Photographer Meets Homeland Security Agents

[bmattock]

Just a precautionary tale of what is happening in the world today. I subscribe to Amateur Photographer magazine out of the UK, and they've gone completely mad there - anyone who takes a photo of a child not their own is arrested and jailed for being a paedophile. Here in the US, it's Homeland Security going nutso on folks taking pictures of bridges and trains, etc.

I don't want to get all political here - this is not the place for it, I know. Consider this an FYI - be careful where you go and what you photograph. Think about the world we live in now. Or be like me and say the heck with it. If they want to lock me up for taking photos of trains, so mote it be.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

KSDK News Story

Photographer Meets Homeland Security Agents
Created: 4/18/2005 6:08:16 PM
Updated: 4/18/2005 6:13:33 PM

(KSDK) -- An amateur photographer, who snaps photos of trains, trucks and buildings, for websites, came to the attention last week of homeland security agents.

Keith Belk of Soulard was out shooting pictures last Monday. He was capturing images of a gasoline tanker truck with an interesting logo on the side, of a mythical bird, called the Piasa bird.

The driver of the truck stopped and yelled at Belk, saying he was doing something wrong.

Belk gave it little thought, until 28 hours later, when two agents from Homeland Security showed up on his doorstep, asking questions about what he was doing taking pictures of a sensitive area, the bulk oil terminal.

Belk told the agents he was a hobbyist, with a collection of scale model trucks and trains. They said they didn't see any trains or truck models in his home, then he took them to the second and third floors, with rooms full of the requisite models.

The agents left, satisfied Belk was a hobbyist, not a terrorist. He's miffed that his name is now in a computer somewhere, flagged as taking photos in a sensitive area. But, he also appreciates the need to be careful.

 

[back alley]

not so bad up here, not yet i think.
but i stopped taking pics of kids a long time ago, that is, if i don't know the parents.

i think i could easily be mistaken for a dirty old man and i'm not willing to take the chance.
and i'm not kidding. too many freaks out there these days.

joe

 

[Fedzilla_Bob]

I don't photograph strange children. I just photograph the strange kids in my family.

Tough times for train spotters and transportation fans. Can't we all just get along? 🙂

 

[dmr]

Tough times for train spotters

Uh, don't you really mean railfans? 🙂 {ducking, running} 🙂

But seriously, there have been several times now since 9-11 when I've been told, either during or after the fact, that I shouldn't be taking some photos I had taken.

The big problem is that there does not seem to be any consistency as to how things like that are done.

IMAO, tracking down somebody who took a photo of a truck shows that somebody has the wrong priorities somewhere. 🙁

 

[bmattock]

I don't trespass when I take my photos - but I love taking train shots, and I'm not going to stop. If CSX wants to try to stop me while I'm on public property or on a right-of-way (like a rail crossing), they had best bring their lunch, because they'll be at it all day.

One hears these stories, and I want to believe that most of them are not true. But I do recall the story when I lived in Albuquerque of a lawyer who happened to be visited by the Secret Service (before the DHS was instituted, but after 9-11) who asked him why he had checked a particular book out of the public library.

Tell you what, gents and ladies. I will read what I want. I will say what I want. I will take photographs of what I want - as long as I don't tresspass, of course. And anyone says jack about it, they are getting nothing from me. Ticks me right off. When I was raised, America was still free. I don't recall the vote where we gave our rights away.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[nwcanonman]

Bill, I'm with you. I'm going to legally photograph children, adults, trains, bicycles or buildings until someone takes my camera from my cold dead hands.
~ ; - )

 

[jan normandale]

Personally I think that these days are the ascendent days for the sociopaths who want to run things and use this stuff as a legitimization

Ho Hum

Jan

 

[bmattock]

Ya, I agree with y'all. I have to watch myself, I tend to get all zealous and chest-thumping and shirty about it, and then I'm no fun at all when I go on a political rant. Suffice to say, these are dangerous times, and I am not someone just rolls over because a fellow with a badge waves it in my face.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[Fedzilla_Bob]

Uh, don't you really mean railfans? 🙂 {ducking, running} 🙂...(

Train spotters- UK, Railfans- US, Transportation fans- Whatever 🙂

No need to duck and cover. I am not a red check source.

...IMAO, tracking down somebody who took a photo of a truck shows that somebody has the wrong priorities somewhere. 🙁

Amen, I hear you sister!

 

[doubs43]

What? No train pictures? Do I need to change my avatar? Geeeeeeez....... 🙁

Walker

 

[Fedzilla_Bob]

Keep that avatar Doubs! It is one of my faves.

 

[Heath]

I just happen to take some shots of inside a local train station on Sunday. No-one said jack to me about it. Although I did get some funny looks earlier in the day when I had my 300D and my Neoca IVS around my neck and my Ensign Selfix 20 on a tripod in my hand, plus a Yashica A TLR and an EOS 1000F in my bag (with a couple of lenses for the Canon's and 2 light meters). But people were more interested in the Ensign because of the age and many were surprised when I told them it still worked. One guy who said he had a Rollei asked me if my Neoca was a Leica (I wish).

