A Man's Gear

This was a photographer at the Purim Carnival I shot at. I saw a name-tag thing and from it, I am pretty sure that he shoots for a local Newspaper. He wields his cameras like Clint Eastwood would hold his guns in a 60s or 70s western. Both were Nikons; on the left, i think that was a 300mm lens and on the right one of those prime lenses with a super low f stop.
Clearly, from looking at the dirt in the lens on the left, this is a man that does outdoor photography. Maybe the dirt is from shooting dirt-bikes or maybe just the sky on a windy dusty day. Whatever it is, i'd like to have his job.

Taking photos in Public

Taking photos in public of people and other things has always been murky waters for most photo takers. I have done it before and I'v seen everything from smiles to fingers (middle fingers). Once i was downtown taking a photo of my friend and there was some lady in the background, she asked me if she was in it. Being honest, i said yes. She yelled at me to delete it. Us photographers must stand up and use our rights! Here is some advice from an professional photographer.

The Ten Legal Commandments of Photography

I. Anyone in a public place can take pictures of anything they want. Public places include parks, sidewalks, malls, etc. Malls? Yeah. Even though it’s technically private property, being open to the public makes it public space.

II. If you are on public property, you can take pictures of private property. If a building, for example, is visible from the sidewalk, it’s fair game.

III. If you are on private property and are asked not to take pictures, you are obligated to honor that request. This includes posted signs.

IV. Sensitive government buildings (military bases, nuclear facilities) can prohibit photography if it is deemed a threat to national security.

V. People can be photographed if they are in public (without their consent) unless they have secluded themselves and can expect a reasonable degree of privacy. Kids swimming in a fountain? Okay. Somebody entering their PIN at the ATM? Not okay.

VI. The following can almost always be photographed from public places, despite popular opinion:

* accident & fire scenes, criminal activities
* bridges & other infrastructure, transportation facilities (i.e. airports)
* industrial facilities, Superfund sites
* public utilities, residential & commercial buildings
* children, celebrities, law enforcement officers
* UFOs, the Loch Ness Monster, Chuck Norris

VII. Although “security” is often given as the reason somebody doesn’t want you to take photos, it’s rarely valid. Taking a photo of a publicly visible subject does not constitute terrorism, nor does it infringe on a company’s trade secrets.

VIII. If you are challenged, you do not have to explain why you are taking pictures, nor to you have to disclose your identity (except in some cases when questioned by a law enforcement officer.)

IX. Private parties have very limited rights to detain you against your will, and can be subject to legal action if they harass you.

X. If someone tries to confiscate your camera and/or film, you don’t have to give it to them. If they take it by force or threaten you, they can be liable for things like theft and coercion. Even law enforcement officers need a court order.

Intro

This is a new blog dedicated to photography. It's my second and i have learned somethings so hopefully I won't make the same mistakes. I guess i referred to my self as a shutterboy in the name because well, am no photography expert but on the other hand, i know a good deal about photography. Some of my good photos go on Flickr! and here is my stream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/olirv/