Don't take photos of oil storage tanks

[ChromeLight]

d@mned if they don't.

So the authorities follow up on suspicious activities -- a tank
farm would be a very tempting target. Someone notices suspicious
activity and the authorities check it out to make sure the guy's
legit.

I don't see how any photographer would view industrial photography for fine art purposes as a suspicious activity. There's a large genre of such photography. In fact, there are several books of industrial night photography sitting in the photography book section of the Getty Museum this very moment. Law enforcement is simply ignorant of this subculture and the subculture of train spotting and airplane watching. They should buy some magazines and books on the subject and learn something. Oh, and visiting a gallery or two wouldn't hurt.

 

[Richard Smith41318]

I've never figured out how to embed a photo so I'll have to wait
until I get to my home computer to put a link to my website. I'm
not making this up and they did not say I broke any laws, just that
they follow up in person on all calls they receive. M.

Well then did you ask who it was who reported you? How did they know your address and all that? I'm really curious as to what chain of events led them to your doorstep.

 

[Jim Dawson]

you are easily confused. What a comment.

Which regime? I am easily confused and can't keep up with who Bush

points the finger at from one day to the next.

--
Canon 1D

 

[Nick Lehmann]

this stuff will not make the US saver to life in. A backpack and a videocamera will do the job much better for a terrorist. It is so easy to get images from almost anything with a good hidden videocamera. At least the FBI can say later they did something.

No one can really protect a country fom terrorist if they want to get you.

Nick

Last night, 2 FBI agents came to my house to discuss photos I was
taking of the oil storage tanks near my house. They are quite
beautiful, painted a bright white which stands out from the rest of
this residential area.

It seems like there is a security risk for photographing things
like this. These officers were very serious. Definitely not
people to joke around with. They mentioned having to investigate
other photographers who take pics of birds because there was a
controversial site in the distance.

I had to show my receipts for my new 1D, show them the photos--to
exif data confirmed I was where I said I was--and otherwise prove I
was an artist and not someone to worry about.

Interesting and scary. M.
--
1D, Tokina 28-80 2.8, 28-105USM, 50 1.8

--



Sometimes Slicknick, sometimes not so Slicknick
http://www.pbase.com/slick11nick/

 

[William Johnson]

Ben Franklin said: Those who give up their freedom for Security, Deserve neither one.

How true those words ring today.

Last night, 2 FBI agents came to my house to discuss photos I was
taking of the oil storage tanks near my house. They are quite
beautiful, painted a bright white which stands out from the rest of
this residential area.

It seems like there is a security risk for photographing things
like this. These officers were very serious. Definitely not
people to joke around with. They mentioned having to investigate
other photographers who take pics of birds because there was a
controversial site in the distance.

I had to show my receipts for my new 1D, show them the photos--to
exif data confirmed I was where I said I was--and otherwise prove I
was an artist and not someone to worry about.

Interesting and scary. M.
--
1D, Tokina 28-80 2.8, 28-105USM, 50 1.8

 

[mike m134089]

1- take photo
2-security guard drives out to my car and must have taken my licens plate number

3-we discuss the photos and how of course I will stop because I agree that it could be seen as a security risk.
4-Security guard reports the "suspicious" activity as a good citizen.
5-FBI finds me because of the license plate.

---Sorry I left out those details before. They didn't just magically appear at my door, though I certainly wasn't expecting them. M.

I've never figured out how to embed a photo so I'll have to wait
until I get to my home computer to put a link to my website. I'm
not making this up and they did not say I broke any laws, just that
they follow up in person on all calls they receive. M.

Well then did you ask who it was who reported you? How did they
know your address and all that? I'm really curious as to what
chain of events led them to your doorstep.

--
1D, Tokina 28-80 2.8, 28-105USM, 50 1.8

 

[PMartin]

possible I suppose. I live in Manhattan and shoot everything, including the Brooklyn bridge, machine gun armed guards outside the Stock Exchange and in the subways, police on 'orange' alert... I'm always observed, but never questioned. Its just typical NYPD routine.
I guess it depends on the local area and the circumstances.

We all have to do our own thing and not assume based on random incidents our rights are being oppressed or restricted. I still shoot oil tanks too.
just my two cents
Patricknyc

 

[Danzio]

Last night, 2 FBI agents came to my house to discuss photos I was
taking of the oil storage tanks near my house.

I am also glad they are "on top of things", but one has to wonder, is the day far away when they come to your house to discuss "what you are doing even owning a camera, anyway"?

 

[james47345]

tell that to the families and friends of 9-11

Ben Franklin said: Those who give up their freedom for Security,
Deserve neither one.

How true those words ring today.

 

[Volker Hett]

even more when your read this:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/30046.html

As a former donator to the Afghan Freedom Fighter Fund, I'll better stay outside of the USA.

Watch out!

Volker

P.S.: The AFFF was sponsored by the Omega Group in the early eighties, and as a SoF Mag subscriber I donated to the fund. Sorry they changed sides.

 

[ratcat]

mike m wrote:
I've never figured out how to embed a photo so I'll have to wait
until I get to my home computer to put a link to my website.

Why do you have to be home to post a link?

 

[Ken Phillips]

... face to face, no problem.
Good:

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
--Benjamin Franklin, 1759
Bad:

[the United States] can't be so fixed on our desire to preserve the rights of ordinary Americans...

--President William Jefferson Clinton, March 1, 1993: Boston Globe, 3/2/93, page 3
Good:

Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel.
--Patrick Henry

And finally - the price of liberty is eternal vigilance. That's the key ... everyone wants to blame the gov't when in fact we are ALL players in the security of this nation (USA) or any other.
Ken

Ben Franklin said: Those who give up their freedom for Security,
Deserve neither one.

How true those words ring today.

