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08/05/2005 02:09:42 AM · #1 |
Wondering if anyone has any photography + law enforcement related encounters they would like to share.
I had my first one last night when I went out to take lightning pictures. I parked at a dead end and was taking pictures from the street (highest point in my city and overlooks the whole city) of an approaching storm and lightning. I'm there not more then 10 minutes when I see a search light whipping around and pointing straight at me. Officer comes up and asks what i'm doing. I tell her that i'm trying to get some pictures of the lighting. She says that a neighbor called about a suspecious vehicle. I told her it was probably me they were refering to and that I have been here for roughly 10 minutes. She asks more questions (what newspaper im with [none] and other random stuff). Takes my license to her car. Another squad pulls up, guy gets out, asks the same questions the female officer just did. I tell him the same thing. He goes to the female officer's squad, she gives him my license and leaves. He comes back to me, gives me my license and says "have a good night". I ask him if im okay to be here and he says yeah, i'm fine because it's a public street. I thank him and go back to taking pictures (whole thing probably took 10 minutes). Not 1 minute after I power my camera back on it starts to POUR. So much for the first storm with my 300d.
Kinda of ironic, today on CNN they had two amateur photogs telling stories about them getting detained and searched for taking pictures at a train station platform. Made me feel lucky that I didn't get anything more then a game of 20 questions. |
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08/05/2005 02:13:36 AM · #2 |
There's a couple of recent threads about this. I'll try and find them.
In the meantime, go to this site, and download the PDF summary of your rights and responsibilities as a photographer:
//www.krages.com/bpkphoto.htm |
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08/05/2005 02:22:13 AM · #3 |
| Yeah, i'm actually in college right now majoring in law enforcement and also work as a Reserve Deputy for the local sheriff's office. The info on that site is great but because of the fact the officers I would be arguing my legal rights with might be my partner in the near future, I want to try and be as non-argumentative as possibe (granted that would change if there were talks of searches or jail). Hopefully this was a one time thing... |
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08/05/2005 02:28:23 AM · #4 |
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08/05/2005 04:16:28 AM · #5 |
| Sorry Paul, should have just added my experince to one of those threads. Thanks for finding them though, interesting reads. |
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08/05/2005 06:22:41 AM · #6 |
Most of the cops in Canada just ask what the pictures are for. As example I was shooting a near fatal accident and was approached by the police and I told them it was for personal viewing. They can't do ANYTHING about it so they left it at that. If your planning to publish them etc. then you may have problems.
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08/05/2005 06:54:19 AM · #7 |
Sorry you missed the lightning, but on the postitive side it should feel comforting that the law enforcement is quick to respond in your neighborhood.
You wouldn't believe what I was pulled over by once before ;-):
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08/05/2005 09:54:22 AM · #8 |
I had one similar to yours recently. Here's the thread.
What bothers me is the unfounded assertion that anyone taking pictures with an SLR is a potential terrorist. The guys casing the joint will just use a P&S or cell phone instead, if they even need to. The government posts the blueprints for power plants on the web, and they even post reports on how fast a plane would need to be going to breach security, but then they bother us for taking pictures.
The world is changed, and not for the better.
Message edited by author 2005-08-05 09:54:46.
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08/05/2005 10:31:08 AM · #9 |
It is rather lame...
I mean, gee, I saw a beautiful sunset. Glistening red....and I actually had my camera. So I start to take a shot. And next thing I know a police cruiser arrives.
The concern? well, the sunset is overlooking a "freight train depot" by Circuit City... *blargh*
Anyways, after going thru everything the sun is now mostly set and my shot lost.
I think next time, I am going to hand the cop my license. And tell them, they can bloody well wait till I have taken my shots. |
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08/05/2005 10:31:19 AM · #10 |
Originally posted by Telehubbie:
Sorry you missed the lightning, but on the postitive side it should feel comforting that the law enforcement is quick to respond in your neighborhood.
You wouldn't believe what I was pulled over by once before ;-):
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My last ticket actually came in the mail, along with a very grainy image of my car with superimposed speed information :-)
Oh well - at least it was a minor infraction, and this type of ticket was just a revenue generator, not points against my license. |
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08/05/2005 10:32:14 AM · #11 |
Originally posted by notonline:
Most of the cops in Canada just ask what the pictures are for. As example I was shooting a near fatal accident and was approached by the police and I told them it was for personal viewing. They can't do ANYTHING about it so they left it at that. If your planning to publish them etc. then you may have problems. |
I bring bail money just in case. :) |
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08/05/2005 10:32:28 AM · #12 |
Originally posted by nshapiro:
I had one similar to yours recently. Here's the thread.
