Photographer/Camera UNfriendly places

[venchka]

In the last month there have been things said on this forum that lead me to think we need to compile a list of UNfriendly photgraphic places.

I'll start by summarizing what I have read here at TPF:

1. Japanese Garden in Fort Worth: rediculous tripod fee.

2. Galleria in Houston: a TPF member asked to leave after taking pictures.

3. Williams Water Wall: TPF member asked to put his tripod away.

What other expamples are there?

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

If you start pulling a tripod out at the Mustang Sculptures in Los Colinas you just may get a visitor asking for a shooting fee to be paid.

[venchka]

Originally Posted by DEMDeepEllumMusic

If you start pulling a tripod out at the Mustang Sculptures in Los Colinas you just may get a visitor asking for a shooting fee to be paid.

Good to know. I've wanted to photograph those ponies since the first time I saw them way back when.

I wonder if the same applies to the scupture garden at Reliant Park?

[johnastovall]

It might not be a bad idea to have this made a stickey over in Places to Shoot in Texas.

[johnastovall]

Originally Posted by DEMDeepEllumMusic

If you start pulling a tripod out at the Mustang Sculptures in Los Colinas you just may get a visitor asking for a shooting fee to be paid.

Will that vistor sign a property release if you pay the fee?

[venchka]

Originally Posted by johnastovall

It might not be a bad idea to have this made a stickey over in Places to Shoot in Texas.

There you go. Abel, can we do what John suggests?

[johnastovall]

[QUOTE=venchka]In the last month there have been things said on this forum that lead me to think we need to compile a list of UNfriendly photgraphic places.

I'll start by summarizing what I have read here at TPF:

1. Japanese Garden in Fort Worth: rediculous tripod fee.
snipped
/QUOTE]
75 Dollars an Hour and if you have a tripod you are assumed to be a professional and some harassment outside the Garden. This is a very interesting link.

[Stephen H]

Old City Park AKA Heritage Park in downtown Dallas is getting that way. At one time, you could photograph inside the houses, but lately they don't allow that. The last time I was out there, the guy came to check me out because of my "professional looking gear" (IE, my K1000 on a tripod- probably half the people out there have cameras that cost more than my whole kit!). He asked me to sign a form saying I wasn't a pro or something of the sort (which would have been fine with me, I'm not) but then couldn't find the form, either.

Lavon Dam- see my writeup elsewhere. No legal restrictions on photography when I was there, only the staff will tell you there are restrictions and make various threats. Apparently no such rule at White Rock Lake Dam, and no telling about other dams.

Chemical plants, refineries- photography is not legally limited, only the security guards will treat anyone photographing the plant as a "suspicious activity" to be hassled as they see fit. Ran into this when I stopped to take photos of a couple of locomotives up by Amarillo.

The botanical garden at Fair Park in Dallas. I'm actually not sure about amateur photography, but they have a $75 or better per hour rate for pros. I don't know if they try to make the stupid tripod=pro assumption.

I'm not sure which one it was, but at one of the big skyscrapers in downtown Dallas, I was taking pictures of their artwork at ground level, and the security guard told me they didn't allow photography on the premises. He was actually real nice, seemed informed, and pointed out I was perfectly free to shoot what I liked from public streets or sidewalks, just not on their property (IE, he was not concerned about photography OF their property, just ON their property).

DFW National Cemetery- The one time I went there to take some pictures, I had no sooner pulled out my camera than one of the groundskeeper guys informed me that photography was not allowed unless I had written permission from every single family whose relative's headstone would be visible in the picture. I checked at the visitor information center, and the volunteer lady there had never heard of any such policy, and couldn't imagine why he'd said that; said families shot pictures there all the time. I've seen oodles of pictures from other national cemeteries, from the military cemeteries in France, etc., and it just seemed odd that they would even try to prohibit photography at such a place.

I've had a tripod out at the Mustangs in Las Collinas several times, never had anyone question me. Maybe I obviously looked like an amateur. Maybe they actually had somebody that could tell a K1000 from a Hasselblad.

[pippin]

hrm, maybe its time we all get one of these to stick it to the no tripod places...

http://www.joby.com/gp3.html

was thinking of getting one anyway, maybe i should now...

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

African American Art Museum at Fair Park, I had gone into the museum the week before to shoot the guy stacking the cards with no problem but this time a lady behind the desks goes YOU CAN'T TAKE THAT CAMERA INTO THE MUSEUM! I said that I was just going up to the guy stacking cards. She said: Well that is in one of the galleries and no cameras are allowed! I turned around and left!

I have been in some of the most famous museums in Europe and the US and 99% of them allow a hand held camera with no flash into their collections. (touring shows generally are not allowed but permenant collections usually are).

[brad]

Originally Posted by johnastovall

75 Dollars an Hour and if you have a tripod you are assumed to be a professional and some harassment outside the Garden. This is a very interesting link.

I've never had a problem with a tripod in the "regular" gardens.. and never had a problem with a bride out there, either...

The main reason for the restrictions in the Japanese Gardens on tripods is because the pathways are so narrow, a tripod becomes a safety hazard. From what I have heard, getting a commercial permit (and thus permission to have a tripod) includes proving you have liability insurance.