Neighbor House Fire (Several Images) Updated Info

[Roy]

By the time I got out with the camera this was pretty much under control. Not a complete loss but still a tough thing to deal with for the homeowner. The fire department stayed late till they were certain all possible flames were out. The smell was still strong 24 hours later.

[Roy]

Forgot to mention that I did need my Photographers Rights paper on this one and I didn't have it with me so to keep the peace this shoot was cut short but I still feel like I should of stood my ground. I was not in anyway interfering with the job at hand anymore than the other people watching from the same area and some that were using phone cameras.

[DavidsStudio]

Roy, who was giving you a hard time?

David

[Roy]

The fire investigator had a police officer insist that I quit shooting and if I continued, my "film" would be confiscated.

[DavidsStudio]

Make sure you file a formal complaint against the fire investigator and the police officer. Yours alone may not do much but eventually there will be a pattern that shows up.

David

[Roy]

I thought about this but at the time I didn't have enough sense to get their names. They had no problems when the news media were there with video. I'm not sure what their reasoning was for this but from what I understand it doesn't matter and I don't have to explain my reasons for photographing a fire in a public area as long as I'm not interfering. If there's some law different in Texas, I would like to see it.

[DavidsStudio]

Not any that I know of.

David

[Roy]

Me either. I'll do some more checking into it though. I have several people in my family that have sources that would know and I know a fire chief from nearby. There may be a way of finding out who worked the scene and I'll check into that as well.

[CaptainTom]

It's important that even a small "abuse of power" be addressed.
This investigator simply needs a note from his chief that he is incorrect in
his action and puts the city at risk of a law suit.

[sporkthedork]

Thank's for sharing the shots, Roy.

[w9ctm]

Usually, No one will say a word until they notice rthat you are takingpictures, and someone has either done something not by the books, or may be about to. If in fact, the news media is there, then there is no reason you can not continue shooting. Ask my wife, if it were me, I would have continued shooting, right up until they forcefully removed me or took my camera from me. If they had removed me, it would have been in cuffs. Then there would have been a HUGE lawsuit, as there is no reason a citizen can not photograph from a public sidewalk as long as they are not interfering with the investigation. I think I will also ask the fire chief in my town as well as a police chief I know.

[toverman]

Great shots of a horrible event, Roy.

Thanks for the link to the Photographers Rights. As a former member of the media, I never needed an excuse to be taking photos because either I was known in the community or had a reporter on the scene to vouch for me. None of us should need an excuse when it's in public.

[w9ctm]

Spoke to a police officer about this this afternoon. He was not aware of any state law that would prohibir a photographer from shooting from a public location. He mentioned the idea of somehow interfering with an investigation, but he said that would be kind of stretching it...

[toverman]

Originally Posted by w9ctm

He mentioned the idea of somehow interfering with an investigation, but he said that would be kind of stretching it...

At my first newspaper job, there were times when officials asked if we'd be willing to share photos to help an investigation. I remember one particular wreck where the sheriff's department camera broke, so they asked us if we could make prints of some of our shots for them.

And in my last newspaper job (left it almost a year ago), any firefighters who ended up being pictured in the paper had to buy ice cream for their shift.

Can't imagine an unobtrusive citizen taking photos would hinder an investigation; possibly even help it at some point.

[Roy]

Thanks for all the comments and compliments on the photos. Those in the dark were hand held at 1/40 hand holding a 1D MK3 with a 70-200 2.8L so they may look a bit blurred.
They last one was even 1/13. Surprised it came out at all.

I was notified today that this matter will be investigated so I hope something good comes out of it.