Need quick answer about visiting a US Navy Base

[sepiareverb]

I got detained by Navy Security for about an hour, separated from my identification because I took a photograph of a fence at the "USS Constitution" (irony) in Boston. It is a Navy boat/museum that thousands of people visit every day in the summer. The fences are perhaps extremely high tech in some way, disguised to look exactly like regular chain link? I don't know, all I know is that while my family was taking the tour of the boat I got a nice look at the inside of a Navy Jeep.

Don't mess with the military. They are above the law.

[Bob Salomon]

Back in 1983 I was on a beach in Pensacola, Florida right next to the Naval base. They had a sign posted that no professional photography was allowed. There were a whole bunch of people with cameras snapping away so I took out my first 35mm camera a Canon AV-1. I was immediately approached by an armed guard who asked me if I hadn't read the sign. I told him that I was just an amateur. He told me that I didn't handle a camera like an amateur. I ended up putting the camera back into the car.

Like I said, that was back in 1983 and I wasn't even on the base. With all the increased security today you better call the base and ask questions before you go. Also if you are allowed to shoot pictures you may want to look like you don't know what you are doing.

When I was 13, way back in 1954, one of my presents was a new Minox system. Another was a trip with my father's New England sales representative. We started off from my home in Darien, CT and headed to New London and Groton where he had scheduled his first stops. That was quite a long stretch as this was before the CT Thruway had been built so it was on the Merritt Parkway, the Wilbur Cross and the Post Road. When we finally got their we were passing the submarine base and decided to stop so I could take some pictures, through the fence, of the subs with my Minox. While doing this the rep stayed in his car on the side of the road with his motor running and I at 13 was busy taking pictures of the subs with my Minox. After just a few minutes two Navy jeeps pulled up and bracketed us and 4 Shore Patrolmen wanted to know what I was doing. So I told them that " I was taking pictures of the subs" they then wanted to know why I was doing it with a Minox? So we told them that it was my birthday present and was the only camera that I had for the trip. After a couple of hours of questions and answers and some conversations between the SP's and their superiors, we were finally allowed to go on our way, after I gave them the film in the camera and all other rolls that we had with us, exposed or unexposed. Have you ever tried to buy more Minox film in mom and pop camera stores in the 50s? We couldn't find any.

[djdister]

So to sum up, forget about getting on any U.S. military base, and forget about taking any photos on or near a U.S. military base. Enjoy the cities...

[BrianShaw]

I got detained by Navy Security for about an hour, separated from my identification because I took a photograph of a fence at the "USS Constitution" (irony) in Boston. It is a Navy boat/museum that thousands of people visit every day in the summer. The fences are perhaps extremely high tech in some way, disguised to look exactly like regular chain link? I don't know, all I know is that while my family was taking the tour of the boat I got a nice look at the inside of a Navy Jeep.

Don't mess with the military. They are above the law.

Interestingly, the Constitution is not just a historical relic and museum... but still an active commissioned warship.

[Jim Noel]

In San Diego you can visit the USS Midway, an aircraft carrier, and take all the photos you desire. On most weekends there are other Navy vessels tied up on the city side of the bay for public visitation. I don't know about photography on or around these. Don't think about taking pictures across the bay of the Navy ships tied up on Coronado. By the time you get the camera on the tripod there will likely be more than one policeman or Shore Patrol alongside.Perhaps if you are very close friends with a Congressman he or she can take you on a base, but that would still not allow pictures.

[Leszek Vogt]

Unless there is a public show (like airshow w/Blue Angels, etc) your entry onto the base will be rather curtailed or blocked...as it has been indicated.

Bob, Minox ?, are you kiddn ? That has been used as a spy camera....I'm surprised that several hefty charges didn't followed....while one sits in jail. No doubt THAT would happen in any serious sub-base.

Les

[Drew Wiley]

All the Naval bases here in the Bay Area are shut down. The big naval facility on Mare Island is open as a park to the public, with museums, a lovely Naval Cemetery, and lots of interesting buildings, both industrial and residential, to potentially photograph, depending on what has been cleaned up to date per hazmat. The SF waterfront has a Maritime Museum plus a couple of docked ships open to the public in museum fashion. Then you've got analogous WWII military sights on both sides of the Golden Gate - lot's to see. Pt Molate is still under restoration and not open to the public yet except by guided tour. The Alameda and Hunter's Point
bases have been gentrified and will probably be less interesting in terms of intact naval history.

[Leigh]

Photography is prohibited at ALL Defense installations per 18 USC § 795 (Title 18 United States Code Section 795).

Text of the statute is available here: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/795

Local commanders can waive this prohibition for individuals or public events if they determine such action is in the public interest. Such waivers are usually handled through the base Public Affairs Office or similar name.

- Leigh

[sepiareverb]

Interestingly, the Constitution is not just a historical relic and museum... but still an active commissioned warship.

That tourists presumably photograph all day long inside and out. I have some snaps I made there in 1976 or 77 with a Kodak Pony 2.

This time I was interested in the dry dock between the boat and the buildings, protected behind the fence. A large red flag.

[Bob Salomon]

Unless there is a public show (like airshow w/Blue Angels, etc) your entry onto the base will be rather curtailed or blocked...as it has been indicated.

Bob, Minox ?, are you kiddn ? That has been used as a spy camera....I'm surprised that several hefty charges didn't followed....while one sits in jail. No doubt THAT would happen in any serious sub-base.

Les

Groton is as serious a sub base that you can get. They built the Nautilus there. But they had a hard time making a 13 year old out as a spy. I just happened to have an unusual and suspicious camera with me.

Many, many years later the company that I worked for became the Minox distributor and we did sell a few pieces each year to the Government. But that was just as digital was really coming in and the Government sales really dropped off as digital got better.