I wonder how long it'll be until we start doing this in the United States?

I wonder how long it'll be until we start doing this in the United States?

Start? It's been going on for years. After 9/11 the word went out that anybdody taking pictures of a transportation facility could be a terrorist.

Weaver95: I wonder how long it'll be until we start doing this in the United States?

Weren't there a couple of college kids in California arrested for taking pictures of the Golden Gate bridge or something? I don't think charges were filed.

I may be wrong, so someone else would have to chime in for sure.

ZAZ: I wonder how long it'll be until we start doing this in the United States?

Start? It's been going on for years. After 9/11 the word went out that anybdody taking pictures of a transportation facility could be a terrorist.

I've heard hints and rumors (and maybe a story in a local newspaper or two) but I don't think it's any sort of organized policy of US law enforcement to arrest photographers for taking pictures.

Weaver95: I wonder how long it'll be until we start doing this in the United States?

Try taking a picture of Amtrak facilities. Train enthusiasts get harassed a lot.

Weaver95: ZAZ: I wonder how long it'll be until we start doing this in the United States?

Start? It's been going on for years. After 9/11 the word went out that anybdody taking pictures of a transportation facility could be a terrorist.

I've heard hints and rumors (and maybe a story in a local newspaper or two) but I don't think it's any sort of organized policy of US law enforcement to arrest photographers for taking pictures.

It happens quite a bit in DC too. They hassle you for taking pictures of official buildings, and since everything's an official building.....

ZAZ: I wonder how long it'll be until we start doing this in the United States?

Start? It's been going on for years. After 9/11 the word went out that anybdody taking pictures of a transportation facility could be a terrorist.

Which is a HUGE peeve, I have always liked taking pictures of large public works, which very much include bridges and trains. My pictures might suck, but there's just something attracting about all the lines in the cables and the tracks and all of it.

The one time I was actually yelled at stopped and made to erase pics though was in front of a US base in Japan. They had a new bridge over the entrance, which I took a pic of across the street to show to some people who haven't seen the intersection in 20+ years, then I went on the bridge and took pics of the "you can rent an apartment with only English" rental agencies catering to military, that was all fine.

But the bridge has a nice view of a bunch of trees and the official sign of the base, so I took some pics of it, all arty like. I took my time, too, took a bunch of those puppies. You can't see anything remotely secure from there. It's a nice metal-on-granite sign.

The guard in his little bridge house did nothin' while I spent my time doing that, and there were NO signs saying "don't take pictures." Not a one. I'd spent time in TV studios that week (I was on vacation), and all the TV studios label CLEARLY where you can't take pictures. Very clearly.

So I was walking down the bridge, and THEN the guy in the hut comes out yelling and grabs my shirt and it's all about he has to watch while I delete pictures. (After the "oh this guy speaks English" - not sure if that was a plus or minus.)

So I deleted 'em, but they never noticed that before the rental pics I had zoom pics of the same stuff, from across the street. Whatever.

Silliest thing though, right outside their gate are several HUGE apartment blocks that regular people can rent, and surely their windows give them a bird's eye view of stuff. Plus, you can find all kinds of pictures of those things online from people who work inside, not to mention Friendship Day.

/wants to go to Friendship Day but never has time off at the right time
//would just have appreciated the hut guy yelling SOONER "ey that's not cool!" at least

eddyatwork: Train enthusiasts get harassed a lot.

Exactly.

/anorak/テツ tendencies here, must admit

Weaver95: I wonder how long it'll be until we start doing this in the United States?

Don't get caught taking a picture of the gate of a military base including national landmarks like the Naval Academy. Don't get caught taking pictures of bridges, government buildings, etc., etc.

Seriously, a man was "detained" for questioning because he was taking photographs of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

Photograph a police officer while he's arresting someone? You can be charged with obstruction. It's happened here in the US many times.

Con_Authority: Photograph a police officer while he's arresting someone? You can be charged with obstruction. It's happened here in the US many times.

Worse yet video. Happened locally, happily I wasn't involved, it led to a giant court case and eventually the guy was let go, but it was crazy. The argument was that the sound on the video equals to wiretapping.

Duane Kerzic set out to win Amtrak's annual photo contest this week, hoping to win $1,000 in travel vouchers and have his photo published in Amtrak's annual calendar.

