Tue, September 28th, 2004 by btezra
Interesting article every shooter should read:
Should photography be illegal?
Your thoughts...experiences?
Me, I was recently 'detained & questioned' by property management security and police after snapping some shots of PPG Place from a public street in downtown Pittsburgh.
Should fear replace or remove our freedoms?
September 28th, 2004 at 3:33 pm
Hmmm...Benjamin Franklin seemed to think, "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Those words still ring true, IMO, more than ever today.
September 28th, 2004 at 3:36 pm
Wow, I am glad I'm not living in the USA.
I do understand why the police act that way, cause there are a lot of people out there who is not photobloggers and who do not take pictures of a bridge because it is a great subject, but because they have other intentions.
But what can we do? Let me speak for us non-americans: "Nothing." (mostly)
September 28th, 2004 at 3:51 pm
btezra-sorry to hear about your experience. Rannie has compiled some links at the photoblogs.org wiki:
http://wiki.photoblogs.org/Phototographer%27s_Rights
September 28th, 2004 at 3:53 pm
-- make that Rannie and others --
September 28th, 2004 at 4:19 pm
It's happened to me, too:
http://www.toomuchsexy.org/index/weblog/comments/photography_is_not_a_crime/
http://www.toomuchsexy.org/index/weblog/comments/the_times_that_we_live_in/
http://www.toomuchsexy.org/index/weblog/comments/police_protect_njit_from_photography/
September 28th, 2004 at 4:28 pm
When I was out doing some night photography near a major port in Seattle I was hassled 3 times by security, the final time was a customs agent who ran a full background check on me which took about a half hour. I was allowed to continue photographing after finding out I had no record but it kind of spoiled the shoot for me. It is difficult because I know we have to feel safe but as is often the case those in authority often get over-zealous and paranoid. The printable rights is a good idea but the hassles are still going to happen which I just accept as the way this country is going to be for a while. You may find this of interest, it is the website of another Seattle photographer who is fed up with all of this:
http://www.brownequalsterrorist.com/
September 28th, 2004 at 4:32 pm
Wow, this is nuts, you were detained and questioned for taking photos of a building in a public space??! I know this might be an isolated incident but still, I can't see what the motivation would be to do anything about it, never mind take it so seriously... that is just, crazy. I don't understand it.
Just read that linking article... I guess it's not such an isolated incident. The authorities seem to be concentrating security efforts in the wrong areas if you ask me. Not just in america.
September 28th, 2004 at 5:31 pm
I think that the article presents a clear and balanced view of things. I have never been approached by law enforement - but I truly thought that I would when I took this photograph......
http://www.shutterview.ca/archives/000194.html
September 28th, 2004 at 5:41 pm
I love parking garages and have been shooting them for years with no problems. Times have changed. Last year, just before the US attacked Iraq I attended an antiwar rally in downtown Austin and then decided to walk around and shoot afterwards. Bad idea. It never occurred to me (but should have) that a scruffy looking man taking pictures of concrete parking garage structures might cause some alarm. Swarms of cops with bad attitudes and lots of questions taught me otherwise. Got the shot, though. http://tomathey.com/shadow/page8.htm
September 28th, 2004 at 6:07 pm
~Toma, I/eye dig that shot you linked, great color and those lines, whoa, good stuff~
September 28th, 2004 at 6:57 pm
Thanks. It was worth the hassle. I made a print of it and took it to the state agency that owns the garage (just to show I was legit). They were noticably unimpressed...
So far, my response to this new American paranoia is just to be a little more aware of how I may be perceived. I still shoot the same buildings, garages and construction sites but I guess I try to be a little less secretive, look a little less suspicious and make sure I have business cards on me that might convince someone that I'm more artist than terrorist.
September 29th, 2004 at 3:08 am
The worst thing is most of the people writing in sites like dpreview, you know, those photography illiterates who buy expensive professional DSLRs and lenses to collect them or to shoot crappy snapshots of their pets, support these stupid new laws. It's like throwing stones at your own home. Or maybe not, because their concept of photography is so narrow that they don't care.
September 29th, 2004 at 5:33 am
don't shoot or i'll shoot!!
Photography is my hobby. It's a hobby I love. It's the only hobby besides dancing that I've ever stuck with for a prolonged period of time. Now I have to worry about getting stopped for taking photos of buildings or...
September 29th, 2004 at 5:46 am
Should Photography be Illegal?
In Seattle, police ban a photography student from a public park. He was taking photographs of a bridge for a homework assignment. The officers who ban him from the park do so without the knowledge of park officials and have no authority to do so. In...
September 29th, 2004 at 1:41 pm
Bert Krages is an attorney in Portland who specializes in representing visual artists. He's got a pdf on his web sitethat you can download and put in your camera bag in case one of "the authorities" starts bugging you.
Last time someone hasseled me, I showed them this and told them to call my lawyer, there's his number right at the bottom. They quickly realize that you're more informed of your rights than they are and scurry away.
d'oh, why can't we have html in comments? Here's the url: http://www.krages.com/phoright.htm
June 12th, 2005 at 12:01 pm
Yesterday I too ran into problems with security taking photos of PPG plaza here in Pittsburgh. They even called the cops! I was standing on the public street taking the pictures but was told that since it's a "private building" I'm not allowed to photograph it without permission. I can't tell if they're more concerned with security or copyright issues.
My photos and story are available here: http://www.michaelrighi.com/2005/06/11/my-run-in-with-ppg-security/