Photography and the Law -Photography Friday
Photo: WTO protests 10 by Steve Kaiser CC BY-SA 2.0
Photography and the Law
Intro
Laws that affect photographers are usually fairly straightforward but can be complicated very easily - especially by those who have not got the photographer’s best interest at heart. I want to take a look at one particular area of photography law and that is photographing on the streets. One day in the future I may well write a piece that relates to commercial and studio photography but that really is a subject on its own.
Now seemed like the right time to do this for a couple of reasons. The conventions are just around the corner and things are getting lively with respect to Black Lives Matter etc. I still have a hunch that this will be a long hot summer and those taking photographs need to know what they are and are not allowed to do, and perhaps more importantly, know what the police are allowed and not allowed to do.
It is probably no coincidence that the ACLU has just added a section to their website that discusses photographers rights:
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: PHOTOGRAPHERS - WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE STOPPED OR DETAINED FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS
https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/photographers-what-do-if-you-are-s...Unfortunately the page is set up in such a way as to require over a dozen clicks to get a couple of thousand words of information. The ACLU really needs to set this up as a single page or at least make a pdf out of it.
Before I go any further I need to add this disclaimer: I am not and never have been a lawyer. I have taken a course on photography law and have kept my knowledge of it up to date as best I can but I cannot guarantee that there are no inaccuracies in this piece. If anyone reading sees anything that is dubious or wrong please do not hesitate to let me know in the comments or by message. I will not be offended in the least. Related to this, there are some gray areas (surprise surprise) and different interpretations of some law is far from impossible.
Anyway, enough of the preamble:
The Law
The First Amendment
This is the biggie:
Roughly speaking, if you are allowed to be in a public space you are allowed to take a photograph. There are certain exceptions to this but they are surprisingly few. The United States have just about the most photographer friendly laws of any nation. This is considered a First Amendment issue and applies regardless of which state you are in.From the ACLU website: Free speech photographers rights
https://www.aclu.org/issues/free-speech/photographers-rightsTaking photographs and video of things that are plainly visible in public spaces is a constitutional right—and that includes transportation facilities, the outside of federal buildings, and police and other government officials carrying out their duties.
The very next paragraph adds a note of realism:
Unfortunately, law enforcement officers have been known to ask people to stop taking photographs of public places. Those who fail to comply have sometimes been harassed, detained, and arrested. Other people have ended up in FBI databases for taking innocuous photographs of public places.
As the ACLU points out, photography is not only allowed, it is a critical check and balance on those in a position to abuse power.
The Right to Privacy
There is a lot of talk about the right to privacy when discussing what can and cannot be photographed. To put it in a nutshell the above generally speaking trumps any right to privacy. There is no right to privacy, for example, for someone who is being cut out of a car after being horrifically injured - however bad a shape they are in. This is not a moral statement and whether it is fair or not is not the issue here. It is just the law. Basically speaking, if you are out in public you have no recourse against someone taking your photograph regardless of what you may be doing.
A quick aside: Everything so far has related to public spaces and it would be logical to assume that the right to privacy would be automatic in a private space, say your own home. This is not the case as this somewhat silly example will illustrate. If you are dancing around naked in your own home with the blinds drawn then you have a right to privacy. If, however, you are dancing around naked in front of a window with lights on and no blinds then you are out of luck - you are considered to have forfeited your right to privacy. Any photographer who happens to be passing is free to snap away at will. (You may also find yourself up on other, unrelated charges but that is another matter).
When can an official stop photographs from being taken?
A quick recap.:Taking photographs and video of things that are plainly visible in public spaces is a constitutional right—and that includes transportation facilities, the outside of federal buildings, and police and other government officials carrying out their duties.
Despite the seemingly all encompassing scope of the above ACLU statement there is one big exception. In short, you can be moved on if you are getting in the way of officials carrying out duties. If you are photographing the scene of an accident and have been idiotic enough to plonk yourself directly between the accident and a waiting ambulance then you can be legally be told to move. Here is the thing though - you can be told to move on but you are still allowed to take photographs from a different vantage point. You cannot be told not to take photographs, only that you cannot take them from where you or your activities will get in the way or cause an obstruction.
It is not unknown for the police to use this to their advantage and claim that they are being hampered while trying to carry out their duties (the understatement was intentional) and this can be a gray area in some cases. As a photographer you may find yourself doing some negotiating on this point. The things to bear in mind are: The cop that you are dealing with will probably think that you are a pain in the arse. There is a good chance that you will know more about the law with regard to photography than they do. The law is generally on your side (it’s that 1A thing again). Of course, what you do with this information is entirely your call.
The police and stored images.
The easy one first. The police are not allowed to delete or demand the deletion of stored images or video. There are no exceptions as far as I know. Several cops are currently serving time for doing this. Evidence tampering and theft being the main charges.
Police are not allowed to confiscate or even demand to view your images without a warrant (whether you are being arrested or not) but there is a bit of a caveat here. If they think that warrantless seizure may save a life or prevent a crime from happening before a warrant can be processed then they can look at your photos/videos and even confiscate your camera. Of course this is a somewhat gray area. Another wrinkle: the Supreme court ruled on this but only with respect to cell phones and not stand alone cameras. The ACLU takes the position that the constitution broadly prevents warrantless searches of digital data.
A bit about video
As far as stored images goes there is no difference as far as I can tell between still photographs and video but this is not usually the case. The audio component of video adds a whole other layer of complexity and state law can come into play here. The differences revolve around the different laws regarding recording audio of people without their permission, how many parties have to consent and even the definition of consent itself.Here is a pdf by Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. It contains a list of states and tape recording laws along with detailed information.
http://www.rcfp.org/rcfp/orders/docs/RECORDING.pdfFull disclosure - I am not a videographer and have no intentions of becoming one so my knowledge on this topic is extremely sketchy. I know enough to know that I video law does not mirror still photography law in many respects.
This is from the ACLU page:
However, in nearly all cases audio recording the police is legal.
In states that allow recording with the consent of just one party to the conversation, you can tape your own interactions with officers without violating wiretap statutes (since you are one of the parties).
In situations where you are an observer but not a part of the conversation, or in states where all parties to a conversation must consent to taping, the legality of taping will depend on whether the state's prohibition on taping applies only when there is a reasonable expectation of privacy. But no state court has held that police officers performing their job in public have a reasonable expectation.One final practical thought regarding cellphone use definitely (and standalone camera use possibly): If the police are not allowed to review the files on your cellphone without a warrant they have no way legally of knowing whether you are shooting video or stills photograph until after the fact. Make of that thought what you will.
Photography in relation to other law
This one is pretty straightforward: The right to photograph does not give the photographer the right to break any other laws. For example, trespass is still trespass whether you have a camera in your hands or not. There is no ‘greater good’ type defense as far as I am aware. If you climb a fence onto private property to expose an illegal activity you are still guilty of trespass.Private Property
The best working assumption here is that all bets are off. The owner of the property is allowed to tell someone to stop taking photographs. If that someone continues to photograph the owner can have them removed from their premises/land for trespass. This makes photographing a street demonstration and a demonstration in a mall very different propositions. As far as I know the police cannot demand that you stop photographing unless the owner of the property has specifically demanded it. They cannot make that decision autonomously.
Everything else discussed still applies though. They cannot demand to see images, delete images or confiscate anything.
Some Notes
Of course having a working knowledge of the law does not guarantee safety. If you are in a tense or violent situation the official that you are dealing with will likely not be that interested in protecting your rights. The trick (insomuch as there is one) is to remain calm and be in full control of your reasoning. If you are not sure of your legal ground that will get picked up on and used against you. Never lose your temper. Of course even if you do everything to the letter you are still dealing with another human being and one that likely is not only not sympathetic but one that is not up on the relevant law. Not much can be done about this other than to think safety first. Pepper spray hurts exactly the same if you are 100% in the right or wrong. Read up on general safety tips on attending demonstrations, especially where arrest is possible or likely.
Know your rights!
This page contains a lot of useful advice:
http://lifehacker.com/5859590/how-to-protest-safely-and-legallyAnd it is worth printing this out and keeping it with you:
http://toasterdog.com/files/KnowYourRightsCards_TheLaw.pdfIn this piece the term photographer refers to anyone who takes pictures with any device, whether for profit, documentary reasons, artistic reasons or anything else.
I have deliberately avoided referencing case law for the sake of readability. I have also tackled the subject in a slightly roundabout way for the same reason. If there are any inaccuracies due to this, again, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
This is not a comprehensive guide to photography and law. One issue that I was going to deal with was allowed uses of images and whether it was legal to profit from them and what if any permissions or accreditations were required. I figured that this article was long enough already so will cover that in another post. Very broadly speaking you are allowed to sell anything that you shoot in public without getting anyone’s permission, especially if it is for editorial use. If you are planning to use an image of a recognizable person for commercial use e.g. product advertisement then things get more complicated.
If you’ve made it this far congratulations. It is a pretty dry topic but, if you are planning to snap some pics at the DNC convention or at a BLM protest it really is worth knowing your rights as both a US resident and as a photographer. I will answer any questions to the best of my ability and if I don’t know the answers I will try to find someone who does. Any input is much appreciated.
Assignment
Nothing special this week. Just post anything at all here. I won't bother posting a separate thread tomorrow.
Please treet this as an open thread. Discussion about photography law, anything about photography, or just about anything else is welcome.
Comments
Great information, stevej. Thanks.
One thing I would note is that although police may not have the right to delete or destroy images without a warrant, sometimes a camera or phone "accidentally" gets broken if you are involved in a police interaction in a tense situation like a protest in the street.
If you are really concerned about keeping any images you capture, its a good idea to set up automatic cloud backup for the time you are out photographing. Once its uploaded, even if the device gets broken, you still have your images/videos.
Thanks Haikukitty
That is very true - I didn't want to get too in the weeds with the many tactics used by the police to get around the law but they are an essential part of any discussion. The police are very adept at doing a lot of things accidentally on purpose so to speak.
The cloud advice is excellent. If not working with a phone the next best thing is to carry a lot of memory cards and to swap them out frequently.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
A few pics
from earlier in the week. On a completely unrelated note -if anyone knows haw to get rid of a Japanese beetle infestation any and all tips are welcome.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
I don't know how effective it is,stevej, but my parents
always used to use those traps that the hung on trees around the yard. They are basically just a funnel that leads into a sugar solution of some kind. They certainly collected a LOT of beetles, which used to really bum me out, because they are so lovely.
Something like this - but I'm sure you could make homemade ones pretty cheaply:
Beetle Trap
Thanks
I'll give that a shot. A friend just suggested knocking a few off into soapy water and leaving pots of it around the garden. Apparently the smell of their dead keeps them away. Time for a biology experiment I think.
Apparently the whole thing will be over in a couple of weeks but the damage they are doing is spectacular.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Bummer for you. Soapy water feels right.
I have used that for flare-ups of gypsy moths here. Really, knocking them off a few trees in the forest serves only my outrage. Not sure about dead/dying scents released. Insects have scent detectors, but most ignore skunk.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
The Japanese Beetle Traps...
Have the scent of geraniums, rose, and the sex pheromone of the Japanese Beetle female to lure in the beetles. The traps may actually attract more beetles to your garden from a radius of up to 1,000'...
The best solution is control of the beetles when they are in the grub stage using Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Nematode (link used only for information and example, not an endorsement of merchant, shop accordingly) application to your lawn and watering before the application and daily thereafter...
The Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Nematode is a round worm nematode that attacks the Japanese Beetle Grubs and release a Photorhabdus Bacteria from their digestive tract into the grub killing it...
As usual nature often provides the best and safest controls, the Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Nematode also controls Weevils, Beetle grubs, Japanese beetle, Masked chaffers, May/June beetles, Black vine weevil, various white grubs, Banana weevil, Bill bug, Colorado Potato beetle, Cucumber beetle, Sweetpotato weevil, Asparagus beetle, Carrot weevil, Banana moth, Citrus root weevil group, Sugarcane stalk borer, Various tree and vine borers, Bagworms, Flea beetle, Flea, and all types of grubs.
Unfortunately the Japanese Beetle Adults are best controlled by insecticides many of which have a high toxicity to birds, bees, fish, etc...
So Plan Ahead for coming years, and use the best practice, the natural one...
I'm the only person standing between Richard Nixon and the White House."
~John F. Kennedy~
Economic: -9.13, Social: -7.28,
Thanks OSOAS
Nematodes are definitely in our future - we will definitely go that route. I Agree with your philosophy and am going to avoid spraying.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Put up bird feeders and a bird bath near your beetle infestation
I found that songbirds love Japanese beetles. They don't get enough protein from birdseed. No more beetles once I had plenty of birds around!
