where there’s smoke there’s forum fire
Since getting my Nikon D7K last November I've been (politely) asked to leave a veterans cemetery by a sheriff deputy while taking wide angle photos and I recently got a $35 parking ticket for parking in a permit-only spot while taking pictures at the beach.
What's your story? - and don't exclude girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse, mom/dad, scuffles, some dude who caught you shooting his lady, etc. : ).
There was this one time in high school...... Lets just say I'm not allowed to go near the ladies locker room with a camera again.
Just kidding. Har Har
I've really never had any trouble with taking pictures, i've been in stores where they've politely asked me to stop takings pictures within their store. Other then that im lucky for not getting into any trouble :)
I've worked with a wedding photographer who photographed 1 or 2 17 year olds nudes (They actually requested it) and later their parents found out and the photographer got busted and sent to jail for 6months and also put on the child predator list or whatever. bad luck eh
long long time ago .Very nearly killed my self trying to illuminate a market square will a Kilogram of flash powder (and a 5x4 mono rail) . Huge explosion and needless to say I forgot to close the shutter and or the lens cap back on, so did not even get a picture
I was shooting some pcitures of a Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans several years ago. Wanted to change vantage points, so instead of pushing through the crowd lining the parade route, I was going to go around on a back street. As I walked arond a building, two cameras and assorted gear in tow, I was confronted by a misguided youth, who walked right up to my face and said "Someone could take those cameras from you." I simply replied, "I'd like to see someone try." We stared at each other for a few seconds, then he cursed and walked off.
On another occasion, I could have gotten in trouble, but didn't. I was on one of the ABC camera towers at the end of Pennsylvania Avenure taking photos of Jimmy Carter's inaugural parade in D.C. After Carter walked by, I joined in the parade right behind him. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, just concentrating on the photos. I ended up following with Carter onto the White House grounds and the presidential viewing stand. It was only there that a secret service guy grabbed me and asked for credentials. CREDENTIALS !! I don't need no stinkin credentials. Oh, well, yes I did need them. I was escorted off the grounds.
sevencrossing said:
long long time ago .Very nearly killed my self trying to illuminate a market square will a Kilogram of flash powder (and a 5x4 mono rail) . Huge explosion and needless to say I forgot to close the shutter and or the lens cap back on, so did not even get a picture
I wish I'd been there with a camera, sevencrossing. ;-)
Mine's pretty tame and I shared it on the photo-a-day thread when it happened about a month ago. I was leaning out my second-story window shooting icicles hanging under my eaves and a few minutes later got a knock on the door from the police. Apparently one of my neighbors thought I was taking pictures of her dressing. They looked through my camera to check that I hadn't been and then left.
jonnyapple said:
I wish I'd been there with a camera, sevencrossing. ;-)Mine's pretty tame and I shared it on the photo-a-day thread when it happened about a month ago. I was leaning out my second-story window shooting icicles hanging under my eaves and a few minutes later got a knock on the door from the police. Apparently one of my neighbors thought I was taking pictures of her dressing. They looked through my camera to check that I hadn't been and then left.
You should have reported your neighbour for dressing with the curtains open...
Not too long ago I was confronted by a security guard in Union Station in Toronto. I played it very casual and it worked out for me, but it was an interesting exchange. First, he didn't claim I couldn't be shooting in the building. He did ask to see what I was shooting, and since I didn't have anything to lose, I showed him. He then instructed me not to take pictures of doors, locks, the front of certain kiosks, the train platform itself (I'd shot it as soon as I got there, and didn't cycle back far enough through the photos so he didn't see them).
The end result - I got to stay and take pics, and didn't get kicked out. I think if I'd denied access to my photos or had been anything other than 'guy simulating innocent tourist', I would have been escorted out.
So... pretty tame.
A buddy I shoot with was threatened with arrest for trying to shoot a beach during a hurricane. I can see the police point of view - protecting people from Darwin's theory in action - but man, how else to get good hurricane beach photos? ;)
I've been asked not to take pictures with in stores so I rarely do it anymore.