Heath

 

[jan normandale]

I just happen to take some shots of inside a local train station on Sunday. No-one said jack to me about it. Although I did get some funny looks earlier in the day when I had my 300D and my Neoca IVS around my neck and my Ensign Selfix 20 on a tripod in my hand, plus a Yashica A TLR and an EOS 1000F in my bag (with a couple of lenses for the Canon's and 2 light meters). But people were more interested in the Ensign because of the age and many were surprised when I told them it still worked. One guy who said he had a Rollei asked me if my Neoca was a Leica (I wish).

Heath

Five cameras! were you on a mission?? (humour)

Jan

 

[bmattock]

Must get moose and squirrel!

- Boris and Natasha

 

[RubenBlaedel]

I am happy we do not have these strange behavior by anti terror secret police in Denmark - even though we were alies with the UK and US in Iraq.
One thing that I discovered long time ago - brought up to be really anti police left wing pseudo socialist by parrents and school - is that police, trainconsductors, etc. generally are nice people that stick their neck out for my safety - And if it is needed for their job to make a control at what I do or what I drive i let them ! Usually when pulled over by a traffic cop being nice and telling them that they do a good work is good medicine and sometimes get you of the hook if you are leaning towards getting a ticket for some smaller offense (semi red lights - mini speeding etc.) And if they do insist fining you - well do not give them a hard time - the meet a lot of crap in their daily rutines.
The only time I have been prevented to take a picture was when my high school paper sent me to photopraph the front gate to "Christania" - a part of Copenhagen that has been occupied for 30 years and is known besides a lot of good activities also to have a lot of canabis dealing going on. At the time I shot the picture one of the Pre- Banditos/Hells Angles gangs called "Bullshit" were staying at Christiania - What I did not know was that they were finishing some drugdeal or other illeagal activity in a staicase in an apartment house close to the entrance - but I was to discover that, because suddenly 3 really big fat ugly guys with tattoos and leatherjackets and a baseball bats came running towards me from the the house! - After looking around me verifying that it could only be me they were going for, I open my camera and ripped out the film - and pulled it out of the cassette and shouted - sorry guys did not se you ! - I still remeber the face of one of the guys - like two inches from mine - shouting f... of - so I quickly left the seen - but around the corner I had to wait for about 10 minutes before my legs would take orders from me to walk any further! - I told the editor of the high school paper to buy the picture from an agency - and I decided that I would probably be better of shooting nature, architecture and portraits !

 

[Goodyear]

the UK, and they've gone completely mad there - anyone who takes a photo of a child not their own is arrested and jailed for being a paedophile.

I'm glad to say that's a slight overstatement of the facts.

There have been reports of photographers photographing children being questioned under suspicion of making obscene pictures - but no convictions yet that I'm aware of.

With my two hats on (youth worker and photographer) I'm increasingly frustrated by this distrust of people with cameras, especially evident when there's childern around.

I always think twice about pointing a camera at a kid, even one I know.

Which is sad.

But I'm very, very paranoid 😀

 

[Pherdinand]

🙂) ruben that's quite a story, thanks for sharing it!

 

[Pherdinand]

Bill, that's quite a story too and thanks for sharing it - although i did not laugh at it, unlike in the case of Ruben's adventure in Christiania. Sorry Ruben. I have been there, and it seemed to me that it's a very friendly place - although no photography signs were met very often, indeed.

 

[Jarvis]

The US has always been paranoid, I was refused entrance in the US because of partyship of a liberal student union in South Africa (anti-appartheid) back in 1974. I illegally entered through Canada in 1977 and was jailed for 6 months before being kicked out. Only in 1985 and with help of Harvard was I granted a 2 year working permit to do research work there. The observation however was so threatening and life-emposing to me and my family that I left after 13 months swearing to have nothing ever to with US technology/affairs ever again, apart from the occasional Photo-Forum. I now still belong to a "anti-US" European group of scientists boycotting any assistance to US related research and/or affairs.
The US is apparantly a great and beautiful country, pitty it's run by a bunch of dillatent "fill your own pockets first" dilletant short sighted politicians.... I realize and respect, emphasizing "respect" the fact that most of you do not agree with me, it's called liberalism and this word and it's meaning should be introduced into the American dictionary ... World affairs will improve and it will make it a better place to live for all inhabitants ...

 

[dll927]

His name escapes me at the moment, but there was a photographer many years ago who made his claim to fame photographing steam-engine trains. Pity the poor soul in this day and age.

It's always interesting to read comments from people in other countries. They are probably as misinformed about the U. S. as we are about their countries. But George Orwell may have been right - and 1984 was 21 years ago.