Had The Sheriff Called On Me

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therock
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p.1 #1 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

I live on a dead end road and go the the end of it to see if any wildlife is available to shoot.
There are some large estates back there.
I was in the turnaround shooting some foliage out the window and an old lady in a Mercedes comes to the end of her driveway to check her mail and leave. She looks at me in a pompous way and makes sure I see her dialing her phone.
I ignore and continue. I leave and see follows. I see some crows in a pasture and pull off to shoot. She stops. Geesh!
The next thing I know two cruisers are there checking my ID as she watches from a-far.
Whats up officer? Oh the lady calls about you taking pictures of her property. ( I did not mention it but I was not taking pictures of her land)
Is that against the law? No, but we had to respond to the call and as far as I'm concerned you can continue to take all the photos you want. Are you going to inform the caller. Yes. What a coot!

Geeeeeeeeeeeeesh!

Feb 04, 2008 at 09:37 PM

Otlip
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p.1 #2 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

Nothing better to do than mind other's business. Had the some happen to me.

Feb 04, 2008 at 09:45 PM

nathanlake
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p.1 #3 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

It happens. Just get used to it and have your explanation ready for the police. They have people pointing cameras at them all the time now. They will usually be understanding as long as you don't act bizarre or too defensive.

I was on a airplane a year or so ago and just snapped a picture of a little kid sitting across the aisle. His parents went ballistic, accusing me of some pretty terrible things. They finally sat back down without any violence (came close), but when we arrived it turns out they had asked the captain to call the police and they were waiting for me. I explained, the parents became hysterical again, and the police ended up escorting me to baggage claim to make sure I was safe from this guy.

There is just something about a camera that sets some people off.

Edited on Feb 04, 2008 at 10:14 PM

Feb 04, 2008 at 10:13 PM

CGrindahl
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p.1 #4 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

I was rousted out by a San Francisco police officer one afternoon as I stood in the public right of way on a road running behind San Francisco International Airport and took photos of planes taking off. Granted, this was perhaps six months after 9/11 and everyone was pretty paranoid, especially around airports, but the guy was way out of bounds. I decided not to make an issue since he threatened to give me a ticket that I would then have had to argue in court. I have better things to do with my time so I jumped in my legally parked car and took off. Of course, I found a nearby parking lot next to a small lagoon and pulled out my camera again. Such is life...

nathanlake wrote:
...I was on a airplane a year or so ago and just snapped a picture of a little kid sitting across the aisle. His parents went ballistic, accusing me of some pretty terrible things... There is just something about a camera that sets some people off.

In my experience, a man taking photos of children is instantly suspect in this era where child sexual abuse is so often in the news. I've begun avoiding places where children hang out, taking advantage instead of the opportunity to shoot my friend's kids. That works well for everyone. I simply got too many dirty looks when I pulled out my camera when kids were around. One woman challenged me in an urban setting with dozens of folks around. I was shooting pretty much everything happening, but she was incensed that I might have taken a photo of her teenage daughter. I scanned through my photos as she watched and erased the single photo that included her daughter. I thought it wise to avoid a confrontation. Yes, this is the world in which we live.

Edited on Feb 05, 2008 at 01:50 AM

Feb 05, 2008 at 01:43 AM

carlsbadbum
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p.1 #5 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

People don't like getting their candid pictures taken, they think you're going to do something bad. Welcome to the 21st century.

Feb 05, 2008 at 03:59 PM

Mickey
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p.1 #6 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

carlsbadbum wrote:
People don't like getting their candid pictures taken, they think you're going to do something bad. Welcome to the 21st century.

Who can blame them. Look at what shows up on the internet now days. Look at from their point. How would you feel seeing a stranger taking pictures of your teenage daughter?

Edited on Feb 05, 2008 at 05:24 PM

Feb 05, 2008 at 05:23 PM

coronasteve
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p.1 #7 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

Consider what happened recently in north San Diego county and Orange County CA.

A bunch of pics of HS water polo players were found on many different gay mens web sites. Certainly, everyone was outraged and rightly so. However, this makes my job/hobby much more difficult. I have been shooting WP and swimming events for HS and college for about 3 years now. The parents at my local HS know me, so no big deal there but whenever I go to other schools I fear that I will receive many "evil eyes" from parents because of this story.

God forbid that I somehow get an image that shows a boys swimsuit with him walking around on the deck. Even more so with girls WP as I shoot that too because my daughter is a HS player.

Here is a link to the story.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/01/23/news/top_stories/1_01_531_22_08.txt

Feb 05, 2008 at 05:38 PM

Tentacle
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p.1 #8 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

Mickey wrote:
carlsbadbum wrote:
People don't like getting their candid pictures taken, they think you're going to do something bad. Welcome to the 21st century.

Who can blame them. Look at what shows up on the internet now days. Look at from their point. How would you feel seeing a stranger taking pictures of your teenage daughter?

