Flashy
London, ON, November 2011
About this photo: It's Thematic's "flash of color" week, and you can share your own flash of color by heading here. It's all perfectly legal.Despite all the freedoms we supposedly enjoy in a country like Canada, there's always a moment of doubt when I train my lens on a police officer, cruiser, or any other subject remotely related to law enforcement. I may have all the rights in the world - as a citizen and a journalist - to record matters of public record, but that doesn't mean I can't be told to put the camera away and leave the scene.
It's happened to me, but I still can't leave well enough alone. Because regular folks deserve to know what goes on around them, even it's not always pretty or lawful.
Your turn: Do you ever get into trouble for taking pictures?
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6 comments:
You asked, so here goes.
When I was a photojournalism intern at a Kansas daily newspaper, the photogs sent me to take pictures at a local elementary school. I can't remember why, but something mildly controversial. The principal saw me and demanded I hand over my film. I was very green and did it. The photogs back at the paper couldn't believe I had done that. Oops.
Another time, same job, I was the only photographer not already out on an assignment, and a reporter grabbed me and drove us to the scene of a shooting. Turns out it was accidental, but when I was aiming my camera at the victim, his father (or some very large, intimidating man) came toward me and boldly told me to stop taking pictures. I lowered my camera, but it was just the diversion another photog who had since arrived (from our paper) to get a great shot of them rolling him out the door on a gurney (very much alive).
The one shot I got did go in the paper, as it turned out to be a cop holding the weapon used in the shooting.
I asked the pros what they do in situations like that, and one replied, "I just figure that my Nikon upside his head wouldn't feel too good."
So far, I haven't.... then again, I am more sneakier....lol :-)
Well...this is timely. I actually just got my wrists slapped by the "tripod" police at Union Station. I was there this past Saturday all psyched to take pictures of this iconic building. I set-up, fired off about 3 brackets when I was told that I couldn't use my tripod. Now I argued a little but it didn't make much of a difference. If you want to see the shot I came away with its here. http://edithlevyphotography.com/2011/11/30/union-station/
So far not really....and these kinds of sudden flashes and sirens and screaming sounds that break into our lives, do deserve a quick sneak.....it goes without saying right, drop a glass and everyone looks.....it's in our nature....!
Twice that I can remember.
The first time was when I was taking pictures of the demolition of Cottonwood Mall. I was on their property (one store was still open for business, I was in their parking lot) and the mall cop told me that I wasn't allowed to take pictures on the property. He actually cited Homeland Security as the reason, like terrorists would want to bomb a demolished, uninhabited mall. So I just went off their property onto the public street and used my telephoto lens.
Just recently I was asked to stop taking pictures inside the Home Depot. I can't remember which theme it was for, but I was taking them for Thematic Photographic. Fortunately I got enough good ones before I was 'caught'.
Remembered another. I was shooting a grocery store's mustard display for an online "Yellow" subject challenge, and a store employee quickly swooped and asked if I needed any help. I said I was looking for the yogurt, which was true, and she walked me to it and then to the checkout aisle.
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