Ever been stopped by the Fuzz?

I have just read this really interesting article on the BBC website about photographers being stopped by the Police whilst taking photos.

I was actually stopped whilst out with some fellow amateur photographers last month whilst out and about trying to get some night shots. I thought it was just some community officers being a bit over zealous but it seems that it's becoming more and more common.

My friend even snapped them talking to me. Look at that condescending expression on my face!




I was wondering how many of you guys might have had a similar experience?

Cyp.

 

Terrorist shoot him


not been stopped yet

 

So exactly what did they stop you for, and what did they say/do?

 

Shortly after 9/11 a buddy of mine stopped to shoot a few Eagles, just so happens that they were flying beneath a chain of power lines. And so, as any NYS trooper would do he was stopped and asked to surrender his camera. long story short the film was destroyed, but he (my friend) left with camera in hand. You would think they'd have better things to do.

 

So it's illegal / a national threat / act of terrorism to photograph power lines?


The world are going crazy for sure.

 

I was taking those night shots in the other link. They stopped me and asked why i was taking shots at night (i think they thought i was shooting the traffic lights or something). I explained that i was experimenting with long exposure night shots and showed them the pics. They warned me to be careful of what i took pics of, esp. certain buildings in London. That was it really.

 

This one is doing the rounds...

High horses shouldn't be a problem here, but I'll link this anyway, as it's a handy bit of info: UK Photographer's Right Guide (halfway down the page, PDF)

 

The likely hood is, if a terrorist for example wanted to bomb the London eye, they could do a very quick Google search and get pictures, information and general other tit bits of knowledge all about the eye without even having to leave the house.

So the likely hood of them stepping out into public, risking arrests and what not is highly unlikely.

 

Whoo! Long live western idiocracy! ehrm.... I mean democracy of course...

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

 

I managed to get cordoned in by two security cars and armed Police for taking photos.
They turned out to be nice enough, but it was a bit weird when I was in the middle of all these flashing blue lights.

http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=118350

 

If you think that is bad, try being a photographer in the middle east. Then we can talk about police scrutiny.

 

All you've got to do is smile and be nice, they are human

 

This is very true, the world over. Coping an attitude is sure to shut them down instantly.

 

It is actually illegal in the UK for the police to look at your pictures so if your feeling brave and want to make the point you can tell them they have no right to look at your camera. You will probably end up down the police station for a while though.

 

I got questioned by a security guard once, years ago, probably a year or so before september 11. I was taking some shots of this factory at night, and he was one of the guards doing a patrol. He asked me to leave, no probs

It doesn't matter who it is, a checkout chick or a cop, giving attitude is basically starting a fight, and that's just asking them to make you suffer. We once started a fight with these two cocky guys one night, and then they pull out their badges dodgy prics were undercover detectives! trying to sniff out some trouble makers! they started it, but anyway, we turned on the charm, and got away scot free

 

A bit contradicting, isn't it?

 

Nearly got stopped in the Valley of the Kings, which if the guy didn't let me go, would of got me arrested, but I'm a pretty good actor.

Still got a few videos of the tombs and a few shots.

 

whoops What i should have wrote: ...we once got provoked by these two cocky guys one night, so we retaliated and just as things got heated, they pull out their badges...

they definitely started it tho! The only thing we were guilty of was "not taking any crap"

 

I just read the BBC article and I can understand their concern for terrorist acts happening due to photography. If something were to happen and it was publicly released that the terrorist got their information from photographs then people would go crazy! Fingers would be pointed all over the place and the fuzz would get the blame for not stopping photographers.

But if you really think about it being asked why your having your picture taken in front of a public landmark you could just say "I'm a visitor and wanted to get a shot to show people back home" even if your home is sitting on top of a few nuclear missiles ready to launch. So really they should back off and give people room to take pictures because it is too hard to even being to restrict photography, unless of course someone is taking pictures of a place from every different angle snapping hundreds of shots and looking around with a worried look about them, but how often would that happen?

I think it's all a bit far fetched. It's a shame the world we live in is so messed up and people want to seek revenge on governments by targeting innocent people. Hopefully it will all stop one day....
-aaron

 

Lets say i was a terrorist, and i want to plan some sort of attack on a building.

I would stake out the place, maybe even record some video, which would be easy to do with a camera phone. I could walk past the place, and hold the phone as if i'm on a call, when in fact i'm filming everything and observing. I can also pop into a corner cafe, sit down for a while, and continue observing & film some more while pretending to txt. But i don't have to use a video recorder of any sort, just walking past the place everyday is alot of recon.

But the other big thing, is if i want a high quality photo of some sort of landmark, then there are heaps available on the interwebs, so why would any terrorist bother taking some happy snaps of the place they want to attack?

I doubt osama ever bothered popping down to nyc with his rebet xt, just not at all neccessary, or am i missing something?