He ended up getting arrested by Amtrak police; handcuffed to a wall in a holding cell inside New York City's Penn Station, accused of criminal trespass.
Link (new window)




"Nancy Shia, a 61-year-old elected official and freelance photographer, was arrested Sunday as she photographed Washington D.C. police making an arrest."
Link (new window)




""He says you took a picture of me. It's illegal to take a picture of a law enforcement officer," said Conover."


http://www.tricities.com/tri/news/local/article/man_arrested_for_unlawful_photo g raphy/11576/ (new window)


"A CBS2 HD television news photographer was put in a chokehold, handcuffed, arrested, and held in a police car for an hour after filming a peaceful protest outside a Newark church on Sunday, and last week in Chicago a freelance television news photographer was arrested, his equipment confiscated and his digital photographs deleted, after photographing a crime scene where a suspected robber was shot and killed by an off-duty Chicago police officer."
Link (new window)

""He says you took a picture of me. It's illegal to take a picture of a law enforcement officer," said Conover."
Link (new window)

I was looking for the "Hi, Jack!" scene from Airplane but couldn't find it - this one will have to do.

100% seriousness though, there's ways you can take cellphone picture and it uploads automatically to somewhere on the internet (not sure about the US but probably here too, I haven't a cellphone so dunno) so how can they stop it anyway?

Even still though you watch the footage from the tasing in the California school library and there too you'll see issues of people not wanting to give badge numbers.

Seems to me the numbers are the perfect solution for you don't want your name out, as a law officer. Having people stalk isn't cool. But a number you can change it any time like a sports player, still yet people who need to know will know what person that number mapped to on the day of the event. So I think it should be required to have the numbers large. If there is an incident and a number gets notorious the department can retire it. Or, they can make it known that they random scramble the numbers every month, if they want.

Okay.. I always wondered why no one notes this.. But can't you just torrent a fat32 undelete program and just undelete the pictures they made you delete?. I mean yes, I agree its stupid what they are doing and please by all means get a lawyer and sue the crap out of them for the illegal arrests and stuffs. But while your at it just undelete your pictures and post them to the net anyway.

nicholasneko: Okay.. I always wondered why no one notes this.. But can't you just torrent a fat32 undelete program and just undelete the pictures they made you delete?. I mean yes, I agree its stupid what they are doing and please by all means get a lawyer and sue the crap out of them for the illegal arrests and stuffs. But while your at it just undelete your pictures and post them to the net anyway.

Not just for the arrest, but for theft of private property. Technically they need a court order to delete or confiscate photos, and if they insist on doing so without one you can sue for potential value of the pics.

...before he was handcuffed and his genetic material stored permanently on the DNA database...

Not posting it beause the pic is NSFW but reminds me of a scene from the Don Johnson movie "A Boy and His Dog."

nicholasneko: But can't you just torrent a fat32 undelete program and just undelete the pictures they made you delete?.

Yes, you can. Actually most flash cards come with software to 'recover' photos (as long as more photos aren't taken).

Two big resources I tossed in my camera bag are:
The Photographer's Right (new window)
Legal Rights of Photographers (new window)


This is the UK version (new window)

Restrictions in Certain Public Places
There is a prohibition on taking photographs in Trafalgar
Square and Parliament Square in London. The prohibition
only applies to photographs taken in connection with
any business, profession or employment, so that
tourist photographs, for example, would be allowed.
It is possible to take photographs in the Squares for
business purposes, provided written permission is
obtained from the Greater London Authority. A hefty fee
is payable.

nicholasneko: Okay.. I always wondered why no one notes this.. But can't you just torrent a fat32 undelete program and just undelete the pictures they made you delete?. I mean yes, I agree its stupid what they are doing and please by all means get a lawyer and sue the crap out of them for the illegal arrests and stuffs. But while your at it just undelete your pictures and post them to the net anyway.

shhhhhhhhh!

I live in Illinois and my state is not as farked up as that stupid country. Just build a wall around it and don't let them see the outside already.
/do it to Chicago too while you're at it.

I remember reading that, after the jet hit the Pentagon on 9/11, a photographer was ticketed by a dumb-ass Pentagon security officer for "taking a photo of the Pentagon", which is, evidently, against the law. In the meantime, all-hell is breaking loose behind them at the crash site.

Anybody have a link on this?

Weaver95: I wonder how long it'll be until we start doing this in the United States?

We already have.

darkscout: nicholasneko: But can't you just torrent a fat32 undelete program and just undelete the pictures they made you delete?.

Yes, you can. Actually most flash cards come with software to 'recover' photos (as long as more photos aren't taken).

Two big resources I tossed in my camera bag are:
The Photographer's Right (new window)
Legal Rights of Photographers (new window)

You beat me to it. Congratulations :)

The thing is, people are antsy. They'll call police on people acting 'suspiciously'. If you are polite and courteous to the responding police officer, and tell them what you're doing, they'll be fine with it (Or should be.. If not, see the pamphlet...)

