| Author | Thread |
|
|
12/31/2004 09:37:51 AM · #1 |
Just wanna say I'm just about completely fed up with getting hassled for taking pictures. I was harrassed by a construction site supervisor today. I was on the public sidewalk near his site shooting in.
He demanded to know who I was and who I worked for. I told him I shoot for personal enjoyment and told him I was sorry and would leave. At which time I started walking back toward my Jeep. He then jumped the fence and approached me. I pulled out my cell phone and called the police because I felt he was putting me in danger.
The police showed up a second later, asked for my ID and all the while interrogated me as to why I was there. They don't understand what personal enjoyment is...and kept bringing up 9/11. They said my actions were 'very suspicious'.
They wouldn't give me my ID back and basically detained me for about 45 minutes all the while asking me personal stuff like where I worked, if I was a Private Investigator, and over and over again why I was taking picture of a construction site.
My answers were the same the whole time although they didn't believe me -- personal enjoyment.
Finally, they gave me my ID back and told me to leave. I'm not the type to create an arguement about anything, so I just hopped in my jeep and left with my tail between my legs.
--
Should I do anything about this or just stop taking pictures of things that might seem 'suspicious'?
|
|
|
|
12/31/2004 09:43:47 AM · #2 |
This is an all too common ocurrance. Soon, we will lose the right to bear cameras and arms and free speech will go too.
Allow them the leeway to confirm you are who you are but do not allow them to hassle you. Carry a professional looking photography card with you at all times, (even if its a faker like mine), keep your photo ID with you, and gather a few notable laywer's cards to keep in your wallet just in case.
DO NOT stop taking pictures. When we begin to give up this Liberty, it will be that much easier to force us into giving up something that may be even more valuable to us.
Message edited by author 2004-12-31 09:44:55.
|
|
|
|
12/31/2004 09:46:47 AM · #3 |
Don't stop taking pictures, but try to be a little more explanatory when people ask what you're doing.
If you were taking a picture of something specific, you could say, for example, "I really loved the angle of that beam there, and I wanted to get a shot of it for my portfolio" or "I am entering a photography contest about mechanics, and I thought this structure would make a good shot for my entry."
Just saying that you take photos for personal enjoyment sounds vague and even a bit shady, even though it's a perfectly good reason. Feel free to be affronted by the scrutiny, you aren't breaking the law.
|
|
|
|
12/31/2004 09:48:03 AM · #4 |
| I have thoughts on this from two perspectives. First, yes I think it stinks that we live in a society today that questions someone taking pictures and probably would have reacted the same way you did. Second, I kind of want to commend the construction supervisor for having the gonads to confront someone involved in potentially "suspicious" behavior. Since the WTC 911 event, citizens (if you are in the USA) have been asked to report suspicious activities. It's my understanding that terrorists' "stake out" a location and have used photos or video in their endeavors. |
|
|
|
12/31/2004 09:50:27 AM · #5 |
|
|
|
12/31/2004 09:52:57 AM · #6 |
What he said
Originally posted by doctornick:
Glad I live in Canada... |
|
|
|
|
12/31/2004 09:53:31 AM · #7 |
Originally posted by deapee:
Just wanna say I'm just about completely fed up with getting hassled for taking pictures. I was harrassed by a construction site supervisor today. I was on the public sidewalk near his site shooting in.
He demanded to know who I was and who I worked for. I told him I shoot for personal enjoyment and told him I was sorry and would leave. At which time I started walking back toward my Jeep. He then jumped the fence and approached me. I pulled out my cell phone and called the police because I felt he was putting me in danger.
The police showed up a second later, asked for my ID and all the while interrogated me as to why I was there. They don't understand what personal enjoyment is...and kept bringing up 9/11. They said my actions were 'very suspicious'.
They wouldn't give me my ID back and basically detained me for about 45 minutes all the while asking me personal stuff like where I worked, if I was a Private Investigator, and over and over again why I was taking picture of a construction site.
