- Joined
- May 16, 2006
- Messages
- 305
- Format
- 35mm
Is photography dead? Notice I did not say film photography, but photography.
Last night I was taking some night shots at the medical center in my city. They are constructing a new building and the metal is exposed with lights hanging from the ceiling. It was a foggy night and they emitted an ominous glow.
Minutes later, a woman pulled up, rolled down her window, took a clear look at me and drove off. I knew she was watching me. I continued to take pictures and she drove up again and began circling the parking lot while on her cellular phone. I knew that she was calling the police. I did not leave because I did not want her to write down my license plate number.
Around ten minutes later, the campus police arrived and asked what I was doing. I told him that I was an amateur photographer and was taking night shots of the building lights. He said that it was against the law. I then told him that I did not know that it was against the law to photograph in the city. He responded by saying I was on private property and it was against the law and asked for my drivers license.
His sergaent and another officer pulled up moments later. He then ran my drivers license. After talking back and forth they explained to me that since the terrorist attacks security is heightened and if someone looks suspicious they have to investigate it.
I then lost it and asked what was suspicious about my taking pictures in the clear open and well lighted area. What act of terrorism could I commit with a film camera (pentax k-1000)? I told him to look at my address and he would see that I lived only three minutes from the medical center. I also offered to give him the film, but he refused.
I asked for their badge numbers and names and they became angry and said that I was blowing the incident out of proportion. I responded by saying if you truly believed I were a terrorist you would have seized my equipment and would not have refused the film when I offered it to you. After a slightly heated discussion, they eventually gave me their info and drove off angrily.
I have read about similar incidents on APUG. What options have we left as photographers to be photographers? Have we any at all?
Jamusu.
Last night I was taking some night shots at the medical center in my city. They are constructing a new building and the metal is exposed with lights hanging from the ceiling. It was a foggy night and they emitted an ominous glow.
Minutes later, a woman pulled up, rolled down her window, took a clear look at me and drove off. I knew she was watching me. I continued to take pictures and she drove up again and began circling the parking lot while on her cellular phone. I knew that she was calling the police. I did not leave because I did not want her to write down my license plate number.
Around ten minutes later, the campus police arrived and asked what I was doing. I told him that I was an amateur photographer and was taking night shots of the building lights. He said that it was against the law. I then told him that I did not know that it was against the law to photograph in the city. He responded by saying I was on private property and it was against the law and asked for my drivers license.
His sergaent and another officer pulled up moments later. He then ran my drivers license. After talking back and forth they explained to me that since the terrorist attacks security is heightened and if someone looks suspicious they have to investigate it.
I then lost it and asked what was suspicious about my taking pictures in the clear open and well lighted area. What act of terrorism could I commit with a film camera (pentax k-1000)? I told him to look at my address and he would see that I lived only three minutes from the medical center. I also offered to give him the film, but he refused.
I asked for their badge numbers and names and they became angry and said that I was blowing the incident out of proportion. I responded by saying if you truly believed I were a terrorist you would have seized my equipment and would not have refused the film when I offered it to you. After a slightly heated discussion, they eventually gave me their info and drove off angrily.
I have read about similar incidents on APUG. What options have we left as photographers to be photographers? Have we any at all?
Jamusu.