Photog stopped for questioning - DPChallenge Forums

07/15/2004 10:22:12 PM · #1

Thought you people might like to look at this. I guess some of us just look suspicious.

d14

Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro

07/15/2004 10:29:10 PM · #2

Hell,.. I've had guns pulled on me before. I guess the police thought my tripod was a rifle or something.

07/15/2004 10:32:34 PM · #3

It is becoming an issue.

A couple months ago, I was shooting some architectural columns at night (about 1 AM actually) at the local mall. I had my car parked there, right by where I was shooting (near one of the entrances).
A security vehicle pulled up about 30 yards behind my car and just sat there. When I was done shooting, I gestured to the security guard with my camera, trying to show him/her I was taking pictures. I went about my way.

Went home, relaxed a bit and my wife & I went to bed.

Around 3AM, our doorbell rang. A local Sheriff was at the door and needed to find out who I was, what I had been doing earlier at the mall, as the local security guard had "turned me in" as being suspicious and was carrying a black device around near the mall's entrance!

What a hoot. The Sheriff & I had a nice laugh after I showed him what I had shot (thanks EXIF!).

No anger, just people doing their jobs...

LOL

mrwaffles989

Kodak DX6490

07/15/2004 11:09:30 PM · #4

I was walking up to my high school to take some pics of sunsets and some neighbor thought I was carrying a gun. Everyone is to paranoid anymore.

TechnoShroom

Canon EOS-30D

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

07/16/2004 12:09:37 AM · #5

BradP... so how did the officer find you? Did the security guard take down your plate number or something?

faidoi

Pentax K10D

07/16/2004 12:12:06 AM · #6

Originally posted by TechnoShroom:

Thought you people might like to look at this. I guess some of us just look suspicious.

....and this one looks like a bad cloud burning attempt :P

Message edited by author 2004-07-16 00:12:40.

faidoi

Pentax K10D

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

07/16/2004 12:14:04 AM · #7

Originally posted by BradP:

Extreme chimping. They come to you :P

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

07/16/2004 12:24:37 AM · #8

Originally posted by TechnoShroom:

BradP... so how did the officer find you? Did the security guard take down your plate number or something?

Yup.
Security Guard reported it to wherever they do, ran my plate (LUGNUT), found out where I lived and because I live outside of San Diego's city limits, they contacted the Sheriffs dept.

LOL

awpollard

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

07/16/2004 12:36:21 AM · #9

Originally posted by BradP:

Originally posted by TechnoShroom:
BradP... so how did the officer find you? Did the security guard take down your plate number or something?

Yup.
Security Guard reported it to wherever they do, ran my plate (LUGNUT), found out where I lived and because I live outside of San Diego's city limits, they contacted the Sheriffs dept.

LOL

That wasn't North County Faire was it? That's the mall I had a couple guards inside getting on my case for taking pics inside.

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS

07/16/2004 01:03:19 AM · #10

Originally posted by awpollard:

That wasn't North County Faire was it? That's the mall I had a couple guards inside getting on my case for taking pics inside.

The one & only!

I was shooting the columns by one of the entrances.
Didn't hide, wasn't sneaky, even showed the rent-a-cops my camera as I was getting back into my car.

Yeah, that's what I am - A 4 Mega-Pixel Terrorist!!

:)

Canon EOS-60D

07/16/2004 01:07:00 AM · #11

Originally posted by BradP:

Yeah, that's what I am - A 4 Mega-Pixel Terrorist!!

:)

...I knew there was something sneaky about you...we're gonna have to watch out for you!!!

ClubJuggle

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

07/16/2004 01:07:42 AM · #12

Originally posted by BradP:

Yeah, that's what I am - A 4 Mega-Pixel Terrorist!!

:)

If we all start shooting with Nikons, it means the terrorists have already won.

-Terry

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

07/16/2004 01:38:49 AM · #13

Last time I tried to blow anything up, it was a car,
and all I did was burn my lips on the tailpipe. (Rimshot)

a little 6th Grade humor is allowed - right? right??

Don't have my column shots anymore, but did find these:

faidoi

Pentax K10D

07/16/2004 01:42:08 AM · #14

Originally posted by ClubJuggle:

Originally posted by BradP:
Yeah, that's what I am - A 4 Mega-Pixel Terrorist!!