The problem isn't that someone would like to know what you're doing. A good photographer should be willing to explain what's going on and show what is being shot. (Chimping isn't that energy consuming, is it?)

It's the (sometimes) automatic escalation into downright hostility that irks me to no end. Well, reading stories like this. I haven't been in a position like this yet, and I hope I never will, but what the hell is wrong with simply walking up to a photographer first and ASKING what (s)he is photographing before either going ape or surreptiously calling in law enforcement?

Feb 05, 2008 at 05:44 PM

invalid2
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p.1 #9 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

Tentacle wrote:
what the hell is wrong with simply walking up to a photographer first and ASKING what (s)he is photographing before either going ape or surreptiously calling in law enforcement?

<sarcasm>but haven't you seen those movies where some serial killer is acting suspiciously and kills anyone who asks about it?!!</sarcasm>

Really, it may be a bit of passive agression, or simply wanting to cause trouble for someone without going to much effort.

Feb 05, 2008 at 07:18 PM

Tentacle
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p.1 #10 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

invalid2 wrote:

[...]

but haven't you seen those movies where some serial killer is acting suspiciously and kills anyone who asks about it?!!

Really, it may be a bit of passive agression, or simply wanting to cause trouble for someone without going to much effort.

I think it's the civilian equivalent of pulling rank. Some people seem to believe that it's OK to bypass being civilized and directly go for overtly and agressively claiming ones rights.

Edited on Feb 05, 2008 at 09:04 PM

Feb 05, 2008 at 08:55 PM

coronasteve
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p.1 #11 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

These would be the same "concerned citizens" that serve on the board of a homeowners association controlling the landscaping and appearance of your home.

Otherwise known as the "Concrete Nazis"

Tentacle wrote:
[

I think it's the civilian equivalent of pulling rank. Some people seem to believe that it's OK to bypass being civilized and directly go for overtly and agressively claiming ones rights.

Feb 05, 2008 at 09:40 PM

j.curtis
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p.1 #12 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

Quit your belly aching. If you got robbed, you'd be pissed because your neighbor did nothing.

Of course you look odd doing what you're doing. A minor inconvenience, if that, you're back shooting again.

As you stated, Geeeeeeeeeeeesh.

Edited on Feb 05, 2008 at 09:55 PM

Feb 05, 2008 at 09:54 PM

Tentacle
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p.1 #13 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

j.curtis wrote:
Quit your belly aching. If you got robbed, you'd be pissed because your neighbor did nothing.

Of course you look odd doing what you're doing. A minor inconvenience, if that, you're back shooting again.

As you stated, Geeeeeeeeeeeesh.

Being vigilant is fine. Being paranoid isn't.

Feb 05, 2008 at 10:11 PM

jeffbuzz
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p.1 #14 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

Law enforcement has to walk a very fine line these days. Balancing our right to photograph from publicly accessible land versus protecting public safety cannot be an easy task. Of course the officers were obliged to respond to the property owner's call and they did so promptly. I would be happy to know the local PD was on their toes.

Sounds to me like the police knew and respected your rights as a photographer. Also something to be thankful of as there are too many stories out there of confrontations between police and photographers that do not go quite as smoothly as yours did.

Feb 06, 2008 at 01:43 AM

MSC
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p.1 #15 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

This does not stike me as a big deal at all. I'd rather people be a little more cautious than not. If I wrote a post for everytime I've been stopped shooting there would have to be a new forum.

Feb 06, 2008 at 01:57 AM

BenV
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p.1 #16 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

You really have to draw the line somewhere, I think taking a picture of someone without asking them is highly rude, and an invasion of privacy in a way. I feel bad for celebs :-(

Feb 06, 2008 at 03:24 AM

invalid2
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p.1 #17 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

BenV wrote:
You really have to draw the line somewhere, I think taking a picture of someone without asking them is highly rude, and an invasion of privacy in a way. I feel bad for celebs :-(

I also think it is rude, but that does not make it illegal. The deCorcia case is an example of presumably current legal interpretation.

Edited on Feb 06, 2008 at 05:45 AM

Feb 06, 2008 at 05:39 AM

jeffbuzz
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p.1 #18 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

I understood therock to be photographing foliage and landscape, not the lady who called the sheriff. While getting way off topic is nothing new around here, I think we should keep in mind that "old lady in a Mercedes" was not even being photographed. Even if she had been the subject of therock's photos, she still would not have any expectation of privacy from therock's vantage point on a public road. Regardless, I think this is just a example of the inevitable consequence of getting out of bed in the morning and interacting with the world. Sometimes you get pissed off and sometimes you piss someone else off. But hopefully, at the end of the day, you end up back home safely to wonder why.

Feb 06, 2008 at 06:04 AM

j.curtis
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p.1 #19 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

I commend the "old lady" for taking action. See saw something suspicious, and instead of ignoring it, she had it investigated.

Like I said before, if a house would have been robbed everyone in her neighborhood would have been pissed because she didn't do anything!