--

29 lbs. of Canon stuff in a backpack that I carry everywhere. A closet full of things that are banned in Britain. A minivan and a Fender Stratocaster. A three bedroom ranch with three owls on an acre. An aversion to rumours. Also, absolutely no Canon 1200mm f/5.6. Yet.

 

[Brett Delmage]

Last night, 2 FBI agents came to my house to discuss photos I was
taking of the oil storage tanks near my house.

...

Interesting and scary. M.

"Land of the 'free'" ?
"Home of the 'brave'" ?

Yikes. I am glad I am not a US resident but live in a country where we are truly free and don't need to worry about being brave to make photographs.

Heck, a few weekends ago I was openly making photos of people throwing around and setting off sticks of dynamite (which they were carting around in a child's sled!) less than 1 km from the US embassy, 300m from the French embassy, 100 m from our Foreign Affairs offices, and less than 1 km from our Prime Minister's residence. Nobody hassled me about my camera. In fact the guys causing the explosions saw my white lens and posed for me!

http://www.twobikes.ottawa.on.ca/share/photos/RideauRiverIceClearing/

It's a different type of place here. But then we don't claim to be either free or brave ;-)

I'm sorry about your hassles Mike.
--
Brett Delmage
A bag of gear, a platter of images and a joyful pastime.
photography - thinking inside the box

 

[David Waterman]

You do know that we're at war with a regime which has threatened
terrorist attacks, right?

"We're"? If any Iraqi's are reading this, they might agree with you.

Some things to think about :

Point 1: I think you'll find this is a global forum.
Point 2: IINM, the US uses/has used terrorist tacticts too.
Point 3: What's wrong with terrorism anyway (as opposed to 'war')?

Please don't actually answer these questions.

Max.

 

[David Waterman]

Which regime? I am easily confused and can't keep up with who Bush
points the finger at from one day to the next.

It seems you and Pres. Bush may have a lot in common.

Max.

 

[Graham Snook]

...reason is finding its way back in the UK - according to the
latest poll, already more than 50% of the population think that
starting the war was a mistake. So there is hope. People are not
that stupid!

More than 50% of us thought it was a bad idea to begin with....it's not the problem now that worries me..it's in 20 years time when some Iraqi finds out the reason his parents died (by accident) was due to the "evil" US and brits "invading" their country...then the whole terroism will start up again like a giant circle...tho by that time Texas's oil will have dried up and there won't be any fuel for tanks and plane etc...unless of course the've dug up Alaska!... so the US will have to ask Iraq nicely for oil to "liberate" some other reigime with un-tapped oil potential...Aren't I cinical???

I think we've lost 27 Brits in the war....22 in accidents...When we're not bumping helicopters into each other, you guys seem to be knocking us off with alarming ease...ho humm

Elections in the US are around the corner, so the internati.nal
community will be able to start working on sustainable solutions
very soon.

Will Bush still try to rig it again with the help of brother Jeb in Florida? Can't have felons/people that have a similar name or share the same birthday as a felon voting now, can we? I'm sure he'll find some other way of buying votes

But the damage that was done to the reputation of the US will take
veeeery loooong to reverse, I can tell you that.

Oh yes, not just in the US, but in the world

I pray for every innocent US citizen

I worry for every innocent citizen

--
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-Always give the client a vertical-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
I shoot on 35mm Canon and 6x7 Pentax
http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder.tcl?folder_id=280578

 

[james47345]

and on this point i couldn't agree more...yet many people seem to become incensed when approached and asked as to what their doing. they view this as a violation of their 'essential' liberties...

And finally - the price of liberty is eternal vigilance. That's the
key ... everyone wants to blame the gov't when in fact we are ALL
players in the security of this nation (USA) or any other.
Ken

 

[charlibob]

How were they able to locate your home?

I can see putting one's self at risk by standing outside a military site and taking pictures of on going activities, but oil tanks? Don't you suppose that locations of facilities like that, including things like bridges, are already well documented and pictures already available from many sources?

We are all suffering from mass hysteria. I agree with the person who said that if this is now the norm, the terrorists have already won.

Last night, 2 FBI agents came to my house to discuss photos I was
taking of the oil storage tanks near my house. They are quite
beautiful, painted a bright white which stands out from the rest of
this residential area.

It seems like there is a security risk for photographing things
like this. These officers were very serious. Definitely not
people to joke around with. They mentioned having to investigate
other photographers who take pics of birds because there was a
controversial site in the distance.

I had to show my receipts for my new 1D, show them the photos--to
exif data confirmed I was where I said I was--and otherwise prove I
was an artist and not someone to worry about.

Interesting and scary. M.
--
1D, Tokina 28-80 2.8, 28-105USM, 50 1.8

--
Bob Poole

 

[Andy Biggs]

Makes sense. I don't see what should alarm you. You did something suspicious, and it is their job to check it out.

Just plain business, no emotions involved.

What if you were a terrorist? And they failed to at least ask some questions? How would you feel about that?

I don't feel that this in any way infringes upon our freedoms. Right now, it is the cost of being free. It can be a hassle, as well as scary, though.

 

[Volker Hett]

However, I've decided that would probably not be a wise thing to be
doing right now.

Sounds like the terrorists have already beaten you....

Umm... no. If it sounds that way you're not listening very well.

--
Any DSLR beats unexposed film.

In the 70's the RAF - Rote Arme Fraktion - in western germany intended to force the government to create a police state. They nearly succeded!

Their reasoning was, that they would find more support for their left wing revolution when the government puts more presure on its citizens.

In those days every longhaired student was a suspected rerrorist supporter. The top terrorists themselves wore suits and had short hair to be less suspectable .

So the germans in the western part of germany experienced that you may not give up freedom for security.

Regards

Volker