Have you been busted?

[JAS_Photo]

I have been three times now! Here are the photos I was busted for taking.

The first one I got busted by the owner of the building. It turned out he was a member of the Club and when I told him I photograph architectural details, he was fine with it. Actually this fire escape is frequently photographed.

The second one was at Co-op. I was waiting for a baked chicken and quickly took a couple of photos of the fruit while waiting. The produce manager sent one of his guys running after me, lol.

The third is a major highrise oil tower. It actually consists of two towers and a plaza. I was more interested in the Chinese Cultural Center though. I talked to the security guard a bit and he was pretty cool actually.

[Marko]

I've been busted lotsa times :) It makes my wife crazy...she hates the attention. In stores, museums, etc. I usually play dumb..."Oh really I didn't know - Sorry" :evil2:

[masp]

Hmm, I was just thinking, does presenting a photographer's business card ever help when you've been busted? Seems like it might be a way to impress whoever busted you.

Or then again, it might just give them a name and address so they can press charges. :fingerscr

[JAS_Photo]

Basically, no. In the case of the highrise towers I was in the walkway between the buildings making me on private property. As the security guard told me, there have been instances of a certain rightwing political party having photos taken on the property and then publishing them in magazines and basically they do not want to be associated with that. Also if a publishing company, commercial photographer, film crew, etc. want to shoot there they are approved and pay a fee.

He did say though, that as long as I am on public ground, I can photograph the building all I want. My offense was being in the plaza area while taking pictures.

[Greg_Nuspel]

I have been busted many times, I hate the ones that don't know what the laws are. I have been on a public sidewalk and had a security guard interfere with my taking pictures of a building. He stood and waved his hand in front of my lens, I felt like calling the authorities and let them decide. I guess we should carry a copy of this (http://ambientlight.ca/laws.php) with us at all times.

[Iguanasan]

Only a couple of times for me. Once in a parking garage. First day with the new camera and apparently I looked suspicious. I was probably just trying not to look too conspicuous while I hid from the rain. Once by the police as someone thought I was doing something offensive.

[jjeling]

Oh yeah. This is always a fun subject for stories. Having an adventurous soul will definitely get a few this way. While most of the time my efforts to capture images are perfectly legal, I have crossed the line a few times. Only a couple times have I been corrected for it, but never through a legal process. Just friendly suggestions that I should not be here. I always say, BUT THIS IS PRIME REAL ESTATE FOR PICTURES! Private property usually is. Ahhhh, the good times.

[Marko]

Thanks for that link Greg - I've seen it before but THIS TIME I just printed a copy to go in my camera bag. Thanks!

[ericmark]

Got caught at work but told them it was official and if they wait I would go and fetch paper work. He let me go, good job as I didn't have any.
But we have been told at college not to take any photos of people seems there have been problems in past where Police have thought there was something towards going on.
What is really annoying is when you go to a venue expressly to take photos then find they are not allowed. Normally some firm is paying venue to have rights and sell post cards etc. Worlds biggest battery is like that.
Camera phones do cause a problem I know my sister can't have a camera phone at work and getting a good phone without camera is now a problem.

Personally I have no problem with guy with SLR around his neck it is these small cameras which a few years ago would be considered as spy cameras which because of their secondary use (phone) can be used in places where one would never consider using a camera i.e. in the toilet as a result by-laws are being passed to stop use of combination cameras which encompass restrictions which were never intended.

[masp]

Hah, nice. Did you claim to be a press photographer to pull that off? I wonder if that would work. :D

Technically, I think you are within your rights to photograph anyone or anything in public (in the US at least) so long as you are not peeping through a window with your massive telephoto lens. Of course, even though it is legal, it may not a great idea to be taking close up candids of people you don't know on the street.

[ericmark]

No I said I was an electrician and I was required to keep records of faults found. He has missed the fact that Concord was taking off in back ground. However we have the "Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000" which allows police powers that can be used to stop one. But the European court of human rights' judgement in the case of Gillan and Quinton v the United Kingdom, has resulted in the police relaxing somewhat their powers and it does seem in my area if one is open taking photos they leave you alone. Any attempt to hid the camera to get candid shots can cause problems though.
There have been protests here. (http://www.urban75.org/london/photographer-not-a-terrorist.html)
Living out in the sticks I have no problems. The national record centre will allow registered cameras and there is not fee to register. Many others do the same some with small charge and really speaking any one who is a photographer not a Terrorist has not real reason not to identify themselves.

[masp]

There is a program to register cameras in the UK? That is positively Orwellian. Are there other countries that have camera registration programs?

I doubt whether I should bring a camera should I ever visit the UK now. Glad to hear the EU is protecting your civil liberties there somewhat though...

[ericmark]

In the main there are no problems but every round and again we hear reports. I would expect if one looked into what happened you would find the person did something silly. We are no where near as bad as some other countries we have all read of how people have been arrested as spies when they take photos of aircraft where they claim they were just plane spotters.
But anyone with a little sense would think twice before taking photos outside military air base. Think this happened in Greece?
I would be very surprised if any normal visitor to UK had any problems with a camera taking normal photos.

[masp]

Yeah, that does sound reasonable. Reading this forum thread: http://www.photography.ca/Forums/f3/british-photographer-arrested-antisocial-behaviour-7588.html and watching this other video from the Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2009/dec/15/police-terrorism) about an art student who got arrested for filming was rather eye opening on what could happen if your photography etiquette isn't so good (or what could happen even if your etiquette is good).

Of course it isn't always something as bad as a run in with the police. It can be a confrontation with someone thinks you're taking pictures of them and doesn't like it, etc. Oh well. It's a good thing there's always nature photography. :shrug: