Someone took down my license :P

I was in Philly and NYC last month. Took the train into 33rd street station on Saturday with a backpack and suit case did not see one cop. Saturday went around the city, Empire State building and all the tourist spots without getting stopped. Monday was another story getting on the subway with a McDonalds bag was difficult. I guess terrorist don't work on weekends, only during the week, go figure. I had a harder time seeing the Liberity Bell than getting on the plane to fly there.

Bill

--
OM2sp, OM4ti,

A man gets out of his car nearby an elementary school or school event. As you look on, he begins taking pictures of random things. None of it makes sense, he's one moment taking pictures of some flower, the next placing on a huge lens that could reach to mars & back & he's taking pictures of the corner of a nearby building. yeah, sure that corner might be a very nice abstract photograph, or it just might be a good place to make the building explode! He's probably a freak. Look, now he's changing lenses again & he's directing his lens directly at the school!!!!!!!!! He's a terrorist for sure. I know it now. I wasn't born yesterday. This guy is freaky. Pictures of flowers & stuff to cover his tracks. Yeah yeah.

I'm taking down this guy's license plate number.

Do you really blame them?

Theresa K said:

If a woman did that, no one would bat an eye.

Click to expand...

not true - I had the cops called on me several times last summer - once because i was photographing birds splashing in the gutter on a city street, once for taking pics of skateboarders (the kids- about 14 yrs old- loved it), and once for taking pics of dogs at a city dog park!! The dog owners even filed complaints with the city council --- and they discussed it at an official meeting! I wouldn't have even taken dog photos if I'd known it was upsetting anyone.... I've also been hassled by park police who want me to fork over $300 per day for a commercial photography license - even though I insist I've never sold anything - or even tried to.... I know what my "rights" are, but these occurrences have definitely made me gun shy about photographing candid photos...

doreen

But it's kind of weird to have to disguise yourself just ot enjoy photography.

--
http://www.4-3system.com/
http://jonr.light.is/

Alekko said:

No, I don’t belong to any club. No time for that. My work, family
and few other things just don’t leave some extra time, hehehe.

I’m planning to go to Ontario Place to shoot annual Boat Show this
Saturday or Sunday, depending on the weather (Saturday seems to get
few showers, but you never know).

If you wish to join me, it would be my pleasure. Just send me an
e-mail (found in my profile) and we’ll go from there … It could
be interesting!

Click to expand...

I suppose we should read the papers looking for information on the two bandits arrested for being armed with CAMERAS?!?
--
Theresa Kelly
http://theresak.smugmug.com/
Oly E-3OO

It happened to me in sleepy old Horndean in September 01
wtf is Horndean - just north of Waterloovlle

any way

I was taking a collection of pictures of the local area for the village web site and dropped by the local Community College (not in term time) - a school to the rest of us - I parked the car in the driveway and took a couple of pictures - not very good the view was not helpful or instructive. And then I drove away.

A month later the local policeman comes to the house and tells me that I had been spotted near the school and asked what was I doing etc etc. It turns out that there was a nursery school by the big school and that two old biddies that run the nursery had spotted me and claim that they attempted to talk to me and that I drove of in a hurry. The police got the security tapes from the local CCTV and traced me thru the car registration number. They were frustrated that they had no record of me and so had to visit me.

The policeman gave me the print from the CCTV camera showing me with car and camera and I showed him the pictures I took and also the web site that had some pictures I had taken earlier in the year. WE had a good laugh and he went on his way happy.

Now I take great delight in annoying the busybodies - if they cannot speak up they deserve to be mocked.

--
Derek

Jeez. I went to bed expecting to see it dead in the morning.

How about another Canon 5D thread?

)

..it is going to be easy to find us. Just look for the Postal Code of Kingston’s Penitentiary, here in Ontario, hehehe…

Thanks for this laugh Theresa. You made my morning … Knowing how my day will be, you made my day too, lol.

Cheers,
Alex.

