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Comment
Photographers Rights 2
There are now several high-profile campaings being run concerning the current legislation that is abusing photographers rights.
These draconian laws and misinterpretation of the laws are causing anyone with a camera to be targeted, including foreign tourists; as was reported recently concerning an Austrian Father and Son, who were stopped from taking a photograph of Walthamstow Bus Station!
The Metropolitan Police have issues new guidelines to their officers; http://www.met.police.uk/about/photography.htm but over-zealous officers may still interpret these in anyway they see fit.
The British Journal of Photography has its own campaign running presently, which has the backing of many other photographic organisations (such as the Bureau of Freelance Photgraphers and UKlandscape), and uses the "Not A Crime" slogan. They are encouraging photographers, both amateur and professional to take self-portraits of themselves with a "Not A Crime" or "I Am Not A Terrorist" caption and post them to their campaign website; http://www.not-a-crime.com
There is also an independent campaign http://www.PhotographerNotaTerrorist.org which is also encouraging photographers to take self-portraits with "I'm a Photographer Not a Terrorist" captions, and to post via their website.
They organised a flash-mob campaign on Saturday 12th September 2009 at Canary Wharf in London - a spot notorious for photographers to be stopped by the Canary Wharf Security services. Approx. 60 photographers turned up with cameras in hand, and all took some interesting photographs, whilst the Security who were outnumbered, looked on in dismay.
There's more information on: http://www.PhotographerNotaTerrorist.org/events
They have also created a very handy "Stop and Search Bust Card" that any photographer should print out, and carry with them, which cleary states what rights you have as a photographer in a public place, and also what Police Powers may be used against you.
I have added my own picture to show my support, to both of the above campaigns.
"How Photographers Are Perceived In The Eyes Of The Police and Government"
Please give these campaigns your support, before Britain becomes a complete no-photography zone!
The Prince's RainForest Project
14/07/09 09:40 Filed in: Comment
HRH The Prince of Wales currently has a campaign to attempt to save the Rain Forest, called The Prince’s RainForest Project.
We are happy to add our names in support of this worthy cause, and blog this, in the hope that so that others may also add their support to the project.
I know you might be thinking, well what has the Rain Forest got to do with me? Well without it, global-warming will increase, many species of trees, plants, insects, and animals will be wiped off the face of the earth permanently. This little blue-ball we all live on needs such resources, for us to survive, otherwise there will be nothing left for our future generations. We have done more damage in the last 100 years, than we’ve done in the whole of the history of mankind, and the planet can not sustain this.
Prince Charles can sum this up much better than we can, so we would advise going to: http://www.rainforestsos.org to get the full story.
Please show your support by signing up for this campaign.
We are happy to add our names in support of this worthy cause, and blog this, in the hope that so that others may also add their support to the project.
I know you might be thinking, well what has the Rain Forest got to do with me? Well without it, global-warming will increase, many species of trees, plants, insects, and animals will be wiped off the face of the earth permanently. This little blue-ball we all live on needs such resources, for us to survive, otherwise there will be nothing left for our future generations. We have done more damage in the last 100 years, than we’ve done in the whole of the history of mankind, and the planet can not sustain this.
Prince Charles can sum this up much better than we can, so we would advise going to: http://www.rainforestsos.org to get the full story.
Please show your support by signing up for this campaign.
Photographers Rights
06/07/09 12:01 Filed in: Comment
There was a very good reason I joined the Bureau of Freelance Photographers recently, and that was because of their untiring quest to preserve the rights of photographers who are just going about their business, and trying to earn a living.
Over recent years, the British Parliament has brought in legislation that has severely restricted photographers. In their eyes, anyone that is pointing a camera anywhere in the vicinity of a child is a potential paedophile, and if you are just taking pictures of local landmarks or buildings, you are a potential terrorist.
Over-zealous officials appear to be making their own interpretation of the laws, and have attempted to confiscate cameras and memory cards from individuals, or demand that they delete the pictures. It appears that each time a photographer gets out a tripod in urban areas, they are immediately swooped upon and told to move on.
Unfortunately panoramic photographs (that are used to make up Virtual Tours), are either taken using one-shot lenses, or using “pano-heads”, which need to be mounted on tripods to ensure image stabilisation, and therefore panoramic photographers are potentially more at risk of being approached than others.
It is worth bearing in mind, that a Police Officer (or any other such individual) is actually breaking the law if they damage any of your equipment, and they cannot attempt to confiscate any memory card or camera, or demand that you delete any pictures taken in a public place, without first obtaining a warrant.
If terrorists were reconnoitring a building or somewhere else to do whatever evil they wanted, I’m sure that they wouldn’t be carrying one or more DSLR’s, lenses, and a tripod to do it. They would be a little more covert, probably using the camera built into their phone, so that they could take pics, and be out of there quickly without being spotted.
MP’s in Parliament have recently all been tarred by the same brush over the “expenses row”, however the vast majority of them are innocent. They should bear this in mind, when making strangling legislation, that is essentially stopping us from going about our business, without being repeatedly stopped, and harassed by officialdom.
I for one, feel reassured that I have my BFP blue membership card with me when I am out taking photographs as it proves that I am a legitimate photographer, and makes “officials” somewhat easier to deal with.
Over recent years, the British Parliament has brought in legislation that has severely restricted photographers. In their eyes, anyone that is pointing a camera anywhere in the vicinity of a child is a potential paedophile, and if you are just taking pictures of local landmarks or buildings, you are a potential terrorist.
Over-zealous officials appear to be making their own interpretation of the laws, and have attempted to confiscate cameras and memory cards from individuals, or demand that they delete the pictures. It appears that each time a photographer gets out a tripod in urban areas, they are immediately swooped upon and told to move on.
Unfortunately panoramic photographs (that are used to make up Virtual Tours), are either taken using one-shot lenses, or using “pano-heads”, which need to be mounted on tripods to ensure image stabilisation, and therefore panoramic photographers are potentially more at risk of being approached than others.
It is worth bearing in mind, that a Police Officer (or any other such individual) is actually breaking the law if they damage any of your equipment, and they cannot attempt to confiscate any memory card or camera, or demand that you delete any pictures taken in a public place, without first obtaining a warrant.
If terrorists were reconnoitring a building or somewhere else to do whatever evil they wanted, I’m sure that they wouldn’t be carrying one or more DSLR’s, lenses, and a tripod to do it. They would be a little more covert, probably using the camera built into their phone, so that they could take pics, and be out of there quickly without being spotted.
MP’s in Parliament have recently all been tarred by the same brush over the “expenses row”, however the vast majority of them are innocent. They should bear this in mind, when making strangling legislation, that is essentially stopping us from going about our business, without being repeatedly stopped, and harassed by officialdom.
I for one, feel reassured that I have my BFP blue membership card with me when I am out taking photographs as it proves that I am a legitimate photographer, and makes “officials” somewhat easier to deal with.
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