The last thing a police officer wants is to have to check out some suspicious Farker who's creeping people out, and then have the Farker be confrontational, secretive, and suspicious. Things like that will probably be solved "down at the station"

/IANAL
//Just have common sense.
///It isn't so common these days

Officer: Stop taking photos
Photographer: Why?
Officer: It's illegal. And delete all photos you have of the building.
Photographer: If it's illegal, then why are you asking me to erase evidence?

nicholasneko: Okay.. I always wondered why no one notes this.. But can't you just torrent a fat32 undelete program and just undelete the pictures they made you delete?. I mean yes, I agree its stupid what they are doing and please by all means get a lawyer and sue the crap out of them for the illegal arrests and stuffs. But while your at it just undelete your pictures and post them to the net anyway.

Interesting, I'll look into it.

But even before that, I was amazed that on my camera I had [A: some pics they don't like] [B: pics they don't care about] [C: pics they don't like] and the MP made me only delete (C). Didn't even suggest any knowledge or inkling that perhaps (A) might exist (which it did, and which I kept).

The guy made some snark about the fact my camera screens aren't in English (which is kinda hilarious considering he was surprised I spoke English at first, it was a non-English country and I blended in) but didn't ask. I was at first worried he would make me give UP my memory, that would have made me mad as I had photos from entirely other areas on there, I suppose if he did that I would have asked if I could take it to their computer and let them see all the data and remove what they want but let me keep the rest.

/which I will admit then would make a good story
//and even without pics be interesting for me to see their "behind the scenes" maybe a win in total for me :)

Don't worry; this is just another UK beta-test; we won't see this in the good old USA for 5-7 years, probably.

itazurakko: 100% seriousness though, there's ways you can take cellphone picture and it uploads automatically to somewhere on the internet (not sure about the US but probably here too, I haven't a cellphone so dunno) so how can they stop it anyway?
.

Since you don't have one, any cam phone out in the last 4 years (with the right software enabled) can simultaneously upload to any number of websites or emails you pick. Not just the "host album" ones that the major carriers have. I can send a photo I took 15 seconds ago to everyone on my contacts and one of several websites such as flickr and photobucket. So it's basically if my phone is confiscated and under suspicion, there's about 200 more people, at a clossial waste of resources "just to be sure" for some pasty white guy like me, taking a picture of a bridge or a train I thought just looked pleasing to see.

fanbladesaresharp: Since you don't have one, any cam phone out in the last 4 years (with the right software enabled) can simultaneously upload to any number of websites or emails you pick. Not just the "host album" ones that the major carriers have.

Awesome, seriously.

But, just makes me think ever more all this "ZOMG!!! You have to erase your memory!!!" craziness is just behind the TIMES, never mind the other aspects of why it's dumbass...

/part of what adds to the "awesome..." from me :)

Weaver95: I wonder how long it'll be until we start doing this in the United States?

It is already here dumbass. Do you live under a rock?

I live in Houston. Go to Pasadena Texas where there are refineries. Pull off of the high way Try to take a bunch of pictures of them or any others on the gulf coast.

You will get talked to, probably arrested and god forbid you have anything illegal in your car. Even a crushed ten year old beer can is considered an open container here if you are driving while black. And that is a big no-no.

Weaver95: I've heard hints and rumors (and maybe a story in a local newspaper or two) but I don't think it's any sort of organized policy of US law enforcement to arrest photographers for taking pictures.

bullshiat. I remember you defending this bullshiat and Bush. It is unamerican and I see it happen. I want to take pictures in the weird industrial hell that is the Texas gulf coast. But fukholes like you voted for an asshole that restricts American freedoms. good job asshole.

And do not try to deny your help in this matter asshole.

You should be rounded up with the other 2000'ish bush supporters and shot in the face.

Antiamerican fuking asshole.

This kind of thing will continue until the resulting civil judgements are taken directly out of the cops pockets and paychecks. They abuse the people who pay their salaries who then have to pay the price of the cops abuses.

Weaver95: I wonder how long it'll be until we start doing this in the United States?

Start?? I was taken into custody by United States Customs for taking photographs on a bridge. The kicker? I had checked in at the Customs office before doing so to ask permission, and was told it would be ok.

You know what's even more interesting than this story? Anything else.

Cuckoo: You know what's even more interesting than this story? Anything else.

Excepting, of course, above comment.

Cuckoo: You know what's even more interesting than this story? Anything else.

And this is why they get away with it.

Oh FFS! He wasnt arrested for taking pictures of an office block, he was arrested for possesing an offensive weapon in public.

