Today i was told off

[wlewisiii]

This seems to have mostly been a UK issue (and Germany, maybe?) but those attitudes are starting to be seen in the US, too. Luckily my candids are as people-free as possible by choice. My mentor fifty years ago would laugh about needing a .45 people filter in his bag, cracking that these days would probably result in a visit from the police.

America being on the edge of something like 1859 right now, I'll admit that I keep my Walther PPK/s in my camera bag these days...

 

[wlewisiii]

I prefer scenes with no people, in general.

This. Generally the only living things in mine are plants, cows, birds and the like...

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I guess they don't want allowing of optically zoom in.
Or I'm just trying to find excuse for people stuck in Victorian time.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

America being on the edge of something like 1859 right now, I'll admit that I keep my Walther PPK/s in my camera bag these days...

More like 1984.

 

[boojum]

More like 1984.

1859 was at the leading edge of the Civil War.

 

[Alpsman]

It's similar here at concerts. At the entrance, you're checked to see if you have a "camera" with you. You don't have to hand over your cell phone. Everyone takes pictures at the concert and uploads them online. But at least no one took a photo with a "camera."
The stupid people have power over us because we allow it (out of false pity).

 

[boojum]

It's similar here at concerts. At the entrance, you're checked to see if you have a "camera" with you. You don't have to hand over your cell phone. Everyone takes pictures at the concert and uploads them online. But at least no one took a photo with a "camera."
The stupid people have power over us because we allow it (out of false pity).

It is a de facto example of the minds of the people who make the rules.

 

[luuca]

It’s a legacy from the past, when the camera represented the “professional photo” — something sellable or at least more easily distributed.


By now, the roles have reversed (let’s not even mention analog photography…), but apparently the lady was particularly zealous in enforcing an outdated rule.


If the issue is children’s privacy, then any device capable of taking photos or videos should be banned — but in that case, I’m sure chaos would break out among the parents…





Recently, a street vendor forbade me from photographing a painting displayed on his stall — too bad I was actually capturing the lady standing behind it!

 

[tbhv55]

It's similar here at concerts. At the entrance, you're checked to see if you have a "camera" with you. You don't have to hand over your cell phone. Everyone takes pictures at the concert and uploads them online. But at least no one took a photo with a "camera."

It's the inconsistency which I find ridiculous. If I visit a museum, or a concert, or other event, I have no objection - in principle - to rules being imposed by those who own/run the establishment. They have the right to say what is (or is not) acceptable at their venue - I get that.

However, banning the use of cameras, while allowing phones (virtually ALL of which have a camera function these days) is just pointless.

 

[telenous]

The patronizing tone in the teacher's admonishment was unnecessary. She should have just stated the rule.

It’s a legacy from the past, when the camera represented the “professional photo” — something sellable or at least more easily distributed.

I think this is key. A few years ago I visited an archaeological site and the guards searched my bag for "professional" equipment. Seeing as the two M2s I had in my bag got a free pass, I asked out of curiosity what was it that they considered "professional equipment". They explained that big cameras with big lenses were not allowed, and neither were tripods. Apparently, a professional camera may be used for images that may be disseminated commercially, whereas amateur equipment cannot be so used. Their way of telling pro from amateur equipment was very crude, but, I guess, it worked for them, or at least it gave them a veneer of doing the work they were asked to do.

We may now have reached the point where the sign of a professional camera is not so much size -- but the fact that you raise it to your eye to make a photo.

 

[caila77]

Oh well. It looks like people become less and less familiar with cameras and find them more sinister that a mobile phone.

unfortunately that's exactly how it is, the same thing happened to me recently inside a museum where it was absolutely forbidden to take pictures (with or without flash): while some tourists were taking pictures with their smartphones, a security guard asked me to put the reflex camera I was wearing around my neck with the cap on the lens, in the backpack,…. for safety.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I was at a Museum with my M9, and fast lenses. One of the curators approached me and said- "Let us know if you want to bring in more equipment and setup for photographs", meaning using a Tripod. It was during the week, not busy. The Army Infantry Museum at Ft Belvoir. I thanked her.

 

[Prest_400]

I was surprised that cameras (notably with a telephoto) were allowed into the concert venuethat I frequent, which is an amusement park. Years ago I happened to go after a day of shooting so had 2 cameras on me, and the Fuji 6x9 which is humongous and literally has "professional" written on it.
Policy changed a couple years ago, no reason given, so now just phone. Interestingly, a related venue in another region still allows cameras.

It's more the commercial potential aspect to it is it:

Apparently, a professional camera may be used for images that may be disseminated commercially, whereas amateur equipment cannot be so used. Their way of telling pro from amateur equipment was very crude, but, I guess, it worked for them, or at least it gave them a veneer of doing the work they were asked to do.

It's however nowadays really stupid to have that differentiation of phone and camera. Phones are now cameras and have much more communication capabilities, for more than a decade! I totally understand why this is upsetting. And then as a parent (I am not), where is the line of your own right to document family.
A witty remark that I came up with when reading the OP post was: "Neither cellphones existed in the Victorian era".

unfortunately that's exactly how it is, the same thing happened to me recently inside a museum where it was absolutely forbidden to take pictures (with or without flash): while some tourists were taking pictures with their smartphones, a security guard asked me to put the reflex camera I was wearing around my neck with the cap on the lens, in the backpack,…. for safety.

Personally am quite a low key non confrontational individual, and it has taken me quite a bit to ease on the selfawareness when photographing. On another aspect, I sometimes do feel the heavy aura of whipping a large medium format camera to take a shot of the street... and nobody says anything. Then I do see stares in the negatives.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Too bad @p.giannakis did not have a Kodak Box Camera in the bag.

 

[santino]

Or a FT2 panorama camera 😜
It looks like an old volt meter, not like a camera.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

What if the OP had shown up with a Korona 8x10? (Or similar plate camera).
Phil

 

[wlewisiii]

This makes me wonder what the rules are at the USAF museum in Dayton. Hrm. I should probably check before I get there in August.

Edit: THAT was easy. Bottom of every page is the photography notice:

Notice: Visitors may be filmed, photographed or recorded by the U.S. Air Force for educational and promotional uses, including for posting on public websites and social media.
Individuals are permitted to take their own photographs or videos while touring the museum.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The rules at Udvar Hazy- no Tripods or Bipods. Monopods are Okay. They are worried about someone tripping over them.

Dayton Air Museum "Notice: Visitors may be filmed, photographed or recorded by the U.S. Air Force for educational and promotional uses, including for posting on public websites and social media.
Individuals are permitted to take their own photographs or videos while touring the museum."

SO- Parents with children and youth groups are notified they may be filmed.

 

[JohnWolf]

Maybe it is a good thing that I have mostly lost the drive to shoot candid photographs of strangers/ street photography in general , as it seems real mine field nowadays.

Me too. I miss street photograph, but in today's culture I don't find it enjoyable.

 

[Gordon Moat]

Photography is not a crime.