"Increasingly we are seeing photographers being abused, questioned, & 'inconvenienced' by Police and security - their only crime being using a camera in public.If you feel this is wrong, please like this page, share this page
We welcome your links, stories, and opinions on the current position for photographers, individuals that are, in the vast majority of cases, not terrorists, perverts, or law breakers"
Helen, it is a growing problem - I was stopped on a Sunday morning, whist with my son on a public road in a sleepy Somerset (UK) town - my only 'crime' was having a DSLR in my hand and being within about 500m of a police station (500m - but they sent a car and 2 detectives out to stop and question me)
@styru In many jurisdictions, it is a crime to photograph law enforcement, etc. You have to know the local rules, and there is an increasing number of copyright protected sites. I think invasion of privacy is the biggest concern in many photog stops.
I was setup with my tripod at 10pm doing a night shot over Thanksgiving. It was a small town, and I was bundled up because it was 32 degrees. The local police rolled up to the stop sign and just sat there. I turned and just waved.
@Carol - yep, I appreciate it varies by country - as I said in the original post - it is a UK based facebook page - where it is most definitely not against the law.
@Jase - cheers, that, and many other useful articles and links are on the Taking Photographs is Not a Crime page
i have seen people taking photos at places where there is a sign "no camera". and i was also stopped a few times in the shops/cafe although there is no sign. i can understand that no photos at museum/gallery because of copy right issue, but shops and cafe? oh and i paid for the coffee... (but i will not go back to that cafe again...)
In the UK not only has every policeman but also every building security guard has had "Terrorism training" and been told to be aware of anybody taking excessive interest in any building.
I'd prefer a polite "what are you doing" than have my camera snatched out my hand and the film destroyed in front of me (as happened to me in Syria 12 yrs back when I had a camera round my neck in view of a police station).
Policemen are just doing their jobs (although some may be over zealous) and many would prefer to be capturing "real criminals" but the media and their bosses are paranoid of terrorist...
yep you get followed by security in the town if you have a camera and get spotted taking a shot of a shop window . yet if i did it with my phone they wouldnt give a damn
@dac Nonsense, they require just cause and suspicion to question what someone is doing. Photographing a regular building does not constitute that; let alone walking along with a camera.
They have had extensive communications from the Home Office and ACPO over the last couple of years regarding the abuse of Section 43 / 44.
only illegal in two states of the whole US I believe. In the US you are 8x more likely to be shot by a policeman than killed by an act of terrorism. true story, not relevant though but there's a movement now to video the police if they stop you so you can use the video as evidence of what they say, they won't like it but its legal, check it out, big movement. @jase_h
I notice on the list Jase posted they can stop, search, arrest and confiscate if they think you're a terrorist under Section 43. I guess if they're having a bad day they can propose that, what's stopping them?
@chewyteeth Yes they can with section 43, but with reasonable suspicion, so if you are in camoflaged clothing, in a bush outside a power station then fair enough. The bad day thing is what constitutes abuse of the act I guess.
I was stopped photographing the hanging decs in the shopping mall by a burly and very grumpy security guard and was chased off by another! I must admit it makes me very reluctant to do street photography I am not that confrontational! Most of our archives are thanks to us photographers capturing everyday life through the ages I guess the 21st century will seem rather barren if we cant shoot anywhere!
@Sue - the idea of the 21st C being barren is one that concerns me - I work in a hospital, and we have pictures on the walls of the wards, staff, and patients from the 40's and 50's as part of the art installations - those pictures are just not being taken nowdays - because of political correctness and paranoia - we should be capturing the now...
@styru As I think your quite new here you prob won't have seen the work of Robin Warner @robinwarner as she stopped posting quite a long time ago. One of the best photographers 365 has produced and I think you will enjoy her work. If you go back on her project to around August 2011 and work backwards from there you will some amazing street photography and street portrait work.
The simple answer guys is to click the link in the original message and like the page - all of the resources mentioned by people here are already on the FB page, along with videos that will surprise those of you that don't think there is a problem with police and security guards, in the UK and worldwide.
I've seen too many photos of students, anti-globalization dudes and occupy dudes getting battered, even though I'm law abiding I must admit I never go close enough to a police officer to hear him tell me to stop photographing so have never needed to worry. And with the current cuts, I haven't even seen a policeman for about a year. But thanks for a worthwhile 365 thread (for once)
I went to Jamaica last year on a missions trip. When we landed at the airport in Montego Bay and were heading towards customs, there was a beautiful mural on the wall that I snapped a picture of. I immediately had an airport employee come up to me and demand that I delete any pictures I had taken right away in front of him. Ridiculous. I'm just thankful he didn't try to take my camera or my memory card.
I have been encountering more people trying to stop me from photographing places locally. I think people here are nervous about photographers. Usually if if they get close enough to me, I can explain what I am doing and why I am taking the pictures they see me taking. Then, they usually walk away. Once in awhile, they want to see the pictures I have taken. When I shot the photo of the water tower that I posted today, I was more nervous than usual. I really don't like being chased down by someone in a vehicle. When I saw the vehicle approaching, I left the scene.
http://photographernotaterrorist.org/ - useful for UK photographers. Somewhere on this site there is a "Bust" card available for when stopped and challenged by the police. Worth printing off and having a copy somewhere in your camera bag(s) / wallet. As I say, UK users only but I am sure I have seen an Australian and a US one on the web somewhere
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I was setup with my tripod at 10pm doing a night shot over Thanksgiving. It was a small town, and I was bundled up because it was 32 degrees. The local police rolled up to the stop sign and just sat there. I turned and just waved.
http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2012/04/14/photographers-rights-the-ultimate-guide/#null
@Jase - cheers, that, and many other useful articles and links are on the Taking Photographs is Not a Crime page
I'd prefer a polite "what are you doing" than have my camera snatched out my hand and the film destroyed in front of me (as happened to me in Syria 12 yrs back when I had a camera round my neck in view of a police station).
Policemen are just doing their jobs (although some may be over zealous) and many would prefer to be capturing "real criminals" but the media and their bosses are paranoid of terrorist...
(and no I'm not a copper)
They have had extensive communications from the Home Office and ACPO over the last couple of years regarding the abuse of Section 43 / 44.
only illegal in two states of the whole US I believe. In the US you are 8x more likely to be shot by a policeman than killed by an act of terrorism. true story, not relevant though but there's a movement now to video the police if they stop you so you can use the video as evidence of what they say, they won't like it but its legal, check it out, big movement. @jase_h
I notice on the list Jase posted they can stop, search, arrest and confiscate if they think you're a terrorist under Section 43. I guess if they're having a bad day they can propose that, what's stopping them?
http://365project.org/robinwarner/profile