What bothers me is the unfounded assertion that anyone taking pictures with an SLR is a potential terrorist. The guys casing the joint will just use a P&S or cell phone instead, if they even need to. The government posts the blueprints for power plants on the web, and they even post reports on how fast a plane would need to be going to breach security, but then they bother us for taking pictures.
The world is changed, and not for the better. |
I couldn't agree more, Neil. I read your other thread with consideable distress. Unfortunately it is not a unique experience, and that may be the saddest part. |
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08/05/2005 10:51:36 AM · #13 |
I took this shot in DC last weekend and guessed at the settings. TLL061 and I decided to try and get a better shot at the next station, but Metro police came running and shouting (the officer simply told us we couldn't take pictures). We got the same stern warning a few minutes later at an escalator just outside the station doors.
Yeah, OK, there might be something a teensy bit suspicious about two guys with backpacks and tripods taking pictures of the subway in Washington D.C. at 3:30am, but subway photos are readily available, and common sense suggests that a terrorist will simply look around or use a less obvious camera. Such restrictions may have more to do with reassuring the masses than effectively deterring terrorism.
Message edited by author 2005-08-05 11:52:25. |
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08/05/2005 11:06:01 AM · #14 |
I was taking pictures of the sunset over the Blue Ridge Mountains from Centreville, VA which just happens to be in the flight path for Dulles Airport and had a cop stop and ask what we were taking pictures of. I explained and he said they get calls all the time from motorists reporting people perched at this vantage point with cameras. I asked if we were violating any law and he said no but, that if he suspected any thing he would take down our personal info and pass it on to the " Anti-Terrorism Task Force" who would probably scrutinize us pretty intensely via background check and what-not. I asked what I could do as an amateur photographer to prevent this and he said just use common sense and if you have questions about what you are doing, call the local station. He was pretty cool about it.
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08/05/2005 11:15:56 AM · #15 |
Originally posted by nshapiro:
I had one similar to yours recently. Here's the thread.
What bothers me is the unfounded assertion that anyone taking pictures with an SLR is a potential terrorist. The guys casing the joint will just use a P&S or cell phone instead, if they even need to. The government posts the blueprints for power plants on the web, and they even post reports on how fast a plane would need to be going to breach security, but then they bother us for taking pictures.
The world is changed, and not for the better. |
I have been told by the police to not photograph a building in downtown Dallas when I was out with Crabappl3. We just left and went elsewhere. I have seen MANY other pictures of this building and even found structural plans online. Anyway, I wrote to the Dallas City council and complained, not really expecting a reply. I got a letter from the Police Chief explaining that due to the "ever present and escalating terrorist threat" photography was subject to restriction.
That's just a big pile of BS.
On the other hand, I have heard the theory that by not trying to be sneaky and using a tiny camera, a terrorist casing a building would somehow escape suspiscion by being obvious about taking photos. I guess it's the "hide in plain sight" theory.
All said, I wish I had my shot of the building and I'm not doing any shooting for terrorists, but I'm perfectly willing to shoot AT them, just not with my camera.
Message edited by author 2005-08-05 11:20:37.
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08/05/2005 11:44:06 AM · #16 |
Originally posted by Telehubbie:
Sorry you missed the lightning, but on the postitive side it should feel comforting that the law enforcement is quick to respond in your neighborhood. |
The other night there was a loud party on my street and they were shooting off fireworks and playing loud music until 2am. The next morning I found out several people called the police around 12-1am and no one showed up until after 3:30am (PS this is arizona where fire hazards are at an all time high). |
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08/05/2005 12:26:22 PM · #17 |
From reading this thread, I would guess that this instance seems more to be someone suspicious parked in a residential neighborhood than terrorism. Cops in residential non urban (especially upscale) areas have always responded to thise call ins (In many of these places most crime is property and traffic related).
Once they got there, they used the situation to run your license for wants and warrants. It's probably a grey area as to whether or not you had to show ID in that situation but if you refuse and the cop wants to play hardball, they can make it a miserable nite for you. |
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08/05/2005 01:15:25 PM · #18 |
I've got a story under this photo's comments, but it's all funny and much understandable.
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08/05/2005 01:24:14 PM · #19 |
a photographer/blogger in SF was chased away from a building, wrote about it, and now lots of other people are going there to take pictures. There is even a flickr group for it...
//flickr.com/groups/51395448@N00/
As a rule, i'm always polite to anyone who has a gun, but in a public space you do have more rights than a security guard wants you to think you have...
here is a link to a "Photographer's Rights" card you can print and carry with you, similar to the ACLU "what to do when you get busted" cards.
//www.krages.com/phoright.htm
I have one.
Message edited by author 2005-08-06 01:45:40. |
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