Perhaps if the idiot media hadnt been jumping up and down screaming that knife-crime is "out of control" and what are the police doing about it, then the police wouldnt have to go around arresting anyone with a blade as a matter of policy to placate the idiot public and idiot politicians dancing to the tune of the idiot farking media.

and on the note of undeleteing and taking more pictures. normally.. NORMALLY.. as far as I'M AWARE!.. flash memory, due to the fact each sector can only be written to X amount of times, even when things are deleted it will continue writing on down the memory till it hits the end then start again at the free space at the start. so as long as you don't take enough pictures after deleting the stuff then you should still be able to bring them back.

note to self, don't post without preview at 4am... ahem..

"so as long as you don't take enough pictures to fill up the free space on the card after deleting the stuff then you should still be able to bring the pictures back back."

amtrak police just arrested some d00d for taking pix of trains, while amtrak is running a contest for --photos of Amtrak.

whether or not the guy knew that before he got arrested I don't know,,, but I think not because he is being a little beyotch blogging about it

moof: Cuckoo: You know what's even more interesting than this story? Anything else.

Excepting, of course, above comment.

That must place your comment VERY low on the scale of "interesting."

I remember back in the early 80s, when I was working at Connecticut College, me and a friend/co-worker used to go across the river and hang out on one of the roads that overlooked the giant naval shipyard where subs and other military craft were made.

If something interesting was going on, one of us would break out a camera and snap a bunch of photos to show to friends back home in MA and ME (our home states, respectively). Yeah, there was a big sign that said something like "Government Facility - No Photographs allowed" posted on the chain link fence, but nobody ever said anything to us. Guards would even drive past and not bat an eye at us.

Somewhere around here are a couple pictures of us posing next to the sign while holding a beer or, perhaps, a smoky treat.

I don't think they'd allow such shenanigans nowadays...

I was sitting at a traffic light last summer and glanced over to the parking lot to my left. A couple of cops were arresting two fat, middle aged buys for drinking wine coolers while parked outside a laundromat in a minivan. It was such a funny (in a lame sort of way) sight that I flipped open my phone and discretely snapped a couple photos.

Can people stop calling my country "nanny state" and start refering to as "statist fascist shiathole"

/ministry of love calls me

Weaver95: I wonder how long it'll be until we start doing this in the United States?

It's already happening, with alarming frequency. You don't hear it much in the mainstream media, but you get stories regularly on photography forums.

Ever since 9/11, photographers have been getting harassed and arrested for exercising their First Amendment right to photograph people and things in public places. Anyone with a SLR and a big, scary lens is automatically assumed to a terrorist, a pervert, or both. Security guru Bruce Schneier wrote a great article about the war on photography.

Have any of our UK brethren considered putting on their Guy Fawkes masks?

BareJournal: Anyone with a SLR and a big, scary lens is automatically assumed to a terrorist, a pervert, or both. Security guru Bruce Schneier wrote a great article about the war on photography.

Quite a good read, with lots of comments I certainly relate to.

Apparently someone got the usual "little bit of harassment and make you delete your photos" going over the Mexico/US border, taking pictures of - wait for it - the big "Welcome to the United States" sign. Crazy.

I always like to get pics of the various "Welcome to [State]" signs on the highway, myself. I've been known to get out of the car to do it... often I'm on small roads though, some of those have the best old school signs.

Weaver95: I wonder how long it'll be until we start doing this in the United States?

Hardly a month goes by without an article appearing on Fark about a photographer/tourist being told to stop taking pictures, delete pictures or being arrested somewhere in the US. Your TotalFark membership is obviously just for show.

RidersOfLohan: Hell I've been busting into places to take pix. Like this abandoned Army base in Cali

who is that, and will she have my babies!?!?

A consultant that we used on one of our tunnel projects is from Austria, but he looks middle eastern (which is funny, as both his parents were proud aryans to the point that his father was a ss tank commander). His main coworker was a Sikh from northern India.

Their company was hired to do some surveys/inspections by the Port Authority and NYC to do some bridge inspections, so they went to help out the other engineers assigned to the contract.

So there you have these two shifty looking non-white looking people, including a "rag head" climbing around the piers of the George Washington Bridge, taking photos and making notes on sets of plans. Port Authority police notice them and question them.

"Now, I've known this guy for four years now. He's a brilliant engineer with two PHD's. He's one of the top structural engineers in our field. So as we're being questioned by these officers with necks thicker then my waist and who were carrying submachine guns, this IDIOT keeps repeating "Let me call my friend Mohamed [Port Authority engineer], he'll explain everything."

They were in jail for three days.