Bill to stop photography in public places

[lionhart]

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Photography

Please past on to as many photographers as you know, another bill via the back door?

[tonymidd]

you can't take pics of your own kids in the buff, you can't shoot near no10 now they want you to be restricted in public spaces,.....just what are this lot trying to hide????? and just what will you be able to take??

[kya]

It is Ridiculous..I got chucked out of park by park warden for taking pics of my friends little girl..we could not believe it!

[StuG]

Hmmm so waht are they gonna do now make it illegal to take holiday snaps?

The world has gone mad.

[maffie]

Consider it done

Matt

[george.monaghan]

Nuff said.

[David Worthington]

THANKS FOR POSTING THAT.:clapping: ...signed; and sent to dozen or so mates

[Chris Hawkins]

Thanks. Signed.

[paul t]

have signed

[Earl53]

Sorry, they would let me sign. Here in the states the government wants to charge photographers for photographing the view of their land. Funny I thought it was my land as well.

[Ade]

Earl, It won't be long before we get 'taxed' for taking photos as well. They're running out of things to come up with to tax us on...

Another signature added :)

[BarryM]

It amazes me, we cant photograph buildings and sensitive places, yet google earth is open to the masses including terrorists whereas you can zoom into peoples jacket labels from space.

Quite frankly i think this goverment are a bunch of tosspots.

[Dotty.c]

about time this goverment took it's collective head out of it's ass and dealt with some real issue's, oh but that would mean the members of parliment working for their £40,000, free cars, and free air fare's, guess thats not going to happen then.

[lostmysnorkel]

Signed and sent out to everyone I know - this doesn't just affect the pros does it?

Where would a wedding 'tog stand, if he/she were outside a venue photographing the couple?

How many times have we photographed our clients in a public place?

[Shaun1138]

Last year I was taking pics of a statue which happened to be outside the local crown court. I was stopped by two police officers, questioned; and my memory card confiscated. I collected it a few days later; the duty officer did admit that they may have been overzealous but they can't take any chances.

I wasn't too happy.

[tonymidd]

Last year I was taking pics of a statue which happened to be outside the local crown court. I was stopped by two police officers, questioned; and my memory card confiscated. I collected it a few days later; the duty officer did admit that they may have been overzealous but they can't take any chances.

I wasn't too happy.

One of my regular contracts is photographing business parks and industrial sites for a large developer, fortunately 95% of the time I'm technically on private property but photographing access roads and signage can be a problem. I now carry a letter of authority from the developers agents.

The RPS is trying to get an accreditation scheme approved to prove a members bona fides. The NUJ card covers the press but the commercial and hobby togs are presently at the mercy of any jobsworth in a uniform.
There is now way those cops would have had my memory card, I'd have insisted on going to the station and seeing a senior officer. This usually stops them, they think twice about explaining their actions to an inspector or super and content themselves with a verbal warning.
The only time I've given up material was at Greenham Common and the guy asking for my film was a huge Afro-American military cop with a big gun!!! and I knew I was on thin ice as I'd been shooting thru the fence.
The other problem is a lot of what people take as public areas arn't, shopping malls, some car parks, some parks and open spaces, stadiums, etc. At one time, maybe even now, Telford town centre was not a public space. Then there are the parnoid parents and jobsworths who go balistic if you so much as point a camera in the direction of kids, even your own.
Take the soap box away....rant over unless i get wound up again :mad2::mad2:

[David Worthington]

Last year I was taking pics of a statue which happened to be outside the local crown court. I was stopped by two police officers, questioned; and my memory card confiscated. I collected it a few days later; the duty officer did admit that they may have been overzealous but they can't take any chances.

I wasn't too happy.


dont tell me you were trying THAT ANGLE:tease: on the queen Victoria monument !!!!

I think in Liverpool we have more than our quota of "Jobsworths" ---" if i let you take a picture then everyone would wanna take one"..... or the big excuse often quoted to stop anything the Plod dont like "Health and F'in Safety !!!!!:banghead:

[Chris Hawkins]

... would mean the members of parliment working for their £40,000, free cars, and free air fare's, guess thats not going to happen then.

Agreed...but their basic pay is £60,277!!!!!!

[BarryM]

Right thats it, tomorrow im heading to the secret airbase we have locally, so secret we all khow about, it to photograph some dodgy looking vehicles going in and out, i shall wear a balaclava because it is rather cold, and my camoflague jacket as i might catch some squirrel and other wildlife on the way, I shall carry an on the shoulder length of drainpipe purely because i may wish to build a tunnel for hedgehogs, and carry my laptop which will have " how to make a bomb" webpage as my homepage, purely because im doing a thesis on explosives and the reaction to surrounding oxygen.

Lets see what happens. Oh and i better not forget the iranian accent, as its sunday.:help:

[tonymidd]

Right thats it, tomorrow im heading to the secret airbase we have locally, so secret we all khow about, it to photograph some dodgy looking vehicles going in and out, i shall wear a balaclava because it is rather cold, and my camoflague jacket as i might catch some squirrel and other wildlife on the way, I shall carry an on the shoulder length of drainpipe purely because i may wish to build a tunnel for hedgehogs, and carry my laptop which will have " how to make a bomb" webpage as my homepage, purely because im doing a thesis on explosives and the reaction to surrounding oxygen.

Lets see what happens. Oh and i better not forget the iranian accent, as its sunday.:help:

If our posts are being monitored by big brother we'll come and visit you in clink :clapping::clapping:

[BarryM]

its ok i hear guantamano bay is lovely at this time of year, accomodation is great, good meals and lovely weather.:banana:

[lostmysnorkel]

Right thats it, tomorrow im heading to the secret airbase we have locally, so secret we all khow about, it to photograph some dodgy looking vehicles going in and out, i shall wear a balaclava because it is rather cold, and my camoflague jacket as i might catch some squirrel and other wildlife on the way, I shall carry an on the shoulder length of drainpipe purely because i may wish to build a tunnel for hedgehogs, and carry my laptop which will have " how to make a bomb" webpage as my homepage, purely because im doing a thesis on explosives and the reaction to surrounding oxygen.

Lets see what happens. Oh and i better not forget the iranian accent, as its sunday.:help:

And people say our freedoms are being taken away. You just can't relax on the weekend any more can you Barry?

[lostmysnorkel]

Here's an interesting case.

I have just returned from a meeting, where the client has booked me for their wedding at the Windsor Guildhall.

They would like some shots in the Great Park, with the castle as a backdrop, as well as a few around the Guildhall - for those who are familiar with Windsor, places like the Crooked Tea Rooms etc.

I now have an extra couple of hours work ahead of me to check whether or not I will be allowed to take pictures around these places (which are literally on Her Maj's front doorstep)!

[BarryM]

lmao it really gets my back up the way this country has become a snivelling wreck, we cant hang union jacks (well those down south) up in fear of upsetting a small group of people, we cant openly talk about religion but must embrace other religions that are coming over here. We are a nodding dog to the United states of America, did anyone see the interview of an american discussing the friendly fire incident on Itv news, it was scandalous (i know not all americans are like him). My kids school is now full of refugee children, my son is being taught islam, which i insisted he was not (no offence to islam but were a christian nation and im from church of scotland), he knows nothing about god, jesus etc but could spout of allah and mohammed etc. It really is getting my back up.

Rant over

[BarryM]

Here's an interesting case.

I have just returned from a meeting, where the client has booked me for their wedding at the Windsor Guildhall.

They would like some shots in the Great Park, with the castle as a backdrop, as well as a few around the Guildhall - for those who are familiar with Windsor, places like the Crooked Tea Rooms etc.

I now have an extra couple of hours work ahead of me to check whether or not I will be allowed to take pictures around these places (which are literally on Her Maj's front doorstep)!


Yeah and i can guess your answer too from them. I mean you might be covertly operating a alqueda cell fronting a wedding in the great park taking photos of buildings for bombings. Cos google earth isnt available to the whole damn world.

[Shape]

Hi all, have been a bit busy since last week so have only just read this thread. Have signed up every member of my family and sent the page link to everyone in our local camera club and everyone in my e-mail address book.

Shape

:butcher:

[blindabyss]

Out of interest are they referring to 'public places' in the same context as the smoking ban, ie. bars, restaurants, shopping malls etc. Or do they mean public places as in streets, parks, tourist attractions etc?

[BarryM]

i would assume they mean real public places, on the street as such, i mean you can get kidnapped by Mi5 now for photographing airports or airplanes from public ground, i was chased from edinburgh airport by security for showing my son the airplanes taking off and using the mobile phone to take shots. Didnt help when the side of the van had " acme bombmakers" on it and wee brad was holding plans for building a thermal nuclear bomb. :clapping:

[robbie-doux]

Appalled.
Signed.
Good to see a hefty dose of cynicism here.
Cheers all.
Rob.

[siark]

I've doen a quick scan of the net for more information on this issue... but other than various forums citing the petition, and the petition itself, I can't see anything! Also, the petition really doesn't go into much detail...

So I took a look on the website if the person that started the petition (Simon Taylor of www.phooto.co.uk) and he does indeed have some more information, although again nothing specific... moreover, at the bottom of the page concerning the petition he says "...although there is no bill in the offing, it is vitally important that politicians such as Mr Livingston are fully aware of the basic rights UK citizens have, and that changes to restrict our use of cameras would require very fundamental changes in UK law".

Has anyone else seen anything more than this?

Perhaps, the most important thing is to know what ones rights are when taking photographs. I found this after a quick scan of the net... http://www.sirimo.co.uk/media/UKPhotographersRights.pdf I don't know how accurate it is, but it's a start!

Thanks,

Mark.

[PaulChubb]

Ok, I work for bands, sometimes at open air events....so that would be a public place rite? and what about wildlife photographers? Is the middle of a field or woodland considerd public?

[tonymidd]

Ok, I work for bands, sometimes at open air events....so that would be a public place rite? and what about wildlife photographers? Is the middle of a field or woodland considerd public?

Your outdoors band venue is probably private land and a lot of natural history sites are owned by the likes of the RSPB and that field or woodland could be owned by a farmer etc.
Some time ago I checked with the legal types at my local chamber of commerce and was told that public spaces are those maintained or owned by a local authority. But if I've got it right the smoking ban will apply to places accessed by the public, confused? I am.
The only thing I'm certain of is carrying a camera is a sure fire way of being stopped by the law and quizzed about what you are doing.

[Steve40]

I have skimmed through this thread, and must confess did not read every word. But I read enough to really irritate me. I honestly feel for you folks.

As far as I know in the US we don't have any photo bans, with exception of some very sensitive places, and that has been for a number of years now. Even in 1952 when I was a kid, we went to Washington, and they would not let us take photos in the federal mint. But those were the only places we couldn't, and it is still that way.

It seems to me Democracy has a strange twist on what freedom is. There is talk of a public smoking ban here, but nothing serious has been done so far?, that I know of. But no one can tell what the future may hold. when the American public planted a Bush at the White House, it was probably the biggest mistake since Grandma accidentally spilled gunpowder in the biscuits.

I am glad I was not one of them, for all the good that does. :)

[Mal]

All signed and passed on to all in my address book...... But the problem is no matter who is in power they are all a bunch of thieving, kniving, lying toerags and have the odacity to think that we are as thick and knieve as them.

[blindabyss]

I'm not sure if this is true or not...BUT..

I've just heard through a mate that it will be illegal to shoot in public places UNLESS you purchase a license to do so. Which sounds far more realistic to me than an outright ban.

[Kirsty]

Have passed on this link and its absolutely ridiculous!!
What do they think they are doing!
Makes me sooo angry!

[Gadget]

Last year I was taking pics of a statue which happened to be outside the local crown court. I was stopped by two police officers, questioned; and my memory card confiscated. I collected it a few days later; the duty officer did admit that they may have been overzealous but they can't take any chances.

I wasn't too happy.

i just read this.
Two laws came to cross each other in your case.
1) Precints of the court act (1927?? ithink) forbids any area where a court can be seen from being photographed. of course this is never enforced otherwise half the british press and media corp would be in prison...and no that would not be a good thing...btw its the clerk of the said court who ultimatley decides the definition of precincts
2) police powers act 1984 - since revised a bit. these coppers did not have the right to take your equipment from you without either A. arresting you or B obtaining a court order and then going to either your work premises or place of residence.

i'm lucky coz i had to learn this stuff when i was a trainee, but it stills scares the crap out of me when I stand my ground.

[Gadget]

this link http://www.phooto.co.uk/rights.shtml goes to the guy who started the petition and it appears alot of poeple got the wrong idea. rest assured it appears there is no bill out there

Trust me, I'm a member of the NUJ and the Federation of small business if a bill of this sort does ever rear up i'll be one of the first to here about and so will you all

[PaulChubb]

Just read an artical in this month Amatuer Photographer, and http://www.photography-forum.org/image.php?u=508&dateline=1163166030 (http://www.photography-forum.org/member.php?u=508) Gadget (http://www.photography-forum.org/member.php?u=508) is right, its all been taken the wrong way due to the wording on the number 10 website. its all becuse the goverment aproached a photographic society ASKING IF they would be willing to have an ID card stateing that ther photographes were not for comercial use. Of course the idea was promptly dismissed by the groupe and the idea has been subsequently apandond by the goverment. One of the photographers tooke extreme outrage to the sugestion and started this petition.

But jsut to clarefy...this is not or ever has ther been a bill to stop photograhy in public places.