DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register
 

DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> No Photography Allowed
Pages:  
Showing posts 1 - 24 of 24, (reverse)
AuthorThread
04/13/2003 01:33:33 PM · #1
Recently every where I go to take pictures I have security guards telling me that I am not allowed to take photographs. I find this very frustrating. Friday I went to the mall to take pictures of candy vending machines and was stopped by a security guard and then yesterday I went to The Farmer's Market in Los Angeles and again was confronted by security guards who told me the only thing I am allowed to photograph is family and friends. No structures, statues, or general shots of the marketplace. It seems bridges are now taboo as well as most landmarks, public buildings etc. Has anyone else run in to this problem? I realize it must be due to the terroist threats we face and want to be cooperative, but it is a bit limiting from a photographers standpoint.
04/13/2003 01:42:24 PM · #2
Well if it is that bad then I feel sorry for the people who go on vacation to South Dakota and try to take a picture of their family in front of Mount Rushmore. I think they are taking these secerity guards are taking their job a little to seriously.
04/13/2003 01:58:40 PM · #3
Good thing the bridge challenge is past us...
04/13/2003 02:12:02 PM · #4
Maybe it's just an LA thing. Anyone else having this problem? I hardly look threatening. My camera is practically bigger than I am.
04/13/2003 02:19:03 PM · #5
Originally posted by progersct:

Maybe it's just an LA thing. Anyone else having this problem? I hardly look threatening. My camera is practically bigger than I am.


i have been out a lot recently in downtown chicago photographing buildings bridges, transportation, and no one has said a thing to me. maybe your situation is a look at what is to come. hopefully not
04/13/2003 02:28:05 PM · #6
It's all over. NYC is the worst. Understandably..but still, I really don't want to live in a police state.
04/13/2003 02:47:51 PM · #7
Welcome to the land of the free.
04/13/2003 03:04:31 PM · #8
Originally posted by Jacko:

Welcome to the land of the free.

How do you think the "Discover Freedom" (and related) threads got started? There have been several threads on this topic over the last few weeks...
04/13/2003 06:35:22 PM · #9
The guards are just rent-a-cops. My boyfriend is a police officer and he always talks about how the rent-a-cops are the worst when it comes to power abuse; even more so than the police themselves. Unless your on private property that is owned by the people employing his security company, I would tell him to take a hike. If your not on the property he is being payed to protect, and he lays a hand on you, you will be able to file a lawsuit. If it would have been me at the farmers market, I would have stepped off of his property onto public property and then proceeded to take his picture. =)
04/13/2003 06:46:56 PM · #10
Not just the security guards but also police officers.

Try taking a photograph of Golden Gate bridge up close and personal these days... guarantee a visit by the FBI if they don't catch you there.

Expect more of this to come. Next thing you know, they'll start to infringe on the first amendment to make us feel safer.
04/13/2003 10:35:48 PM · #11
Originally posted by progersct:

No structures, statues, or general shots of the marketplace. It seems bridges are now taboo as well as most landmarks, public buildings etc. Has anyone else run in to this problem?


I haven't had these problems. I recently took a bunch of pictures of our state capital building (lots of pics) and nobody said anything. Same with the Golden Gate Bridge. Don't worry Paganini, it's probably just some power hungry rent-a-cop you ran into those times. A lot of these types just want to hassle people. I'd have asked him to show me law that says I can't take pictures. These guys are idiots basically, they are too dumb to tell the difference between someone taking pictures of candy machines and someone that could possibly be a real threat.
04/13/2003 10:43:31 PM · #12
Heh... I asked this guy REALLY nicely if he minded if I took his picture the other day. Who would have thought the Bahamas even HAD an Army??

04/13/2003 10:53:17 PM · #13
Originally posted by ChrisW123:

Originally posted by progersct:

No structures, statues, or general shots of the marketplace. It seems bridges are now taboo as well as most landmarks, public buildings etc. Has anyone else run in to this problem?


I haven't had these problems. I recently took a bunch of pictures of our state capital building (lots of pics) and nobody said anything. Same with the Golden Gate Bridge. Don't worry Paganini, it's probably just some power hungry rent-a-cop you ran into those times. A lot of these types just want to hassle people. I'd have asked him to show me law that says I can't take pictures. These guys are idiots basically, they are too dumb to tell the difference between someone taking pictures of candy machines and someone that could possibly be a real threat.



no kidding.. these are the same idiots that strip search 90 year old american grandmothers in the airport...
04/13/2003 11:00:15 PM · #14
Originally posted by alansfreed:

Heh... I asked this guy REALLY nicely if he minded if I took his picture the other day.


Did you ask him REALLY nicely if you could put him on the internet? :)
04/13/2003 11:00:54 PM · #15
You mean they have the Internet in the Bahamas, too?!


Originally posted by langdon:

Originally posted by alansfreed:

Heh... I asked this guy REALLY nicely if he minded if I took his picture the other day.


Did you ask him REALLY nicely if you could put him on the internet? :)
04/13/2003 11:40:01 PM · #16
I really think it depends were you are and also there is a sterotype that can take any photos. I know when I was in the south in December I experience it frequently. I'm a white female obviously of European decent...in other words very easily known as an American, and I was treated with respect and dignity, but I witnessed a lot of the old southern traditions towards the afro american...yes I know I was in the south and that is normal, but what is another american born person going to do with the same photo of a really cool mural in a station other than take it home and say check this artwork out? But truth is I took the picture and then he took the same picture and the station police pounced on him for taking the picture when they had stood there and watched me take the same photo a few seconds earlier. I stood back and listened to them tell the man he couldn't take photos in there and that it was cause of terrorist issues that they did this. I was a little shocked and I asked the one security gaurd if I should delete my photo off my camera cause I had taken the same photo a few seconds before the man, and his reply was, "No Mam' that isn't necessary we know you won't share it with terrorists."