About the below photos:
On July 5, a black man filmed the way he was treated by a white woman - as soon as he started to approach her (which he did because she was watching him by the hour through binoculars), she started screaming, "Help! Rape!" and he wasn't even anywhere near her! As he got her to talk to him a little, she still sounded extremely hateful. I won't repost the video, she doesn't deserve any fame. But here's Ginger in response to their voices coming from my computer (usually she ignores videos, but that woman's voice first woke her from a sound sleep, and then continued to deeply disturb her). The photos were taken by my computer camera and the lighting was poor so things are a little fuzzy, but I still think they tell the story:
Ginger taken aback by voice of mean lady
Ginger intrigued by voice of black man
She'd been sleeping partly on the back of my chair and partly on my shoulder - such a comfortable position in the summer heat (cough). Anyway, she alternated between these two positions during almost their entire conversation. Toward the end she decided she'd had enough of the mean lady and finally jumped down!
Please check out Pet Vet Help, consider joining us to help pets, and follow me @ElenaCarlena on Twitter! Thank you.
I remember that video well
and your cat's reaction is a lot more polite than mine was.
There is currently a Robin's nest slap bang in the middle of the infestation - unfortnately it appears that they have reached some kind of understanding. We do have a lot of birds around here including a big mixed flock but none of them have a taste for Japanese Beetles.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
I know, I wanted to just slap some sense into that woman.
But considering Ginger usually ignores the humans on the little screen, this from her is HYUUGE! She could not stand the woman even in miniature. You can see how she was very concerned. And cats are very smart about people, IMO.
Too bad the birds in your area won't work on the beetles. Maybe some species are more beetle loving than others. We have lots of cardinals, I think you can get feeders that attract more of them. Either way, hopefully it will die down soon, as you say, and you can use nematodes next year.
Please check out Pet Vet Help, consider joining us to help pets, and follow me @ElenaCarlena on Twitter! Thank you.
Up until this last year
we had a pair of cardinals in the area - not sure what happened to them though. We are in Indiana so there really shouldn't be a lack of cardinals
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
I don't recommend traps...
They attract more beetles to your area where they lay more eggs. Here's pretty good advice from another site:
(skunks love the grubs and they helped us quite a bit when the Jap beetles first arrived in our area.)
Play Defense: A multi-part attack is best. Start by spraying the affected plants with Japanese Beetle Killer (pyrethrin) or neem at the first sign of attack.
Pyrethrin-based insecticide is a safe and effective way to control these pests on vegetables, grapes, raspberries, flowers, roses, trees and shrubs. In addition to controlling Japanese beetles, it also controls cucumber beetles, flea beetles, cabbageworms, Colorado potato beetles, and more.
Japanese Beetle Killer
Neem Oil Concentrate
Neem Oil Concentrate works on a wide variety of pests including Japanese beetles, aphids, mites, whiteflies, flea beetles and earwigs.
Neem oil comes from a tree; when sprayed on plants, it reduces feeding. Scientists call it an antifeedant. Important: neem works best when applications begin at first sign of attack.
Hand Pick: Japanese beetles are slow. You can easily pick them off plants with your hands and toss them into a bucket of soapy water. Do it in the morning when the beetles are less alert.
Prevent: Although the following solutions won't provide immediate gratification, you will be better off next year. Grub Guard kills the grubs that turn into Japanese beetles. Ideally, apply it in spring before the beetles emerge. The second half of this 1-2 prevention punch is Milky Spore, which also kills grubs. It takes a year or so to get established in your soil, but it keeps working for 10 years or more.
Trap: A Japanese beetle trap is recommended only if you have a large yard, and can place the trap away from your garden. If you have a small yard, you'll just be telling the beetles, "The party's at my house!" If you use a trap, put it out for a day or two at a time every couple of weeks.
The first couple of years the beetles arrived (early 90's) they defoliated all our berries and fruit trees. We used neem oil and milky spore and it took another two years to get them under control. I also think the birds etc learned to prey on them during that time as well.
Good luck!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Thanks!
I get the impression that you have had to deal with this problem yourself.
We are definitely going to attack the grubs in time for the next cycle. Might just wait this one out. We only have a smallish garden and there are hundreds of the things.
I have bookmarked yours and others responses for future reference.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Standing Tall
Our Oscar.
Can't help with the infestation Steve. I just mow the lawn.
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
What a beauty! Scritches to Oscar!
I like that angle, mostly sky and tree branches in the background.
Please check out Pet Vet Help, consider joining us to help pets, and follow me @ElenaCarlena on Twitter! Thank you.
Hi BR
I'm going to try a couple of things tomorrow - the infestations are shortlived apparently and everything should come back OK. We planted a fairly mature birch a couple of weeks back and I'm keeping a close eye on that.
Under normal conditions my gardening boils down to mowing the lawn, digging holes and flowerbeds and basically doing what I'm told - I'm happy with that though. No responsibility.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Greetings, Steve and Caucus Photographers! Very interesting
essay, this evening. I'm going to copy and print this piece, so that I have the ACLU info, in case I'm ever accosted by some overzealous law enforcement officer(s).
You know, I just noticed that your Thread is meant as a 'regular' OT--like we have scheduled every morning--as well as a meeting place for our talented Community photographers. That's neat!
(I'm not the most observant person in the world. Don't know why it stuck this evening. Duh!)
It just happens that I mentioned to Peef, recently, that I might try my hand at making a video of 'the B.' (She has posted short video clips of her handsome fur baby at EB, in the past.) I would be using a smart phone, not some hotshot video camera, btw.
Anyhoo, would it be cool to post something like that here?
Hey, thank you for tonight's super informative Photography Thread (OT).
And, Everyone have a safe and enjoyable weekend!
Mollie
“I believe in the redemptive powers of a dog’s love. It is in recognition of each dog’s potential to lift the human spirit, and, therefore, to change society for the better, that I fight to make sure every street dog has its day.”
--Stasha Wong, Secretary, Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)
National Mill Dog Rescue (NMDR) - Dogs Available For Adoption
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Hi UL
JtC kindly offered the place on the open thread list a few weeks back (which was really appreciated).
Here is another good printable sheet that is based on the ACLU one - I keep a copy of both:
http://www.krages.com/ThePhotographersRight.pdf
Re posting vids of pets (or anything else for that matter) - absolutely no problem at all, would love to see it/them
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Thanks--I'll definitely print it. I realized that you became
an 'official OT' some time ago, but (somehow) missed that it meant the same as the early morning OTs--which provides a venue for broad and varied topics.
Anyhoo, I like it!
'M'
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
I am pleased
- I do add a note to the essays that posts on any subject are welcome but I haven't over-hyped it. I tend to publish at around the same time as Joe and he has the open thread thing really well covered
Saying that, I'd love this thread to be one where people could post their own videos of pets, life, whatever. Could be a useful function.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
No one is trespassing and it's too darned hot.
Let your imaginations soar. I have now 2, count-em 2 Pileated woodpeckers visiting suet feeders on one deck. They are quite shy to indoor movement, iPhone pix thru glass makes it worse. Considering a camo bag for me adjacent. Sounds hot. Not sure. And the idea of enclosed existence is daunting. All cameras that could deal with corded remotes I stupidly got rid of. But I still have a nice tripod.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Hi riverlover
posted a reply below - four months in and I still can't get the hang of which reply button to hit.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Everyone going to Philly
Please download the ACLU Mobile Justice App for Pennsylvania: https://www.aclupa.org/education/mobile-justice-pa/
And thanks Steve for the great article on this subject.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
Thans Steven -really appreciate that
and yes to the ACLU app - an absolute must.
On a related note - have you seen this?
https://cpj.org/blog/2016/07/be-prepared-steps-to-staying-safe-while-cov...
I don't know the organization and the writing comes across as a bit hair on fire but a lot of established journos appear to be involved. The notes on the RNC convention are even more full on.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Oh, for heaven's sake - they really don't get any of it, do they
No one is going to physically attack a reporter. Sending an angry email or social media post to the AP when they blatantly FAIL TO DO THEIR JOB and interfere in election outcomes with their false announcements does not equate to physically punching a reporter on the street. Do they feel harassed every time they publish an article? They should, if they've ever visited a comment thread on a news site!
I'm getting super tired of this hyped-up hysteria trying to paint peaceful progressive protest as some kind of attack. Keep it up and they may end up getting what they supposedly fear.
People just want to be able to show up and be heard, for fuck's sake!
Agree
I suspect that particular author make s money based on drumming up reporters fear. Some of the stuff is relevant for journos in combat zones but I get the impression he is trying to open up a new market revolving around civil unrest in the US.
There is a list of reporters associated with the organization (mainly MSM types) but no indication of who actually owns the operation.
The stuff about the RNC conference especially was so far over the top it was embarrassing but it does give an insight into a certain mentality that exists in our media.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
On a related note
just came across this (on the RNC side of things)
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/07/15/combustible-gop-convention-r...
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
I hope they chant...
the media is corrupt...the media is corrupt...
like they were doing to the press corp at Bernie's final rallies.
