Tue, August 24th, 2004 by Brandon Stone
Here's an interesting blog post about the policies that different corporations and organizations have towards photography.
Editorial: On Camera Policies in Privately Owned Public Spaces
Of course, it's the right of the company/organization to refuse photography in their establishment, but is it counterproductive?
August 24th, 2004 at 2:17 pm
People, you need to stop going out and taking pictures in stores, and start staying at home and taking pictures of your cat and/or the flowers in your back yard.
August 24th, 2004 at 3:12 pm
It so sad, like Justin said above, at the end street photographers will be only permitted to do mediocre photos of flowers, pets and family.
August 24th, 2004 at 3:20 pm
"People, you need to stop going out and taking pictures in stores, and start staying at home and taking pictures of your cat and/or the flowers in your back yard."
ha ha ha ha ha ha.
August 24th, 2004 at 5:39 pm
As much it has been mentioned for that, for whatever reason the proprietor of the shop is allergic to camera's in his/her store, it's still up to them of course, but there has to be some degree by which photographs can be taken in such situations.
Maybe we should go as far as making us go through permits or perhaps we should make full stores owned by photographers themselves by which, them being photographers, they don't mind their tenants taking photographs of their shops at all.
Bling Bling and groupies here I come! 
Now we understand where the money in the photoblogging business comes from
Then again...nobody can match the prowess of the infamous Ian over at fiftymillimeter
But back to being serious, the only concern I truly have is that, as much I personally believe that there will still be some shops that won't mind photoblog oriented photography in them, it goes more into the detail and fear that, even if just in the United States, we might have our rights restricted down the same element that Justin joked about.
August 24th, 2004 at 5:57 pm
I once had two gorillas with walkie-talkies hunting after me in a shopping mall.
At that point I realized I love my hobby!
August 24th, 2004 at 7:42 pm
I've been shooed away from a lot of places. I was told I couldn't take pictures of the Pez Heads (i.e. Captains of Industry) in front of the Merchandise Mart in Chicago by a rather overzealous security guard. Although it's marked as a "private road", it's still a public space. People hang out and look at the skyline and the Chicago River, smoke their smokes, etc. and are not hassled about that -- However, in protest, I do plan to go there and sneak a photo at a time.
I've also was told not to take photos at a Benetton's on the Upper West Side in NYC. I did manage to get a shot of their interesting skylight. Then there's the private "public" space at the Lincolnwood Town Mall in suburban Lincolnwood. At the Guggenheim in NYC, I was told I couldn't take photos above the main level.
However, when I was in Paris in '98, I wasn't hassled at all by guards at the Louvre. As a matter of fact, I had to fight my way through a gaggle of Japanese tourists to get up close and personal to the Mona Lisa. And they were all using flash!
August 24th, 2004 at 7:55 pm
great article, thanks for sharing brandon! this is another reason i love my little inconspicuous finepix. no one takes you seriously, which is just fine by me. i have never been told i couldn't shoot anywhere, and will lie if necessary. oh, but it's for my poor aunt who loves this place...hehehe. yes, it's bad karma, but since it is for my art, and sharing with the masses, i figure it evens out.
benetton, mr. bill? are they still in business? i'm shocked! haven't worn them since '84!
August 24th, 2004 at 10:32 pm
Benetton? Yup. My wife wanted to check out some stuff so I ended up looking for things to shoot. Hence the skylight. United colors to boot!
August 24th, 2004 at 11:49 pm
Thats right. Ya gotta have an inconspicuous digicam or a 4x5 or 8x10 field camera where everyone comes up to you to share stories of the history of photography or how Grandpa had the same camera.
August 25th, 2004 at 12:29 am
Zee,
I'm just trying to picture somebody pulling out an 8x10 large format camera in the middle of a Starbucks to "snap some shots". I can see it now, big wooden tripod, head under the curtain and *poof* a cloud of smoke as the phosphorous flash ignites. If that doesn't draw a store manager's attention, nothing will.
August 25th, 2004 at 1:42 am
I was at the City Offices in Cincinnati, we had to go through all sorts of security but they had this awesome tiled wall, I had to have a shot of that, a security guard hurried over, and before he could boot me out, I said, "Oh, I wanted to ask you" What's the story behind this wall...can I take a snapshot?" He was happy to stand behind me while I took a few shots(uncomfortable I might add)
So sometimes some manipulation is involved, asking permission always works for me, but it is indeed sad ... What happened to the freedom to report! Is there such a thing! Photoblogging, and blogging in general has become so huge, personally I think they should be given similar rights to reporters and journalists.
August 25th, 2004 at 11:16 am
you guys, I wasn't kidding.
August 25th, 2004 at 11:32 am
You never kid, Justin. You need to lighten up a bit.
August 25th, 2004 at 2:57 pm
i've seen your site, razzi, and i didn't see any pictures of gorillas with walkie-talkies in a mall. gorillas are rarely in malls, and i've never seen them with walkie talkies. i can't believe you didn't get a picture of them.
you people call yourselves photographers.
August 25th, 2004 at 5:05 pm
Lou,
You *DO* have the same rights as a journalist. You have the right to photograph anything from public places (telephoto shots into people's private domains from a public place is sometimes an exception). You have the right to approach *anybody* and ask them if you can take their picture or a picture of their belongings within a private place. And those people enjoy the freedom of property to tell you "no." A journalist, at least in the United States, has no more rights than anybody else.
August 27th, 2004 at 12:04 am
justin is correct. there aren't enough photos of the rusty gates in the backyard, fences of the school down the street, or of the flowers in the neighbor's yard. simply not enough!!!
October 27th, 2004 at 7:13 pm
No!!!
Owners of "private premises open to the public" (malls, shops, etc.) can NOT prohibit photography with any force of law--all they can do is demand you leave upon threat of a trespassing charge. They can NOT charge you with trespassing until they've asked you to leave and you've refused (unless you're in a non-public area, are there during hours the area is closed to the public, etc.) They also can NOT confiscate film and equipment. But do watch your voice--if you get into a screaming match with the guard a case could be made for disorderly conduct.
My understanding is that guards MAY have some additional rights if you had to buy a ticket to enter said premises.