To this day that is so funny cause he was just as much a red blooded american as I was but I really think a lot of the issues with taking photos and the so called you can't do that cause of terrorist attacks all depends on the old sterotypes of people.
04/13/2003 11:42:00 PM · #17
Certainly not good for tourism. I'd like to travel around the states some day when I have money. But there isn't much point if I can't take pictures 'cause I love taking photos.
04/14/2003 12:10:22 AM · #18
And the scary thing is that terrorists know this. Everyone assumes that only Arabs would commit terrorist acts or support terrorism, when in fact it's all about money. If you got money you can hire a photographer to take photos for you anyway.

I must say that after 9/11, i feel relieved when I go through an airport security check. Why? Because prior to 9/11 I get checked a lot "randomly". Now, everyone gets checked :) At least with the airports they're doing it correctly: if the metal detector beeps you get checked no matter who you are.


Originally posted by OneSweetSin:

I really think it depends were you are and also there is a sterotype that can take any photos. I know when I was in the south in December I experience it frequently. I'm a white female obviously of European decent...in other words very easily known as an American, and I was treated with respect and dignity, but I witnessed a lot of the old southern traditions towards the afro american...yes I know I was in the south and that is normal, but what is another american born person going to do with the same photo of a really cool mural in a station other than take it home and say check this artwork out? But truth is I took the picture and then he took the same picture and the station police pounced on him for taking the picture when they had stood there and watched me take the same photo a few seconds earlier. I stood back and listened to them tell the man he couldn't take photos in there and that it was cause of terrorist issues that they did this. I was a little shocked and I asked the one security gaurd if I should delete my photo off my camera cause I had taken the same photo a few seconds before the man, and his reply was, "No Mam' that isn't necessary we know you won't share it with terrorists."

To this day that is so funny cause he was just as much a red blooded american as I was but I really think a lot of the issues with taking photos and the so called you can't do that cause of terrorist attacks all depends on the old sterotypes of people.

04/14/2003 12:13:44 AM · #19
I have had friends photograph the White House from a distance with a telephoto and they were interrogated by the FBI. They later received a letter from the FBI stating a file had been created on them.

In Seattle, I wanted to take a picture of a building and a security guard came out and told me I couldn't take a picture of the lobby decoration/statue.

Seems this is a popular trend. I assured the security guard I wasn't a terrorist and they could stand by me while I took the pictures, but they still wouldn't allow it.
04/14/2003 12:46:25 AM · #20
Not sure about internet but in the US you can put ANYONE's photo for NEWSPAPER (i.e. as press or telling a story) you want, no penalties.

This is why you can shoot a photo of Jennifer Aniston naked on a public beach (i can dream) and send it to National Enquirer and get paid $$$$$$$ for it, because it's supposed to be "press". Literally any photos in the public place is fair game. I think the person who shot her sunbathing got sued and she WON the casebecause they were shooting her when she was in a PRIVATE area, but if she did same thing on a public beach somewhere, then it's allowed. Also, if she did that on a PRIVATE nude beach but in PUBLIC, it's also allowed.

BUT, you can't take the same photo and use it as a poster to promote your private business (for profit) unless you have a model release. It seems that laws allow photos to be used as journalistic intents so that newspapers can get away with just about any photography they print.



Originally posted by langdon:

Originally posted by alansfreed:

Heh... I asked this guy REALLY nicely if he minded if I took his picture the other day.


Did you ask him REALLY nicely if you could put him on the internet? :)

04/14/2003 01:01:04 AM · #21
can you take pictures of people under 18 and use them without their consent for press? i wasnt sure about that.. im a fair photographer at the evergreen state fair in washington state, and so its private property and i take whatever there i want to, but i have had one or two people give me trouble about taking pictures of people. other than that i havent had anyone tell me i couldnt take pictures of anything.
04/14/2003 01:06:51 AM · #22
Your state fair is on private property? Fairgrounds here is CO are, state/county owned, so I think that makes them public property. This went around before, but never really clear. Businesses are considered public property? I know most are privately owned, but in the case of businesses wanting to put up yellow ribbons, and were told they couldn't because it is public property. OK, I am just confusing myself more.
04/14/2003 02:34:28 AM · #23
Private property doesn't necessarily means PRIVATE place -- a store that anyone can walk in is private property but not necessarily private.

As far as underage goes, i don't know if you need parental consent. I know you do if they were used for promotional business, but not necessarily for news events. For example, photos of protestors who is underage probably do not require parental consent.

In short, if you're in public, it's legal for anyone to take your photo. However, it MAY be illegal for them to publish it unless it's for newspapers or other journalistic media. (i.e. they can sell it to your local newspaper but not to a magazine that promotes things or use your face as advertisement without your model release form)

04/14/2003 03:23:02 AM · #24
When I stopped by my local, newly re-built Fire Station one of the firefighters came out on the balcony to see what I was doing. I told him, and also said I'd to bring Isaac by sometime when they were open to take pictures of the fire trucks...he said sure, some on by. They actually have a room for some kind of community use in the building...

It was a refreshing change...
Pages:  
Current Server Time: 03/28/2024 04:31:35 AM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Prints! - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 03/28/2024 04:31:35 AM EDT.