More security hassling photographers

Do you explain to all passerby why you take this or that picture? I guess not, so why should he?:::

If someone asks me a question, regarding anything I happen to be doing at the time, I do tend to just reply, yes! Why wouldn't I, unless I had something to hide?

The security guards were most definitely in the wrong to incorrectly tell the guy he was acting illegally, threaten the police etc, but they were within their rights - as fellow human beings - to ask a simple question and expect some sort of response... He's not obliged by law to respond, but more by the usual norms of human interaction!

I have been questioned several times by security people, and always just say 'oh, it's my hobby, I like shooting old buildings / industrial buildings / urban scenes' etc etc. The human being in them then comes out (there usually is one in there, deep inside) and we have a brief chat and that's the end of it. I can't ever recall having an argument about 'my rights' and I've never been told to stop shooting, so far anyway... If they did, I would just continue anyway - they can't touch me because the law's on my side.

Any result?

I'm not so sure about being 'unnecessarily belligerent', he has such a pleasant rustic accent. Only kidding, even I have been on Ilkla Moor baht 'at (ask DaveM).

Seriously, if the roadway outside the factory does not belong to them, they have no rights whatsoever to prevent him taking pictures.

To be quite honest I don't understand why togs don't just print off a few copies of the laws (easily found on-line) as they pertain to taking photos from public areas (buildings, people whatever) and hand them out to anyone disputing their right to take those photos, company employees, private individuals (might want to try a different tack first with members of the public) or the police too if they are unaware of your rights themselves, they can then, if they wish, quickly check if the information you have given them is correct without escalating the situation.

Still that woman really was a dumb ^&$#@ wasn't she.

If you join the RPS you receive with your membership card a handy business card size card with precisely that on it. On the other side are some hints as to how to handle the matter in a tactful way.

Only just got round to watching this - class

I don't agree with those that say he was too much of an agent provocateur - my feeling is that rights are precious, and defending them is important.

He was polite, clear and calm, despite the operatives' rudeness. Good on him, I say.

The response people get to questions is in direct relation to the tone being used to ask the question. If people ask politely what I'm doing, I generally answer truthfully. But when an a$$ h0!e orders me to quit doing something I have a legal right to do, then I become very testy.

Those "two penny" cops weren't asking a question, they were ordering him to quit doing something he had a right to do.

I still think the whole purpose of the exercise was to produce a video for sewer-tube and had absolutely nothing to do with photographers rights. I should imagine many more "photographers" will follow suit.

the photographer was exercising his right as a law abiding citizen doing a legally acceptable hobby.

Once those numpties in yellow hi viz start using threats and behaving like that they deserve everything they get. It seems they have both resigned according to replies on youtube.

I guess kingdom security or Golden Wonder did not see their actions as being acceptable either....

Stan if you look at the guys website you will see he has been documenting Scunthorpe for a longtime & blogging about it also for a long time. Some people like what he does, others don't seem to understand it. Its the ones that don't understand who seem to have a problem with it.

Yesterday I was shooting a red carpet even in Manchester & it was one of the days talking points amongst the photographers...

But what would be the wrong in that?

People taking pictures in a public place shouldn't be news. You don't see headlines saying,

"Photographers permitted to continue taking pictures from a public place. Security guards ignored them."

The fact that it so often is news, is a consequence of the actions of the misinformed security guards, and, less often now, thankfully, police.

Not the togs.

Apparently 'the Scunthorpe two' have resigned from that security company...

Resigned or pushed, I wonder?

They might have done themselves better by first not swearing and then checking with the police and/or their legal/PR depts whether they had an issue with the photographer or not. But they took the law into their own hands and it seems suffered the consequences of bringing GW into disrepute.

The chap did well to keep his cool!

John

Wasn't there a joke saying something like "Typhoo put the T in Britain and now we know who put something or other in Scunthorpe" ?

Bit of a sweeping statement you've made, mind you, I've heard that people in Plymouth have six fingers and webbed feet.

Have a nice day ; )