:)

If we all start shooting with Nikons, it means the terrorists have already won.

-Terry

I guess the future of digital cams are see thru housings or orange tipped lenses :P

cbonsall

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM for Canon

07/16/2004 05:53:25 AM · #15

More info on the guy featured in the first post, questioned for suspicious behaviour.

Heres his story of what happened: //brownequalsterrorist.com/artiststatement/

emorgan49

Olympus E-5

Olympus 50mm f/1.8 MF Normal Zuiko

07/16/2004 09:22:10 AM · #16

The climate is everywhere. I am a little old white haired lady. I have worked at the same hospital in Boston for the past twenty years. Last week there were great clouds over the older part of the front entrance so I turned around to take a picture. Just a two second snap but here come all the security guards asking for IDs and telling me it was forbidden. The climate is everywhere in the US, I should clarify.

awpollard

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

07/16/2004 09:39:47 AM · #17

Originally posted by BradP:

Did they look like this...

I can see how this would be a strategic structure for terrorist...

BTW: A really cool shot is to get inside of the structure and catch the moon through the windows. But watch out for the rent a cops.

Nelzie

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

07/16/2004 09:51:57 AM · #18

Perhaps all of us United States Photograhpers should take a stand and get in touch with the ACLU and setup a protest. Get hundreds of us at various 'forbidden' locations and start snapping images.

Then, when we are accosted we can make certain to have everything documented and make a case out this. Perhaps bringing more national attention to the absurdity of The PATRIOT Act.

If we don't do anything about this, then the terrorists have indeed won, because they will have made us afraid to defend our own civil rights as American Citizens.

None of what we need to do should involve any kind of confrontation. We just need to document the harrasement to make a case.

One of two things will happen. Either that law will be more clarified and signs will indeed be put up in places that we are 'forbidden' to take images of, which might make more people take notice, or we may find ourselves with the rights we had prior to the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

07/16/2004 09:53:08 AM · #19

Originally posted by emorgan49:

I'm going to start asking them for their ID first -- they are obligated to identify themselves by more than telling you who they are -- how would I know they aren't identity thieves who rented uniforms and are out to grab whatever info they can under the "cover of authority."

For the rent-a-cops, I think I'll also print up some business cards identifying myself as from Security Personnel Evaluation and Rating Services -- or SPEARS -- and have a clipboard with some cool-looking forms listing such important categories to rate as Name, Badge #, Response Time, Intimidation Factor, Uniform Neatness ... let them call a real cop if they want to ask me questions.

I'm unclear just why any (non-police) security personnel would have the right to ask for your identification anyway. If they want to claim you've violated the law, let them arrest you, if not they can go back to catching shotlifters.

Message edited by author 2004-07-16 09:54:14.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Olympus 9-18mm f/4.0-5.6 M.Zuiko Digital ED

07/16/2004 09:54:47 AM · #20

In case you are not aware, shopping malls are private property, so your right to take pictures can be restricted if you are on mall property.

jonr

Olympus OM-D E-M5

07/16/2004 09:57:56 AM · #21

Shame, I wanted to visit NY City, just to photograph there, but after 9/11, it has become a fascist state. I guess the terrorist did win after all.
Is Alaska any better? That is on my to-visit list. :)
J.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

07/16/2004 10:00:38 AM · #22

Originally posted by Nelzie:

Perhaps all of us United States Photograhpers should take a stand and get in touch with the ACLU and setup a protest. Get hundreds of us at various 'forbidden' locations and start snapping images.

NYC Subway Photo Protest

awpollard

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

07/16/2004 10:09:35 AM · #23

Originally posted by GeneralE:

...

I'm going to start asking them for their ID first -- they are obligated to identify themselves by more than telling you who they are -- how would I know they aren't identity thieves who rented uniforms and are out to grab whatever info they can under the "cover of authority."

...

Good Call, for example this is from a community website in my area.

However, the Supreme Court claimed that Majors, who posed as a law enforcement officer and told her that she was under investigation for theft from her employer, certainly acted in a way that qualifies as kidnapping. The Supreme Court said the appeals court took the wording of the statute to literally.

The dude posed as an official, lured a 18yr old girl into his van and tried to rape her...so we never know without proper id do we?

Spork99

OM System OM-1