My answers were the same the whole time although they didn't believe me -- personal enjoyment.
Finally, they gave me my ID back and told me to leave. I'm not the type to create an arguement about anything, so I just hopped in my jeep and left with my tail between my legs.
--
Should I do anything about this or just stop taking pictures of things that might seem 'suspicious'? |
You should go see a lawyer and press charges. What they did is totally illegal in the US. This is happening more and more, and if everyone lets them get away with it then it will become the norm. This 9-11 excuse for any type of harrasment is total bullshit!
|
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:01:02 AM · #8 |
Pretty stupid policy of a paranoid but misguided system. You can buy high resolution satellite images of almost anything from satellite image providers like digitalglobe.com. Why would a terrorist bother with sending people to take pictures on the ground?
Satellite image of Sydney around the Opera House.
|
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:05:45 AM · #9 |
Greetings,
Damn, what country do you all live in?? Up Here in NH, where by the way the state motto is "Live Free or Die" you can take pictures of anything, and no one cares, in the last 90 days or so I have taken pics of an airport, military repair base (Portsmouth Naval Shipyard), Submarine, and a nuke plant, Oh and a train station not to mention various bridges and buildings and no one has given a damn. Makes me wonder what's going on......
Mike
|
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:05:46 AM · #10 |
"Land of the free" Free??
|
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:13:48 AM · #11 |
I'm sorry this happened to you Deapee. My suggestions would be:
1. Don´t stop taking pictures.
2. Get a photography student I.D.
3. If you see an authority around, ask for permission first. That way this person will feel important and will even help you.
Happy shooting and best wishes for 2005!! 8-D |
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:16:51 AM · #12 |
| Yeesh. Where did this happen, since we live relatively close together? |
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:19:31 AM · #13 |
Read this, print it out, and keep it with you when you shoot
Photographers Rights
//www.krages.com/ThePhotographersRight.pdf
|
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:21:13 AM · #14 |
| I was hassled yesterday by security just for carrying my camera in the mall. I guess I can understand their paranoia, but I think they're projecting it in the wrong place. |
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:29:37 AM · #15 |
Originally posted by Jacko:
What he said
Originally posted by doctornick:
Glad I live in Canada... |
|
DITTO
|
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:31:40 AM · #16 |
Originally posted by mfairbanks:
Makes me wonder what's going on...... |
IMO, what's going on is that some people are using 9-11 as an excuse for harassment. What's worse is that they know they can get away with it just by saying, "s\he was acting suspiciously" What the hell is suspicious about taking photos in a public place? It's not like a terrorist wanting to destroy a building will need photos of it before he can crash a plane into it, or park a car-bomb near it. The damn building isn't going to get up and walk away and loose itself in a crowd. And, even if the terrorist does need photos, is any type of harassment going to stop them from getting those photos? No, of course not. So why should we allow bozos like that to prevent us from doing something that is perfectly legal? It's idiotic, knee-jerk reactionism.
My guess is the construction site supervisor that harassed deapee was probably worried that he was an insurance investigator trying to catch him cutting corners on the construction to line his pockets. IOW, he was probably the one that was "acting suspiciously" and didn't want to get caught.
|
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:36:37 AM · #17 |
Originally posted by deapee:
Just wanna say I'm just about completely fed up with getting hassled for taking pictures....
Should I do anything about this or just stop taking pictures of things that might seem 'suspicious'? |
That's bullshit! I've taken photos like that and luckily have never been stopped. I'm very vocal when it comes to that kind of stuff. I much prefer the US flag from 1774, a rattle snake coiled/ready to strike and the logo "Liberty or Death. Don't tread on me." That embodies the true American spirit in my opinion.
I would let them know that I'm contacting my lawyer and the ACLU. I then would have given the police a speech on misguided paranoia, harassment, and the definition of freedom vs police state while being detained.