The most trouble I got was when Transformers 3 was filming around and in my office building. They used the lobby of my office building as a sort of staging area so all the actors would be down there just chilling and well I tried to take a picture... didn't work out so well.
No picture and I almost lost 24/7 access to my building.
As an ex-pat Brit, let me just say that I know of photographers still in the UK who have been arrested for taking shots of their family and/or professional models in front of famous buildings.
Why? Not for copyright problems (even with signed release forms from the building owners etc) as here is a headline story that was published on Friday of last week by a certain British photography magazine: "Police routinely treat anyone seen taking pictures in public as potential terrorists, officers have told photography students during special police-led workshops."
There is a campaign underway there to change police attitudes, but there could easily be more conflict before that happens....
Her husband came home early.
Just kidding,....it was a joke.
Living in the middle east for more than a quarter century could produce a large number of photos that could end bad.. but the worse one was on 1988 when I walked with my girlfriend next to the dome of the rock (today she is my wife:), and a mob tried to prevent me taking photos on that area due to my look and not due to the fact that photos are prohibited there.
Its worth homeing up on the local law. In the UK, if the police decide you might be a terrorist their powers are pretty wide ranging, but even if you are on private property a security gard cannot confiscate you camera or your memory card, he can ask you to stop photographing and ask you leave, If you decide to use the photographs you MIGHT be prosecuted for trespass. Tip if a secutiy gard asks you to leave , leave ( in the UK do search for "UK photographer rights" )
Interesting stories so far. Guess I haven't thought so much about the scrutiny that street photographers go thru in view of todays current events.
@warprints - you obviously won that staredown in New Orleans, some of those hoodlums will try anything on those backstreets.
@sevencrossing - thanks for the tip. Planning to take my family to London and Paris next year if the finances work out.
The most trouble I've ever gotten into for shooting (mainly, video) without a permit or insurance, was simply a request to stop shooting. Most municipalities can write you an infraction that carries a fine for about $500 (e.g., Beverly Hills), but these are rarely ever issued, and mostly apply to filmmaking, not stills. If you're shooting news or a documentary, all bets are off, and you have a lot more leeway to shoot without permits or insurance.
I also believe that, from my own observations, that since the development of low-cost 24p video cameras, and the rise in popularity in pro-level DSLRs used by hobbyists, much of the enforcement of these restrictions have been relaxed, simply because so many more people are shooting now. So, this is a trend that's going in our favor.
The US is generally fairly lenient on public picture-taking in my experience. Here's some general guidelines which apply throughout the state of California, and I assume, for other states in the US as well (with the exception of California's recently passed "paparazzi" law):
1. Photography on private property is typically not permitted without permission, a release, and typically, liability insurance for $1-2 million in coverage. This includes retail stores, shopping malls, business parks, etc. If shooting in a national retail store, permission may be requested from the corporate office's media relations person.
2. Photography within the Los Angeles Metro subway system appears to be generally tolerated, but not encouraged, and may sometimes be prohibited depending on the type of shooting (stills vs. filmmaking). No tripods are allowed on any train platforms.
3. Surprisingly, LAX has no specific restrictions on photography. TSA will prohibit you from shooting security areas. Airport police may question you, but I have been told by airport police that, "It's legal for you to take pictures here."
4. Generally speaking, if you're on a public sidewalk, you are legally allowed to take pictures of anything from that vantage point. However, you may not block a public walkway with equipment, or yourself. A police officer or fire official can make you move from the sidewalk if you're viewed to be causing an obstruction, or hazard to pedestrians. Unless you're inside a police or fire line (or, in some sort of other immediate danger), police officers typically may not prohibit you from shooting from any public sidewalk.
5. A few State of California "paprazzi" laws have been passed in recent years. These laws mainly address the use of ladders and extreme telephoto lenses when used to peer into private residences from a vantage point that would normally be unavailable at eye-level.
6. Museums vary from venue to venue. Some allow photography, some do not. Most do not allow the use of tripods. Virtually all do not allow electronic flash.
