In Defense of Our Rights and Actions - Shooting in the Street

[johnastovall]

Mike Johnston this week has two excellent essays and a video linked by the common theme that photographers must fight the notion that some how a connection between photography and terrorism exists.
This is an issue all of us who work in the streets must face and work to correct. The video while showing what is happening in the United Kingdom could as easily be here.

In Defense of Our Rights and Actions

You Can't Picture This

[Gabby498]

John, thanks for posting the link. I am old enough to remember when I could freely walk around and take photographs of anything except military installations and actually as a junior member of the Civil Air Patrol and during a tour in the Marine Corps, I took a lot of photographs on military installations.

I am disheartened when I hear someone say that they will move to a park rather than shoot downtown or that they will not photograph a train track, neither of which are illegal, because they are concerned about being hassled.

Rights are removed incrementally and unless someone, or everyone, is willing to stand up they are just that much easier be eroded away. It is obvious from the stories related in your link that the non-photographing public is settling into the idea that photography is an illegal activity. We do not need to reinforce that idea by cowering away from confrontation. Unfortunately, it seems many photographers are buying into the same mindset.

I recounted the night members of NWHPC were hassled by a Metro cop that said we had to have a “permit” to photograph Houston’s toy train. A week or so later, I went to Metro and after speaking to four people that had never heard of a permit and seven phone calls no one could produce such a “permit.” It seems such a thing does not actually exist. I insisted on something in writing, so I do carry the 3x3 yellow post-it I was issued that says it is okay for me to photograph the train.

Again, thank you.