--
Oly E-300 (ver. 1.3) & IS3.
Oly 14-54 & 50-200, Sigma 55-200, HLD-3 & FL-36.
EC-14 1.4x Teleconverter, Extension Tube EX-25.
OM 4/3 Adapter, OM 50mm 1.8 & Vivitar 400mm.
PD70X 40GB PSD.

Yes,

There is so much fear going on these days ...... taking photos in public used to be a benign thing .... now it is all to often considered a threat ..... a threat to what ..... well that depends on who you're asking .

Even in my small suburban neighborhood I've had the sherriff called on me for taking photos out on the street a a teenager illegally racing his ATV on the street. Of course, once the parents realized that their precious little monster riding on the street was a illegal , and subject to fine and or confiscation of the ATV...... they complained no more .... and I've not seen the kid since. We have a rampant problem with ATV's(4 wheel motorcyles for those who may not be aware) everywhere in the US .

Some of my neighbors think I'm wierd because I'm out taking photos ..... well ..... yes .... I am wierd ...... and come to think of it .... who isn't ? Either we all are .... or we're all not . Don't be afraid to look in the mirror ...... because in that mirror you see the reflection of all humankind.

-Good Day, Garth

Is it just me or has anybody else noticed that terrorists tend to use bombs, guns and planes rather than cameras?

Seriously, where are the photos that terrorists are supposed to have taken in planning there crimes? As far as I know, proof presented so far by police etc. has been documents and plans rather than photos.

Who in their right mind thinks that preventing somebody from taking a photograph of a building will prevent them blowing it up?

Stupid mob mentality if you ask me.

But then again, there they are, freaking out because someone might be planning to be a child-molester, terrorist, or otherwise immoral human being that first takes baby steps with a 50-200mm.

And truth be told, these are Hollywood Lie Believers. They think that a bullet will make a gas tank explode & a penny dropped from the Sears tower will go through someone's head. ANd they believe that big lenses mean something criminal.

Pity. If something like this happens to me, I will take a picture of them

What you are describing sound so alien to me. I can't imagine dog owners here in Sweden filing complaints about their dogs being photographed, or the authorities demanding that I get a license to taking pictures in the park. I've never been hassled by the police or had store managers tell me that I can't take pictures in their parking lot or in the mall and only once did someone get upset that I took their picture in the street (maybe because I take care not to point the camera in people's faces).

What's wrong with the "land of the free"? Is this common or are these just freak occurences reported here on dpreview? I remember walking around Philadelphia for a couple of years ago taking pictures with my F90 + 70-210 lens and nobody bothered me. Was I just lucky? Or was I considered completely unsuspicious since I was white, blond and dressed in a business suit?

I was in a mall in Korat, Thailand and had my camera with me. When I went to take a picture of an indoor waterfall a security guard rushed up and indicated that no pictures were allowed. That was okay with me, Thailand offered up plenty of photo opportunities.....
--

'The virtue of the camera is not the power it has to transform the photographer into an artist, but the impulse it gives him to keep on looking.'

Quotation from Brooks Atkinson
US Drama Critic, Journalist

I understand getting a licence for commercial type stuff ... but how does it work for those of us just snapping pics for the sake of it?

--

Zalllon
Olympus C-8080WZ
E-300 14-45, 40-150 & FL20 (kit)
http://flickr.com/photos/zalllon/page2/

'It is not enough that I succeed -- others must fail.' - Genghis Khan

But I was in an area that wouldn't justify a tourist being there.

--

Zalllon
Olympus C-8080WZ
E-300 14-45, 40-150 & FL20 (kit)
http://flickr.com/photos/zalllon/page2/

'It is not enough that I succeed -- others must fail.' - Genghis Khan

somewhere in mexico - came back after a stroll along the beach and what? the car had no more wheels.

after much whealing and dealing with the locals suddenly a miracle happened: there they were, carefully hidden under dry leaves, my precious four wheels.

the local guy who found them couldnt believe his luck. he spoke of a miracle, a sign of good.

guess he was the band's leader.

--
http://www.pbase.com/cyberholz