Photographer's Rights - Revisited

I recently received and inquiry about this information again. So here is the link to get you where you can download the "Photographer's Rights" information:

http://blog.vadervideo.com/2010/08/photographers-rights-and-my-memory.html

This is a great document for anyone that uses a camera of any type. Of course, keep in mind that this information applies to the USA only.

I recommend you carry a copy of this with you at all times. It will come in handy when needed.

Enjoy

Many many thanks!!! :)

Thanks Andy! A good read, a good post, and a worthy cause.

Great info, thank you, Andy!

It's kinda like giving the person who confronts you with their "Miranda Rights". This way if it progresses to a real confrontation they can't say they didn't know.

Thanks Andy, it's always good to bring this information back up.

As I'm not up on current homeland security issues and I'm sure the info is still good.
But it may be noted that this was last updated in 2006 and some things have changed after 911 such as taking video or photos of certain government buildings, bridges etc.
Just extra caution would be advised.

Thanks for posting Andy. I printed a copy to keep in my camera case.
Jake

I saw that date too, and I do wonder what's changed. If it was updated in 2006, and 9/11 was 2001, and changes HAVE CONTINUED to erode our rights by the law, a little here, a little there, I think it VITAL that we work to keep abreast of these changes, and fight when necessary. It's a lot easier to keep something if you've got your hands on it, and much harder to get something back once you've let it go.

I think back to the threatening tugboat captain who was going to "call the Coast Guard" because I was shooting the fuel barge from my own boat and very public open waters of the bay. I almost wish they had.....I knew he was wrong then, but didn't have the words to express it. And he was.....had I pressed it, I would have gotten myself some cool Coast Guard footage! Of course he could have chased me down with the tug, too.....no sense in making people mad. But it's hard to pass a slip of paper across the gunwales of two boats in heaving waves....

The best advise even when you think you are right is politely stop shooting and wish them a good day. I've found that every cop, every security guy, every business owner will all use the Homeland Security excuse. They will be wrong in 99% of the cases but come back tomorrow when they are not there.

The congress did a few years ago enact new laws prohibiting commercial photography in Federal parks and monuments. I think many "security" guys take it too far. It was meant to be directed at production companies and weddings where they interfered with the parks management or additional assets or people were required at government expense to pay for the costs.

Just to be clear what rights videographers and photographers have in Federal parks and monuments. read the following:

http://law.justia.com/cfr/title36/36-3.0.10.7.28.2.html

That's not clear at all....this is an article about NARA National Archives Records Administration, and its facilities. Thankfully I don't have any hankering to go shoot there in any listed on that site. Not now anyway.

These are not parks or monuments though. So far I haven't found any restrictions for the likes of us to be shooting in those. At least, for those of us that don't make a big deal.....hop out of the car, take a hike, shoot some footage, plop back in the car, etc. For a production, with big setup, lights, etc. it might be different, right?

And some of those rules like NARA has, and other famous museums and churches and such, will disallow "professional" shooting, but anyone with a "plain jane" 7D may well be "snapping photos" while secretly doing video shooting, and then, OMG, selling this information to the (name your favorite evil organization/threat). Any spy worth his salt would not "look" like a spy....she'd look like Grandma. Or your daughter's geeky boyfriend.

That National Security stuff is idiotic. It is eating this country alive from within.