I'm so glad we're local. Message me and let me know the address/location of where you were shooting. I'm going there on my next day off to get some photos for personal enjoyment and for my portfolio. Boy oh boy, I hope I get approached. I'll post back and let y'all know what happens. |
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:51:41 AM · #18 |
I think you should have taken photos of them harrassing you and write an article for Pop Photo.
Tim |
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:52:02 AM · #19 |
Originally posted by mfairbanks:
Greetings,
Damn, what country do you all live in?? Up Here in NH, where by the way the state motto is "Live Free or Die" you can take pictures of anything, and no one cares, in the last 90 days or so I have taken pics of an airport, military repair base (Portsmouth Naval Shipyard), Submarine, and a nuke plant, Oh and a train station not to mention various bridges and buildings and no one has given a damn. Makes me wonder what's going on......
Mike |
Mike you were just lucky. I'm based in Dover and my friend Quinn is in-town Portsmouth. Last month as he did his nightly walk across the Rt1 bridge and shot some pics from the structure, he was confronted by not one, but two police units who insisted that he share his digital captures with them and they 'strongly impressed upon him, that taking pictures from bridges and the surrounding Naval Shipyard Area was something he should refrain from doing since the heightened security due to 9/11.' He is very afraid now to do what he once enjoyed, taking random shots as he got his exercise. We were very close to staging an all-out 'Come all photographer's' protest with hundreds of area professionals diverging on the bridge to take pictures.
We need to be vigilant and cautious about the potential for other events, but we also must not allow the people who need to do their job of protecting us, to force us into giving up our liberties.
|
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:52:04 AM · #20 |
And if a terrorist or insurance adjuster, or any other "suspisious" person was taking photos of the building, they would probably try to be more discreet about it somehow. You wouldn't think they would do it right out in the open with a big honking D rebel.
|
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:52:09 AM · #21 |
I'm with him, I live in southern Ohio and no one really has ever done anything to me. I have been to various marches and protest. everything from anti war to right for life stuff and just fired away and no one cared what I did. I was just a fly on the wall to them. I have also taken multiple pics of new buildings going up around here and know someone from work (I work for a photography stuido) who chartes an airplane one time a month and just goes and takes pictures of cinci. I don't know where this happened, but it makes me wondered if we really are "one nation"
Originally posted by mfairbanks:
Greetings,
Damn, what country do you all live in?? Up Here in NH, where by the way the state motto is "Live Free or Die" you can take pictures of anything, and no one cares, in the last 90 days or so I have taken pics of an airport, military repair base (Portsmouth Naval Shipyard), Submarine, and a nuke plant, Oh and a train station not to mention various bridges and buildings and no one has given a damn. Makes me wonder what's going on......
Mike |
|
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:53:07 AM · #22 |
If the paparazzi can chase around celebrities while harrassing them and drive recklessly possibly killing someone. Taking pictures of a construction site should not a hassle. If you were really up to something you would have been on the roof of a building with a 600mm lens taking pictures. To me that's more suspicious!!!
Don't let this experience make you skeptical about taking pictures. I still believe that in the USA we are all innocent until proven guilty. DAMN that Patriot Act!!! |
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:54:22 AM · #23 |
It was at Bill Green shopping center at the location of a new Walgreens. It's right off RT. 51 about 2 miles north of century III mall in Pleasant Hills.
--
I don't know -- it's been a while now, and I still feel bad about the whole situation -- it's depressing.
|
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:54:40 AM · #24 |
| Oh and you guys posting your glad your from Canada, We are glad you are from Canada too. ;) |
|
|
|
12/31/2004 10:56:50 AM · #25 |
Originally posted by Morgan:
Originally posted by Jacko:
What he said
Originally posted by doctornick:
Glad I live in Canada... |
|
DITTO |
Did we mention Canada Rules!! |
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 06/26/2025 10:43:11 AM EDT.
