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02/03/2008 03:42:58 PM · #1 |
According to amateurphotographer.co.uk it appears the innocent until guilty has officially been changed in the UK. When I lived there a decade ago there was starting to get a lot of CCTV but now it's becoming like the US :-/
'Any person who appears to be taking photos in a covert manner should expect to be stopped and spoken to by police to enquire into what their business is.
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02/03/2008 03:58:16 PM · #2 |
I know it is quite a touchy subject around certain areas in UK, i.e. Airforce Bases, Military sites and some buildings.
CCTV is rife in UK, you are being watched wherever you go now. And, it would be interesting to find out just how 'covert' is interpreted?
However, I have never had any problems, maybe it is because I don't sneak around looking 'covert' nor do I wear a black ski mask and black jumper with 'Spy' written on it :)
But, it is becoming a serious matter and worth watching in the future. |
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02/03/2008 04:06:35 PM · #3 |
I have never been stopped either but I can imagine if I was in a park taking shots of my kids or a friends kids then I would definately, and rightly, get a nudge. So long as it is done with manners I have no problems with it at all. I was once told at an indoor pool that people had seen me go inside with a camera and they had complained. The manager just asked why I had a camera in there to which I replied, I come here for lunch because it's cheap, I always have a camera on me. I showed him my shots to prove none was taken in the place and he was fine with it.
I do understand the paranoia because there are some screwed up people in this world, sadly so.
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02/03/2008 06:21:26 PM · #4 |
My problem is not so much the been hassled taking pics of other peoples kids - there is reasonable cause to have a nice question asked (and no more) in that case; but the assumption that you are a "security" risk because you have a camera.
Real bad guys have zero need to run around with an SLR. I know a number of people that have been hassled at night with tripods e.t.c. taking pictures of a bridge - it just defies commonsense.... to start with daytime would clearly be better then night but far better would be to just get the plans from various public records.
There was a time, you had to be treated with respect first rather then treated as a criminal until you satisfied some pleb with little training. I have been hassled by pretend rambo types and it's just an abuse of what power they think they have....
Certainly worth watching but I wish there was more of a movement against this abuse.... |
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02/03/2008 06:30:03 PM · #5 |
Well, if you look shifty doing anything, the police will probably want a quiet word, not just taking pictures.
I've been stopped once when i was in Manchester Piccadilly train station hunched over my camera when a cop tapped me on the shoulder and asked what I was doing, so I said i was thinking what aperture I should use, and i'm thinking of using the tungsten white balance because these lights are pretty harsh, and the cop smiles then asks me what camera do I have because he wants to buy one for his son who had just started a course at college.
'Any person who appears to be taking photos in a covert manner should expect to be stopped and spoken to by police to enquire into what their business is.
That statement isn't really a change to the current standing.
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02/03/2008 06:36:05 PM · #6 |
| There's little chance of a copper being up at the time I arrive to take my photos, they are still back at the Nick having breakfast ;-) |
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02/03/2008 06:38:06 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by robs:
'Any person who appears to be taking photos in a covert manner should expect to be stopped and spoken to by police to enquire into what their business is. |
Just before Xmas I was outside Willesden Green station on the opposite side of the road. There was a guy taking a photo of the train lines on the bridge. I saw two policemen go over to him and start questioning him. I crossed over and once they'd finished with him I asked why they had stopped him - all he was doing was taking a photo in a public place. They said it's standard practice "in this day and age" and then proceeded to take my name, address and DOB.
Worse yet, Deb went to her 5 year old niece's ballet competition. I gave Deb my old body and a lens but she came home empty handed. Why? Because it's forbidden to take photographs of children. I can understand the need to protect but she's her niece ffs! Since when did it become illegal or dangerous to take photos of your own family??! Insanity.
N
EDIT: I wear a high viz vest when I'm out shooting, just because I ride everywhere on a motorbike. I'd recommend wearing one as a strategy to all because (a) it makes you look "official" and (b) it makes you so blatant that you can't be up to no good because you look like a neon yellow uncool person :)
Message edited by author 2008-02-03 18:43:24. |
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02/12/2008 06:52:15 PM · #8 |
Ok...you've gotta see this:
The full story is on the photo page...but in a nutshell...got stopped and searched for shooting traffic at Hyde Park Corner...wnackers...
N |
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02/12/2008 07:18:51 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by Quasimojo:
Ok...you've gotta see this:
The full story is on the photo page...but in a nutshell...got stopped and searched for shooting traffic at Hyde Park Corner...wnackers...
N |
Interesting story. You were probably right to be compliant, but is "taking pictures" a real reason for stop and search in London?
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02/12/2008 07:38:08 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by DrAchoo:
Interesting story. You were probably right to be compliant, but is "taking pictures" a real reason for stop and search in London? |
The 'real reason' is anti-terrorism.
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02/12/2008 08:12:33 PM · #11 |
| Anyone remember when the reason was anti-communism? |
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02/12/2008 09:20:59 PM · #12 |
Originally posted by Gordon:
Originally posted by DrAchoo:
Interesting story. You were probably right to be compliant, but is "taking pictures" a real reason for stop and search in London? |
The 'real reason' is anti-terrorism. |
Explain to me again why terrorists are wandering around with tripods and slrs? |
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02/12/2008 09:36:07 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by zarniwoop:
Explain to me again why terrorists are wandering around with tripods and slrs? |
Cause we all want to blow things up....
...like 16x20 prints :sorry: hangs head in shame for such a comment :-) |
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