Need quick answer about visiting a US Navy Base

[goamules]

Ok, being in the service currently and having been for 18 yrs now (so before 9/11), I feel the need to say this, the folks who enforce this law are people themselves and will inquire as to why one is taking an image at a particular location and make a judgement call as to whether or not to allow one to continue photographing, to ask to put you gear away or to detain you and to confiscate your gear for further investigation.

I have photographed on bases in both uniform and out of uniform, for official events, personal projects and actual commissioned images to promote the Navy. I have photographed on deployments of even sensitive things, in war zones and even a plane crash at FOB Dwyer (Google EA1 Miller, FOB Dwyer). The point I am making is that as long as you are respectful to the law enforcement agent and do as they say you are to do, things will go fine. I have been asked by a few base police to quickly finish my shot or to not point my camera in a certain direction and this includes in base housing. Please remember, actual enforcement is conducted by folks who are interpreting the situation visually and by what you say (spirit of the law vs enforcement of the law)

R/
Dave

Exactly. Good to hear people actually IN the service, or veterans, or civilian contractors saying what I have experienced. There is no problem taking photos on most bases for "tourist" reasons. You try to take pictures of the perimeter fences and their cameras and protective features....well....why are you doing that exactly.

We can ignore the internet blather from those that don't really know the service. Come on, you were talked to for taking a picture of the USS Constitution fence in Boston??! Give me a break, the place is photographed thousands of times a week. But if you crawled up in the bushes, at night, when it's closed, and are acting like a freak....you get what you deserve. From my USS Constitution visit recently, the destroyer next to it:

[djdister]

Read it closer. "Whenever, in the interests of national defense, the President defines certain vital military and naval installations or equipment as requiring protection..." The President hasn't designated ALL bases and the fence around the USS Constitution. This is an ancient law, that came out during the Cold War and nuclear testing era. By the way, I was at a base in Washington last week. Taking photos.

The people that have problems photographing things are those looking for problems. You act like you need a talking to....you're going to get talked to. You act like a proud patriot, they'll leave you alone.

Well certainly there are "public" displays and museums that are made accessible to tourists and photography. Just try pointing a camera as you walk up to the Pentagon...

[BrianShaw]

I believe that all US military bases are at FPCON Bravo, and have been for quite a while. That somewhat status drives the sensitivities and "jumpiness" of the base protection authorities, both military and Federal.

There are big differences between photographic policy when on general base areas versus "controlled areas". There's generally plenty of signage to let folks know what the posture on photography is. And the implementation is quite different between visitors and folks with authorized general base access too. There's no "one size fits all" rule and as someone said earlier, the implementation of the rules is subject to discretion of LEO (and others).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forc...tion_Condition

But all this aside... visiting a base to see relics of WWII or Korean War may be for naught... Much of that old stuff/facilities may be long gone or significantly updated. It might be just as well to use GoogleEarth and look from that perspective!

[goamules]

I went back to my Navy Tech Training Center in Pensacola, FL last summer. In 1984, I had stood a front gate guard duty midwatch. The old bricks had several initials from previous sailors, so I decided to add mine. In 2015 I went by as a civilian. The official gate had been moved back some, and the old brick gate was 50 yards in front. Still some Navy office or something. I walked up with my wife and friends saying "I want to show you something..." Found my initials, from decades before. And took a picture of them and me!

[BrianShaw]

I went back to my Navy Tech Training Center in Pensacola, FL last summer. In 1984, I had stood a front gate guard duty midwatch. The old bricks had several initials from previous sailors, so I decided to add mine. In 2015 I went by as a civilian. The official gate had been moved back some, and the old brick gate was 50 yards in front. Still some Navy office or something. I walked up with my wife and friends saying "I want to show you something..." Found my initials, from decades before. And took a picture of them and me!

cool... you defaced federal property and got away with it.... even bragged about it on the internet!

But did you take the selfie with a LF camera??????

[jp]

Unless you're after Silicon valley stuff, skip San Jose. Not a bad airport though. Renting a car would probably be the most practical way to get where you want.
Head south to Monterey/Carmel/Point Lobos and the farmland around that to get a feel for that area. Migrant families living+working in fields that would not look out of place in old FSA photos. Dunes like Edward Weston probably learned photography and more from his lady friends. Spend a day at Point Lobos. If you're into cars, Mazda Laguna Seca track is right there too.