Of course they won't report it...kinda like the CNN protest.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Suspect
there will be a whole lot of things that the press will choose to ignore. Fortunately the mainstream press are becoming more irrelevant by the day and that warms the cockles of my heart.
I am really looking forward to seeing just how much gets out on social media - things have evolved a lot since 2008 even.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Hi Riverlover
heh, naked people was probably not a great choice of example on my part -it was the first one that came to mind though
iPhone and glass is tricky. - with a normal camera a rubber lens hood up against the glass works great.
An untested thought - try polarised sunglasses (I think just about all sunglasses are now polarized) in front of the iPhone lens and rotate to see if the glare disappears. May be a bit fiddly but you never know. I have used this trick for getting rid of reflections on water.
The birds around here are pretty tame and most will now let me photograph them from fairly close.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Excellent idea to try, I wear glasses (when naked)
and have multiple sets of polarized clip-ons. At high sun I will try before/after tests.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Heh - Let me know if it works :)
-seriously I would be interested in knowing. It should work in theory.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
One for the ages...
(Sorry, can't help with law and photography)
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
Where are the UFOs?
Very nice capture.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Photography
is just about the least interesting thing that touches the subject of photography imo but I try to keep up to date on it - I just have a feeling that I'm going to need it one day.
I'd rather be studying the physics of the subject and that is saying something.
Beautiful pic
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Okay, I'm on a roll
Famous volcano.
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
Wonderfully minimal
love the mood and the toning BR
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
I think that's the Naples smog.
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
wow - very pretty
but probably brutal on the lungs and eyes
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
I like this shot because it reminds me of the wonder
that Nelson and his captains and crews expressed, viewing the Bay of Naples after the Battle of the Nile.
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
One of my favorite paintings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Nile#/media/File:The_Battle_...
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
An attorney in Oregon
Has put together a wallet card based on the ACLU info...
The Photographer's Right
This one is more brief...
http://www.billadler.net/Photographer's_Legal_Rights_Card.pdf
" In the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry, and is generally considered to have been a bad move. -- Douglas Adams, The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy "
I have a bit of a problem with the wording
This is the text on the card:
and it is a little problematic because, while it applies most of the time it does not apply all of the time for reasons stated in the essay. See sections on impeding officials and what exactly constitutes a public or private space.
I think that this version could give the photographer a false sense of security.
I also think that the final sentence could well escalate a bad situation.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
I'm reluctant to tell people to stand up for their rights in the
face of hostile cops because so often the cops ignore what citizens say and it just seems to make things worse.
Eric Garner: I'm minding my business, officer. Please just leave me alone. I did nothing. Don't touch me.
(The cops stopped him from breathing until he died.)
James Boyd: I'm gonna try to walk now. (Cop: All right) Be lawful. Don't try to harm me. Keep your word.... I'm not gonna harm you, eh? (Cop: Do it)
(As James Boyd turned to leave, the cops shot him dead)
I'm not saying don't stand up for your rights. But I can't say do stand up for your rights either. Just saying recognize the risk involved when you interact with cops. Be very careful.
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I couldn't agree more
That is why I chose to frame the piece as I did, i.e. this is the law as best I understand it -it is up to the reader as to what they do with the information. The one thing that I have never regretted is having a working knowledge of this stuff - at least that way I get to make an informed choice. Personally speaking, if I were to risk my life or health, the resulting photograph would have to be extremely important.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Yes, information is good. The more information, the better.
I think there are still people who haven't watched the videos, who don't understand how much cops overreact to how little provocation. Just be careful out there, folks!
More information on the cops' plans for the Republican convention:
https://theintercept.com/2016/06/22/cleveland-gears-up-for-republican-co...
https://theintercept.com/2016/06/23/fbi-and-police-are-knocking-on-activ...
Please check out Pet Vet Help, consider joining us to help pets, and follow me @ElenaCarlena on Twitter! Thank you.
Photos can effect the nation and the world...
When Spider Martin, a young photographer for The Birmingham News, stepped onto the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., on March 7, 1965, he knew exactly what to do. (here's his online gallery)
http://www.spidermartin.com/image-gallery/pyw53dw99k470iww04lb8l0tjlheba
I hope we don't see this sort of reaction by the police at either convention, but when events like this happen, photos can tell a more powerful story than words. They effect the nation and the world. The picture this week of a lone woman being confronted by the two jack booted police speaks volume too.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”