Did it really inconvenience "the rock" that much to answer a couple of questions about what he was doing? Be glad someone was looking out for their neighbors.

Feb 06, 2008 at 03:38 PM

jeffbuzz
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p.1 #20 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

Good thing therock didn't take pictures of the cops, he could have ended up like this guy:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/338880_aclu09.html

Feb 06, 2008 at 11:31 PM

Monito
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p.1 #21 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

j.curtis wrote: I commend the "old lady" for taking action. See saw something suspicious, and instead of ignoring it, she had it investigated.

True, if it was suspicious. It wasn't suspicious. Taking pictures is not suspicious, especially in the situation described.

The silly part about the busybodies and over-reactive police is that it is a waste of their time and taxpayer money.

Anybody wanting to take pictures for nefarious purposes can pretend to be examining text messages on their 5 MegaPixel cell phone and click in an instant as they move it to a vertical position, or click as they appear to put it in their pocket, or upside down as they let their arm hang down, pretending to be temporarily distracted, or in any of a few dozen other ways including the old "take a picture of the tourist in front of the airport" trick. The busybodies will never have a clue.

However, most reports these days are starting to run the way of showing that paranoia has abated and the police are mostly clued in now, and not eager to spend much time harrassing photographers, thank goodness.

Feb 07, 2008 at 03:22 AM

Monito
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p.1 #22 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

jeffbuzz wrote: Good thing therock didn't take pictures of the cops, he could have ended up like this guy: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/338880_aclu09.html

The rest of the story is that the cops involved ended up with written discipline reprimands on their records as a result of the city having to pay out $8,000 plus incurring their own legal costs and other associated bureaucratic costs. That kind of news gets around pretty fast when cops talk to each other.

Feb 07, 2008 at 03:25 AM

MSC
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p.1 #23 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

Monito wrote:
j.curtis wrote: I commend the "old lady" for taking action. See saw something suspicious, and instead of ignoring it, she had it investigated.

True, if it was suspicious. It wasn't suspicious. Taking pictures is not suspicious, especially in the situation described.

The silly part about the busybodies and over-reactive police is that it is a waste of their time and taxpayer money.

Anybody wanting to take pictures for nefarious purposes can pretend to be examining text messages on their 5 MegaPixel cell phone and click in an instant as they move it to a vertical position, or click as they appear to put it in their pocket, or upside down as they let their arm hang down, pretending to be temporarily distracted, or in any of a few dozen other ways including the old "take a picture of the tourist in front of the airport" trick. The busybodies will never have a clue.

However, most reports these days are starting to run the way of showing that paranoia has abated and the police are mostly clued in now, and not eager to spend much time harrassing photographers, thank goodness.

The truth is we have no idea of the total story here. We have one side. What is the old lady had little kids and felt that the photographs were stalking her house. Maybe she had been broken into the week before. Maybe, maybe, maybe...

We have a neighbohood watch here like they do all over the nation. People look for behavior that is off the norm. My sister lives on a farm. When they see hunters walking near the property line, they get in the four wheel and go check it out. They remind the poeple of the property line and the No Hunting signs. It is never confrontational, just standard practice for farmers that live in the country.

I've had parents of kids want photos of thier kid taken off my website. Sometimes they are just over the top protective (BTW, I always comply no matter what), and sometimes there is a back story. For example, one mother had a restraining order on the husband was had been convicted for child abuse and now out of prison, had implied to the mom that he was going to take the kid. She did not want the dad to know what team the kid was on. Longshot, sure...better safe than sorry, of course. So I'm not saying this lady was correct, but the truth is, we cannot judge the woman's motives here.

Feb 07, 2008 at 03:41 AM

MSC
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p.1 #24 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

I shot the Federal Reserve Building the other day while shooting other buildings in DC. The sidewalk on the property was completely open, no fences, not barriers, just lawn. About 5 mins in, 3 police came up to me quickly. They said "can we help you?" in a voice that left no mistake they did not want me there. So I could have fussed about my rights and made a big deal of it...but to what end. I just said I'm leaving and left. I just don't see anypoint in carting a big chip on the shoulder about these things. The district police must be paying attention to buildings like this...here are two shots...the first was the crummy shot of the building that got thier attention...and it is a crummy shot...the light was not right.

Feb 07, 2008 at 03:54 AM

MSC
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p.1 #25 · Had The Sheriff Called On Me

And here is a shot from the sidewalk...you can see two policemen on the right and one is in the doorway of the building. You can see that this is an open space. Now were my "rights" violated, I don't know...looked like no problem to me. Worth me getting wigged out about? Not a chance...happens a lot. If I was in a situation where maybe they grabbed my gear or some such thing happened, that would be different. I could have made this an ugly situation but it did not rise to the occasion...in my opinion. And they were just doing what they were told to do.

My point is pick your battles, not go to war over every little thing...life is too short.

Edited on Feb 07, 2008 at 03:59 AM

Feb 07, 2008 at 03:59 AM


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