Be wary photographers, snapping your shutter could trigger a 911 call. At least the Chicago Transit is warning commuters to be on the lookout for “excessive” photography. Click here for the story. Photographers have a right to take photos in public, but if you’re excessive, look out. This is causing confusion with Chicago transit employees and transit riders, as what constitutes excessive is never explained. Even in NY, the police department had to issue a notice to their officers this past year that people are allowed to take photographs in public places and in the transit system, as long as you aren’t using a dangerous tripod (people might trip).
Check out the CTA poster with the warning.
#1 by Charles Carstensen on January 22, 2010 - 9:24 pm
It’s craziness – this public paranoia. We photographers need the knowledge of the law in order to venture out. Know the power of photography, Any photographer who takes a tripod to do street shooting has rocks in his head anyway.
#2 by admin on January 22, 2010 - 9:47 pm
It’s craziness for sure. But I also know photographers who do street photography with large format cameras and tripods. In NYC, it’s actually easy to get a photography permit if you use a tripod. But in many places, pulling out a tripod will bring security or police to see what you’re doing. Even in Pre-9/11. You just need to show them a permit and they’re cool. But today, people are more jumpy. A sign liek the one in Chicago, doesn’t help.
I had a lady freak out on a subway in NY when I was showing a well know photographer from China around the city. She thought he was going to place her head, from a shot on the subway, onto a nude body. Craziness.
Jack
#3 by Sittie on February 26, 2012 - 8:43 pm
Confusion can really be inevitable when something is not explained enough. The sad thing about this is that when it comes to regulations, we are always caught in the dogma that ignorance of the law excuses no one. On another note, I sometimes think that authorities deliberately avoid fully explaining or defining some provisions in the law so that they can interpret it in their favor in case they have a problem with it…
Sittie of Spur Press
A Malaysian SEO Company
#4 by Jack and Ed on March 1, 2012 - 6:37 pm
You have had a peep into the difficult world of being a lawyer. It is a land where unbeknownst to most citizens, there are few simple answers to the infinite number of questions posed.