oil and natural gas supplier for the USA but yet they're trying to steal our northern iceburgs. Now to go out and take more pics. The Ikon is mine. 😎

 

[FrankS]

Please, let us NOT take this any farther.

 

[Fedzilla_Bob]

Two weeks ago I walked into a "unifrom" shop that catered to police. I was looking for a pair of tactical boots to wear about downtown (good insoles for walking).

I had my Fuji digicam strapped to my wrist. "Sir- you can't take pictures in here!" Every cop in the shop turned to see what was going on. It was like I had brandished a weapon.

I raised the dangling camera on my wrist and told the owner - "It's not on, I'm window shopping" To which he replied "we just don't allow photos here"

I'm thinking "OK already Sheesh" But I smile and wave and tell him "no problem"

He then proceeds to follow me about as I inspected the merchandise. At a distance of course.

As I was leaving his wife says "what - you couldn't find anything?" I smile "no, but thanks" and left muttering that they would get my cash when hell froze over.

I kind of walked into a double whammy. Cops and shop owners. Maybe they were afraid I was going to steal their souls.

Bob H

 

[dostacos]

Just be glad you are not in Israel. I don't know personally what it is like, but I think we can all guess. But it just happens to be one of the extremes you can go to.

Unless you get a really nasty cop who has some chip on his shoulder, most law enforcement personel are fairly resonable. It sounds like this one was. I applaud your calm attitude and response to the situation.

Drew

Most of Israel is a photographer's dream. in the two weeks I was there I shot at least 2 36 exp rolls a day, had a snowball fight on the Golan Heights, prayed at the Western Wall, and generally had a great time.....

they do however have area's that are marked no pictures [the ones I saw were on prisons] not a lot of military bases to be seen, I do have some shots of a few tank turrets buried hull down, that I think were on kibbutzim and there is a road assending to Jerusalem that still has the armor, trucks and jeeps that were destroyed I believe in '48, I also have a nice shot of a lovely young tanker with her UZI

 

[back alley]

howse everyone doin'?

🙂

 

[Fedzilla_Bob]

Nicely thanks! I'm just window shoppin' 😉

 

[ch1]

Two weeks ago I walked into a "unifrom" shop that catered to police. I was looking for a pair of tactical boots to wear about downton (good insoles for walking).

I had my Fuji digicam strapped to my wrist. "Sir- you can't take pictures in here!" Every cop in the shop turmed to see what was going on. It was like I had brandished a weapon.

I raised the dangling camera on my wrist and told the owner - "It's not on, I'm window shopping" To which he replied "we just don't allow photos here"

I'm thinking "OK already Sheesh" But I smile and wave and tell him "no problem"

He then proceeds to follow me about as I inspected the merchandise. At a distance of course.

As I was leaving his wife says "what - you couldn't find anything?" I smile "no, but thanks" and left muttering that they would get my cash when hell froze over.

I kind of walked into a double whammy. Cops and shop owners. Maybe they were afraid I was going to steal their souls.

Bob H

And your point is??

You walk into a propiertership (sp?) which is the private property of the shopkeeper and object when he politely asks you not to take pictures in his establishment?

Are you for real?

Stores, espescially those like his, get ripped off all of the time!

You're crazy if you think you should have the "right" to walk into any store and start taking photos!

Have you absolutely no respect for private property rights at all! This thread started as a complaint about someone being queried upon taking picture on quasi-public property. Access to which require the purchase of a license!

You cannot and should not expect to be able to walk onto someone's private property and expect to have unfettered access o taking photos etc.

Criminy!

 

[Frank Granovski]

Bob, in a situation like that I would have shunned the guy. Better to not say a word in those situations and go about the boot shopping. If the guy persists, then let him make the mistakes and then sue his f*%^@ing _ass off. You're welcome. 😎

Joe, I'm okey-dokey as always. 😀

 

[FrankS]

He wasn't thinking of taking pictures, George. He was jsut carrying a camera.

 

[dostacos]

howse everyone doin'?

🙂

just FREAKIN' wonderful 😀

 

[back alley]

i'm always happy when others are happy.

joe

 

[ch1]

howse everyone doin'?

🙂

Methinks.

Time to call "time" on this one.

 

[Fedzilla_Bob]

Most lunch times I have a camera.

I don't take photos in shops. There's nothing to shoot in them.

And, I am real

Now where is that "walk away" button I'm so fond of... Hmmm...

 

[amateriat]

In a way, I think we're all more or less on the same wavelength here, but probably a little frazzled, which is understandable. Good friends can get on each others' nerves, after all. 🙂

As far as the subway situation here in Gotham goes, I haven't been hassled by cops in a dog's age (going back to when you did have to get a permit for photographing the subway). The few cops I've dealt with were generally cool, and naturally I cooperate when they need to ask a few questions about what I was doing with that camera in my hand. And I take a fair amount of pictures underground - half the interesting stuff in this town is there.

My real problems in the past with "authority" were with RR police and rent-a-cops I dealt with when photographing along freight raliroad right-of-way in the Northeast. Some were cool, some were extremely hostile - nearly got busted twice, and in one instance was alerted about "being shot as a trespasser". Within their rights? Maybe. You have to roll with the situation in these cases, and choose your fights very carefully.


- Barrett

 

[kvanderlaag]

You might point out that after the London Tube bombings, the police were begging everyone with a camera or cell-phone camera to please send their pictures in, that it might help them identify the bad guys. So the British, who have a lot more experience with domestic carnage than we do, seem to have the opposite attitude. (Just don't photograph children in the U.K.)

There seems to be some ambiguity about whether there actually is a legal ban or not, but it appears that last year, the MUNI authorities were acting as if there was, but could not cite a specific law when asked.

http://www.sfist.com/archives/2005/02/14/homeland_insecurity_photo_ban_on_muni.php
http://www.sfist.com/archives/2005/02/15/muni_photography_ban_update.php
http://www.shooter.net/index.php/weblog/Item/attack-of-the-sf-muni-fare-inspectors/

etc. These incidents happened a year ago.

Just Google these words: photography ban BART San Francisco
You'll get lots of hits for your reading pleasure.

--Peter

I was talking to someone the other day who was in London recently, with a film camera, and apparently security or the like got a hold of him, and took the camera, opened it (wince), removed the film (double wince), and tore it up.

I think they really only carried the attitude of photography being helpful in the heat of the moment. When they learned that these people had pictures and maps and such of the tube system...well.

 

[Honus]

This thread has certainly taken some interesting turns. To reiterate, the officer was very cordial and was only doing his job. I have followed up by leaving a message with the commander of the BART police department. I will call him again tomorrow. It will be interesting to find out under what legal authority they are allowed to require permits to photograph in a public transportation system. I will let everyone know what I find out.

I should note that one of the photos I submitted to the RFF Book II project was taken inside the Los Angeles Metro System. We are doomed ! 😀