Downtown Fort Worth - Permit?

[shook_photo]

Anyone know if you have to have a permit to shoot portraits downtown Wort Worth?

[CaptainTom]

Yes and NO.

Unless you are bringing a truck full of equipment and blocking any part of the street or sidewalk, you should be OK shooting downtown. A tripod and flash is usually OK as long as you aren't obstructing.
Most of downtown is patrolled by a private security force on bicycles. There are FWPD officers around as well.
My experience has been that if you are polite, and obey their requests you will not have any problems.
If all else fails, tell them I said it was OK.

[AndrewCCM]

They will stop you and remind you that you have to shoot on public property (ie, sidewalks). The Bass security will stop you if you shoot on private property... including parking garages...

[shook_photo]

Great, thanks! I will tell them that CaptainTom said OK!

[mike_sax]

Also watch out when shooting at the Ft. Worth Water Gardens. The security down there will remind you that you have to buy a $75/hr permit for photographing at the Gardens.

[doctahjones]

Originally Posted by mike_sax

Also watch out when shooting at the Ft. Worth Water Gardens. The security down there will remind you that you have to buy a $75/hr permit for photographing at the Gardens.

do you know where you can find more information about this? i never knew you needed one for the water gardens. i looked on www.fortworthgov.org but didn't readily find anything about it...

doctahjones added 2 Minutes and 20 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Originally Posted by mike_sax

Also watch out when shooting at the Ft. Worth Water Gardens. The security down there will remind you that you have to buy a $75/hr permit for photographing at the Gardens.

actually i did find this that quotes $75/h but that's for the botanical gardens, not the water gardens

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by mike_sax

Also watch out when shooting at the Ft. Worth Water Gardens. The security down there will remind you that you have to buy a $75/hr permit for photographing at the Gardens.

I have shot down there more than once and was never told about this. I know there's a $75 fee for shooting at the Japanese Gardens, but the Water Gardens. Are you sure?

[doctahjones]

jinx john!

[Wes]

Originally Posted by mike_sax

Also watch out when shooting at the Ft. Worth Water Gardens. The security down there will remind you that you have to buy a $75/hr permit for photographing at the Gardens.

That's a new one to me. Never heard of it before. Done tons of paid shoots down there, sometimes right in front of Security. No one ever said anything about it.

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by doctahjones

jinx john!

You posted while I was typing.

[Wes]

Oh, yeah?!? You BOTH posted while I was typing. Which just goes to show that I'm a really slow typist.

[Colyn]

Originally Posted by mike_sax

Also watch out when shooting at the Ft. Worth Water Gardens. The security down there will remind you that you have to buy a $75/hr permit for photographing at the Gardens.

I've been shooting at the FWWG's for years and have never been told about a permit..

[JohnT]

I'm thinking Mike saw the word "gardens" and thought botanical or Japanese.

[CaptainTom]

I've heard an occasional report that you are supposed to get a permit for the Water Gardens, but most photographers report that there is never a problem.
I've been there and seen a handful of photographers shooting, and they didn't look like they had any sort of permit, etc.

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

I've heard an occasional report that you are supposed to get a permit for the Water Gardens, but most photographers report that there is never a problem.
I've been there and seen a handful of photographers shooting, and they didn't look like they had any sort of permit, etc.

I think we just need to keep quiet and not give the City of Fort Worth any ideas.