7. Theatrical venues vary as well. The Dorothy Chandler Pavillion does not allow cameras. I was able to bring a camera into the Disney concert hall to shoot the Los Angeles Philharmonic, but I don't know if this policy varies by performance or not.
A few caveats:
Note that if any fire department official (e.g., a fire marshall) tells you that you cannot shoot, he has the power to have you arrested if you don't comply with his instructions. Park rangers also have full police powers of arrest. Airport police are "real" police, and their jurisdiction extends to the city surrounding the airport. Any police officer (CHP, LAPD, etc.) from any California jurisdiction can arrest you, or issue you a ticket, even if you're not within their municipality or area of "official" jurisdiction.
studio460 said:
The US is generally fairly lenient on public picture-taking in my experience.
A good list Studio... There are some pretty odd variations at specific venues, but most I have ever been to want to work it out with you.
Since I moved to the US about a decade ago, I have had zero problems - far less than some of those in the UK have had to deal with - and now I've said that, I'm probably tempting fate too much and bump into a big problem and have to reverse my situation. :-(
I haven't gotten into too much trouble so far (and hope to keep it that way), the most was just getting asked to leave or stop taking pictures. I once took a picture of someone who I though was feeding some birds, and he got quite upset and asked me to delete the picture (it was an awful one anyway, so it didn't really matter).
I've pushed the line by sneaking into construction sites (which can actually be very dangerous) and onto suburban development areas, but so far my luck has been good. In private areas like malls or inside buildings, I typically use a compact camera so people think I'm just a tourist.
jerl said:
In private areas like malls or inside buildings, I typically use a compact camera so people think I'm just a tourist.
Off-topic, but I'm looking to get the zeiss 24mm prime (rumored f/1.7) for my NEX-5 for similar situations. I'm hoping it's nearly as thin as the 16mm sony is. This (fast short lenses) is where mirrorless can shine.
was escorted by russian military to security officer at Novosibirsk airport and threaten - was shooting airplanes on the airfield in beautiful morning light :)
still don't know how I've managed to go home in one piece with all my camera gear and all films (it was back in the analog times)
krevlingoodspeed said:
The most trouble I got was when Transformers 3 was filming around and in my office building. They used the lobby of my office building as a sort of staging area so all the actors would be down there just chilling and well I tried to take a picture... didn't work out so well.
Funny how the actors get all cranky on set. I was on the set of a Tommy Lee Jones movie, and was doing fine taking photos during breaks, even talked to TLJ about people getting onto the set without permission, and took a few photos of him and Peter Sarsgaard, before they realized that I didn't have permission to be there. (Hey, easier to ask forgiveness than to ask for permission.)
1. I was thrown out of a Rock Festival last year after ZZ Top had told the promoter they wanted all pro cameras out of there before they went on stage. I told the security guy that I wasn't going to leave over $2000 of camera gear in my truck to get stole or ruined in the 100 degree heat. So the jerk threw my camera and me out of there. LOL Why ZZ Top does this is so no one will get a close up of their fake beards.
2. I had stop to take a picture of a fire where a rural fire department was putting it out. When I got back to town I sent the pictures to our local FOX station and they ran them on their nightly news. The next week the station contacted me saying they and I were being sued by one of the fire fighters. Seems one of them was a woman fighting the fire and she was bent over with her huge buttocks showing some butt crack. I had know idea that was even in the picture but FOX covered my legal expenses and she lost her suit.
Anyways, that's a couple of my favorite ordeals!
Bland - crack can be dangerous. Just say "no"
warprints said:
Bland - crack can be dangerous. Just say "no"
I darn sure would of with that crack! LOL
btw....I agree completely with you on "Hey, easier to ask forgiveness than to ask for permission.". I do it all the time and it works. Last month they had our Governor in lock down just after the shootings in Arizona. This was right after one of her pre-inauguration speeches. I found the back door to the room she was in and walked in there like I was part of the staff. Had a great time, they even fed me some high dollar food. And if that doesn't take the cake, she even let me get my picture took with her, I kid you not! LOL
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