I will take photos

Derek of Exit133 linked to an interesting video of some TPD officers "interacting" with a videographer during some recent protests down in the Tideflats.

Though I don't know the specific case, if I'm in a public place wandering the Tideflats snapping photos of the wonderful grit I can do so. It's legal. A local photog over at Flickr was even hassled by a rent-a-cop about taking photos from Thea's Park of the a grain ship loading.

This all sounds like a job for the Tacoma Photo Gang to get the word out to local agencies that taking photos doesn't make us terrorists. Let's not have Tacoma give in to this kind of paranoia.

You ever feel like someone might perceive you as a terrorist threat when snapping pics around town? I know I do.

Comments (9) | To Top

3/8/2007 @ 7:43pm

That's why I usually carry a copy of the Photographers Rights (http://www.krages.com/phoright.htm) with me. It's important to remember that neither the Patriot Act or the Homeland Security Act have any provisions that restrict photography.

by Annie J

3/8/2007 @ 9:23pm

I should note that when I got hassled at Thea's Park it was more comical than anything and I wasn't prevented from taking pictures.

by michael

3/8/2007 @ 11:11pm

I sometimes feel suspicious - like something out of an old private eye book - but mainly I worry about seeming like a tourist. I am way too pretentious for that ;)

(this time my link isn't to my blog, but to some pictures I took of cherry trees. They really are quite pretty things.)

by Anna

3/9/2007 @ 6:31am

michael: thanks for the clarification. It's still sad overall that anyone would have that perception whether in a position of authority or not.

Anna: I love looking like a tourist in my own town. Maybe it'll help others think it's not such a shabby place to visit!

by KevinFreitas

3/9/2007 @ 6:34am

Annie: That's totally right on, thanks!

3/9/2007 @ 10:26am

Annie: Thanks for the link to Photographer's Right. I needed that and I'll start carrying a copy around.

by Sharon Styer

3/11/2007 @ 11:08am

Funny, I just laminated my copy of Photographer's Rights. Itchin' to "whip it out".

by Mike H

3/11/2007 @ 5:48pm

Nice Mike -- I'll probably end up doing the same. Maybe a tattoo is in order? ;)

3/13/2007 @ 10:18pm

Terrorist, no -- no one's believed I was a threat to security. Other things, perhaps, and lost my first good camera to someone who was a bigger menace to society than myself. A little strange and unnerving when I wander through cemetaries photographing stones, definitely (when anyone's around to notice, which rarely is the case). :) Keep shootin'!

by TheDamnMushroom

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