Photography in Public Places

Larry Bullis · Jun 24, 2010

dasBlute said:
same here in front of the Palo Alto apple store; the store employee said I was not allowed to stand on the public sidewalk and photograph the interior of the store. Rubbish. The only reason the guy could stop me is because I was using a rollei on a tripod.

Customers couldn't get in? You were blocking the door?

I'm sure he was ignorant, but if you were blocking the door, I suspect that he'd be within his legal rights to "ask" you to move. He may not have thought of that, instead relying on his misunderstanding of a different law.

However, courts are increasingly coming down on the side of property owners and individuals and against photographers, so it is difficult to say just what is in fact legal to do with a camera.

If you were shooting with an iphone, he wouldn't have had a problem with you.

No, it is NOT rational.

dasBlute · Jun 25, 2010

bowzart said:
Customers couldn't get in? You were blocking the door?

I'm sure he was ignorant, but if you were blocking the door, I suspect that he'd be within his legal rights to "ask" you to move. He may not have thought of that, instead relying on his misunderstanding of a different law.

However, courts are increasingly coming down on the side of property owners and individuals and against photographers, so it is difficult to say just what is in fact legal to do with a camera.

If you were shooting with an iphone, he wouldn't have had a problem with you.

No, it is NOT rational.

No way, I was against the curb 10-12 feet from the door, people were walking between us as we talked. But that was how my thread went: "you can't stop people with iPhones, what the difference?" But he would have none of it, I eventually just said, "whatever" and walked off. It was just a grab shot anyway but I guess it rubbed me the wrong way, cause I'm still talking about it a week later

Photography in Public Places

Larry Bullis

dasBlute

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency