Know those arcade shooter games where you’re supposed to rescue hostages and you have your crosshairs hovering over innocent victims?
Us camera-trotting types may have to echo their cry.
I’m a bit late on this one - trust the budak to have spotted this article in BBC when I missed it. I’m not in London right now and I haven’t seen the posters, but I’m sure I wouldn’t want to (be seen around them), especially not if I have my camera with me.
Having had the experience of being questioned by police officers a handful of times while shooting in London (be it doing street or public events), I know how harassing it can be when you are stopped by the Met in their florescent duty jackets:
“Do you have a permit for that?”
Do I need a permit?
“Are you taking this for commercial purposes?”
No, not commercial, I assure you. It’s my hobby - purely for personal purposes.
“What are you taking?”
Erm… whatever I feel would make a good picture?
That BAJ press pass came in handy on several occasions, but at times you’d just feel like being rebellious and think yourself worthy of occupying a few more seconds’ worth of an officer’s time.
I know the authorities’ intentions are all and well, but it gets depressing when they launch campaigns that would only spread paranoia and reap suspicion of photographers amongst the masses. And just what do they mean by ’seems odd’, anyway? If they’re brown-skinned? Turbaned? Bearded? Looking suspicious? Furtive movements? Darty eyes? Terrorists don’t exactly like to flaunt the fact that they are terrorists… or so my understanding was.
Live in fear, you should. Potential terrorists are all around you. Just look at that dude with his spunky new white Canon L-lens.
Link :: Odd looking photographer? Must be a terrorist (with parodied posters)
Related info :: UK Photographers’ Rights leaflet (know your rights!)